February 28, 2010 by PastorMark.

#380, Fear Not, Pastor Mark Boucher, Sunday 02-28-2010

Text: John 14:1-6

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February 21, 2010 by PastorDave.

#379, Becoming an Effective Steward, Pastor David McIntosh, Sunday 02-21-2010

Text: Romans 14:12

Introduction

We have come to the last message in our series Letting Christ Change Us, connecting our vision with our values.
(Show the circles) We have come full circle I guess you could say as today we focus our attention on the call to effective stewardship.
Steward = one to whose care anything has been given, a manager, an administrator, guardian.
We are all stewards for the Lord. Each of us had been given a life, time, talents, gifts, abilities, money and possessions. God is the owner of all of these things and we are his managers, guardians, administrators.
Romans 14:12 – So then, each of us will give and account of himself to God.
There are 2,350 verses in the Bible on handling money & possessions.
There is one verse that helps explain why so many Christians struggle in this area of their walk with the Lord.
Isaiah 55:8-9 – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In the area of finances, possessions we do not think like God thinks, nor do our ways line up with God’s ways. So this is a delicate subject but one that must be preached.

TRANSITION: What I would like to do today is look at five key areas of our lives and see what God thinks and says about them in regards to being good stewards of God’s stuff.

WORK

1. Colossians 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men; since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
2. “Whatever” here means whatever! It doesn’t matter what you do as long as it is with all your heart. In work God isn’t looking at the what He is looking at the heart!
3. Do you see yourself everyday going to work for God or men? This will change how your work?
4. Our reward is not from men (our employer/boss) but God! We all work for the Lord!
5. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – If a man will not work, he shall not eat. (Do you remember what happens in Genesis chapter 3? Man sins!)
6. Genesis 2:15 (before sin) – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
7. Work is not sin or a curse! But part of God’s design for man to fulfill his purpose while he is here on this earth.

PERSPECTIVE

1. Philippians 4:11-13 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
2. The world around us teaches us that circumstances dictate action. But the apostle Paul wants us to see a different perspective.
3. Whatever the circumstances (in need or in plenty) if we are living by God’s principles we can do everything through the Lord!

DEBT

1. This is a touchy subject indeed, especially in our day. But we need to let God’s Word speak to every area of our lives.
2. Proverbs 22:7 – The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
3. 1 Corinthians 7:23 – You were bought at a price; do not become slaves to men.
4. The dictionary defines debt as money that a person is obligated to pay to another.
5. Debt puts us in the role of a servant or (according to 1 Cor.7) a type of slave.
6. The Bible does not say that debt is sin, but it discourages the use of debt as we can see from these previous verses.
7. There are two things that debt does that are dangerous.
I  Debt presumes upon tomorrow. When we get into debt we presume that we will earn enough or our jobs will continue for a long time and be profitable. James 4 says, you do not know what you life will be like tomorrow.
II Debt often denies God an Opportunity to show Himself Mighty. (Share story of young man who wanted to go to seminary to become a missionary. He had no money and would be $40,000 in debt on a loan but would never be able to pay it off on a missionary’s salary. So he enrolled without a loan and was amazed how God provided as he went to school & worked.
8. Romans 13:8 – Let no debt remain outstanding…(if we owe God expects us to pay)
9. Getting into debt (beyond a mortgage or well planned out financial decision that does not put undue stress on the budget) is usually a surface symptom of a deeper problem. Show the slide of the iceberg.
10. Before we move on let me say two things, consider a change of life style (used cars, second hand stores, local vacations, cooking at home) cut up credit cards; secondly DO NOT GIVE UP. You can do all things through Christ. Just have to be willing!!

GIVING

1. Acts 20:35 – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.
2. 1 Timothy 6:18-19 – Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
3. God is a giver and is looking for givers. Someone once said if you want to be sure that you are in control of your money and not the other way around; give it away to the Lord’s works!
4. The true test of giving is not what you give but what you have left after you give.

ETERNITY

1. Mark 8:36 – What good is it for a man, to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
2. More times than we care to admit, people choose the possessions & wealth of this world over following God’s ways.
3. Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21; Turn and read NIV)
a) V.19 – You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat drink and be merry.
b) V.20 – But God said, you fool! This very night your life will be demanded of you.
c) The rich fool was a fool not because he was rich, but rather his focus was on this life and taking it easy. God’s focus is on eternity.
d) V.21- Store up things for yourself but are you rich toward God?
4. “Take care of your body as though you will live forever; take care of your soul as if you will die tomorrow.”
5. Eternity is not a place for the things of this world; it is a place for the soul.
6. 1 Timothy 6:7 – For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it.
7. Our failure to view our life through God’s lens of eternity is a major hindrance to seeing our lives and our possessions in their true light. (don’t think 30 yrs from now think 30 million)

CLOSING

1. We started off by saying that God’s thought & ways are not ours. In the area of stewardship to allow His ways to lead us will bring great blessings in the end.
2. Matthew 6:20, 21 – Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
3. God wants every one of you to be storing up treasure in heaven. Now is the time when we do that.
4. Prayer for work, debt, getting Gods perspective with money, being a Godly giver or having an eternal perspective.

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February 14, 2010 by PastorMark.

#378, In the Lord’s School of Leadership, Pastor Mark Boucher, 02-14-2010

Letting Christ Change Us series

Text: Luke 22:24-34

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February 7, 2010 by PastorDave.

#377, Building the Body of Christ, Pastor David McIntosh, Sunday 02-07-2010

Text: Ephesians 4:11-15

Introduction

• We are in the 5th Sunday of our series Letting Christ Change Us. Connecting our vision with our values.
  Last week we saw how we need each other like a healthy body needs all of its parts.
• Today we are going to focus our attention on our 5th core value; a healthy relationship with ministry.
• Once we have been born-again, Jesus is our Lord & Savior, the Bible is now our source for direction in life, we are growing healthy relationships with our families and with one another we are in position for God to do a mighty work with all of us collectively.
• Because once the “Body of Christ” gets healthy; I mean we are searching the Scriptures for answers and drawing near to God, and our family life is improving and our relationships with one another are growing; once this is taking place and we are growing into a healthy “Body” of believers, God wants this healthy body to do something.
  And that something is called MINISTRY. Say that with me, Ministry.
• Just like and individual believer is saved for good works according to Eph. 2:10, so is the local body called to work the work of ministry.

GOD’S GIFTS

1. Eph. 4:11-15 – And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.
2. The source of all this is found right at the beginning of these verses, “He Himself gave.”
3. The He is Jesus; Jesus is the one that put this whole plan together.
4. What did Jesus give? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
5. Here we find the five offices of the church. People are gifted and called to fill these offices. Jesus gave them to the church; they are His gift to His Church.
6. Each one fills a different role although they certainly cross over.
7. So the first thing we discover is that God created apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, he gifted people to fill these positions and gave them to His Church.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS

1. Why did God give His Church these five gifts? We find the answer is verse 12.
2. “For the equipping of the saints.”
3. Equipping = take something that is unusable and make it usable. A recovered wholeness as when a broken limb is set and mends.
4. So in other words God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, preachers and teachers to train the people of God to be usable for God.
5. So equipping involves some steps:
a) Discipleship: we must first say to every believer, follow Jesus, obey Jesus. Jesus said follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 1 John 2:5 – But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.
b) Surrender: We have to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:1 – I beseech you…that you present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
c) Teaching: Every person must see their need to be taught the things of God. Even if you are an expert in an area, God’s ways are not our ways. We must be teachable. John 14:26 – But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things. Titus 2:11-12 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us… Both the Holy Spirit & the grace of God are looking to teach us.
d) Relationships: A Christian learns the likeness of Christ from a relationship with the Word of God & relationships with people who are also following Jesus. Sharing our lives, studying & praying together that’s how the Christian lifestyle manifests itself in the real world we live in. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 – So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
e) Service:   The church is commanded by the Word of God to stress to everyone James 2:17 – Faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. Teaching without ministry involvement will prove to be fruitless in the end.
6. So when Ephesians 4:12 reveals that God has given these gifts; the apostle, prophet, evangelists, pastor and teacher, God also shares they are for the purpose of equipping the saints.
7. Which is why people called to these offices have a passion to lead people to obey Jesus’ words (disciple) to understand all who live for Jesus will suffer persecution (surrender), Jesus’ ways are not our ways (teachable), we need each other (relationship) and the greatest among you will be the servant of all (service)
8. Now all these equipping has a purpose: FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY!

THE MINISTRY

1. Eph. 4:12 – For the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
2. Ministry = serviceable labor; it is work. Performance of labor.
3.    So the equipping is done by the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers, and the ministry is done by the saints of God.
4. “The work of the ministry is the enterprise of each member of the body of Christ and not the exclusive charge of select leaders.”
5. “A healthy church involves every member in ministry.”
6. Three Common Myths of Ministry:
a) Ministry is for Professional ministers: my goal is to get them to church and let the professionals take over.
b) Ministry is making sure the program keeps going: When the people begin to serve program instead of the program meeting the need of the people it’s time to reflect.
c) Ministry always happens in the church building: Leader said: I have never shared my heart, my fears, failures and needs inside the walls of this church. But I have outside them.
7. Ministry is build around the call/commission Jesus gave to the church: Lead people to follow Jesus by obeying His Word. That is what all ministry should be doing.
8. It may look different when you are ministering to children, couples, addicts, elderly, youth, mothers, fathers, singles, divorced, the sick, the poor, the prisoner etc… However the goal of ministry is simple, lead people to follow Jesus by obeying His Word.
9. Because everyone does not have the same challenges to overcome in the pursuit of following Jesus.
10. Example: 16 yr. old teenager struggling in his relationship with his parents & alcoholic; the goal of ministering to both of these would be lead them to follow Jesus by obeying His Word. But each has different challenges/obstacles in the way.
11. John 15:16 – You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.
12. Matthew 20:28 – Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Altar Call

• This was not a message to guilt you into joining a ministry.
• But rather to exhort & encourage you to understand that God had called you to serve
• His Church needs you; your life & relationships with God will grow.
• Minister to you, hurt by ministry, prayer for help & direction, prayer for your ministry….

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