Being Part of God's Story
! Introduction
1. Thankful for the story
a. We rebelled and separated ourselves
b. You came and paid the price to bring us back
c. You saved us to make us part of the story
d. You have used us to complete the story.
e. Could we hear from you again? Could we have wisdom and courage?
f. Would you meet us here? Stir our hearts and hand for your glory
2. God is still working out his story in the world today.
3. The question is: Do we want to be part of the story?
4. Elanore Josidus, 72 year old woman in Detroit, started a mission Focus Hope
a. 500 volunteers that have ministered to over 500,000 people in 40 yrs
b. Tells MBA class at university, “You are going to help me change the world.”
c. 40 yrs ago was a mom with 5 kids watching a story about the Nuremburg Trials
a. Would I have stood up and said “No!”
d. Decided to start working to help the helpless and bring racial reconciliation.
e. Has worked for 40 yrs to change the world
f. Received hate letters and fire bombs.
g. “They are love letters than only make me work harder.”
h. "You have to have the guts to try something. You won’t change anything sitting in front of the TV with the clicker.”
i. A housewife with 5 kids but she had vision and passion that she could be used.
5. At Orion we believe that God has gifted each of you
6. He has called you and given you passion to do something for His kingdom and his glory.
7. You are our church’s greatest asset! Not staff or buildings.
8. God and our church asks three things of you: Reach, Grow, Release
I Reach Invest and Invite
A. Invest in one person this next year.
1. One person to get to know and grow a relationship with.
2. Pray for them every day.
3. Pray for open doors
B. One pastor, “The problem in evangelism is not knowledge, but how to naturally and graciously approach the subject.”
1. Pray for God to give the opportunity and be alert.
2. Also said, “Evangelism is slower than I once thought. It takes baby steps and gentleness.”
3. 1 Peter 3:15
C. Be prepared to connect with people in culture.
D. Look around where you go each day and pick out people to pray for open doors with.
1. Starbucks – guy always had self-improvement books. I’m a pastor and I’m in the business of helping people improve their lives.
2. Guy working with a bunch of “born againers.” Tell them to pray. Later was hoping the guy would ask him what he was preaching on Sunday. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. I am one of those lost sheep.
E. Invest and Invite. Many are scared.
1. Not asking you to be weird. Just be you.
2. Let them see what Christ has done in you.
II Grow In and Out
A. To have something to give out we must take something in.
B. Take in the Word, Prayer, and Spiritual Vitality
C. Need to get back to the basics
1. Vince Lombardi, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”
2. John Wooden at UCLA, “This is how to put your socks on.”
D. This is a football. This is a Bible, Prayer, Quiet Time – Everyday
E. Without these there will nothing to give. We won’t even make it through the day.
F. To make an impact, we have to take in.
G. God expects you to grow up.
1. Ephesians 4:11-16
2. Take in God’s resources and grow up.
a. Devotional Guide
3. These are dangerous times – We must grow. We must be prepared.
H. George Devine wanted pottery from England during WW 2.
1. Commissioned an expert to go.
2. Heard of German threat to torpedo the Lusitania.
3. Tried to talk his man out of going.
4. Had been getting ready by sitting in ice water. 2 min to over 2 hours
5. He went Lusitania sank.
6. After 5 hours the man was rescued and doing fine.
I. Oh how much more we should prepare and grow up for the times ahead.
J. We need passionate people for tough times. People with a big God
K. Lift people up. Let them know that God can do awesome things still.
III Release No to ____________, Yes to God
A. Each of us are called to do something
B. Our goal at Orion: Reach each lost person for Jesus Christ
Teach and train you to grow up in Him
Release you to use your gifts, passion and talents to impact the world.
C. Calling is different for each one and even for each season of life.
1. Teens, Young couple, Parents, Empty nesters, Retired
2. Our greatest resource is you.
3. We want to release you to shape the world in big or small ways.
D. To do that you have to say “No!” to some things.
1. True for business, athletes, spiritual work.
E. Romans 12:1-2 Hebrews 12:1-3
F. Continual process. No to ______________. Yes to God
1. Habit
2. Parasitic sin
3. Festering wound of bitterness
4. Busyness
G. If you don’t say No will never hear God or have space for Him.
H. Pray and the Holy Spirit will tell you the areas that are killing you.
1. He will whisper your adventure to you.
2. Neighbor, Kid, Single Mom, Short term mission trip, Study group, some other ministry
I. We want to release you. If you are not living your story
1. We have failed
2. You have failed to step up.
IV An Image of Church
A. Cruise Ship
1. Want to enjoy the best of everything – food, entertainment, activities
2. Always want to upgrade
3. Great for cruises – horrible for a church
B. Battle Ship
1. Big guns firing 14” shells 30 miles
2. What power. What influence
3. I want Orion to be a battleship.
a. Focused on spiritual warfare and lost souls
b. Not worried about our own comfort and amenities.
4. There was a change of focus of power during WW 2
`C. Aircraft Carrier
1. With radar and planes had a range of 100’s of miles
2. Could launch a plan every 30 secs
3. Easy to fall into a cruise ship mentality
4. Envision on one side of the carrier we are pulling lost people out of the water
5. Then we teach and train
6. Put them in a cockpit on the other side to carry out missions
7. Return for love and comfort and go out again.
Conclusion
1. Will you get in the cockpit to be used by Jesus to impact people?
2. If you don’t want to reach, grow and release – get off the boat.
3. You won’t be happy here. Find a place where you can launch and serve.
4. We need to be united. 100% focused on the battle.
5. Get with God and say, “Give me passion. I want to be on the front lines for Jesus.