Session Three with Rick ShurtzPrayers in Spanish, Russian, and English followed by reading Revelation 21:1-7
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world!”
We should not let the world define success for us. We should not adopt the world’s standards as our own.
We should not determine our mission based on the world’s measuring stick.
When we consider what God is calling us to do, we may be tempted to consider it something enormous. It may be way bigger than what we can imagine. Start with the basics though: are you living out the Great Commandment? Are we loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Are we loving our neighbors as yourself?
As we ask God to show us what He wants to do in our lives:
Also ask: “God who is already in my life?”
Multiplication – spiritual reproduction
The relationships you form along the way to lead people to Christ, and grow people in Christ, to the point where they can do the same with others.
For us to become spiritually mature means we can reproduce spiritually. We learn how to lead people to faith and help people grow in their faith so that they can lead people to faith and help people grow in their faith.
Next ask: “What am I good at?”
Ministry – the unique role you play in the body of Christ. This is largely based upon spiritual gifts, passion, and calling.
Next ask: “What am I passionate about?”
You can certainly press this too far. Some people are called to others they are not passionate about.
Mission field – the people God is calling me to reach and disciple.
Galatians 2:7-8 “ 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles.”
Finally consider: “Will I obey?
Money – our resources
Ecclesiastes 10:19 “Money is the answer for everything.”
The most noble of causes involves a budget – whether orphans in Haiti, having neighbors over for dinner, or developing a dynamic
With $100 of my own money, I can meet a need.
With 1000 people giving $100, we can solve a problem.
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the local storehouse, that there may be food in my house.”
Let’s not do this on our own! Let’s do this together!
When we fail to tithe to our local storehouse, we miss out on all God has for us!
Malachi 3:7-12
“10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says theLord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessingthat there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.”
tithe = 10%
offerings = above and beyond the 10%
Jim Collins writes about the “Genius of the AND” rather than the “Tyranny of the OR.”
We have to be a church who allows people to “Come as you are” AND helps people “not stay that way.”
We have to be a church that removes the pressure to give AND calls those who follow Jesus to give generously and sacrificially.
If you are going to ask God about your mission, you need to talk to God about your money. Are we obeying His call to tithe? Are we willing to make sacrifices to become generous?
Prayer – I want to be fully sent into the calling you have for me. What does that look like in the coming year? How can I more faithfully serve you? Who are specific people you are calling me to love? What ideas or opportunities do I need to let go of? What ideas or opportunities do I need to embrace?
