John Lloyd - Bless Series "B"
/Begin With Prayer
BLESS Series: Begin with Prayer
Pastor John Lloyd
February 25, 2018
Series Overview: During the B.L.E.S.S. sermon series, we will gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’ Mission to reach the lost, restore the broken, reproduce disciples that make disciples and release them into Jesus’ Mission as well as discover our own unique part. Each message will focus on a story about Jesus demonstrating his Mission and how he fulfilled it through B.L.E.S.S.ing others.
“Our calling is where our greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.” Fredercik Beuchner
May God use us to reach people who are far from Him.
Our prayer is that the eternity-altering and world-changing elements of Jesus mission include Reaching, Restoring, and lastly Reproducing this mission in the life of others. It’s our hope to be able to be Releasing people into mission. We will explore that part of Jesus mission in the weeks to come. We exist to help people find their way back to God.
I. Joy and Mission are intimately connected.
Big Idea: To reach, restore, reproduce and release people into Mission, we begin by praying about who God wants us to bless each day and how He particularly wants us as individuals to bless our world.
· Reach- reaching people far from God.
· Restore- restore God’s dream for this world.
· Reproduce-reproduce the mission in others.
· Release-we release people into mission because Jesus calls his followers to be fishers of men and sends them out on his mission.
John 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Luke 10:20
I Thess. 2:19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20For you are our glory and joy.
You were built for mission. Being on mission, spreading God’s love and joy with the world, allows us to experience joy. We are not just saved from something, but we are saved for something. Being on mission is not an optional call. (Ephesians 2:10)
Blessers vs. Converters
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said [1] to Abram, “Go from your country [2] and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
What does it look like to bless people or be a “blesser?”
Sample prayer: God, how do you want me to use this time?
II. Begin with prayer because Jesus did.
Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
Luke 6:12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. Luke 6:13-16
“God use me to bless your world. Make me a part of your mission. Make your mission clear to me. God use me to bless someone today.”
Ask one another: Who did you bless this week?
III. People all around us are seeking Jesus.
John 4:13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:15
Research indicates that seven out of ten people would go to church if someone invited them.
IV. The Spirit helps us overcome our fear.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 2 Timothy 1:7
Matthew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Who am I going to bless today?
2 Cor. 3:6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
We are an inter-generational, neighborhood church committed to be a blessing those in our relational network.
We are an inter-generational, neighborhood church committed to reaching people far from God.
We are an inter-generational, neighborhood church committed to restoring God’s dream for this world.
We are an inter-generational, neighborhood church committed to reproducing God’s mission in others.
We are an inter-generational, neighborhood church committed to releasing people into Mission.
The best is yet to come!