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Give It Away (sermon notes and pictures)
These are the pastors actual sermon notes. Depending on time, the Holy Spirit, and how thing go in the church service the actual sermon may vary.
Think about this: what would your marriage look like of you treated your spouse the way you treat your relationship with Jesus?
We are in the days of the Lukewarm church.
Church of Laodicea
Rev 3:14-19
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[f] write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[g] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Lukewarm bride is:
emotionally committed- you are ONLY committed when it FEELS good. It is that first part of the romance. Sex is great. FEELINGS based commitment.
circumstantially committed– you are only committed as long as everything is going your way. When circumstance are good, you are fully committed; but when your circumstances are bad, no money, no job, kids are having problems; you fall away
Half-hearted and double-minded– you are unstable, you’re up, your down, you’re in you’re out; your committed half the time, but love someone else, or something else the other half
Indifferent– it’s neither good nor bad; it’s mediocre and you are OK with that
unenthusiastic– there’s no more enthusiasm. It’s hum drum. Just going through the motions
apathetic-you are apathetic about your commitment and you are equally apathetic about anyone else’s.
Is any part of this you? Be honest.
The FAITHFUL bride:
For better and for Worse
For richer or poorer
In sickness and in health
GOD WANTS A FULL-TIME, FAITHFUL BRIDE!
The faithful bride is FULLY committed to the BODY of CHRIST- we are ONE with Christ AND His body, the church.
The church is meant to be a living, breathing, moving body.
Ephesians 5:30-32
For we are members of His body,[a] of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
THIS means when one part of the body isn’t committed- the WHOLE BODY feels it.
This is why the American church is in the condition it is in. It is lukewarm, and we are feeling the effects of it everywhere. WE CAN AND NEED to be the generation to change the church.
This is what the LORD showed me. I went into His kitchen, as His child, fully committed I have access to WHATEVER is HIS. He showed me going into His refrigerator and getting myself a cold coke. But, He said to me, ‘It’s not for you. Come and get it and GIVE IT AWAY.”
There are 3 types of people here tonight:
- The ones going into the Father’s house and taking what they want for themselves ONLY
- The ones NOT going to the Father for anything
- The ones going to the Father for gifts in order to give it away.
The COMMITTED bride knows that YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body[a] and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Romans 12:1
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
1 Corinthians 12
These gifts ARE NOT FOR YOU TO SIT ON!
These gifts are for you to GIVE IT AWAY!
Ministry Gifts- YOU ARE THE GIFT. You do not charge for your gift, you GIVE IT AWAY
5- fold ministry
apostle-messenger of God with a specific mission
prophet-those under the influence of HS to bring a message to the church, concerned with the spiritual life and purity of the church
teacher-gifted to clarify and explain God’s water
evangelist-gifted by God to proclaim the gospel
pastor-gifted to oversee the church and care for its spiritual needs
deacon- those chosen and gifted to give practical assistance to members
helper-gifted for a variety of helpful deeds
administrator-gifted to oversee various activities of the church
encourager-gifted to oversee and motivate others to a deeper faith
giver-gifted to freely give of their resources
comforter-gifted to comfort by acts of mercy
Message of wisdom-utterance from the HS applying God’s word and wisdom to a situation
message of knowledge- an utterance form the HS revealing knowledge about people, circumstances or Biblical truth
faith- supernatural faith to believe for a miracle
healing- supernatural healing
miraculous power- divine supernatural power to alter the course of nature
prophecy- temp. ability to bring a word, warning, exhortation or revelation from God
distinguishing between the spirits- discernment, ability to judge whether something/someone is of the HS
speaking in tongues- utterances from the HS in another language
interpretation of tongues- ability to interpret that HS language
EVERY single one of you has at least 1 of these gifts.
1 Corinthians 14:12
“Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”
YOU are to be SEEEKING after spiritual gifts- zealous for them actually.
BUT then, they are not for you to SIT ON and keep to yourself.
A prophet who doesn’t share a word of warning, does nobody any good.
EX: God told me there was a famine coming in the next couple of years and we needed to prepare. What good is it to have a gift of prophecy and NOT give it away? “I’m good, but sucks to be you!”
I will answer for it.
Ex: Does anyone know one of Ps Shelly’s main gifts?? And HOW do you know this?? She gives it away.
THEN, you are NOT to boast that YOU did it. GOD did it in you and HE gets the glory.
EX: singer from Castle Hills, Dinora, GIVE GLORY TO GOD!
GOD IN YOU!
1 Corinthians 4:4-7
“For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
We are called to be world changers! where are the Christians turning the world upside down?
Acts 17:6
But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Maybe you can’t change the whole world, but you can change YOUR world.
I’ll leave you with this question: what are you doing with the gifts God has given you?