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Unite to Serve

by Senior Pastor Tom Harrison January 14, 2018 Unite Sermon Series Journal intro: Every Christian has spiritual gifts. We all have gifts to proclaim God’s Name. We all have gifts to build and help believers mature. We have gifts to serve the body of Christ. We have gifts to HELP OTHERS FOLLOW JESUS. We each have a part. There are many disruptive things which can be destructive in the mission of the church. Fracturing the unity of the body of Christ is crushing. Imagine a football team with players who refuse to block, tackle, pass or run unless the coach calls the play they prefer. This happens in kids sports (often because of the parents) and it happens on professional teams. Disharmony is one of the most grievous things that can happen within the church. Spiritual babies are disruptive. Satan tries to sow seeds of disharmony, too. APPLICATION: What are my spiritual gifts? What is my part? How am might I be trying to do someone else’s part? Note: If you have never taken the spiritual gifts inventory please contact Michelle Rafferty, Membership Coordinator, at [email protected]. 2-fold emphasis in this sermon: 1.) Learn Your Spiritual Gift (see Note: above) 2.) Engage in Service. Be in Mission We will show the 5-minute Mission Trip video. The advantage of the video = it shows what happens when people go on these short-term trips. The disadvantage could be that people think that “I’ve got to go on a mission trip to serve.” We should try to tell the “other side” (Asbury needs and community opportunities). This series is on “Unite.” The church, the Body of Christ, needs to be united. What brings us together? John Wesley, the Founder of Methodism, said he was “a man of one book.” Though well learned, his “one book” was the Bible. While we will have different interpretations and certainly different applications, we are people of the Book. If we do not know/understand the Bible, it will be very hard to apply it. If we do not know the Bible, our faith is compromised. In fact, we encourage you to memorize some verses from it. The verse this week (printed in the bulletin) is Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if

we do not give up. Take your Bibles and turn with me to Ephesians 4:7-13 (pew Bible p 1821) EPHESIANS 4:7-13 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." 9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Every believer receives 2 things in the Body of Christ: *GRACE 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it *GIFTS 8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." We need to learn what our gifts are. What if I’m not an “apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher?” Do I still have a gift? (See bulletin about taking spiritual gifts inventory that will help you learn what your gifts are) 1 Cor 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers) have special callings to prepare the Body of Christ, the church, for service. What skill has God given to me that He can use to bless the world? How/where can I use it? Paul emphasizes 2 goals - they are tied together) *UNITY until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God *Maturity (a mature person understands the importance of unity) so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the

knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. There are 2 different ways Christians see the church. The first is that the church is a CRUISE LINER. I’ve been on one cruise – “The Journeys of Paul.” It was great. The room was pretty small but the idea is that you get to go places and don’t have to worry about stuff. The staff is there to meet all of your needs. You can exercise but eating is a lot more fun. It’s not free, of course, but it’s fun. Some people think of the church as being on a cruise liner. They pay some money (though some don’t do that) and the staff caters to their needs. Cruise liner Christians get upset when things don’t go the way they want them in the church. Their focus is what happens ON BOARD the ship, or what’s happening in the church and whether they like the music and the preaching/preacher. Does the church offer good classes and take care of me? It is an internally focused perspective. We certainly want excellent teaching and music and do everything well, but if we become internally focused, we’ve lost the mission of Jesus: “Go into all the world and make disciples.” Or as I like to say, “Helping Others Follow Jesus.” That’s the 2nd way Christians can see the church: as an AIRCRAFT CARRIER. The purpose of an AC = to deploy planes on mission. It’s outwardly focused. Something ugly happens when we turn inward and start talking about “THE BIG ME.” This is what I want (demand). It’s a matter of the “Kingdom of God” vs. the “Kingdom of Self.” “What’s in it for me?” is a great question when we see ourselves being on a cruise liner, but you’ll never see that in the New Testament. “What’s in it for the Kingdom of God” is what the New Testament is all about – and that is how they turned the world upside down. After Friday’s memorial service for one of our members, John Benjamin, I was talking with a young adult. She is 30 years old. She told me how meaningful our student ministry mission trips had been for her. She said “It was my favorite part of junior high and high school.” She also said, “I will remember those trips for the rest of my life.” God gives the Body of Christ people to help build it, but EVERY INDIVIDUAL has a role to play and EVERY individual member has a place to serve. It is exciting when people “get” this. Show Video “Short-term mission trips can make life-time missionaries.” We must see ourselves as being “sent.” Do a Personal Conversation with Some folks –

8:00 – Julie Barlow – Asbury Kids & Teaching Ministry (Julie teaches regularly on Wednesday nights) Ron & Jackie Carter – Marriage Ministry and Financial Peace University Linda Pat & Jim Colgan – CCM & Bridging Links Jeff Baker – Stephen’s Ministry 9:15 – Sam & Chrissy Thorpe (communion servers) Ronna Taylor (guest services) 11:00 – Melissa Renkema In football terms, the Bible is our playbook. My job as a pastor = to call the plays. This is what we’re going to do. Our huddle reminds us we have teammates. But we can’t stay in the huddle. If we do that, we’ll get penalized for “delay of game.” We get lined up in our places and then we’ve got to run the play. We don’t just stay in our huddle. We run the play. The lack of being in mission and service is like a football team just reading its playbook and huddling with their friends. We’ve got to go play the game. The lack of seeing ourselves in mission/service derails our Christian faith. Why do we serve? Because we’re on Mission. What’s our Mission? HELPING OTHERS FOLLOW JESUS. How we unite: Learn the playbook. Huddle. Run the play (service) Lots of opportunities for you to serve.