River Church NOLA
Sunday Sept 7th
  • Forever
  • Rest On Us
  • Stand In Your Love
  • No Longer Slaves
  • Because He lives/He is Lord
  • Great Are You Lord
  • Intro
    We are in a series, The World Outside Our Window…
    So far we have learned that God has a plan for our world, and that plan is you and I living on mission for Him every day.
    We also learned that we are ambassadors for the Lord.
    We learned last week why we share our faith
    We are ambassadors for Jesus
    People need the Lord
    People want the Lord
    Because I once was lost.
    and how we share our faith…
    We live an attractive Life …
    We value all people…
    We enter their world…
    We use the right approach
    Here is the theme verse for The World Outside of our window…
    2 Corinthians 5:18–20 NLT
    18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
    How many of you are glad God doesn’t count our sins against us? I am. Here is the thing. If God doesn’t hold people’s sins against them, we should not either.
    If you have wondered if you have a purpose. Here it is. You are an ambassador for Christ… I like that don’t you? He has given us the ministry of reconciling others to Jesus.
    Let me ask you a question. Who doesn’t work for the church full time? Most of you right? We serve here at church. We are growing here at church, but we don’t work here at the church. But here is the thing. You work somewhere out there in the marketplace. Some may be able to work from home… Some might be stay at home moms, dads, grandparents… but you will be somewhere besides here in this church.
    Church is great. It’s where you grow into maturity.
    I love church. I grew up going to church. I wasn’t always saved but I grew up going to church. Almost all of my fun memories from my childhood come from something associated with church. Youth group… Wednesday morning Breakfast… Youth trips… Our Christmas Live Nativity scene… Sunday School… Youth Choir … Church Youth trips …
    People say they have been hurt i church, and I know some have, but I don’t have church hurt. It hasn’t been perfect. But when someone had a failure, it did not cause me to be derailed. I love church.
    Once I got saved, I really liked it because I began to understand what God was saying. A group of friends and I wou.ld drive an hour to go to a church that had incredible worship.
    Then I moved down here. I got out of church… never stopped loving God but just wasn’t going to church often… I worked all the time. And it was lonely. When I moved from BR to New Orleans, I visited WBBC. I sat on the back row by the door so I could scoot out of that door. A couple in front of me turned around and said, we moved over so you could sit with us. Then they invited me out to lunch after church. That impacted me - big time. I attended that church for 10 years and even became a deacon. I loved going to church… activities… friendships… great Bible teaching.
    I went back. Friendly people greeted me. Listen, you greeters are important. candy to kids… smiles and a greeting to all of us who enter.
    Church is not a place we are going to run and hide from all the bad. It’s a place where God equips, challenges and calls us to be his ambassadors. He prepares us for the ministry outside these windows.
    Jesus did some powerful things in the synagogue (church), but many of his miracles were done outside the windows of the church. So the message is titled….

    We want to see Miracles in the Market Place.

    I hope that today the light will come on about where we work… go to school… for all of us. I want the Lord to turn the switch on for your purpose… the ministry of reconciliation.
    Jesus didn’t do all of his miracles in church. Many of his miracles were outside the church.
    Who knows what Jesus’ first miracle was? Water into wine.

    The first Miracle Jesus did was at a wedding.

    Jesus was at a wedding in Galilee and they ran out of wine. That was a horrible thing to happen socially. It was a humiliation for the family. You know what happened. Mary (Jesus Mom) asked Him to do something about it, and after saying it wasn’t his time turned several large washing pots of water into wine. Check this out…
    John 2:11 NLT
    11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
    Not only was this a miracle, it was his first miracle and it wasn’t in church. It was out and about with people doing life. It was at a wedding party. Look what also happened. His disciples believed in him.
    Let me show you… Here is another one.

    Jesus healed Simon’s mother in law.

    He healed Simon Peter’s mother in law. Once again, this is not in church.
    Mark 1:29–31 NLT
    29 After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. 31 So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.
    This wasn’t in the synagogue. It was at Peter’s house. Jesus did do miracles in church but he did a lot of powerful things in people’s homes. So Peter’s mother in law got up and fixed them all dinner.
    Some have thought that maybe Peter didn’t want his mother in law healed… I don’t know.
    Jesus did powerful things in the synagogue.
    He told a man with a shriveled hand to stretch it out and it was healed. (Matt 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11; Mark 3:1-6)
    He cast out a demon from a man possessed by a demon (Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37)
    He healed a woman who was crippled and bent over. (Luke 13:10-17)
    So Jesus did some powerful things in the church, but he did many powerful things in homes. What could he do in your home? your office? Outside? Parks?

    The first person Jesus revealed His Identity to was a woman at a well.

    She was at a well.
    John 4:4–9 NLT
    4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
    On his way from Judea to Galilee he went through Samaria. Now he could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. (Pic) He wanted to see the woman at the well. There was someone there He needed to have a conversation with. He had some conversation with her and then revealed himself to her.
    Skip down to vs. 28.
    This lady is dealing with a lot of brokenness.
    John 4:28–30 NLT
    28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
    Look what happened next.
    John 4:39 NIV84
    39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”
    They believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony. She encountered Jesus at the well. Not in church… but at a well. You might encounter Jesus at a grocery store, a park… even Walmart…
    We want to see miracles in your life. We want these kids to learn about Jesus, have a relationship with Jesus and always follow Jesus.
    Look at this next one.

    Jesus called many of his disciples while they were working.

    Check this out…
    Matthew 9:9–13 NLT
    9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. 10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” 12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
    Who is glad Jesus came for sinners?
    Jesus calls Matthew while he is at his job. He is probably feeling like, well, it’s just another day and then Jesus came to his work.
    Matthew got up and followed Jesus.
    Then he invites his other friends to meet Jesus. He invited all his tax collector friends to come meet Jesus. That’s what Jesus wants us to do as well.
    If you are an athlete, He wants you to bring athletes to him. If you are a lawyer, he wants you to bring lawyers to him… accountant… clerk … manager … waitress … Athletes… nerd… our kids…
    Story - Jeannette went to college met a friend at a job she had while in school. As they were talking, the friend Kelsey, asked he how old she was. Jeanette said 21. Kelsey said so you don’t need a fake ID to get into clubs. Jeanette said, I never needed one. I am a Christian and don’t go to clubs. They became friends and Jeanette just loved on Kelsey… shopped together.
    Once Kelsey said to Jeanette. Since God is so loving, can’t I just do anything I want to and then ask him for forgiveness and everything will be ok. Jeanette said, yes, but the wages of sin is death… not in a mean way, but over a 2 year relationship. Kelsey said, something snapped inside her when she heard that one verse. It was the HS convicting her.
    So Kelsey finally went to church… Kelsey raised her hand to receive Jesus and everything changed in her life. It happened because of a friend she met at work.
    This is the way it works. This is the supply chain of God.
    Somewhere there is a mother or a grandmother praying for their grand daughter or grandson. Maybe they went to church when they were kids… and have fallen away. They are praying for God to put people in their way to share His love with them. Then, God puts you where they work … or them to where you work… and you are at work as an Ambassador for Jesus… then maybe they mention a loss and you go, we have a greif group at church… or maybe they want to get married… and you go they we do weddings at our church… of they have kids and you invite them to the Fall Festival… or another church event, or a small group and they go and see that Christians are really nice people.
    On the other side, some of you are wanting to do a small group or be a part of a particular ministry but you don’t feel qualified. God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
    Then they come to church, give their life to Jesus and begin to serve him and grow stronger in their faith. path
    We want to take you on a journey -
    Know God - Baptism… Prayer … Getting into the WOG
    Find Freedom - Relationships … Transparency … Holy Spirit ….
    Discover Purpose - Spiritual Gifts… Being part of the Body of Christ (church) … Growth
    Make a Difference - Serve with servant’s heart … Store up Treasures in heaven… Chang your world
    That’s God’s supply chain. Look what Jesus said.
    Mark 16:15 NLT
    15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
    Church is great, and it’s here for us to grow in our faith … to prepare us to go out and preach the good news about Jesus.
    We go into the world… to the work place… to our school…
    Here is another version of the Great Commission…
    Matthew 28:18–20 NLT
    18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
    We go out and share. We bring them here to grow into disciples.
    We have some parts to play. You have to go to work. God wants us to be his hands and feet.

    Prayer: Pray here and there.

    21 Days of Prayer. Prayer is the secret sauce…. don’t just pray at church. Pray at work. Go early and pray for your co-workers. Pray at home… at school… Walk in praying. Pray - Lord if you can save Matthew, you can save these people.

    Purpose: You were picked to play a part.

    You are here for a purpose. You are not here now by accident. God has placed you here for such a time as this. God has placed you where you work for a purpose. God has put you in a school for a purpose. God has your kids at a playground for a purpose. God has placed you in your neighborhood for a purpose.
    If you realize this, God will do amazing things through you.

    Pain: Your successes will make people admire you. Your vulnerability will make them want to follow you.

    We all go through good things and bad things. So let’s be honest when we do go through them. When we are people will see how our relationship with the Lord makes such a difference in our lives.
    I know people are going through things. Maybe it’s a health issue. A relationship. Work. Maybe a family member is struggling with addiction.
    It doesn’t matter what you are going through… God will bring you through it. I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread.
    Wrap -
    Maria worked in a busy corporate office where stress was high and people often competed with one another. One afternoon, her coworker James made a serious mistake on a client project. The error could have cost the company thousands of dollars. Immediately, other team members criticized him, whispering that he wasn’t good at his job.
    But Maria remembered Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” She sensed the Lord nudging her to show grace. Instead of joining the criticism, she stayed after hours to help James correct the mistake. Together, they managed to save the account.
    The next day, James pulled Maria aside. He told her, “Last night I prayed for a sign that God still cared about me. Then you showed up and helped me when everyone else turned away. I think you were His answer to my prayer.”
    Prayer Time
    Salvation Prayer - Put your hands in the air if you want to make Jesus #1. Pray
    Pray for people to understand that we are on assignment from the Lord wherever we go.
    Next Step: Think about one thing God brought you through and share it with someone this week. What has God brought you through? Share that with someone. Pray for the opportunity.

      • 2 Corinthians 5:18–20NLT

      • John 2:11NLT

      • Mark 1:29–31NLT

      • John 4:4TLB

      • John 4:5–9TLB

      • John 4:28–30TLB

      • John 4:39TLB

      • Matthew 9:9–13TLB

      • Mark 16:15TLB

      • Matthew 28:18–20TLB

River Church NOLA
robert@riverchurchnola.com
504-578-8317
https://riverchurchnola.com
6 members • 18 followers