Big Church - Part Two

The notes from today's message are below but there is no audio or video for today. My apologies.  But here are the scriptures and a few notes for you to read and meditate on.

Big Church Part Two - Sending

Big church is the corporate gathering which helps to equip disciple makers and sends them into the world. We do this by fostering unity and maintaining focus through worship, teaching and celebration.  This is what happened in the early church.

Something I forgot to mention last week as a foundation for Big Church and also for Small Church...

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)

[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 [13] until 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.

 [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

First thing we do in Big Church Gathering

Worship - communion with God, generous giving, and ministry.

Second thing we do in Big Church Gathering

Teaching - communicating truth upstairs and down.  Listen and apply what is taught.  Also help with Kids Time

2 Timothy 2:23-26 (NIV)

[23] Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. [24] And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. [25] Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

It is extremely important to listen to what is taught. Jesus spoke of the stubbornness of the Pharisees and teachers of his day when he said this to them...

Matthew 23:33-39 (NIV)

[33] “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? [34] Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. [35] And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. [36] I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

 [37] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. [38] Look, your house is left to you desolate. [39] For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.*’”

Third thing we do in Big Church Gathering

Celebration - sharing the stories of what God has done  

There is nothing more encouraging than a story of what God has done...

Acts 15:1-4 (NIV)

 [15:1] Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” [2] This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. [3] The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. [4] When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

They reported what God was doing through them. They told about people being saved and this made the brothers glad.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

[11] Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Why we do what we do in Big Church Gathering. It's all about...

Sending - from our Big Church Gathering we send you out locally and globally. 

Jesus told a story about sending people out....

Matthew 22:1-14 (NIV)

 [22:1] Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: [2] “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. [3] He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

 [4] “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

 [5] “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. [6] The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. [7] The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

 [8] “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. [9] Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ [10] So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

 [11] “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. [12] ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.

 [13] “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 [14] “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Those who were chosen were those who responded to the invite and had proper wedding garments.

Workers for the Harvest - we are sent into the world.

Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)

 [35] Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. [38] Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

There are people who need the Lord. They need to see Him and know Him. And we are the very reflection of God to this world.  Remember how Paul said it....

Ephesians 3:7-11 (NIV)

[7] I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. [8] Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. [10] His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

We are a reflection of God for this world.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

[18] And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect* the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

REVIEW

Worship is communion with God, generous giving, and ministry

Teaching is communicating truth - upstairs and downstairs

Celebration is sharing what God has done