*The Church’s Influence In The World

4/22/07

 

 

(The following was used with a PowerPoint presentation, the asterisks indicate slide changes.)

 

What happens when the church stops influencing the world?

 

*Self indulgence, chaos, corruption, injustice, unrighteousness, moral decadence are just a few examples.

 

*The Holy Spirit is the restraining force on the earth.  If you remove the Holy Spirit, you have to remove the believers also.

 

*2 Thess. 2:5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? ⁶And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

 

This is two fold:  1) the sovereign power of God; 2) the Holy Spirit’s influence who lives in the believers.

 

*Being the influence on this earth as God intended for us to be is not always easy!

 

Jeremiah ministered under Judah’s last five kings.  For 40 years Jeremiah served as God’s spokesman to Judah; but when Jeremiah spoke, nobody listened. Consistently and passionately he urged them to act, but nobody moved.

 

*Jeremiah’s Complaint

Jer. 15:10 Then I said, “What sadness is mine, my mother. Oh, that I had died at birth! I am hated everywhere I go. I am neither a lender who has threatened to foreclose nor a borrower who refuses to pay—yet they all curse me.”

¹¹The LORD replied, “All will be well with you, Jeremiah. Your enemies will ask you to plead on their behalf in

 

*times of trouble and distress. ¹²Can a man break a bar of iron from the north, or a bar of bronze? ¹³Because of all my people’s sins against me, I will hand over their wealth and treasures as plunder to the enemy. ¹⁴I will tell their enemies to take them as captives to a foreign land. For my anger blazes forth like fire, and it will consume them.”

¹⁵Then I said, “LORD, you know I am

 

*suffering for your sake. Punish my persecutors! Don’t let them kill me! Be merciful to me and give them what they deserve! ¹⁶Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. ¹⁷I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I burst with

 

*indignation at their sins. ¹⁸Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook. It is like a spring that has gone dry.”

¹⁹The LORD replied, “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence

 

* them; do not let them influence you! ²⁰They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall. They will not conquer you, for I will protect and deliver you. I, the LORD, have spoken! ²¹Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands.”

 

*Just as Jeremiah was called to influence Judah, the church of the Living God is called to influence the world!

 

*Mat. 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. ¹⁵Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.

 

The Last thing God wants His people to do *is nothing!

 

*Eph. 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

*Enthusiasm is never ignited by doing nothing!

 

Share about what someone said after the day we went to the Lion’s Den.  He said that when he left he felt that he had really done something that mattered!

 

The people of Israel in the wilderness constantly murmured and complained except during a specific period of time--the building of the tabernacle.

 

They gave generously; they had to be told to stop giving…

 

*Ex. 36:4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work ⁵and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.”

⁶Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.”

 

*And so the people were restrained from bringing more, ⁷because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

 

*(Blank) the people saw their purpose.

 

If you don’t see your purpose as a Christian, it’s impossible for you to be what God wants you to be and do what He wants you to do!

 

A Christian without purpose is defeated!

 

When Joshua led the armed men around the city of Jericho, they had purpose and they were unified.

 

*Josh 6:8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the LORD went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the LORD’S covenant followed them. ⁹The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰But Joshua

 

*had commanded the people, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”

 

*(Blank) It’s amazing, up at Granite City, we have put up with some rough weather, but the people have been amazing!

 

When you have purpose, hardships cause the people of God to be even more determined!

 

*Phil. 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴ Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

 

*(Blank) We are to be an influence in our community and beyond!

 

The Lord is defining our purpose more clear all the time!

 

What we can do collectively is a lot more powerful than what we can do individually!

 

Last week when we put the article in the paper, the Lord spoke to my heart that this was something we would be doing from time to time.

 

Next month is Mother’s Day, I want to share with you something I believe the Lord has shown me…….

 

*Show picture of Samuel.

 

*Samuel is a precious living baby inside his mother’s womb.  The word “fetus” literally means “unborn offspring.”  But many today think that a fetus is nothing more than an unformed baby without shape or feelings.  This kind of thinking makes it easier for a young mother who finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy to consider abortion.  Samuel is a living human being with feelings, a heart beat, and a future; and has as much right to life as anyone else! 

 

*(Blank) We’re not done with the Lion’ Den.

 

This week, we will have 200 DVDs that we had made to give to pastors and interested people who will join us in our efforts at Hope Clinic.

 

*As a reminder, come dressed comfortably to church.  We will be going back to the Lion’s Den and doing other special Sunday morning events unannounced.

 

*Let me explain about how this works.  Children’s Church will continue to meet the nurseries will be operating and there will be a group of people that stay here at the church.  There will be some sharing and praying here in the auditorium.