Jesus took His band of the forsaken, the forgotten, and the fisherfolk, and moved them from GRACE to GROWTH to GOING to reach people with His love, using their God-given GIFTS.
A HUGE key to all of this is GROUPS: Where we experience safety, can be fully seen, and have an opportunity to share, as we support one another.
This is literally Jesus Creating A Church That Can Change The World!
GIVING is the final step. GIVING is the very nature of God, and as we become more like Him, GIVING is natural - Matthew 2:1-12:
“1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
“3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
“7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
“9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”
Their different “Treasures” of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were just the most visible gifts they gave, but they were not the only gifts they gave. They each brought a different gift to Jesus, which unlocked their other Treasures. When you GIVE, the treasure in you that’s lying dormant is unlocked.
We Need To Clarify Our Treasure…
So We Can Spend Our Whole Lives With Our Ladder Against The Right Building…
So We Can Spend Our Whole Lives In The Right Jungle…
So We Can Spend Our Whole Lives Taking The Right Bus…
So We Can Spend Our Whole Lives Aiming At The Right Target…
So We Can Spend Our Whole Lives With The Right People, Doing The Right Things In The Right Way At The Right Time…
When We Live Our Treasure:
We Make Impossible
We Pay Extraordinary
We Go Places We’ve Never Been - Esther 4:14
We Take Risks We’ve Never
We Live For
We Experience Joy Like Never
We Unlock All Our Other
When We Don’t Live Our Treasure:
No
No Peace - How can we have peace not GIVING our Treasure?
No
No
Treasure Tips…
1) Discover Your Treasure: Why Were You Born?
Your Treasure = Your Life “D.E.S.I.G.N.”:
o “D” -
o “E” - EMBRACE Your
o “S” - SEE Your
o “I” – INCLUDE Your Experiences…
o “G” – GIVE Your Life To Your
o “N” – NEXT STEP – Take The Next Step…
2) Deal With Your Fears: What’s Holding You Back?
Within all of us, there are fears to overcome. And though fear is not easy to overcome, it can be - 2 Timothy
1:6,7. A “Spirit Of Fear” is always overcome by love, power, and a sound mind!
Common Fears: Moses In Exodus 3 & 4
Who Am I? Fear Of
Overcome By God’s Promise! “I am with you”
Who Are You? Fear Of The
Overcome By God’s Power! “I am that I am”
What If They? Fear Of
Overcome By God’s Presence! “What’s in your hand?”
What About My Limitations? Fear Of
Overcome By God’s Promise! “…Who made man’s mouth?…”
3) Devote Your Treasure To The King: Where Will You Give?
The Wise Men devoted their Treasure to Christ - Matt.2:10-11.
The Wise Men gave their different gifts to the Newborn King, but when they gave their gifts, it unlocked their other Treasures. When you GIVE, the treasure in you that is lying dormant is unlocked.
Christmas is about GIVING. In all our GIVING, let’s ensure we have a HUGE GIFT for Jesus under the Tree THIS Christmas:
GOLD Represents Your GIVING (Finances)
FRANKINCENSE Represents Your LIVING (Fragrance)
MYRHH Represents Your DYING (Faithfulness)
On Sunday, December 18 we have a special “Birthday Gift To Jesus” for our Building HOPE Campaign.
We ask each one to contribute to this special offering, and to consider 3 questions as they do:
Is My Gift To Jesus In Proportion To What I Give Others? Jesus comes first – Matthew 6:33,
Is My Gift Sacrificial? Don’t give Jesus something that “costs” you nothing - 2 Samuel 24:24,
Is My Gift Spirit-Led? Being led by the Spirit births His blessing – Romans 8:14.