“Growing to Serve”

“God’s Purpose” Part 1 of 5

 

Today begins a new 5 week series called, “Growing to Serve”.  Over the next few weeks we’re going to look at God’s man called Joshua... we’re also going to look at Cross Creek – past, present and future.  We will look at where our name Cross Creek came from... from our humble beginnings to the purchasing of this property... what God is presently doing in our midst and our future plans to begin new construction on a multipurpose building that will seat around 600 people!  I spent some time brainstorming the title for this series... the Lord impressed my heart with “Growing to Serve”.  God calls every believer to spiritually grow and serve... if you’re growing you’ll have a desire to be serving.  Also as Cross Creek grows we must never stop serving one another, reaching out into our community & the world with the Gospel message of Christ. 

 

We called a work day for this Saturday to begin work on building a pavilion, picnic tables, etc with our goal to complete it by Celebration Sunday, August 6th – a day of praising the Lord and receiving a special building fund offering!  I encourage you to prayerfully consider what part God would have for you in this matter of financial giving.

 

As we begin this series we must see how God does the initiating for what He wants accomplished in this world, God works out His perfect plan by using weak earthen vessels like Joshua, you and me...

 

I.  Joshua’s Calling...  See the  Invisible!

Joshua 1:1-4 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west.

 

·          Israel’s great leader Moses had died and the Lord selects Joshua as his replacement (See Num 27:15-18).

·         God tells him to “get ready to Cross” over the Jordan River!  Are you ready to cross over?

·         Cross over here at Cross Creek for all God has for us... To cross over from death to life spiritually...

 

God’s Purpose for Your Life...

·         A New Relationship in Christ!

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

o        Jesus came to “seek and to save” the lost in sin...

o        First and foremost God calls everyone to a new relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ

 

·         To Serve God by Serving Others!

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,

o        Once we’re saved God commands & expects us to be busy serving Him by serving others

o        God called Joshua to a monumental task to lead 2 million people into the Promised Land

o        Joshua was relatively young and inexperienced... wandered for 40 years in the wilderness in preparation.

 

 

An Important Principle #1 – “God doesn’t call the qualified but qualifies the called!”

 

1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

·         We judge people by the externals... God looks into their very hearts... to see what you’re made of...

·         Moses tended flocks... David was a shepherd boy... Gideon a farmer... many disciples were common fishermen... God has a way of confounding the wise... taking nobodies, the weak, uneducated, the least likely and turning them into spiritual giants for God!  God qualifies those He calls!

·         God calls those who walk by faith... “...seeing Him who is invisible”

 

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

·         Are you walking in faith seeing Him who is invisible?  I was overwhelmed when God began calling me...

·         I prayed, sought wise Godly counsel from various men... His call on my life was overwhelming... I gave Him every excuse I could find...  Lord, I’ll do anything but I don’t want to be a pastor!

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

·         For years I’ve faithfully served and grew, I was Biblically qualified, God’s call was intense...

·         I finally surrendered your will be done not mine... a surrender to be used in any capacity the Lord desired.

·         To totally yield yourself to God is both costly & scary... a step into the great unknown... I can’t but He can!

·         My faith has always been strong - I fixed my eyes on the unseen... we must see the invisible!

·         Are you ready to Cross Over?  Focus on the unseen and walk by faith... we MUST see the Invisible!

 

 

II.  Joshua’s Mission...  Dream the Incredible!

Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Acts 26:8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

·         Joshua’s mission was to lead God’s people into the Promised Land... Dream the Incredible!

·         Dream dreams not what you can accomplish but what ONLY God can accomplish!

·         With God ALL things are possible!  He created the universe and you and me... He can raise the dead!

·         Some here this morning may “feel” dead spiritually – God can raise the dead!  He can do anything!

·         Begin to dream the incredible! 

·         I came into contact with two different pastors who said, “this area of N.E. PA is spiritually dead, God CAN’T work in this area because of the wickedness and heavy influence of false religions”.  Sometimes pastors will make excuses why their churches are dead and unhealthy and never seem to grow – Satan seems to be having the upper hand – defeated, discouragement, doubts, fears, stress, gloom and despair are filling our churches – this is NOT the Spirit of Christ.  I began to “see” hurting people, a hunger for God’s Word, an emptiness in so many hearts and lives, families and homes unraveling... I started to dream the incredible!  God why can’t YOU grow a great church?  After all, how BIG is God? BIG ENOUGH!

·         It’s God’s will for people to get saved!  Jesus said HE will build HIS Church!  It’s not MY Church!

 

2 Chronicles 16:9a For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him...

·         God’s looking for a few good men and women whose hearts are FULLY committed to Him!

·         God I will be that man... not partially... but fully surrendered to you!  USE ME GOD!

·         The Lord began to move my heart toward a new church in the Back Mountain... Pray, Pray, Pray... Two pastors offered positions of Assistant Pastor in their churches... Detours often look so appealing...

·         A new church plant requires so much... constitution, legal requirements, tax exemption 501c-3, equipment, place to meet, people (Cross Creek is not from any “split”)... Dream the Incredible!

·         A church where God’s Word is highly esteemed, a church of “broken toys” where God’s grace transforms lives, a church where we worship the Lord in “spirit and truth”, a church where Jesus Christ is worshiped and the presence of God moves, a church that is passionate for lost souls, a church that reaches into our community and the world, a church that God uses to literally change the eternal destiny of countless souls!  We MUST Dream the Incredible!  When we do God brings...

 

Assurance of...

God’s Promise (Jos 1:13)

Joshua 1:5-6 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

·         Joshua you WILL inherit the land just as I promised.

·         There are over 8800 promises in His Word - God WILL do what HE has PROMISED!

·         I firmly believe God is Building a Great church here at Cross Creek!  Where God leads, God provides!

·         “God will meet all your needs” Phil 6:38  “Give and it will be given back to you...” Lu 6:38

·         Pray and ask the Lord, “what will you have me to give on Celebration Sunday”?

 

God’s Power (Jos 1:18)

Joshua 1:7-8 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

·         God is all powerful.  God assured Joshua of His promise and also of His power to accomplish great things

·         Can you imagine how overwhelmed Joshua must have felt?  Be strong, be obedient, be courageous!

·         2Co 12:10 Paul said, “When I am weak then am I strong”... we must remain humble & willing to let God!

 

God’s Presence (Jos 1:17)

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

·         Joshua being a “young greenhorn” General knew he couldn’t do what God called him to – he needed God

·         The Lord told him His presence will be with him wherever he went!  We too can be assured of God’s presence with us... Without you Lord, I’m done! I can’t do it!...

·         I can’t BUT You CAN – We must See the Invisible, We must Dream the Incredible...

 

 

III. Joshua’s Obedience...  Do the Impossible!

Joshua 2:1, 24 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there... 24They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us."

·         The rubber meets the road... Joshua sets the wheels into motion... Joshua sent spies into Jericho

·         The Lord directed the two spies to Rahab the harlot – she protected them, told them about the fear of the people and helped them escape... then gave Joshua a favorable report... Rahab is a gentile woman of faith whose life was changed when she encountered the Lord... she is even in the genealogy of Christ mentioned in Mt 1:5.

·         Joshua’s obedience in following the Lord’s will allowed him to do the “impossible”... enter promise land!

·         What is impossible with men is possible with God!  They were about to “Cross Over”... Why?

·         See the Invisible, Dream the Incredible, Do the Impossible

·         Why can’t God win souls into His Kingdom?  Why can’t God restore broken lives?  Why can’t God’s Word impacts hearts?  Why can’t God build a great church? He Can and He is!

 

Important Principle #2 – “God uses ordinary people to do the extraordinary!”

Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God."

 

See the Invisible!   Dream the Incredible!     Do the Impossible!

God has a perfect plan for your life!

 

 

Growing to Serve!