Embrace the Master’s Plan, with Scott Chafee, the primary Scripture being Luke 6:39-40 – Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
[ Sermon Audio ] [ Sermon Text ]
Jesus is the greatest example of leadership ever known. He had a plan to reach the world with his message of freedom and forgiveness, but left the whole thing into the hands of 12 ordinary men. How did he do it? What was his plan? What was his plan B? How does one take a grand idea, develop a plan, and implement such a bold proposal?
- Selection – men were his method (Luke 6:13 – he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles).
- Association – he stayed with them (Matthew 28:20 – I am with you always, even to the end of the age).
- Consecration – he required obedience (Matthew 11:29 – take my yoke upon you).
- Impartation – he gave himself away (John 20:22 – he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit).
- Demonstration – he showed them how to live (John 13:15 – I have given you an example).
- Delegation – he assigned them work (Matthew 4:19 – I will make you fishers of men).
- Supervision – he checked on them (Mark 8:17 – Do you still not see or understand?).
- Reproduction – he expected them to reproduce (John 15:16 – I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last).
Summary:
Ken has been teaching about vision over the past several weeks, but vision is not just in theory. We need to embrace the vision to help build the kingdom of God here in our community.
Community. Faith. Love. People always take priority over programs or preferences.
- We must mend and restore relationships: relationships with God and with others, resulting in COMMUNITY (member)
- We must establish and lay a foundation toward spiritual maturity and effective ministry (FAITH is what guides us toward the ministry he has for us). (minister)
- We must embrace the task of being sent out with a lifestyle of being on mission. It is the LOVE of Christ that compels us to live this out every day. (mission)
Methods vary but our mission always remains the same – it has been said, “marry the mission, but date the methods.” Are we willing to do WHATEVER it takes to reach people we are currently not reaching? It could be that we need to “do things no one is doing” in order to reach people no one is reaching. It sounds scary. It sounds like change. Is the church about me, or is the church about the Kingdom? Are we willing to let go of the familiar and comfortable in order to embrace the Master’s plan?
Will you embrace the Master’s plan and be the church member and minister that God has called you to be?