Part of the journey of starting a church is the reexamining of church habits. Instead of just copy and paste – taking the time to look at Scripture and have it be the foundation of why we are doing what we are doing. Through this process, I have been struggling with the idea of membership. The idea of “registration of commitment to local church”
In Scripture I see a larger focus, declaring us as citizens of the Kingdom of God
This comes with privileges / freedoms & duties / responsibilities...
And without question those roles then should be expressed in the local church.
FUTURE IDEA – Offering a Citizenship Course that helps you learn about your identity and purpose in the Kingdom and how that can be expressed through our values at Kingship.
GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE – Looking at our values as a church and how they connect to our purpose in the Kingdom.
Start with our Value of ACTIVATE
There are two forms of activation
Activation of Others
- Reaching the Lost
- Alerting them to their purpose and value to God
Activation of YOU
- Needed to Activate others
- Someone Activated you
WE NEED YOU...
Activated into your role, identity and purpose in the Kingdom
Part of your purpose is….
-We are Christ’s Ambassadors
-Representing Christ
-Living Stones – Markers for Christ
- City on a Hill / Salt of the Earth
In the functioning of a Kingdom...
A King could delegated his authority through his name.
God the Father delegated his Authority to Jesus. Jesus also delegated His authority to His disciples as well, telling them to go in His name. The disciples were then able cast out demons.
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." Luke 10:17
So we know that Jesus has given us a role that speaks of his Reconciliation and of his Kingdom on His behalf – God is appealing to others through us. (2 Corinthians 5) In His Authority, Jesus told us
“Come Follow Me. I will make you fishers of men.” ... I will teach you to activate
We are part of the awakening of others and building them into disciples.
Jesus tells us “Go make disciples”
So if we are to emulate Christ, activate others to His will and Kingdom (not our agenda)
If this is true, then We should look to Jesus in how He Activated.
ZACCHAEUS
[READ] Luke 19:1-10
JESUS – HIS ACTIVATION
INTENTIONAL – Jesus came to Him (v5)
MADE IT A PRIORITY – Valued the life and God’s purpose for Zacchaeus (v5)
RELATIONAL – Spent time with Zacch in His world (v.6)
CONFIDENT IN HIS BELIEF – Jesus did not waver in his faith, had a strong foundation, knew who He was (healthy) (v.7)
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:27
SPOKE TRUTH – Messaging was consistent, It was God’s Word, not a mixed message (world values) It brought transformation
HOW DO WE KNOW THERE WAS ACTIVATION?
There was true repentance.
Which is the point ... Jesus sought the restoration of Zacchaeus.
The other activities were not a means in of themselves. It was not to love on others for the benefit of our own self value.
Jesus understood... He seeked the value of Zacchaeus being active in his actual purpose. (not this flesh one) He wanted Zacchaeus to be made whole.
HOW DO WE FIND OUR ZACCHAEUS’?
We look up!
Zaccheaus was curious.
He was wealthy and he resorted to acting like a child instead of using his resources to obtain a private meeting. (which means its authentic)
Who Jesus was… attracted Zaccheaus.
He was compelled by Him. That there was more the person of Jesus and what He was saying.
This is our main difference between church planting / church plowing.
Zacchaoeus ears are attentive which means we can begin the work of encouragement, building, speaking into, to help him realize the life that God has called him to.
A “sleeping giant” most likely has heard the message of the gospel – but has not yet applied it.
It is important to understand that the Holy Spirit is drawing Zaccheaus in.
So we must become creatures of the Spirit in order to reflect the way of the Spirit.
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5
WE MUST BE WILLING
Being activated means that someone else sets the agenda & we are willing to participate.
In the Pixar movie Onward, Ian Lightfoot, a teenage elf, is struggling with the loss of his father. He has never met his dad, as he passed away before he was born, and longs for a connection... a relationship. He is struggling with self confidence. It is clear in the movie that their are pieces of Ian that are left un-whole from the absence of this relationship in his life. One day awaiting his breakfast and a fast food restaurant a stranger notices the college logo on Ian's sweatshirt. Turns out this stranger went to school with Ian's dad and has countless stories of a man (an elf) that Ian longs to know. The college friend condoles Ian of the loss of his father. After hearing a story of His dad Ian is filled with joy longing for more...
And right then the college friend has to get back to his busy life. He leaves Ian alone with this sad line...
"It was really nice meeting you."
This College Friend was not activated.
Love is incredibly inconvenient.
We need to value others as Christ has valued us.
But when we are activated, it is hard to ignore
I have been activated to this... the issue of fatherless-ness.
I desire to be a church that tackles this issue.
Because so much of that issue is the lack of activation in –
Fathers – Potential, Role & Purpose
Children – Identity & Confidence
If we are to see our calling from Christ, to fish for others, as the purposeful authentic work of being part of His Kingdom... then we must treat it as such.
This good news that we have obtained needs to be shared with others, that Christ has offered us reconciliation, then we must not hold back. For doing so robs them of a gift so precious that it awoke and freed you.
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