Get In The Game 2

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Get In The Game 2</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id416.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Get In The Game 1"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id425.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="What Not To Wear"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Get In The Game 2," </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:7-16" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 4:7-16</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, November 16, 2003am</B></div> <bR> <div>      To highlight its annual picnic one year, a company rented two racing shells and challenged a rival company to a boat race. The rival company accepted. On the day of the picnic, everyone entered into the spirit of the event. Women wore colorful summer dresses and big, floppy hats. Men wore straw skimmers and white pants. Bands played and banners waved. Finally the race began. To the consternation of the host company, the rival team immediately moved to the front and was never headed. It won by 11 lengths. The management of the host company was embarrassed by its showing and promptly appointed a committee to place responsibility for the failure and make recommendations to improve the host team's chances in a rematch the following year. The committee appointed several task forces to study various aspects of the race. They met for three months and issued a preliminary report. In essence, the report said that the rival crew had been unfair. "They had eight people rowing and one coxswain steering and shouting out the beat," the report said. "We had one person rowing and eight coxswains." The chairman of the board thanked the committee and sent it away to study the matter further and make recommendations for the rematch. Four months later the committee came back with a recommendation. "Our guy has to row faster," it said. (Bible.org, "Teamwork":)</div> <div>      Remember the 80/20 principle? 80% of the results are generated by 20% of the efforts. 80% of the income is given by 20% of the people. <I>80% of the work is done by 20% of the people</I>. Can you imagine if only 20% of the orchestra played? If only 20% of you car worked? If the heating system in your home worked only 20% of the time it was supposed to? If only 20% of the football team put forth effort (some of you see that in your favorite team).</div> <div>      In many churches there are too many consumers, and too few contributers in the church . . . Many who want to direct the action, or criticize the action, or praise the action, but few who want to be involved in the action.</div> <div>      Last week, we discovered that we are challenged to a life worthy of our calling (a million-dollar salvation calls for more than a 5-cent response). First of two responsibilities we all share, to maintain unity. (How? - Five qualities - humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, peace-keeping - based on unity we already possess in Christ).</div> <div>      We are all responsible to be contributers to the growth of the church, the body of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. We each have a part in the responsibility for the growth of the church, the body of Christ (</B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:7-16" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 4:7-16</B></U></A><B>).</B></div> <div> A. Christ gave useful gifts to the church (vss. 7-11).</div> <div> 1. Vs. 7 - Grace (responsibility and ability) is given as Christ measures it out. ILLUS: Isn't it nice to get Christmas gifts from someone special who loves you very much? You always know the gift will be just what you wanted. Christ gave to people and to the church gifts by his determination and careful thought.</div> <div> 2. Vss. 8-10 - Support from the OT (Psalm 68:18).</div> <div> 3. Vs. 11 - The form of the gifts is <I>people.</I> Christ empowers people <I>with gifts</I> for service and he gives those people <I>as gifts</I> to help others grow and serve. All these roles are related to the proclamation of the Word, the truth of God, the gospel and its implications.</div> <div> B. Christ gives the gifts <I>for the growth of his church</I> (vss. 12-16).</div> <div> 1. Vss. 12a - Christians are equipped (prepared, made adequate) to contribute to the growth of the whole body, the church. It is the process of making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). More Christians and better Christians. This is not talking about some <I>special</I> training and equipping program of the church - it is talking about the teaching of and practice of the Word of God.</div> <div> 2. Vss. 12b-13 - Maturity is <I>defined</I> as: 1) Unity in the faith and in the knowledge of Jesus (we agree in our faith, what we believe about Jesus and our salvation), and 2) becoming like Christ together, all that he intends for us to become (in both our belief and character development).</div> <div> 3. Vss. 14-15 - Maturity is <I>described</I> as believing and speaking and living the truth and sticking with it. Not shifting from one "truth" to the next, like children. If children trust someone, they will believe just about anything they say.</div> <div> 4. The focus is on the Word (note vs. 11). As food is necessary to the growth of the human body, so the word is necessary and primary for the growth of the body of Christ, the church. We must take in the Word together, and let it have its effect.</div> <div> 5. Vs. 16 - Summary - Christ put all the parts and pieces together in his body, the church, for his church to grow, but <I>each part must do its work</I>. Christ empowers us, but he entrusted significant responsibility to us. You say, "Christ has a plan and he has the resources for the growth of his church. He doesn't need my help." My friend, <B>you</B> are part of the plan, <B>you</B> are among the resources he has chosen to use. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Coach of all Coaches wants you in the game; not in the stands, not on the bench, but in the game!</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Live a life worthy of your calling to salvation by personally contributing to the growth of the body of Christ (that is, making disciples - telling people about Jesus Christ and helping believers develop and grow up in Christ in community with other believers).</B></div> <div> A. To those who are serving faithfully . . .</div> <div> 1. Know how important your role is. 1 Corinthians 15:58, "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."</div> <div> 2. Keep going when it gets tough. </div> <div> 3. Keep evaluating yourself and your efforts.</div> <div> 4. Make sure you are a part of a team.</div> <div> B. To those who are still on the bench . . . get involved!</div> <div> 1. Start serving in small ways. We grow <I>by serving</I>. Don't wait until you are all grown up spiritually to start serving - you will never get there without serving.</div> <div> 2. When you gather with other Christians (e.g., worship service), think more about what you can give rather than what you can gain. Be a contributer, not just a consumer.</div> <div> 3. Get relationally connected and and start serving and encouraging those you are connected with. Let others help direct you to your best area of service.</div> <div> 4. Find a team and join it (don't serve on your own). Get a hold of the "Help wanted" list, prayer over it, ask questions about what you can do.</div> <bR> <div>      Live a life worthy of your calling to salvation by personally contributing to the growth of the body of Christ. And consider the problem of working alone, or doing nothing while others work alone. This is a "Response to an Insurance Company": "I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block #3 of the accident form, I put "<B>trying to do the job alone</B>" as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient. I am a bricklayer by trade. On the date of the accident I was <B>working alone</B> on the roof of a new six story building. When I completed my work, I found that I had about 500 pounds of brick left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at the 6th floor. Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of brick. You will note in block #11 of the accident report that I weigh 135 pounds. But to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull, and broken collar bone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were 2 knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my presence of mind, and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of my Pain. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground, and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel then weighed approximately 50 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block #11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my legs, and lower body area. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks, and fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks, in pain . . . unable to stand . . . and watching the empty barrel six stories above me . . . I again lost my presence of mind and let go of the rope. The empty barrel weighed more than the rope, so it came back down on me, and broke both my legs. I hope I have furnished the information you have required." (Bible.org, "Teamwork"). </div> <div>      The task of the church is too big to let some people do it alone. Your help is needed. Your contribution is required for the church to be all Christ wants it to be.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>