VISION - part 1: EVERY SUNDAY IS A PARTY!!!
Matthew 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
YOU ARE PETER - CALLED
- ON YOUR REVELATION OF JESUS “I WILL BUILD CHURCH” - catalyst.
PETER NEEDED TO GO FROM CALLED TO
CATALYST = an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.
Vision does not usually come from victories… it comes from
FOUR INCONVENIENT THINGS
- CHORES… but not a lot of celebration…
(so people lack power) - MENTAL UNDERSTANDING… but not a lot of ministry happening…
(so people lack purpose) - PERSONAL PROMINENCE AND POWER… but a serious lack of honor…
(so people lack love and faith cannot work) - CHURCH SERVICES… but very few moments that focus on me…
:: FOUR SIMPLE CONCEPTS IN A VISION ::
FAITH4LIFE… FOUR WAYS WE LIVE OUR FAITH:
1. EVERY SUNDAY IS A PARTY - the power of celebration
2. EVERY MONDAY IS A MISSION - the power of seeing our daily mission field
3. EVERY PERSON IS IMPORTANT - honoring up, down and all around
4. EVERY MOMENT IS FOR JESUS
- Church is not called to be tolerated.
- CHURCH is called to be a place of CELEBRATION!
TWO WAYS OF LIVING LIFE:
1. THE WAY THAT MAKES SENSE
2. THE WAY THAT USES FAITH
Luke 24:50 - 53 KJV
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
EVERY SUNDAY IS A PARTY!
- Celebrate the past
Jesus rose from the dead. - Celebrate the present
The same spirit that Rose Christ from the dead dwells in me. - Celebrate the future
One day Jesus is coming back to raise up the church with him in the clouds.
CELEBRATION changes the
CELEBRATION changes our
CELEBRATORS ARE ELEVATORS!
Luke 15:1 - 10
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
v. 31 - 32
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
1. WHEN WE PARTY - WE SEE THE
- Victory is already given to you.
- Not just the things we have seen come to pass…
but the things we are SEEING come to pass!
Isaiah 52:8 - 9 NLT
8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
9 Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
YOU NEED TO BECOME A WATCHMAN!
- WATCHMEN’S JOB IS TO SEE FURTHER THAN EVERYONE ELSE!
QUIT MOUTHING WORRY AND PRAISE LIKE A WATCHMAN!
GET OUT OF YOUR WORRY AND GET AROUND SOME WATCHMEN!
A quark is simply a vibration of multi-dimensional particles.
- YOU were recreated as a new creature.
- YOU were created in the very nature of God Himself.
- When you accepted Christ - you gained access to Heaven’s realm.
YOU BECAME one who could exist and interact multi-dimensionally.
2. WHEN WE PARTY - WE CELEBRATE
2 Samuel 6:12 - 15
12 And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.
13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
GOD CELEBRATES STEPS, NOT JUST FULFILLMENT!
Psalm 37:23
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
EVERY CELEBRATION CELEBRATES THREE THINGS:
- WE CAN CELEBRATE THE PAST: We made it through
- WE CAN CELEBRATE THE PRESENT: Jesus does through me
- WE CAN CELEBRATE THE FUTURE: Breakthrough is coming!
Psalm 34:1
1 I will bless the Lord at ALL times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Boast = hilal - “to praise, celebrate, glory, sing (praise), to be boastful, to rave, to be clamorously foolish”.
What we magnify in our life, we get more of.
3. WHEN WE PARTY - WE GET NEW
Nehemiah 8:9 - 10
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Hebrews 10:25
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
You cannot constantly breathe in anxiety and expect to have an atmosphere of joy.
- WE COME TO CHURCH - TO SET OUR THERMOSTAT!
Hebrews 10:24
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
OUR CELEBRATION IS AN OUTWORD EXPRESSION OF AN INWARD REVELATION!
OUR JOY IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND US,
BUT BY WHAT GOD HAS STRENGTHENED IN US!
- When we party - WE SEE THE VICTORY!
- When we party - WE CELEBRATE THE STEPS!
- When we party - WE GET NEW STRENGTH!