Equip God’s Peoplefor Service

Adapted from a Douglas Bryan sermonhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?

SermonID=65640

We’ve been talking about being God’s Church on Purpose.

Instead of just meddling along in our comfort zone hoping that something will happen, we want to be a church that is doing things for a

reason.

We stated that our purpose is to evangelize the lost.

A guy visited the very large Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.

He said he didn’t like the church because it was too big.

When asked what kind of church he was looking for, he stated, "I want to go to a

small, friendly, highly evangelistic church."

The goal of a congregation should never be to remain small.

Our goal should always be "one more.“That is God’s hope–God’s desire

2 Peter 3:9 ESV The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is

patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach

repentance.

In addition to reaching the lost, our purpose is to edify the saints–that is, to help people

grow in their relationship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

We do that in a variety of ways–worship, fellowship, preaching and teaching, prayer.

One of the most exciting times in a couple’s life is a baby being born.

The parents are all excited and everyone "oohs" and "ahs" over it.

So the couple takes the baby home and then reality sets in.

They are constantly changing diapers and losing sleep and trying to figure out why the

baby is crying.The joy of the new birth is followed by the responsibility of caring for and raising that

child.

While babies are cute and all that, nobody thinks it great when a person remains a baby

for too long.If a small child never learns to walk and talk, never figures out how to feed himself, never outgrows his need for diapers, it’s a sign that

something is terribly wrong.We love babies, but we expect every baby to

grow. 1 Peter 2:2 ESV Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may

grow up into salvation—

Maturity takes time

God can grow a squash in 3 months, but He’s not interested in growing Christian

squash.Today we want to look at the last part of our

stated purpose. "To equip God’s people for service.“

To provide people with what is needed to do their job and to unleash them for ministry.

Putting it all together

"Our purpose is to evangelize the lost,to edify the saints,

and to equip God’s people for service."

Not:"Lindley Christian Church’s purpose is to simply chill...to just exist and maintain its

course until Christ comes again so that we can rightly say that we didn’t waste the one talent God gave us - but rather buried that sucker deep in the sand for safe keeping."

"Our purpose is to evangelize the lost,to edify the saints,

and to equip God’s people for service."

Ephesians 4:7 ESV But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, "When he

ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he

had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he

might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the

shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the

Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of

Christ,

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole

body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so

that it builds itself up in love.

Every person in God’s family is expected to serve

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

To each one of us,no one has been left out.

Expected To Serve

The Bible plainly states that it is by God’s grace that we are saved by grace–it is a gift

that God offers to every single individual.In vs 7 Paul is not saying that we are saved

in differing amounts.But, he is saying that we do receive differing

gifts and abilities from God. Paul says the same things when writing to the Christians in

Rome.

Romans 12:4 ESV For as in one body we have many members, and the members do

not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and

individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace

given to us, let us use them…

We need to understand something about God here–God does not give us something

that He does not expect us to use.That is what the parable of the talents is all

about.A man called his servants together and gave

to one man 5 talents, another 2,

and another 1.

When the man returned, the servant that had been given 5 talents had doubled that

amount to 10.The one that had been given 2 now had 4.

The one that had been given 1 talent brought that single talent back–he had hidden it in

the ground.He was called a wicked and lazy servant.

(Matthew 25)

Yes, when we first believe we have a lot of growing up to do, but there comes a time

when we need to take off the bib and put on an apron.

Babies wear bibs and expect others to meet their needs and cry until they get their way.

Those who wear aprons have the joy of serving others.

So, our responsibility as a church is to equip others.

Now, I realize that there are some that believe that they put money in the offering

plate to pay someone to do their work.

Equipped To Serve

In one church there was a fellow who had gotten upset with the preacher. He asked

him, "Did you go see so and so?"

Not having too good of an attitude himself the preacher replied, "No, did you?"

He answered, "No, we pay you to do that!"

People will sometimes say things like, "I can’t wait until we get a youth minister so I can

quit teaching that class.“

But, you see, that’s not the way it works.

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Why has God given some to serve as leaders in the church?

Answer: to prepare God’s people for works of service.

In other words, part of my, Nate, Emmett & all who teach job is to provide you with what

is needed to prepare you to do your job.

"To equip" comes from the same word that is used in Matthew 4:21 when James and John

were preparing their nets.This involved cleaning the nets of seaweed and sticks, mending parts of their nets that

had been torn or damaged, and then untangling and folding their nets so that they

would be quickly useable at a moment’s notice.

All of this was so that their nets would be ready to catch more fish.

They were not being prepared for storage, but for service.

I’ve known for a long time we could do a better job in this area,

equipping people for God’s service.

Have you ever wondered how many people are serving in some way in the ministry of

this congregation?

It’s tough to nail down a number due to some filling multiple areas of service.

2 – music, 1 at piano, 1 leading2 – preaching

5 Sunday School teachers for different ages & groups. With attendance low some

teachers are not active.5 or more people involved in the serving of

the Lord’s Supper.Several providing food in between Sunday

School & Worship services, + clean upIf God can lower Jesus, God the Son, Lord of

all, to serve I know He can use you too!

We can’t do everything, but we are expected to do something.

That holds true for the church, but also for individuals.

We want to unleash you for ministry.

What are we doing to help equip you to serve?

Sometimes talking about evangelism will put people into uncomfortable situations and force people to do “cold turkey calling.”

That is not the goal.

Our goal is to encourage people to live an evangelistic lifestyle and to provide the tools

to talk to people about Christ.

Our goal is to help you come close to God through His Word so you can discover the talents and abilities that God has given you and then encourage you to use those gifts

for the building up of God’s kingdom.Loving God & the people He created in His image should be the purpose that drives us.

We lead them to Christ by loving them to Christ!

So, what is the effect or the result of a church when it is equipped for ministry?

Maturity happens

Grow in knowledge

The Effect When A ChurchIs Equipped For Ministry

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to

mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro

by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by

craftiness in deceitful schemes.Sometimes new Christians are so anxious to

learn that they will believe just about anything that anybody tells them.

They are a sponge trying to soak it all in.

15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole

body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so

that it builds itself up in love.

Grow in love.

Church will be built up.

Ministry takes placeas each part does its work.

Message of Christ is proclaimed.

All of that works together to make a healthy, growing church.

"Our purpose is to evangelize the lost, to edify the saints, and to equip God’s people

for service."

That is the great commission.

Conclusion

Matthew 28:19 ESV Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Equipped to go and make disciples.As we evangelize, we will introduce people to Christ and baptize them. People will be

edified as we teach them to obey the Lord’s commands.

As we grow we will continue to serve and go.

"Our purpose is to evangelize the lost,to edify the saints,

and to equip God’s people for service."