DREAMTEAM 2014 SERMON BY PASTOR BEN HOOMAN SENIOR PASTOR AT THE CHRISTIAN CAMPUS Who of us enjoy a blazing campfire on a cold night? Darkness and chill cannot overcome the light and the heat of the flames that illuminates your face and bring you warmth and comfort. And as it lights up every face around the fire it brings identity to each one around the fire. As our eyes focus on the heart of the blaze, the coals glow white, orange and yellow. If you take a stick and separate one of those coals from the fire, darkness and coldness closes in as the coal is separated from the team of coals. It is just a matter of time before the coal becomes black and of no function. The fire it once contained, has disappeared. What has this picture of campfire to do with us? As we have been listening to many sermons, our personal relationship with God was emphasized and it is very important. But from God’s perspective, our community with others is not optional and forms part of our spiritual growth. God created us to be in communion (common-union) with one another. Together we form the Body of Christ. Together God gives us a vision, a purpose wherein as God has placed us together, everyone playing a very important role. Our vision and mission is clearly biblically reflected by Ephesians 4:11-16. “11 and He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; …………………… 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the – Christ – 16 from whom the whole body, joint together and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (NKJV) God created us as a team. God Himself consist of a team, a team that works together, teamwork. We serve a God that is a team. Genesis 1:1-4 “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God, was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from darkness.” (NKJV) John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NKJV) God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity, three in one, a Team! Genesis 1:26 confirms this: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth”. (NKJV) And then God created man and woman to be a team. Genesis 2:18,24 “and the Lord God said: it is not good that man should be alone, I make him a helper comparable to him, ……………… Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joint to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”. (NKJV) Two people become one as a team. God created marriage as at team. But not only in marriage, also as brothers in Christ, a team. Psalms 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers life together in unity. God gave us many examples in Scripture of teams and teamwork: Moses – an incredible leader, at first reluctant and hampered by his limitations. He needed a team, and God gave him Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. Through his father-in-law, he became aware of his limitations, his personal deficiencies, and he delegated his responsibilities to a gifted team of people in his team. Nehemiah – relied on teams to restore the walls of Jerusalem. God placed in his team skilled and gifted people to fulfill God’s vision. He organized different teams for different purposes as part of his overall team. Solomon – understood the wisdom of team ministry. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor, 10 for if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 11 Again if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be empowered by another, two can withstand him and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (NKJV) Apostle Paul – in 1 Corinthians 3:7-10 urges the Corinthians to work as a team. He promotes and demonstrates teamwork as foundational to growth. Paul was a church planter, Apollos, a nurturer and disciple, and together they were God’s team. Paul also partnered with many other people. Jesus – the ultimate model of team ministry. Jesus called out a group of people, some uneducated, unknown persons to be on His team. All ignited with capabilities by the Spirit, in need of training and direction from the great Master himself. Matthew 2:18-22 – walking by the sea of Galilee Jesus saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting nets in the lake for they were fisherman. Jesus said to them (both of them – team): “Come with me, and I will make of you fishers of men”. They were called out for team ministry. At once they left their nets, and followed Jesus. He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee, and his brother John, preparing their nets with their father. As Jesus called them out, they immediately left the boat and followed Jesus. Jesus who know God the Father intimately, chosen to use a team to change the world! Who of you can recall the day when The Spirit of God convicted you and you were called out by God. A decision made to leave the old world and to follow Jesus? Today it is still the will and plan of God for His Kingdom. The Lord Jesus as the head of His team (body), coaching us through the Spirit, using His people to equip us for ministry, putting us through a training camp to become an unbeatable team! Why is then that so many don’t want to be on the team, don’t want to be a team player? Happy to be a spectator and criticizing from the sideline. How many of us has been at a provincial rugby game to find the “best” players sitting with you in the stand, and I then wonder if they know so much, why are they not part of the team? Today there are so many “loners” claiming to be part of the body of Christ but nowhere part of a team. It brings me to our focus and goal for 2014. I would like to call it: ‘DREAM TEAM 2014’ or ‘JESUS DREAM TEAM 2014’. Whatever we call it, God is calling us up! It takes a team to spread the Word, to expand the Kingdom of God here on earth. We have all been called out by God the Father, and if not, I pray that the Spirit of God convict you now where ever you are to accept Jesus as your Saviour, confess your sins, repent and turn to God for your future. Through grace in His Son Jesus Christ we have been saved and called out to be His sons. BUT TODAY GOD IS CALLING YOU UP! He calls us up as a team, as a unit. We also have been called out to be fishers of men. The same way he called up the disciples by name next to the sea of Galilee. But God calls us again as he called the disciples again as the resurrected Jesus at the sea of Tiberias (John 21). Like the disciples many of us has gone back ‘fishing’ in the world, focusing on our worldly lives for provision and for self. When Jesus said to them: “Children, have you any food?”. They said “no!” Jesus knew they went back to their old ways. If Jesus ask you now the same question, what will be your answer? Where are you? Where is your team? It is time for us to cast our nets as a team to the right side of the boat. Jesus is in the boat but why do we not recognize Him? Cast the net, that means take action! Become a team player. There are a multitude of lost people. As Jesus asked Simon Peter three times if he loves Jesus, he asks you: “Do you love me more than the things of the world?” Jesus then called Simon Peter up for service and said to him: “follow Me” As Jesus has restored Peter, He restores you this morning! As a member of His team! And you shall be a witness to Him in Lewisham, in Krugersdorp, in the West Rand, and to the ends of the earth. As the set man, the officer of God this morning, I serve you with your call up papers. On these call up papers is a date. It is January 2014. Prepare yourself, get your house in order, be ready. Explain to your family that you have been served with call up papers, you have to report for Kingdom duty. For those here your regiment will be the Christian Campus Church – a team ministry. For those that is not here this morning, as you read this, know God is Calling you to the team that He has placed you with. Some of you have been placed here with us. God speaks to you through this message: Report back for duty for God has great plans for you! The team needs you. You are gifted and talented by God for a season like this. You cannot fulfill your calling outside of the team God placed you with. God needs you and the team needs you! Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-31. One is the eye, one the ear. God has placed you as part of the body, everyone of us as He wants us to be. There are many parts, but only one body. In our unit some will be in the frontline, others in the ops room, some in basic training, some in advanced training, being equipped for the team work of ministry. One team, one in faith, one in focus, one in Christ, as a unit all in unity. Let us adhere to the call up. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled and our bodies washed with pure water for the tasks ahead of us (Hebrews 10:22). Today God has placed the fire together, all the coals been restored. A burning sacrifice for His Kingdom, ready to be send out for His cause. For the harvest is ready, but the workers are few. 2014 – A harvest is awaiting us, let us be ready! The call up papers has been served! I pray that God have spoken into your heart. For any comments or prayer, please e mail me at [email protected]. May God’s glory be your shadow and His favor your path!
Posted on: Mon, 09 Dec 2013 10:10:59 +0000
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