DEFINING OUR PURPOSE
ACTS 26:16 – 18
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER NEW YEAR
IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS ONLY JUST A FEW DAYS AGO THAT WE WERE CELEBRATING THE COMING OF A NEW MILLENNIUM WITH THE COMING OF THE YEAR 2000
AND NOW HERE IT IS ALMOST 3 YEARS LATER AND IT IS STILL HARD TO IMAGINE ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME
IN THE LAST 3 YEARS WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD BLESS US AS A CHURCH IN MANY WAYS
ALSO AS INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO BE THANKFUL FOR
WHILE I AM GRATEFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THE PAST FOR US I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT HE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IN OUR CHURCH FOR HIS GLORY IF WE ALLOW HIM TO
A PASTOR HAS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES ON HIS SHOULDERS
ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT COMES WITH THE JOB IS HEARING FROM GOD AS IT PERTAINS TO THE DIRECTION OF THE CHURCH
IF THE CHURCH IS TO MOVE FORWARD IT WILL DO SO UNDER THE BIBLICAL PATTERN OUTLINED IN SCRIPTURE, ANYTHING ELSE IS REBELLION AGAINST GOD
GOD HAS BLESSED OUR CHURCH WITH AN INCREASE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,
BUT I BELIEVE THE BEST IS YET TO COME AS WE FOLLOW HIS LEADING
TODAY IN AMERICA WE ARE LIVING IN A GENERATION WHERE THERE ARE CHURCHES THAT ARE GROWING, AND THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE DYING
PROVERBS 29:18
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:
THERE ARE CHURCHES CLOSETING THEIR DOORS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF VISION
#1 THE PASTOR HAS LOST OR NEVER HAD A VISION FOR THE CHURCH
#2 THE CHURCH IS IN A STATE OF REBELLION AND REFUSES TO FOLLOW THE MAN OF GOD
THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE SAYING IN YOUR MIND RIGHT NOW THAT WONT EVER HAPPEN HERE, BUT DON’T BE DECEIVED IT CAN HAPPEN EVEN HERE
JOEL 3:14
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
THIS MORNING WE STAND AT A CROSS ROAD AND WE MUST DECIDE WHICH PATH THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT GOD HAS GIVEN ME A VISION AND A BURDEN FOR THIS CHURCH
AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER IN THE DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS AHEAD TO LEAD THIS CHURCH IN THE DIRECTION THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME
RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU CONCERNING A GREAT OUT POURING OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IN THE LAST DAYS
ACTS 2:17
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
#1 WE CAN BE A DREAMER OR A VISIONARY
#2 WE CAN DETERMINE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE OF GREATER SERVICE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ALLOW HIM TO FLOW THROUGH US OR - WE CAN CROSS OUR ARMS SIT AND DO NOTHING WHILE THE WORLD AROUND US SLIPS OUT INTO ENTREATY – THE CHOICE IS OURS
RECENTLY THE LORD HAS BEEN DEALING WITH MY HEART CONCERNING THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH
IN THAT STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE SPIRIT, AS CLEAR AS THE NOONDAY SUN THE LORD HAS SPOKEN TO MY HEART THAT A CHURCH THAT IS PURPOSE DRIVEN IS A CHURCH THAT HE WILL OPERATE THROUGH IN THESE LAST DAYS
SAINTS OF GOD WE ARE LIVING SO CLOSE TO THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS, AND IF WE EVER HOPE TO SEE A MOVE OF GOD THAT WILL SAVE LOST SOULS, HEAL THE SICK, DELIVER THE OPPRESSED, WE HAD BETTER BE WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE JOB DONE
WE ARE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO DOWN IN DEFEAT, BUT WE CAN RISE TO GREATER HEIGHTS IN HIM
WHAT IS PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH?
MATTHEW 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH THAT CHRIST SPOKE ABOUT WAS TO BE THAT GROUP OF CALLED OUT BELIEVERS OF LIKE FAITH AND PASSION WHO WOULD CARRY ON HIS WORK
1 PETER 2:9
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
#1 THE CHURCH IS TO BE A WORSHIPING COMMUNITY
PSALMS 22:3
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE WE ARE TAUGHT THAT GOD DWELLS IN THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE
TIME WILL NOT ALLOW ME THIS MORNING TO EXPOUND ON THE NUMEROUS TIMES GOD’S VERY PRESENCE WAS MANIFESTED WHEN HIS PEOPLE LIFTED HIM UP THROUGH PRAISE
TODAY AS BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS, SANCTIFIED FROM THIS WORLD, AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND FIRE, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE COMMISSION TO SHOW FORTH THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO HAS CALLED US OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD INTO THE MARVELOUS LIGHT OF CHRIST
OUR #1 PRIORITY IN EVERYTHING WE DO IS TO BETTER LIFT UP JESUS
#2 TO FULFILL THE 5 FOLD WORKING MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH
EPHESIANS 4:11
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS NOT ALL SINGING, AND CLAPPING, AND MAKING A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH HAS A WORKING SIDE TO IT AS WELL
THE WORKS OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE TO FULFILL THE 5 FOLD MINISTRY OUTLINED IN SCRIPTURE
Apostle A person sent by another; a messenger; envoy.
APOSTLES Persons sent to accomplish a mission, An apostle represents the one sending and has the authority to represent the sender in business, political, or educational situations..
A MORE MODERN WAY TO THINK OF AN APOSTLE IS A REPREHENSIVE, AN AMBASSADOR
WE ARE AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST, WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A MISSION WE ARE TO REPRESENT CHRIST IN ALL THAT WE DO
PROPHET - The Seer and Speaker of God:
According to the uniform teaching of the Bible the prophet is a speaker of or for God. His words are not the production of his own spirit, but come from a higher source. For he is at the same time, also, a seer, who sees things that do not lie in the domain of natural sight, or who hears things which human ears do not ordinarily receive;
THROUGH THE WORD GOD HAS GIVEN HIS PEOPLE A SUPERNATURAL INSIGHT TO THE EVENTS OF THE WORLD ALL AROUND THEM
WITH THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST WE ARE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH OF THESE EVENTS TO THOSE AROUND US
LIKE NEVER BEFORE IN ITS HISTORY THE CHURCH NEEDS TO STAND TALL, AND FIRM ON THE WORD OF GOD
WE MUST DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BODILY PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO A LOST WORLD
MATTHEW 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
THIS COMMISSION GOES BEYOND THOSE WHO MAY SIT AT OUR SUPPER TABLE FROM TIME TO TIME, OR EVEN THOSE WE CAN CALL BY NAME
EVANGELIST
A “publisher of glad tidings;” a missionary preacher of the gospel
It designates one who announces that gospel to others
“A bringer of good tidings”
ROMANS 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
PASTORS - feeder of the sheep
KJV translation of Hebrew term for shepherd
MUCH OF THE WORK OF A SHEPHERD WAS THAT OF A CAREGIVER TO THE SHEEP, THE GOOD SHEPHERD WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING OUT FOR THE WELL BEING OF THE SHEEP
WHILE THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE PASTOR IN THE CHURCH WE ARE ALL TO BE CAREGIVERS TO THOSE AROUND US
MATTHEW 25:34
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
TEACHERS – One who gives instruction
MATTHEW 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
WE ARE INSTRUCTED TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS
WE ARE TO TEACH OTHERS WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE FOR CHRIST
WE ARE TO TEACH BY THE WORD, AND BY OUR EXAMPLE / OUR LIFE
WHAT DOES OUR LIFE TEACH OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST?
FOR MANY ALL THEY KNOW ABOUT CHRIST IS WHAT THEY SEE IN US
WITH ALL HEADS BOWED AND EVERY EYE CLOSED
ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION AM I REALLY HONESTLY DOING WHAT I KNOW TO DO TO FULFILL MY PURPOSE AS A CHRISTIAN
AM I DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO FULFILL MY PURPOSE FOR THE GOSPEL?
WHAT HAVE I DONE THIS WEEK TO FULFILL MY PURPOSE FOR THE GOSPEL?
PRAYER AT THE ALTAR
