A. From the daily toils of tending sheep, the long labors of protecting his flock, and the round-the-clock dedication of constant care, God took David from a shepherd of sheep to the shepherd of Gods chosen people! The church needs your effectual fervent prayers! If your love for Him has grown cold, you are unwell and you need to rekindle that love before things get worse. This exhortation is found in v.32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God,and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up,and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.(v.32) Paul said this because he had to leave the Ephesians, and would no longer be present to teach them as he had done before. These elders that Paul and Barnabas appointed were fairly new in their Christian experience, but they were the most spiritually mature men in those churches. First, God does not owe mercy to any nation or human being. a. The critical element in the word "serve" is the attitude of your heart. 12:1-7), but the chronology doesnt fit. What does Malachi have to say to our generation? What is the difference between true and false humility? Yes they certainly did. This email address is being protected from spambots. Every opportunity implies an obligation 3. But now we come to the question. Matthew 6:32. Every right implies a responsibility 2. How is the Lord using this training ground to take you from tending to becoming. May this occasion also be a time for each of us to search our own hearts with this question: Are you more faithful to the Lord or to yourself? Those words willingly and voluntarily make me grimace when I consider my own heart a lot of times and my tendency towards selfishness. 1 Peter 4:10-11. Many who started out well have not finished well. I John 1:3. He said,neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received ofthe Lord JesusIn v.22,23 Paul says,And now, behold,I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying thatbonds and afflictions abide me., Paul was heading for Jerusalem in obedience to the Lords direction for him, despite knowing the awful trials he would have to face there. Evangelical/Non-Denominational. Tonight I want to talk about something JOY. In His patience, God did not destroy them in their sin. The people thought that the sign was their salvation. Look at what he said in v.33,34, When this question has been settled, we should then go on to another area that requires faithfulness , Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of, Three years was actually the longest time that Paul served in one city throughout all his missionary journeys This was because of its strategic location in reaching out to the whole province of Asia. We have to acknowledge the fact that we live under His sovereignty and providence. During one of his messages, he noticed a lame man, and the Lord gave Paul the insight that this man had the faith to be healed. Place of Israel in the Gods Plan of Salvation No! Paul fulfilled his role well despite the many difficult challenges which he faced at Ephesus. Faithfulness to the Lord demands this attitude in our service:He must increase, and we must decrease., It is sad that many who serve today arenotinterested in decreasing. But if He is speaking English, I will be watching His lips and hoping that I see them forming a W. I want to hear, Well done, good and faithful servant. PDF Diligently Seeking God - Sermon Outlines What does this teach us about Gods protection as we serve Him? It is fascinating to study these spiritual gifts, but that is not within the scope of this sermon. Has your love for the Lord grown cold? (Acts 12:24) by Rev Calvin Loh, Acts 20:17-35 - The Challenge to Serve Faithfully, Mailing Add: 10 Gilstead Road Singapore 309064. No doubt the church in Antioch had been praying during the year or more that these men had been gone. But that was especially with reference to unbelievers. Be filled by His strength, fueled by His love, and immersed in His grace to keep pursuing Him faithfully. He was glad when asked to go to the house of the Lord - Psa 122:1 b. Did the Ephesian elders fulfill their role well? He tells the servants to fill several big jars to the brim. Trials strip us of worldly attitudes that have attached themselves to us like barnacles to the hull of a ship. Three years was actually the longest time that Paul served in one city throughout all his missionary journeys This was because of its strategic location in reaching out to the whole province of Asia. PDF Sermon: This Is Our Calling - Be Faithful They went from door to door, but no one invited them in. Ecclesiastes 12:1, Denomination: Nehemiah 8:10 tells us: It is the joy of the Lord that is our strength. There are many texts that I could use to preach this sermon, but I have chosen the last words of Peter in 2 Peter 3:18 for they form the challenge to each of us this Doesnt this remind us of what our Lord Himself did? God uses all things big or small to build upon His purpose. There is no way that you can escape from the fires of hell, unless you, Unfortunately many would rather listen to a message that makes no demands on them at all, but offers them all the blessings of God they could ever wish to receive, like good health and wealth. There is no way that you can escape from the fires of hell, unless yourepentof your sins andtrust onlyin Jesus Christ to save you, submitting fully to His Lordship in your life. 1 Samuel: By serving faithfully (Part 1) Sermon Series: 1 & 2 Samuel: After God's own heart. Jesus was our great example of humble dedication to our Heavenly Father and when we faithfully serve Him each day, we are growing to be more like our savior. Serving The Lord With All Your Heart Sermon by Lola Olanrewaju, Romans He preached the gospel to them so that they would turn from the worship of vain idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. There one mega hit was called Signs. Be faithful to the gospel. Let us therefore be faithful toChristin all our service. 2 Peter 3:18, The second sermon in a three part series, The Church that You and God have Always Wanted., (Slide 1) When my mom was here last weekend, she related a story that happened probably not long before I was born and that took place one Wednesday night at the church she and dad attended then. What the Bible says about the different levels of commitment demonstrated within its pages. One of the biggest mistakes that churches make is to put men into leadership who are not spiritually qualified, mature men of God. Our text shows the faithfulness of Paul and Barnabas in some great victories and in some difficult trials as they complete the first missionary journey. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms so that in all things God may be . 1. But even though Paul was not dead, he was seriously wounded. While he was there, Paul sent a messenger to Ephesus (which is about 40 km away) to call the elders of the church to come for a conference with him, as he believed that he would never see them again. We need to be faithful to God's word also. In v.25 we see that Paul was alsopreachingthe kingdom of Godamong them. CENTRAL ZION BAPTIST CHURCH read more, Scripture: Sermon Outlines - BaptistLamp.Org Matthew 25:14-30. 25:21). God miraculously raised him up and gave him the strength to begin the 60-mile journey to Derbe the next day. Paul was telling them to take heed untothemselvesfirst, in order toremain fitto guard the flock. In verse 16, Paul anticipates an objection from his audience: We have served what you call vain idols for centuries, and life has not been so bad. 2 3 4 5 Next "What Is Expected of a Church Member: Serving Where God has Gifted" Introduction: A Few years ago I had the opportunity to go to a Duke basketball game. Paul did not say, , If anyone here is still unsaved, please listen to this carefully, because it is part of Gods whole counsel . I hope that everyone who is serving in any ministry of Life Church will take this exhortation seriously Guard yourself! 10 Bible Reading Tips to Effectively Read Gods Word. WE ARE SAVED TO SERVE III. As we faithfully serve God, He supplies us with endless resources to daily serve those Hes placed in our life. How Within that time, Paul put in all his efforts to fulfill his role in several ways: Public teaching is mentioned in v.20 and havetaughtyou publickly, and from house to house.Testifyingboth to the Jews and also to the Greeksis mentioned in v.21. Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. It is just like eating well-balanced meals that include every kind of food that your body needs to be strong and healthy. Thats why Christ bestowed all the spiritual gifts which the Church needs for service. Finally they came to a cottage where a poor couple took them in, fed them, and gave them a bed for the night, not knowing that they were gods. In the words of . This was his role in serving the Lord, and he devoted himself to fulfill it faithfully wherever he went. But what needs to be impressed on us is thatwe allhave a role to play in Gods kingdom. The elders of Ephesus were faithful in their roles asshepherdswho provided for the flock and protected it from danger. What Small Groups Do Bestand What They Don't, The Power Of Choosing To Be A Touchable Leader. Jesus died for people who despise and reject Him. Intro: Back in the seventies, there was a one hit wonder band called the five man electrical band. This requirement is highlighted in the words which Paul spoke in v.19 - "Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations." (v.19). A Christian must be willing to work. Paul and Barnabas had been forced to flee from Antioch and Iconium. But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67thyear. Why should the Lord Jesus have such a supreme position in our lives - the . There are many other roles of service in Gods kingdom besides these. "He is the faithful God". For my sake! For those that have made the decision to put their trust in Jesus - who died on the cross to pay the price for sin and rose from the grave and we now trust in Him as the Lord and Savior of our life. Earlier on we witnessed the addition of new members through baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership. Peter addresses the importance of serving God in 1 Peter 4:10-11: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. During his ministry there, a thriving congregation developed and the Gospel was disseminated throughout the western part of Asia Minor. This can be seen in the call which He gave to the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10Be thoufaithfulunto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.It is also seen in the commendation which the servants received from the Lord in Matthew 25:21Well done, thou good andfaithfulservant: thou hast beenfaithfulover a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.. Paul and Barnabas are given to us as examples of faithful servants. Christ went to Jerusalem towards the end of His earthly ministry, despite, The apostle Paul would have disagreed with them very strongly. Acts 11:19-26. The fact that Jesus Christ is King does not mean that His people will be free from severe trials. I believe having a fully devoted heart is one of the characters we need to possess as a Christian. The apostles were horrified! During his third missionary journey, Paul spent most of his time in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of present-day Turkey. The apostle Paul wrote, "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Tit was through all these works of God that the Ephesians had now grown into a thriving church, But there is still so much more that needs to be done as we move forward as a church into our 67, build a united church family that is committed to making disciples through Salvation, Sanctification and Service to the glory of God.