Building for the Future: Making A Difference For Christ

<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>Building for the Future: Making A Difference For Christ</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="id515.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Building for the Future: Whats Involved"><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="id511.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Building For the Future: Sharing Your St"><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> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>"Building for the Future: Making A Difference For Christ"</B></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, April 16-17, 2005</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>"There's a story about baseball pitcher Dizzy Dean, whose career ended because his toe got hit by a line drive. That injury ruined his throwing motion because when he came off the rubber to pitch, he had to compensate by turning his foot the wrong way. Consequently he began overextending his arm, which eventually ruined it for pitching. The same is true spiritually in the church. Where there are non-functioning members, there will be adverse effects somewhere else in the body. All the saints must be involved in ministering the gifts that God has given them." (John MacArthur, <I>Master's Plan for the Church</I>, p. 109).</div> <div>      As a church, we are building for the future – we are growing, but where do we go from here? From this point on, we can either keep growing and make an even bigger difference in people's lives and in this community and around the world, or we can shrink back. As we go forward as a church, it is going to require the efforts and participation of everyone. The 80/20 rule is well known: 80% of the work is accomplished by 20% of the people. Is that <I>God's</I> design? Everybody has to be involved, and everyone has the potential to make a difference for the cause of Jesus Christ on planet earth.</div> <div>      We will review some of the key scriptures on gifts and learn about how each of us can make a difference for Christ. <I>Text</I>: Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Every follower of Jesus has a spiritual gift and a role to serve in the body of Christ.</B></div> <div>      A spiritual gift is a special God-given, God-empowered ability to serve in the body of Christ. Please read the following Scriptures.</div> <div> A. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Rom+12:1-8" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Romans 12:1-8</U></A>. Use your gift, whatever it is! And use it without pride, because it is not about you.</div> <div> B. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:7-16" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Ephesians 4:7-16</U></A>. Each part must do it's work, in order for the church to grow, both in depth and in numbers.</div> <div> C. <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=1Pet+4:10-11" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>1 Peter 4:10-11</U></A>. Use whatever gift you have been given to serve others and God, using his strength and serving for his glory.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. How do you make a difference?</B> </div> <div>      By exercising the abilities God has given you, with his power, in the opportunities he provides.</div> <div> A. Discover your gifts.</div> <div> First, do you have the attitude of a servant?</div> <div> Second, what do you feel you are <I>good</I> at? (There are other people who are good at doing what you are not good at).</div> <div> Third, what do other people (who know you) think you are good at?</div> <div> Fourth, what do you <I>enjoy</I> doing? (There are probably other people who would enjoy doing what you don't like to do).</div> <div> And feel free to try some ministries for the short-term.</div> <div> B. Use your gifts: Four lessons about using your gift.</div> <div> 1. Use your gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ (expanding and deepening) (Ephesians 4:7-16). The cause is clear, that the message of the  love of Christ goes all around the world to every person, and radically transforms those who accept his message. And each part does its work so the whole church grows (expands and deepens at the same time).</div> <div> 2. Use your gifts in community. Your gift must work together with the gifts of other people in the church (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=1Cor+12:11-18" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>1 Cor 12:11-18</U></A>). We make a difference, not as heroic individuals, but as servants together in a group.</div> <div> 3. Use your gifts with confidence in God's strength (1 Peter 4:10-11). Don't think that have nothing to offer, no hope of making a difference.</div> <div> 4. Use your gifts with the humility of a servant (Romans 12:3-8, <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=1Cor+12:21" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>1 Cor 12:21</U></A>).  <I>Every</I> gift and gifted person God gives to a church is important and necessary, not just you and your gift. It's not about you, so just be a servant of Christ and of others, and one day you will here, “well done, God and faithful servant.” You cannot make a difference if you are not willing to adopt the role of a servant (<A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Mark+10:35-45" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Mark 10:35-45</U></A>).</div> <div>      In 1878, when William Booth’s Salvation Army was beginning to make its mark, men and women from all over the world began to enlist. One man, who had once dreamed of becoming a bishop, crossed the Atlantic from America to England to enlist. Samuel Brengle left a fine pastorate to join Booth’s Army. But at first General Booth accepted his services reluctantly and grudgingly. Booth said to Brengle, “You’ve been your own boss too long.” And in order to instill humility in Brengle, he set him to work cleaning the boots of other trainees. Discouraged, Brengle said to himself, “Have I followed my own fancy across the Atlantic in order to blacken boots?” And then, as in a vision, he saw Jesus bending over the feet of rough, unlettered fishermen. “Lord,” he whispered, “you washed their feet; I will blacken their shoes.”</div> <bR> <div>      Think and talk with others about your gifts this week, what you are good at, ways in which you enjoy serving others. Next week, we will talk about what to do next (specific ministries and opportunities).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2005, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>