A Fresh Vision “We Are Contributors, Not Consumers, With An Eternal Perspective”

 A Fresh Vision

“We Are Contributors, Not Consumers, With An Eternal Perspective”

Introduction:

Good morning Eastern Shore Baptist Church. I want to, from the bottom of my heart, tell you “thank you”. While this month recognizes the work and value of our staff, all of us believe that you should be thanked. What good would we be, what worth would our ministries possess, if you were absent. It is because of you that we are able to do what we do each and every day. It is because of you that we are able to realize our God giving callings. So thank you Eastern Shore Baptist Church. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your encouragements and how you have engaged the community of the Eastern Shore for more than 35 years now. Thank you, from the ESBC staff to you. May God bless you. 

This morning we are continuing our series entitled “A Fresh Vision”. This series may be the most important series in the history of our church because it sets forth a new roadmap for Kingdom growth. We are moving from a scattered approach to ministry to a more singularly focused approach a ministry. Our desire has been to reach people broadly for Christ. We say things like, “we want to reach the world, reach the globe, reach America, reach Alabama, or even we will reach the Eastern Shore for the glory of God”. That is not a bad sentiment but friends, that is not why we were planted. This church was uniquely placed and supremely equipped to reach the neighborhood of Lake Forest. This does not mean that we will not try to take the Gospel to the furthest reaches of the world. Hardly. What it means is that we will no longer forsake our calling to reach Lake Forest in favor of reaching people in the far away beyond. I have said now for three weeks that the Lake Forest neighborhood is the doorway to the nations. Much in the same way that Atlanta’s International Airport connects the world to the America, Lake Forest is our jumping off point, it is our tip of the spear, it is the doorway that enables us to reach Europe, Africa, China, Haiti, and beyond. 

Let’s read our new fresh vision together this morning. 

ESBC is on mission to share Christ with every family in the community of Lake Forest and the greater Eastern Shore.

Our Fresh Vision:

ESBC is on mission to share Christ with every family in the community of Lake Forest and the greater Eastern Shore.

That is our vision but what are our values?  The vision is what we hope to achieve. It is what we want to do in our present and it is what we want to accomplish in the future. Our values represent our core beliefs. Our values make us who we are, who we want to be. 

Our first value is that we put God first. We’re passionate about God, and we want everyone to know! 

Our second value is that we do our best. No earthly church is perfect, because only Jesus and His Kingdom is perfect. But we pursue excellence because God deserves our best. Our desire is to walk worthy of our calling in Christ – both individually and as a collective church. 

Our third value is that we are contributors, not consumers and we possess and eternal perspective. We live in service to our King and to our community. Our motivation is not for building our own kingdoms here on earth, but rather the eternal kingdom of Christ.

Friends, rewind with me to the days of the early church. They were led by the Apostles. The Apostles were men who walked with Jesus. Spoke with Him. Served as His disciples. They met in homes. Small groups huddled together listening to the teaching of the Apostles. Scripture tells us that they had everything in common. They loved one another and they had an understanding that all that they possessed belonged to God. They gave generously and made sure that everyone was taken care of, meeting the needs sacrificially of the community. They put their church above themselves. Scripture also states that the Lord added daily to their number. Thousands and thousands coming to the Lord. 

Sadly as time passed, things began to change. We moved away from homes, sacrificing the small groups. Human nature creeped in and people began to hunger for power. Today, at least in America, we see the church in decline. No longer growing. Salvations are down. Baptisms are down. Professions of faith are down. 

What changed? What’s the difference? Why is the church not growing? 

Friends, fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought” for me this morning. Stumbling blocks to church success or church growth, from the best I can tell, is selfishness, security, and structures. 

Today people shop for churches. Looking for only how the church can meet their needs. Do they have a good youth program? Does the worship style meet my preference? Is the pastor in a suit? Today we look for a church that makes us feel good about ourselves, requests nothing of us, and is happy if we just show up once a week. Churches that are overrun with selfishness cannot understand or grapple with a new vision because they are only concerned about their own vision. 

Security. One of the main reasons that churches cease to grow is because of apathy. The church has operated for far too long under the mentality “if we build it they will come”. We do not have to go to them, the lost, they will simply be pulled to us without us having to do the work of authentically building relationships. We have grown comfortable. The modern day church reminds me of the movie Wall-E. How many of you have seen that film? The plot is pretty simple. Earth is ruined and humanity is seeking a new planet to call home. The last vestiges of the human race board a space ship that was built to meet every one of their needs. Floating though space the people stopped working. The ship fed them till they were obese. The ship gave them drink till they were docile.

If the people wanted to go from one place on the ship to another, they simply boarded their hover chair. Instead of walking they floated. Eventually people that were once pioneers and visionaries became plump little docile domesticated lazy babies. How can the church serve me, feed me, take care of me, instead of how can I serve the church, look toward maturity, and take care of others?

Structures. People care more about taking care of the place, the thing, the structures where we worship. Don’t misunderstand me. Our second value was doing our best. We want to maintain our buildings and take care of God’s gifts. That is clearly true. However people matter more. If we ever operate under the mentality that we cannot host, cannot meet, or cannot invite because it will dirty the mats and sully the carpet, we will miss the point. Selfishness, security, structures, may they never get in the way of our church. 

Today’s Thought:

Stumbling Blocks To Church Success: Selfishness, Security, Structures!

Today’s Quote:

“The church is not a select circle of the immaculate, but a home where the outcast may come in. It is not a palace with gate attendants and challenging sentinels along the entrance-ways holding off at arm’s-length the stranger, but rather a hospital where the broken-hearted may be healed, and where all the weary and troubled may find rest and take counsel together.”

-Rev. James H. Aughey

I have quoted James Aughey before. Rev. Aughey was an American pastor and minister during the days of the Civil War. He fought for racial equality. He was a brave man who endured his share of hardship and persecution. Listen to what his thoughts were on the subject of the church. 

“The church is not a select circle of the immaculate, but a home where the outcast may come in. It is not a palace with gate attendants and challenging sentinels along the entrance-ways holding off at arm’s-length the stranger, but rather a hospital where the broken-hearted may be healed, and where all the weary and troubled may find rest and take counsel together.”

Background and Context:

Alright, church family, let's dig into Acts 4:32-37 and explore what was happening in the early Christian community. Now, after Peter and John stood their ground before the religious leaders, by the way, you should go back and read that story. It is pretty amazing Peter and John’s boldness for Christ. The believers were filled with this incredible unity and love for one another. The church, that early church, was on fire for the Gospel and they were like a family. 

Here's the thing, they were so united that they shared everything they had. It was like a big spiritual potluck where everyone brought what they had and shared it with those in need. No one claimed that anything they possessed was just their own. Instead, they saw it all as a gift from God, and they willingly shared it with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

Imagine that, folks! In a world where selfishness often rules the day, these early believers were shining examples of selflessness and generosity. If someone was struggling or in need, the community came together to support them. It wasn't about hoarding wealth or possessions—it was about taking care of one another and ensuring that no one was left behind. The mentality was literally the opposite of many people’s today when it came to the church. They were contributing and not simple consumers. 

In fact, we are introduced to Joseph, who was nicknamed Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement." Now, Barnabas sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles. He didn't do it out of obligation or to gain recognition. No way! He did it because he genuinely cared for his fellow believers and wanted to help meet their needs.

So, my friends, Acts 4:32-37 gives us a glimpse into the incredible spirit of unity and generosity that marked the early church. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and ask ourselves, "How can we be more like these early believers? How can we love and support one another in practical ways?"

Statement of Belief:

Before we read God’s Word together this morning, I want to remind you that…

We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and authoritative. We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word gives life. It provides peace in trouble and protection in tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect.  

Today’s Scripture:

Acts 4:32-37 ESV

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. [33] And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. [34] There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold [35] and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. [36] Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, [37] sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

How Should Lake Forest See Eastern Shore Baptist Church?

I. A Church Filled With Grace vs. 32

So, contributors not consumers. A people possessing an eternal perspective. But how? How should the neighborhood of Lake Forest see Eastern Shore Baptist Church? If that neighborhood had a window into this church, what would we want them to see?

Hopefully they would see a church filled with grace. 

Acts 4:32 ESV

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

Hopefully they would see a church possessing one heart, one soul. Hopefully they would see a church going one direction and sharing one burden. That direction is reaching Lake Forest for Christ and our burden is that if we don’t reach them, who will? If we don’t reach them, they go to hell the moment they die. No stopping on go. No purgatory. Just hell. Just eternal separation from the God that created them, loves them, and died for them. 

Hopefully they would see a church dedicated to mercy, grace, peace and forgiveness. I would pray that they would not see a church squabbling over petty pointless things. 

Nevertheless, what does it mean to be of one heart and soul? Another way of saying this phrase is that the people were operating in one accord. If you were to examine the Greek for this phrase, it means that they acted single mindedly, unanimously, in harmony with one another, in complete unity, and without a single word of dissent. 

Quick question, when is the last time any of you have been in a large group where everyone agreed? It rarely if ever happens. It never happens in politics. It hardly ever happens in family units. It hardly ever happens with just two people in marriage. 

But it did happen in the early church. This friends, is a miracle.  A large group of people operated with one heart, one mind, in complete harmony. How is this possible?

It is possible when the Holy Spirit is in it. In fact, one sure fire way of knowing if the Holy Spirit is working in a church is if there is peace, harmony, unity, and a oneness of mission. The Holy Spirit also has a way of purging people who are not adding to the mission of the church. That also happened in the early church. False teachers were removed. False prophets were withdrawn. The sexually immoral and the spiritually immature were dismissed. The Holy Spirit will often times remove people from the ranks of the church so that the church can operate with greater unity. It happened then and it happens today. It happened there and it has happened here. 

Friends, I thank God for the unity that exists at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. I thank God for the harmony. I thank God for the oneness of heart and soul. It should be cherished and protected. We should not take lightly anyone who threatens our mission to reach Lake Forest for the Gospel of Christ. We should not take lightly the man or woman who tries to break unity in this fellowship.

In his book “Notes on the Bible” by Albert Barnes, Barnes says this about the unity of the church, “the early church, being in one accord, had ‘no schisms, no divided interests, and no discordant purposes”.

May Lake Forest see a church filled with grace, peace and harmony. 

I Corinthians 1:10 ESV

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

How Should Lake Forest See Eastern Shore Baptist Church?

I. A Church Filled With Grace vs. 32

II. A Church Filled With Glory vs. 33

So, contributors over consumers. A church that possesses and eternal perspective. How should Lake Forest see Eastern Shore Baptist Church? Hopefully they see a church filed with grace. Our second point this morning is that they should see a church filled with God’s glory. 

Acts 4:33 ESV

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

So there they were, the early church. They were a gathered people. They were the living embodiment, the personification of the Greek word “Koinonia”. If I had a dollar for every time that I have heard Bryant Thompson say this word, teach on this word, and pray for this word to be true about Eastern Shore Baptist Church. Id have a lot of dollars. Koinonia is the Greek word for fellowship or a body of believers. The word connotes deep intimate spiritual communion. It is a bond between the followers of Christ and Jesus Himself. A bond tethered by the Holy Spirit and powered through prayer. Koinonia is built on the foundation of God’s Word. Koinonia exhibits itself in its truest form when the body is serving each other and the community in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Friends, do you know what happens when believers come together in Koinonia? God moves. Miracles happen. Lives change. People are moved from darkness to light, from death to light, from heaven to hell. Addictions are defeated. People are set free, becoming new creations. Relationships are healed and prodigals come home. People that said “no” to Christ for years are suddenly, without explanation, brought within the family of God. People are healed. Im not just talking about spiritual healed, Im talking about physically, psychologically healed. Mental illnesses are overcome. 

That was the beauty of the early church. It was undeniable that God’s Spirit was on the move. Lives were being transformed. People were in awe of what was happening. There was an excitement in the air that could not be expressed or explained beyond the hand of God moving with purpose and power. The new church, the early gathering of belivers saw miracles nearly daily. In fact, it was weird if there was not some miracle flowing through the church. Just think about these examples in the book of Acts alone:

Let me give you a rundown of some incredible events that took place in the book of Acts:

- First off, Peter performed a miraculous healing on a man who was unable to walk at the Temple (3:7-11). 

- Then, in response to Peter's prayer, God shook the ground with a mighty earthquake, showing His presence and approval (4:31).

- Unfortunately, there was a sobering incident involving Ananias and Sapphira. They were struck down by the Lord after lying about their offerings to the church (5:5-10). It was a stern reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity.

- Peter's healing ministry extended far and wide, reaching people from various cities and bringing restoration (5:12-16).

- An angel miraculously opened the prison doors for the apostles, setting them free (5:19). God's intervention knows no bounds!

- Stephen, a man full of faith, performed great wonders and signs (6:8).

- In Samaria, Philip astounded the people with his incredible miracles and signs (8:6, 7, 13). God's power was on full display.

- Saul, who later became the apostle Paul, had a life-changing encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. However, he remained unsaved until he responded to the preaching of the gospel by Ananias (9:3-9). It was through Ananias that Saul's blindness was healed (9:17-18).

- Peter also had his share of healing miracles. He healed a man named Aeneas (9:32-35).

- And in Joppa, Peter raised a woman named Dorcus from the dead, showcasing God's incredible power over life and death (9:39-42).

What about Eastern Shore Baptist Church? This church, like the early church, should be filled with the glory of God. The Holy Spirit should be moving here as much as it was back then. This should be prayed for, requested, sought after, desired, and lived out. However, we can quench the Holy Spirit’s movement. 

Unconfessed sin.

Unresolved differences.

A desire for power. 

A hunger for authority. 

Caring only for your ministry, thinking other’s ministries do not count or matter as much as your own. 

Selfishness. 

Insecurities. 

All of these things stop the power of God from moving among us. The greatest movements of God do not start with a preacher or a pastor. They do not start with a movement from within the staff. It begins with you, the congregation. We are the equippers. We provide the necessary tools for you to do the work on the ministry. 

Are you praying for the Holy Spirit to move in this church? Are you praying for God’s glory to be revealed among us? Let today be the day. Let today be the day that God fills us all with hope, joy, peace, and power. Like Romans 15:13 states…

Romans 15:13 ESV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

How Should Lake Forest See Eastern Shore Baptist Church?

I. A Church Filled With Grace vs. 32

II. A Church Filled With Glory vs. 33

III. A Church Filled Generosity vs. 34-35

So friends, we should be a church filled with grace. A church filled with God’s glory. Lastly, we should be a church filled with generosity. 

Acts 4:34-35 ESV

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold [35] and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

The passage goes on and gives us a real world example. We are introduced to a man named Joseph, otherwise known as the Son of Encouragement, our main man Barnabas. Barnabas was thought to be a very wealthy man. He may have been wealthy, but he was also obedient. He felt God leading him to do something very unusual. He was in possession of a field. He sold the field and gave the proceeds to the church. All of the proceeds. Not a portion. Not 10%. The entire proceeds. 

“Preacher, did he receive a tax break?”

“Preacher, did he claim a charitable contribution deduction for the excess of the purchase price?”

“Preacher did he know under section 170 provide by the Treasury Regulations that if a donor contributes tangible personal property to a charity that is put to an unrelated use, the donor's contribution is limited to the donor's tax basis in the contributed property?”

Quick answer, “no, no and no”. 

Barnabas was not worried about his stock profile. He was not worried about his 1040 forms. Barnabas was overcome with generosity and was obedient to what God called him to do. 

Hey, church family! Let's dive into Acts 4:34-35 and talk about why it's so important for us to be filled with generosity. 

You see, in those early days of the church, the believers had this incredible spirit of generosity. They were all about sharing and taking care of one another. Acts 4 tells us that there wasn't a needy person among them because they were all so willing to help out. They sold their possessions and belongings and shared the proceeds with those in need. Can you imagine that kind of radical generosity?

Now, you might be wondering, why should we be generous? Well, friends, there are a bunch of reasons why generosity is such a vital part of our faith. First off, when we're generous, we're following the example of Jesus Himself. He was the most generous person who ever walked this earth. He gave His very life for us, showing us what true sacrificial love looks like.

But it's not just about imitating Jesus. When we're generous, it benefits everyone involved. Yep, you heard that right! Our generosity blesses not only those who receive our help but also ourselves. When we give, we experience a deep joy and fulfillment that comes from knowing we're making a positive impact in someone's life. It's a beautiful way to live out our faith and show God's love to the world.

Plus, generosity builds up our church community. When we're willing to share what we have, we create an atmosphere of love and care. We become a tight-knit family, supporting one another through thick and thin. It's a powerful witness to the world around us when they see a community that genuinely cares for one another.

And here's the thing, my friends: generosity isn't just about money or possessions. It's about being generous with our time, our talents, and our resources. It's about being willing to lend a listening ear, offer a helping hand, or use our skills to serve others. There are countless ways we can be generous, and it all starts with a heart that's willing to give.

So, let's be a church that's known for our incredible generosity. Let's be a community that loves extravagantly and cares for one another deeply. As we give generously, we'll not only bless those in need but also experience the joy and abundance that comes from living a life marked by love and generosity. Let’s live out Proverbs 11:24-25…

Proverbs 11:24-25 ESV

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

Last question for you this morning as we close, how can we go and help God’s church grow?

How Can We Go And Help God’s Church Grow?