Point of Grace Worship 2.19.23 Sermon Notes – “TOGETHER – You can count on me! Can I count on You?”
“TOGETHER – You can count on me! Can I count on You?”
TOGETHER is designed by God for:
• His PRESENCE! And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph.2:22
• Our TRANSFORMATION! “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” Eph. 4:15
• His MISSION!
Matthew 16 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Jesus’s TOGETHER (church) is an invasion forces built and authorized by Him to be His agents of redemption, salvation and new life in the world – His mission in His name empowered by His Spirit using His Gospel!
Our MISSION TOGETHER as His church is vitally important and we each have a role to play!
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
In 2023 each of us and all of us will pour intentionality, creativity, sacrifice and participation into TOGETHER at Point of Grace. We can each make a difference and we can all make a difference TOGETHER.
It may look like increased opportunities to “get to know” one another opportunities where newcomers can meet and be met. Or carefree gatherings and events where families can mingle and friendships can form.
It may look like parents TOGETHER praying over children starting kindergarten or for highschoolers on mission trips. Or like senior adults listening well to younger generations so spirit inspired mentoring has a chance to happen.
It may look like an increased commitment by every PoG’er to participate in a Grow Group, serve on a ministry team and “be counted on” for Spirit-led, God honoring financial giving.
It may look like Grow Group members praying for each other’s 3x5 lists and every PoG’er doing the Daily Pause as a common TOGETHER experience while each of us discovering spirit-filled friendships we never thought possible.
It may look like each of us delving into our God given callings and Spirit given gifts so “we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of 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. Ephesians 4