SECTION 2
Ministry of Members
Every member of the body of Christ is called to minister.
The ministry of the church causes growth.
All Christian ministry takes it’s example from Jesus Christ.
1. Worship:
John 4:24/ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Ps. 5:7/ But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
Isa. 66:23/ And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Jer. 7:2/ Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
1 Cor. 14:25-26/ And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Rev. 11:1/ And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
True worship is accomplished by worshipping God’s way.
True worshippers don’t worship to know God; they worship the God they know.
True worshippers worship God because they have a Savior through Jesus Christ.
Worship is a conscious and intelligent act that involves man responding to God rather than God responding to man.
Many worship with lots of spirit but little truth.
Worship engages the heart and the mind.
OUR PRIVATE WORSHIP WILL DETERMINE THE DEPTH OF OUR WORSHIP IN PUBLIC!
2. Components of Worship:
Quote: “You will know how popular the Pastor is by how many show up on Sunday morning; you will know how popular the guest speaker is by how many show up Sunday night, But, you will know how popular Jesus is by how many show up at the prayer meeting" Author Unknown
3. Prayer:
Matt. 21:13/ And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
1Thes. 5:17/ Pray without ceasing
2 Chr. 7:14/ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1 Tim 2:1-4/ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
*** Sometimes I feel like it! ***
Ps. 150:1-6/ Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Jer. 33:11/ The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
Isa. 61:3/ To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Heb. 13:15/ By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
5. Thanksgiving:
Jonah 2:9/ But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Ps. 26:7/ That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
Ps. 69:30/ I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Ps. 100:4/ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
6. Giving of tithes and offerings:
Mal. 3:10-12/ Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Luke 6:38/ Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
1. Tithing: Predates the law.
2. Offerings: Above the Tithe.
3. Alms: Giving w/o expecting a return.
2 Corinthians 8: 7/ Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
James 2:15-17/ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
I Jn. 3:17-18/ But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
2 Cor. 9:6-8/ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
7. Teaching of the Word:
Mark 6:2/ And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
1 Cor. 4:17/ For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
1 Cor. 14:19/ Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
8. Exercise of the gifts of the Spirit:
1 Cor. 14:26/ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1 Cor. 12:7-12/ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
Eph. 4:11-16/ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
9. Blessings:
Heb. 6:13-15/ For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb. 6:7/ For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Gal. 3:13-14/ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Deut. 11:26-27/ Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
Q #1. What can I do to have a more satisfying worship experience when I come to church?
1. Prepare:
Football players prepare for the big game.
Sales people prepare for a big pitch.
Worshippers should prepare to worship.
2. Invest:
Invest yourself fully in each moment regardless of how you feel.
Mindlessness is not worship.
Learn to make the most of every service.
Express yourself; worship isn’t about changing your personality.
Our worship style will reflect our personality.
I worship God by being who I am and who I was created to be!
God is personal with me and my worship of Him must also be personal.
*** If I’m not being me when I’m worshipping; I’m not worshipping! ***
3. Worship in Spirit & Truth:
Emotionalism should not be the basis of our worship; however, worship should not be void of emotion!
Worship should be full of emotion; who can think of our great God and all he has done without becoming emotional?
As Christians, our worship is initiated because of the truth and emotion follows with the understanding or experience of those truths.
4. Individual Soulwinning:
John 15:1-2/ I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Prov. 14:25/ A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
1 Cor. 9:22/ To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Jude 1:21-25/ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
5. Personal Spiritual Growth:
Growth means discomfort and change!
Galatians 6:6/ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Titus 3:14/ And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
James 1:22-25/ But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
6. Submission to Spiritual Authority:
Define submission: to yield to people, precepts, and principles that have been placed in our lives as authorities.
Throughout our lives, someone is always in authority!
Submission + Faith = Power + Submission = Freedom!
Submission – Faith = Slavery
7. Jesus:
Even Jesus submitted Himself!
Matt. 3:13-4:1/ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like