Matthew 28

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Src: Biblegateway.com

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“We are not saved by good works but rather we are saved for good works”

Suggested reading: Mere Christianity – C.S Lewis

Scripture References

We know who we are, but what is our purpose?  Matthew 5:16

How do we do these good works? Romans 12:6-8

How do we use our God-Given gifts to serve?

I. We must be available (3 barriers to our availability)

1. Self-Centeredness – “Forget yourself long enough to lend a helping hand” Philippians 2:4

2. Perfectionism – “If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.” Ecclesiastes 11:4

3. Materialism – “No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.”  Luke 16:13

II. A thankful Attitude (Attitude of Gratitude)

Paul was greatful to be found trustworthy enough to serve God. 1 Timothy 1:12

Serve the Lord with gladness.  Psalms 100:2

III. We must be faithful.

Keep your word.  1 Corinthians 4:2

NEVER QUIT!  Every single thing we do to serve God, no matter how small, is important to God!  It all advances the Great Commission!

“Don’t hold back because you cannot preach in St. Paul’s; be content to talk to one or two in a cottage. Very good wheat grows in little fields. You may cook in small pots as well as in big ones. Little pigeons can carry great messages. Even a little dog can bark at a thief, wake up the master, and save the house. A spark is fire. A sentence of truth has heaven in it. Do what you do right thoroughly, pray over it heartily, and leave the result to God.”

-Charles Spurgeon (John Ploughman’s Talks – Chapter 22 – “Try”)

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This Sunday’s message has been adopted from Kyle Idleman’s book “Not a Fan” Click to learn more: http://www.notafan.com

Would you consider yourself a Fan with Follower tendencies or a Follower with Fan tendencies?

Luke 14:25-35 The Cost of Being a Disciple.

Verse 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple.”

The use of the word “hate” in context during Jesus’ time would mean doing something without regard to approval from one’s family.  Turning your back on your family during this time would be considered an act of hate towards them.

Evaluating the things that we allow to take us away from God:

1. How do we spend our discretionary time or money? This is good indication of where our heart is at and what we are truly
   “following”.
2. Who or what do we turn to as an immediate response to hurt (physical or emotional)?  What we turn to usually is more important to us than God in our lives.
3. What frustrates or disappoints us the most? The answer to this question is most likely a higher priority than God should be in our lives.
4. What brings us the most joy? Once again, the answer to this question is most likely a higher priority than God should be in our lives.

Consider what takes the place of Jesus in our lives…

Psalms 78:1-8 Teaching the next generation the praisworthy deeds of the Lord.

Statistic:  Over half of American youth end their religious involvement after graduation from High School.  Learn more by searching for article title: “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church” www.barna.org .  (no link provided for copyright reasons)

Scripture references

Psalms 61:1-5 Plea for God to hear our cry and shelter us from our foes.

Joshua 1:6-9 Joshua is asked to be strong, courageous and obedient and success will follow.

Jeremiah 1:6-8 “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child”  Jeremiah is re-assured that the Lord will always be there to rescue him as he does what the Lord commands.

Matthew 16:24  We must deny the things of men and take up our cross and to follow Christ.

Luke 7:36-50 Jesus’ feet are anointed by a sinful woman.

Scripture references

Matt 15:8 “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Psalms 139:1-4 God knows everything about us.

(יָדַע (yadá) – Hebrew word defined as knowing someone in an intimate way.  Referring to God’s relationship with us.)

Have you made a Decision to Believe or a Commitment to Follow? This Sunday’s message has been adopted from Kyle Idleman’s book “Not a Fan” Click to learn more: http://www.notafan.com

John 3:1-5 Nicodemus approaches Jesus under the cover of night.

Scripture Reference

John 7:50-52 Nicodemus steps out of his comfort zone after his encounter with Jesus.  He points out to the Jewish Leaders that their law dictates the accused be heard before being condemned.

We apologize that the first 5-10 minutes of this Sermon are missing. In the meantime, enjoy a Vikings “Fanatic”