Strengthened – by the Lord

Over the last few weeks we have learnt a lot about what we can do to strengthen our Church
Renew our devotion to the Word of God and Prayer, encourage each other and show God’s love to one another

There is one more thing we can do – Sorry, must do!

Ask the Lord to strengthen our Church

1/ Ask the Lord to strengthen our Church through the power of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 3: 16 ‘I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit’
God’s resources are unlimited!
The only thing that is limited is our asking!
When was the last time you asked God to strengthen you?
When you ask Him, and when He answers you and fills you with power, His unlimited resources will over flow you and pour out of you as a rich blessing to the Church
1 Corinthians 14: 4-5 ‘…the whole church will be strengthened’

2/ Ask the Lord to strengthen our Church through His Grace

Illustrate: My favorite TV program is called ‘Top Gear’ – it’s a program about cars
One of my favorite episodes of ‘Top Gear’ is Jeremy Clarkson road testing the Ferrari F12
He begins the road test of the F12 by looking at the camera and saying quite smugly, ‘Mmmmmm, we have everything we need’
Who wouldn’t say that – the F12 is a stunningly beautiful and luxurious super car?
The Ferrari F12/6.3-liter V12 engine/730 horsepower/top speed of 211 mph = 340 kph/Cost over $500, 000 N.Z.D
Who wouldn’t want one?
Many Churches have the same mindset about their church, about their ministry
Who wouldn’t want a Church with plenty of car parking, a beautiful building, comfortable seats, great music, big screens, and smoke machines on stage; and leading the church, a young well-dressed and highly educated Pastor and his beautiful wife and adoring young children, a boy and a girl; great coffee in the Church Café after the Service and thousands of attending members every Sunday?
Many Churches think like that
They say, ‘Mmmmmm, we have everything we need’
Do you want to know the truth, we don’t need any of that!
When the great Apostle Paul was asking God for strength, the Lord replied him
2 Corinthians 12: 9 “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
For our Church to become strong again we must come to the Lord and ask Him for Grace – Grace is all we need because Grace will provide everything we need!
James 4:6 ‘God gives Grace generously…God opposes the proud but gives Grace to the humble’.

3/ Ask the Lord to strengthen our Church through Jesus Himself
Matthew 16: 18 ‘I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it’.
*** When He builds us up and makes us strong again, we can then say
Philippians 4:13 ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’
1 Peter 5:10 ‘In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation’.

Strengthening Our Church – by love

Revelation 3: 2 ‘Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God.’

When we show Love to our Brothers and Sisters our Church will be strengthened

1 Corinthians 8: 1 ‘…knowledge makes us feel important, (but) it is love that strengthens the church’.

Sometimes it’s not easy to show love to our Brothers and Sisters in the Church

Some of God’s people can be difficult to love

But, with God’s love in our heart we can show love even to the most unlovable of God’s people

Romans 5: 5 ‘…God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love’

When we show God’s love to others it proves that we are saved; that we are the Children of God

1 John 3:14a ‘If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life…’

People who are unsaved love other things

2 Timothy 3:2-5 ‘…they love only themselves…they love money…they love pleasure…’

Loving our Brothers and Sisters in the Church is not a choice we are allowed to make – it is a command from Jesus we must obey

John 13:34 ‘…I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you…’

When we show this kind of love to our Brothers and Sisters in the Church, God considers it the same as loving Jesus

Matthew 25: 31-40

Matthew 25: 40 ‘…when you showed love to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were showing love to Me (Jesus)’!

When we show love to our Brothers and Sisters in the Church, God will bless you for doing it!

True Story: One of our friends here in Nelson has a large family

They had no other ‘extended’ family in Nelson

They made a friendship with an old single lady who was living alone

The old lady was very lonely

Our friends invited the old lady into their home to come and live with them and be a grandmother to their
children (that is called ‘showing love’)

Sometime later the old lady completely paid off the family’s mortgage/the complete debt on their Property (that is called ‘God’s blessing’)

I want to encourage you to show love to someone in our Church by doing something for them

Do something that will bless them

Dear friends, love will strengthen our Church

Prayer together: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 ‘May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows’

Hallelujah Chorus – Christmas Flash Mob

Strengthening Our Church – Encouragement

Revelation 3: 2 ‘Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God.’

Strengthened by – Encouragement

We all like to receive encouragement from others – it makes us feel better about ourselves and helps us as we serve God

God wants us to give encouragement to others – it makes others feel better about themselves helps them as they serve God

Let’s learn how to give encouragement to others through the example of Barnabas

1/ Acts 4: 36-37 – Encouragers give

Like Barnabas, we give money to the ministry of the Church, so that the ministry of the Gospel can advance in the World

Us: Ministry here in Nelson, Philippines, China, Africa, Thailand

When people give to our ministry we are encouraged

When people don’t give to our ministry we are discouraged

2/ Acts 9: 26-27 – Encouragers mentor

Like Barnabas, we mentor/help new believers grow in the Lord and in their ministry
3/ Acts 11: 22-23 – Encouragers motivate

Like Barnabas, we motivate others to stay true to the Lord, remain faithful; don’t give up, keep on serving the Lord with your life!

How many fellow believers do you know who have given up on serving God – they don’t even come to Church any more!?

4/ Acts 13: 1 – Encouragers lead

Q. Who is named first?

A. Barnabas was named first because he was the Leader of the Church at Antioch

Like Barnabas, we lead others, we don’t sit back and wait for others to lead us

5/ Acts 15: 38-39 – Encouragers restore

John Mark had deserted Barnabas and Paul on the way to their first mission

Before heading off on their 2nd Mission, Paul wanted to ‘ditch’ John Mark

Barnabas wanted to restore John Mark

Like Barnabas, we restore our fellow believers who have given up on serving God – we go after them and help them to serve God again

Do you like receiving encouragement?

Do you give encouragement?

Are you an encourager?

It’s time to start right now

* If you are not giving to our ministry here – start next week, start encouraging our ministry

* Contact someone this week who is part of our Church but not coming on Sundays – encourage them

* Contact someone in our Church this week and encourage them