Spring City Fellowship
230129Sunday
Sunday January 29, 2023 10:15AM Service

      • Psalm 150:3NIV2011

  • What He's Done
  • Be Enthroned
  • God You're So Good
  • Lean Back
  • Mention Of Your Name
  • Come Alive (Dry Bones)
  • Our Theme for 2023 is “Life in the Spirit”
    It is more than just recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit.
    It is understanding that we live in two realities - natural reality and spiritual reality.
    We live at the intersection of heaven and earth.
    We are an altar where heaven’s business is transacted on earth.
    Our vision at SCF is to “Encounter God’s Transforming Love.”
    How do we do that? (Four R’s)
    Respond
    Restore
    Release
    Relate
    That describes who we are and what we are about.
    We are reviewing the 4R’s just as a reminder of what we have committed to do as a church, but we will be doing so in light of our life in the Spirit.
    We will be recalling the commitments that we made on our membership form. If you want to see it, it is back on the information table.
    I started the series by saying that we need to respond to God.
    God reveals Himself through a divine encounter and we respond, by our worship, our actions, our obedience.
    Last week was the second R- Restore.
    Restore is represented by the stream that flows from the cross.
    There is a prophetic picture in the scripture of a river of life that flows from the Presence of God.
    It brings life to dead places - it transforms our inner life and eventually our outer life!
    Now we are going to talk about the third R- release.
    As the transforming power of God is working its way from our inside out- we can expect that it will continue until it transforms the world around us.
    The same power that transforms us will transform the world through us.
    Or did you think that the goal of the gospel was only for your benefit?
    It’s not about us - that’s what restoration should help to teach us- to look beyond ourselves to the difference that we can make.
    What does this have to do with spiritual reality or life in the spirit?
    Very much indeed!
    Believers who are transformed by the spirit become agents of spiritual transformation.
    If we are just worshipping within the four walls of the church and not impacting the world around us then we are missing half of the gospel.
    Isn’t that a ‘social gospel’ - which says that our devotion to Christ is measured by what we do for Christ? Isn’t that works theology?
    Yes it is, and there is nothing wrong with it!
    Around the turn of the last century when Biblical studies were coming into conflict with other areas of social and scientific study. Archeologists and textual critics were casting doubt on certain biblical narratives. The church responded in two very different ways.
    Some churches decided that, while they could not defend every doctrine from attack, they would concentrate on the fundamentals, such as the authority of scripture, the virgin birth and the atonement. They became known as ‘fundamentalist’ who were concerned primarily with ‘orthodoxy’ or right belief.
    Other parts of the church, especially the ‘mainline’ or more prominent churches decided that biblical doctrines do not need to be defended, as long as people are inspired to become better people and to do good. They were concerned primarily with right living or “orthopraxis.”
    Which is better, right belief or right living? Neither is complete without the other. We have seen that right belief without right living is hypocrisy. And right living deteriorates into ‘whatever makes you happy’ without right belief. These two things should have never been separated!
    Spiritual reality is that our enemy in the spiritual realm has neutralized the church by turning us against each other.
    We have forgotten our assignment and who the real enemy is.
    We should be working together to fulfill the great commission.
    Matthew 28:19–20 ESV
    19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
    The Holy Spirit was given to the church to release God’s power and authority into the world.
    We do this by teaching - right belief.
    And by observing - right living.
    And then there is a third thing - He is still with us by his Spirit.
    Maybe the reason we get off on right belief vs. right living is because we have turn the great commission into the ‘great omission’ - we are trying to do God’s work without God?
    Release means that we understand our objective as being a conduit of God’s supernatural life both in sharing the gospel and in transforming society.

    Understanding our objective.

    Pass the peace.

    When Jesus sent out the disciples, how did he instruct them?
    Luke 10:5–6 ESV
    5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
    The first thing you need to know as a disciple of Jesus Christ who is send into the world is that you are a carrier of His Presence.
    Literally, you have the Holy Spirit in you.
    But that just freaks people out - so how should we describe this?
    You have a ‘peace’ a calm confidence that comes from knowing who you are in Christ and that He has sent you.
    John 14:27 ESV
    27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
    When people sense this ‘peace’ about you, it can hit them in one of two ways.
    It either draws them toward you in trust - they see Jesus in you and they want to know more.
    Or it repels them - they get all weird and they say its because you’re weird. (You’re making their demons nervous!)
    In older liturgical traditions, they have a practice called ‘passing’ the peace.
    In many churches, this is little more than a greeting time during the service.
    But it has a rich spiritual heritage in that it recognizes that we are carriers of the Presence of Christ and that we are imparting His Presence to one another.
    But what Luke tells us is that this didn’t begin in church, it began with imparting the peace of Christ to strangers.
    If they receive it, then you hang out with them and let them soak it in.
    If they don’t want your peace, then you move on.
    Shaking the dust off is obviously a figure of speech for moving on.
    But in light of our theme I want to consider that dust is the stuff of earth.
    Our impartation of peace is the stuff of heaven.
    Shaking the dust is like saying, “If you don’t want the stuff of heaven then have your stuff of earth back!”
    Mixing heaven and earth where it is not wanted amounts to a watering down of heaven.
    If impartation doesn’t lead to transformation its a waste of time and energy which are of limited supply here on earth.
    The important thing is that you know that you have something to impart.
    You are not just releasing ideas, you are releasing faith.
    You are not just releasing your service, you are releasing His presence.
    You are not just encountering people, they are encountering God through you.

    Be filled so you can spill.

    In our membership agreement we encourage people to be prepared with something to impart.
    Mark 1:8 ESV
    8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
    Jesus was baptised to show that He was part of the community of faith which God was going to use to restore His Kingdom on earth.
    But Jesus baptizes believer in the Holy Spirit - fills us to overflowing with His own divine power and presence.
    That is why we are not just baptized in water, but pray also for Jesus to baptize us in the Holy Spirit.
    I embrace the baptism and continual filling of the Holy Spirit and His work in my life.
    In Pentecostal tradition, the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes after salvation and usually after water baptism.
    But there is nothing that say it has to be separate from salvation - In Cornelius’ house in Act 10 the impartation of the Holy Spirit was how they knew they were saved!
    I could say a lot about baptism and baptism in the Spirit because it has been one of my primary areas of study.
    But for the sake of this message, it is not important when or how you are filled with the Spirit, but that you are filled with the Spirit!
    If you are not sure, then pray for more!
    You can always pray for more.
    Ephesians 5:18 AMP
    18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.
    With wine, we all have our limit - you can have too much.
    But with the Holy Spirit there is no limit - you can’t have too much!
    The verb tense is a continuous action.
    Keep on being filled with the Spirit - not just once and done.
    The use of the imagery of baptism suggests that we should be filled to overflowing.
    Be filled enough that you can spill!
    The filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for you - it is so that you will have something to impart to the world.
    You can’t give what you haven’t got!
    That’s why we pass the peace in church - we want to impart, not just to the world, but to one another and keep being filled.

    Find your place and do your part.

    Releasing/ imparting is not a solo activity - that would be a recipe for burnout.
    We need to be filled, not just individually, but together.
    The tense of Eph 5:18 is also plural.
    Our membership agreement notes this as well.
    I consider myself to be a member of the Body of Christ by sharing in the responsibility of my church and seeking the good of the regional church and the global church.
    This is about being part of something bigger than yourself.
    How many here have served in the military?
    After you signed up, did you just go out and start fighting?
    You were assigned to a company. And that company was assigned to a regiment. And that regiment was part of one of the branches of our military. You could be affective in your service because you were part of something much bigger than yourself.
    We are a local church - we are a company.
    We are part of the Hopewell Network of Churches - that functions as our regiment.
    And the Hopewell Network is connected to other networks which came out of the Charismatic Movement in the Mennonite Church.
    We have connections with the larger Body of Christ through both of those avenues.
    And we are connected to networks of churches around the world where we share fellowship and impartation through mutual relationship.
    Isn’t it good to be part of something much bigger than yourself?!
    The reason we have this in our membership commitment is so that we are aware of and are conscious to maintain those ties.
    These aren’t just optional “feel good” relationships.
    These are the veins through which life and impartation flow.
    None of us has the fullness of revelation or impartation in ourselves.
    As a church, there are somethings we do well, but then there are other things that other churches do better.
    There are some doctrines that we really have a handle on, and there are some that we barely understand.
    One church has miracles and healing, another has a soup kitchen.
    Do we really want to make people choose between having their immediate needs met and eventually finding wholeness?
    We each play a part in the transforming work of God in this world.
    What is important is that we recognize that what we each have is just a part of something much bigger than any of us.
    And none of us can do everything ourselves.
    So we find our place and do our part.
    We give our piece of His peace, and we receive another’s piece.

    Sharing the Gospel.

    Many Christian - those who value “right belief” would say that the primary contribution that the church has for the world is to share the “gospel” - the good news of Jesus Christ.
    This is what we should be releasing - good news!
    We should be getting people saved.

    The gospel is more than words.

    1 Corinthians 1:17 NLT
    17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
    Paul is not going to get caught up in the arguments that are going on in Corinth about who is better.
    Essentially, Paul is saying, “I’m not in a competition to see who can win the most converts.”
    If baptism equals conversion, then Paul is glad that he hasn't baptized hardly anyone in Corinth.
    And he doesn’t care whether or not you think he’s a good preacher.
    It’s not about the preaching - its about the impact.
    I’m trying to learn a thing or two from Paul.
    I’m always looking for ways to be a better preacher.
    I alway want to get better at sharing the gospel.
    Paul would say, “It’s not about the words!”
    If you can convince someone to be a Christian because of your clever words - then someone else will find a clever way to talk them out of it.
    If I can talk you into it, someone else will talk you out of it.
    If on the other hand, while I’m talking, the Holy Spirit hits you in way that you know that God is real and your a sinner in need of a savior and Jesus transforms your heart taking your from death to life - that’s not something that will be easily undone!
    Yes, the gospel should include something about us having a problem and Jesus Christ being the solution - dying on a cross and rising again - forgiving your sin and defeating the devil.
    It’s not about the words - unless those words are delivering power.
    Arguments don’t win people to Christ - only the conviction of the Holy Spirit can do that.
    It’s not that we don’t use words - we don’t depend on our words to do what only the Holy Spirit can do.
    And the Holy Spirit might also use our words.
    How would I know what to say?

    The gospel is your witness.

    The best thing you can say is what Jesus did for you.
    “I was one way and now I am another way and what happened in between was Jesus.”
    That’s your personal testimony.
    People can argue with your theology, but they can’t argue with your testimony.
    That’s why I want everyone in this church to practice sharing their testimony.
    It’s the most powerful thing you have to say to anyone who is not already a believer.
    And it can be pretty powerful for those who are already believers as well!
    It’s even in our membership agreement:
    I recognize that I am a witness to the goodness of God who is called to share my testimony and the truth of the gospel with others.
    I’m not saying you have to go to school and learn to be a preacher - that’s my job - though we could use more preachers.
    Your job is to simply share the good news of the difference that Jesus makes in your life to anyone who asks - and maybe a few who didn’t ask.
    1 Peter 3:15 NLT
    15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
    It’s a partnership you have with Holy Spirit.
    If the Holy Spirit gives you an opportunity - you be ready.
    You just tell your story and let the Holy Spirit do the convicting.
    What if people have questions I can’t answer?
    Just say, “I don’t know.”
    If they really want to know, you can find someone else to answer their question.
    But don’t forget to tell them what you do know - your own story.
    John 9:25 ESV
    25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
    I’m not going to use words or arguments that I don’t understand.
    What I do understand is that it is my objective to give you what I have recieved - both in terms of information and impartation.
    But only if you are willing to receive it.

    The gospel is power.

    Is there really an impartation that you have to give? Or is that just for some people?
    Jesus told his disciples to give what they had received in terms of power.
    Matthew 10:8 ESV
    8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
    They’re not supposed to preach a sermon and take up an offering - just give them what they need!
    Who can pray for the sick?
    A disciple of Jesus.
    Do you need to have a title or a degree to use Jesus’ name?
    Certainly not!
    There are times when we call for the elders to anoint someone who is sick - but most of the time it is ordinary believers.
    There are times when it seems to matter that someone in authority prays because its warfare and they are representing the corporate body, not just and individual.
    The point I am making is to realize that the gospel is not just a message - it is power and demonstration.
    Why does Costco hand out samples? Because if you try it, you’re going to want to buy it!
    The Holy Spirit gives out samples too.
    Do you have to get a person saved to get them healed?
    Not at all! Healing often leads to salvation. - it’s a free sample!
    If you are called to leave your peace / His presence- you can just bless people - as long as they are willing to receive it - its a free sample of God’ grace.
    What do you think would be the impact is every believer started sharing the gospel?
    Telling what they know - their own story.
    Sharing what they have - His peace and His power.
    Just doing what they can...

    Transforming society.

    I do believe that the church is called to transform society - that’s not a social gospel - that’s just a biblical gospel.
    What we are not going to do is separate right living from right believing - it all works together - and so should we.
    I say in our church vision statement that we want to release people into ministry.
    By that I am making several statements:

    Everyone has a ministry.

    The idea that ministry is a professional occupation where a few people serve the needs of the many is not a biblical idea.
    The function of leaders in the church is to equip the body.
    Ephesians 4:11–12 CSB
    11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
    So who according to this scripture does the work of ministry?
    We all do!
    My job is not to do everything in the church and change the world - my job is to help you do your job - so that together we build up the church and change the world.
    Everyone in the church has a ministry.
    Ministry is not a position - ministry is just serving.
    Some churches define that as everyone having a role of service in the church.
    Some churches take it further and suggest you should have two roles - one in the church and one outside of the church.
    Serving is something every believer should be doing.
    I will use my God-given gifts, talents and calling to further the Kingdom of God.
    We don’t tell you what that should look like - just know that serving is what I am here to help you do.
    We have plenty of opportunities in the church if you need a place to start.
    And there are plenty of opportunities outside the church, I may be able to give you some direction.
    Here is a good place to start:

    Everyone is called.

    Not everyone gets knocked off their horse like Paul did, but everyone has a calling.
    Ephesians 2:10 ESV
    10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
    God created you.
    He knows you.
    He designed you for a purpose.
    God has a plan for your life.
    Your job is to find out what that is and do it.
    We often speak of calling and ministry as if they are exclusive.
    Like only pastors and missionaries are called to ministry.
    But we have already said that ministry is serving and everyone serves.
    In the same way, everyone is called to a specific kind of service.
    God knows and wants to help you find what He has created you to do.
    What do you want or like to do?
    I’m serious! That may be the biggest clue.
    Often a calling is evident because it’s something that we are passionate about.
    You have a desire to help a certain group of people - who gave you that desire? Do you think it might come from God?
    Sometimes a calling is defined by a unique opportunity.
    Paul never imagined that he would be the apostle to the gentiles, except he is on his way to a gentile city when God called him and he ends up spending more time with Gentiles than with Jews.
    I never thought I would be a pastor, Karie resisted becoming a counselor, even though people told her she would be good at it. Eventually, God opened doors of opportunity and we knew that it was God’s calling.
    I think most of us should see our jobs, not just as an occupation but as a calling.
    The term “vocation’ actually means to be called.
    God called you to serve people by doing whatever you do.
    The key is to do it in such a way that it gives glory to God.
    You can bless people as you serve them.
    Your abilities are a God-given gift with which you serve the world.

    Everyone has and is a unique gift.

    We are going to be talking more about spiritual gifts in a few months as we study 1 Corinthians.
    But for right now I just want to meditate on that word “gift.”
    We are of course talking about unique talents and abilities that each of us have.
    We use them to serve God by serving one another.
    The whole idea of gifts is that our abilities and even our perspectives are not the same; so we benefit from each other’s differences.
    I can’t lead worship like Pat can.
    I don’t have the eye for detail that Vicki has.
    I don’t have the same warm personality and good looks that Karie has.
    I rely on these people for what I find difficult to do - they are a gift to me.
    Your gifts are not just gifts from God to you - they are gifts that you share with the Body of Christ and with the world.
    You don’t just get gifts, you are a gift!
    Your gift is what someone else needs.
    So when we talk about using our gifts what we are really talking about is giving our gifts - our giving ourselves as gifts to the world.
    Our modern American society is so consumer oriented.
    But the gospel shows us that life is really not about us.
    God gave himself for us, and leads us to give ourselves to Him, to one another and to the world.
    Imagine how that message could transform our society!?
    ​
    The measurement for this weeks message is going to take more than a moment of reflection.
    Reflect on the interactions that you have with people over the next days or the next week.
    What are you releasing in the spirit?
    Are you passing along peace?
    Are you demonstrating the power of the gospel?
    Are you giving yourself as a gift?

      • Matthew 28:19–20AMP

      • Luke 10:5–6AMP

      • John 14:27AMP

      • Mark 1:8AMP

      • Ephesians 5:18AMP

      • 1 Corinthians 1:17AMP

      • 1 Peter 3:15AMP

      • John 9:25AMP

      • Matthew 10:8AMP

      • Ephesians 4:11–12AMP

      • Ephesians 2:10AMP

  • God You Are (feat. Josh Baldwin)
Spring City Fellowship
office@springcityfellowship.com
(610) 948-5250
https://springcityfellowship.com
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