Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ Jan 7, 2007
Why
do we Exist?
Part 1
·
This morning we
begin a new series about church ~ today, why do we exist as a church? What is
our purpose? Where have we been, what is presently happening, where are we
going as a church? What is Cross Creek all about? What drives and motivates
us?
·
Look around at churches today…Only
Half Of Protestant Pastors Have A Biblical Worldview: "Defining such a worldview
as believing that absolute moral truth exists, that it is based upon the Bible,
and having a biblical view on six core beliefs (the accuracy of biblical
teaching, the sinless nature of Jesus, the literal existence of Satan, the
omnipotence and omniscience of God, salvation by grace alone, and the personal
responsibility to evangelize), the researcher (George Barna) produced data
showing that there are significant variations....
"The Southern Baptists had the highest percentage of pastors with a biblical
worldview (71%) while the Methodists were lowest among the seven segments
evaluated (27%).... “the pastors least likely to have a biblical worldview are
those who are seminary graduates (45%).
·
Morality Continues to Decay:
Of the ten moral behaviors
evaluated, a majority of Americans believed that each of three activities were
'morally acceptable.' Those included gambling (61%), co-habitation (60%), and
sexual fantasies (59%). Nearly half of the adult population felt that two other
behaviors were morally acceptable: having an abortion (45%) and having a sexual
relationship with someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse (42%).
About one-third of the population gave the stamp of approval to pornography
(38%), profanity (36%), drunkenness (35%) and homosexual sex (30%). The activity
that garnered the least support was using non-prescription drugs (17%). ...Less
than one out of every ten evangelical Christians maintained that adultery, gay
sex, pornography, profanity, drunkenness and abortion are morally acceptable." (Barna
Research, November, 2003)
·
In 1900 there were
28 churches per 10,000 Americans; in 2004 there were 11 churches per 10,000.
·
The number of
unchurched in the U.S. nearly doubled between 1991 and 2004.
o
65% of
American churches are declining in attendance
o
33% of all
traditional churches plateau at 50 members
o
Another 33%
of all churches plateau at 150 members
SonLife Letter,
Nov 15, 1994
·
In the midst of a
world of sin and darkness… the Lord calls His church to be shinning bright…
IMPACTING
·
May we always be
reminded to hold true to our Biblical Core beliefs/values found in God’s Word.
·
Let’s go back in
church history 2000 years and take a glimpse of the early church… what was it
like?
Page #772 in pew Bible - Acts 2:41-47 41
Those who accepted his message were
baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by
the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had
everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods,
they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they
continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God
and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number
daily those who were being saved.
·
This passage is very
instructive in why the church exists and how it should function.
·
Over the course of
2000 years many things change. Instead of a pure, simple, unified, Biblical
church we have thousands of churches. Some stiff & formal, some free to do
anything… some holding firm to God’s Word while others rejects God’s Word… some
deny Christ, some push Joseph Smith, some push Mohammad, while others Buddha…or
thousands of other religions (man made attempt to find God)
·
Why does Cross Creek
do what it does? Why do we have a praise team leading us in worship or two
preaching services, Awana’s, VBS, Sunday school Bible classes for all ages,
Celebrate Recovery for hurts, habits or hangups, men & ladies groups, MOPS,
small groups, etc???
·
Why do we do what we
do? What difference would it make if we weren’t here? Why do we exist? Purpose
·
Over the next few
weeks we will look at where we’ve been, where we’re at and where are we going…
·
Why has the Lord
blessed Cross Creek over these past 7 years? Now bulging at the seams in
desperate need for more space… hence our upcoming building project. (Covered
over the next few weeks)
·
What makes Cross
Creek unique? Why has God brought you here? This morning, Why do we exist?
As a Church we Exist to…
(Four E’s – Exalt, Evangelize,
Equip, Elevate)
·
EXALT GOD – God’s
Glorified.
Acts 2:47 “Praising God with glad & sincere hearts”
We must Supremely Love
God and People.
Mark 12:30-31
30 Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind and with all your strength.' 31
The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no
commandment greater than these."
Psalms 118:28
You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
Psalms 34:3
O magnify the LORD
with me, And let us exalt His name together.
NASB
·
Everything we do
must begin with God… it’s all about glorifying, loving, exalting Him.
·
We must supremely
love the Lord… One thing about Cross Creek… we do a lot of praising God
·
It’s not about us,
it’s about Him. Our Creator, our Redeemer, our Coming King!
·
He is the One to be
Exalted and worshipped, He is the one worthy of our praise!
·
Cross Creek exists
to Exalt God motivated by genuine love for Him!
In fact everything we do should be
motivated by love… but sometimes we see power plays for control…
Some families make church their home.
Others find other uses for the church. Take the notorious Tate family, for
example. Perhaps you’ve met some of them. The chief of the clan is old Dic Tate,
who insists on running everything in church. His brother Ro Tate wants to change
everything. Aunt Agi Tate has a knack for stirring up trouble; and her husband,
Irri Tate, always lends a hand.
The next generation of Tates has its
own characteristics. Hesi Tate and his wife, Vege Tate, would just as soon wait
until next year whenever a new project is suggested. Aunt Imi Tate would love to
create the first generic church. Devas Tate announces constantly that the church
is doomed, while her husband Poten Tate promises he can lead the church out of
trouble.
Today in the Word, May, 1996, p. 8
·
EVANGELIZE LOST –
Souls Saved.
Acts 2:41,47 – “3000 added to their number that day,
v47 Lord added daily those who were being saved”, v43 “awe filled”
We must Seek to Reach
the Lost.
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Matthew 28:18-20 18
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with
you always, to the very end of the age."
Acts 1:8 But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends
of the earth."
John 4:35
"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'?
Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are
white for harvest.
·
Cross Creek exists
to glorify God and to win people to Jesus Christ.
·
God’s heartbeat MUST
be our heart beat; Jesus mission MUST be our mission!
It takes the average evangelical church 100
people and one year to introduce one person to Jesus
Christ.
·
Our hearts prayer –
Lord save souls, reclaim the wayward, restore the brokenhearted!
·
God is working all
over Cross Creek… The Lord is saving precious souls – here & in missions!
·
Heaven is real, hell
is real… there is dire consequences to those outside genuine faith in Christ.
·
We’re commissioned
to take the gospel into the lost world…field are white and ready for harvest
·
Every ministry of
Cross Creek must align with our purpose of why we exist…
·
In Celebrate
Recovery Friday night we saw 3 men trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior…
·
This is what church
is all about… Exalting God and seeking to win those lost in sin…
·
Three precious souls
– supernaturally born again… born into God’s family for eternity!
·
Some of you sitting
here this morning found Christ here at Cross Creek… That’s AWESOME!
·
Angels rejoice in
heaven over one sinner who gets saved! (Luke 15:10)
·
The earlier church
were in amazement at the miracles… today the greatest miracle is salvation
We exist to exalt God, to
evangelize the lost…
·
EQUIP BELIEVERS –
Believers Grow.
Acts 2:42-46 “They devoted themselves to the Apostles
teaching…fellowship, prayer, unity, joy, authentic, serving, awe...”
We must Diligently Teach
God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 16
All Scripture
is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training
in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 Peter 2:2-3 2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk
(God’s Word), so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
·
Equip – prepared,
mended, trained… a necessity for every believer – to grow (not automatic)
·
Ask yourself… am I
growing spiritually since coming to Cross Creek? Is God speaking to you?
·
We must be teaching
the whole counsel of God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
·
I’m passionate about
firm biblical teaching from the cradle to the grave… Teaching needs to be
Biblical, relevant, applicable, lived out… from the heart not head.
·
Its sin to bore
people with the powerful truth of God’s Word! We grow by being in God’s Word
·
We also grow when
God allows testing to come into our lives. (Jam 1:2-4)… Remember -
The gem cannot be polished without
friction, nor man perfected without trials.
- Chinese Proverb
·
Yet as a believer we
must be devoted/continuing in/diligence/steadfast continuance…
·
YOU must put
yourself into position to hear the truth of God’s Word = set free from….
·
Continue in your
yellow bible reading plan, join us for Bible study @ 6:30pm Wed night or 9:30am
Sunday’s for classes for all ages, join a small group, crave God’s Word and grow
up in your salvation… get hungry to know God better!
·
Spiritual growth
involves not only study but your use of Time, Talents, Treasures.
·
As believers YOU are
the servants not the customers… be serving, every member a minister
·
We must be
preparing, equipping believers to be ministering servants
A man, after 25 years with one company, was
still doing the same old job and drawing the same salary. Finally he went to his
boss and told him he felt he had been neglected. “After all,” he said, “I’ve had
a quarter of a century of experience.”
“My dear fellow,” sighed the boss, “you haven’t
had a quarter of a century of experience, you’ve had one experience for a
quarter of a century.”
·
ELEVATE CULTURE –
Lives Touched.
Acts 2:47 “enjoying the favor of all the people”
We must Demonstrate Christ
to Others.
Matthew 5:13-16 13
"You are the salt of the earth… 14
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be
hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in
the Lord. Live as children of light
John 15:8
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.
·
Individually &
collectively as a church we must touch our world for Christ… being salt & light
·
Being what God
called us to be… loving God supremely while loving people around you.
·
A sign of the end
times is love of many will grow cold… can’t you see it… show love to world
·
Filled with
loneliness, despair, hopelessness, searching for answers - Our world is
desperate for love, from the elderly to the children and families – people are
desperate for love…
·
As we do our part,
God uses us to impact the lives of people around us for an eternity.
·
Our culture, our way
of life is turning more & more sinful, getting darker and uglier… be light.
I
recently read this story… A
tiny drop of rain
fell from heaven
as Theresa's
dented Toyota idled roughly in
the Taco Bell
drive-through. A
single mom, she depended on
a government welfare
check
to feed her 8-year-old
son, Donny. It
was 10 days till
the next check
would arrive, and
she was already broke. Here's how she described
what
happened:
After looking under the sofa
cushions, all the car seats, and through the
glove box, we came up with a grand
total
of...$4.58! It had been a hard week and my
thinking was, "Hey, any way you look at it, we aren't going to have enough money
to make it through to the next
check. Let's go
out with style." So we headed for Taco Bell.
As we got to the
drive-through window to pay, I was never so shocked in all of my life. The guy
standing in the window had a big grin on his face and said, "This is your lucky
day—the people in front of you paid for your entire meal. They said to give you
this card."
The card read,
"We
hope this small act of service
shows you God's love in a practical way," but I've got to tell you something—for
me and my 8-year-old son, Donny, this was
no small act of love. It was huge. We were in exactly the right place at
exactly the right
time to
receive this touch from God when we needed
it most.
The next day, Theresa and Donny
came to church for the very first time. That tiny drop of generosity
they'd experienced in God's name made them
hopeful that perhaps God really did care about them and what they
were going through.
Rev
magazine page,
Jan/Feb 2007
