People Are Valuable Principle #1: Engage your community & culture Jesus Is Most Valuable Principle #2: Establish believers in the foundation of Christ Ministry Is Valuable Every Day Is Valuable What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Ministry Is Valuable Principle #3: Equip all believers to minister Principle #3: Equip all believers to minister  Discipleship means it is not enough to establish believers in the foundation of Christ.  Discipleship also demands that believers be equipped to become effective ministers.  Equipping disciples means to give them the competence and the confidence to do the work of ministry. What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Ministry Is Valuable  katartizo – preparing or equipping; literally pictures a transformation from brokenness to wholeness, from ineffectiveness to usefulness – Matt. 4:18-19 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Matthew 4:18-19 (NASB) 18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Ministry Is Valuable  katartizo – preparing or equipping; literally pictures a transformation from brokenness to wholeness, from ineffectiveness to usefulness – Matt. 4:18-19  Following Jesus (as you are in …)  Fellowship with other believers (as they …)  Fish for people (in general) together! What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Ministry Is Valuable  Casting and hauling the net  Fishing to Jesus was a net and not a pole  Net fishing cannot be done alone  It requires at least one other person – Mark 1:16 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Mark 1:16 (NASB) 16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen

Ministry Is Valuable  Casting and hauling the net  Fishing to Jesus was a net and not a pole  Net fishing cannot be done alone  It requires at least one other person – Mark 1:16  Luke 5:4-7 tells us two things: What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Luke 5:4-7 (NASB) 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.

Ministry Is Valuable  Casting and hauling the net  Fishing to Jesus was a net and not a pole  Net fishing cannot be done alone  It requires at least one other person – Mark 1:16  Luke 5:4-7 tells us two things: 1. Nets have to be deliberately let down into the sea of humanity (not kept in the boat or on the beach) 2. Net fishing needs partners!  We need to be trained and equipped in partnership with others (small groups) What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Ministry Is Valuable  Equipping disciples in ministry is born out of discipline – 2 Timothy 1:7 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

2 Timothy 1:7 (NASB) 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline

Ministry Is Valuable  Equipping disciples in ministry is born out of discipline – 2 Timothy 1:7  Discipline is born out of relationship!  Discipline spurs us on to growth over weakness  Discipline creates accountability  Discipline allows us to temper the weakness of the flesh by obeying because we love God and value what He values while making sure we do not succumb to legalism and wrong theology What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Every Day Is Valuable  Jesus gives us three pairs of contrasting universal values in Matthew 6:21-25 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Matthew 6:21-25 (NASB) 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Every Day Is Valuable  Jesus gives us three pairs of contrasting universal values in Matthew 6:21-25  God and money  Life and food  Body and clothes  Why these three pairs?  Because in each pair there is one that is infinitely more valuable! What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Every Day Is Valuable  Values can only be esteemed when they are measured against a standard  That standard is God!  Psuche – that which has breath, spirit  Psuche – Life is about living, moving, and having our being. Life means to have hope.  Soma – literally, our physical bodies  Soma – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NASB) 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Every Day Is Valuable  Principle #4: Empower all believers to make disciples (“as we go”)  Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit  Money is the answer to everything! Eccles. 10:19 What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Ecclesiastes 10:19 (NASB) 19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.

Every Day Is Valuable  Principle #4: Empower all believers to make disciples (“as we go”)  Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Money is the answer to everything! Eccles. 10:19  Food is not only a base need, but a pleasure that we use to build relationships. It is our enjoyment.  Clothes represents goods, products, and services. They represent the value of excellence.  All of these are to be used to develop relationships that lead to discipleship. What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

People Are Valuable Principle #1: Engage your community and culture Jesus Is Most Valuable Principle #2: Establish believers in the foundation of Christ Ministry Is Valuable Principle #3: Equip all believers to minister Every Day Is Valuable Principle #4: Empower all believers to make disciples What on Earth Are You Doing?

Application Are you actively engaging your community and culture? Are you actively helping to establish believers in the foundation of Christ? Are you actively equipping believers to do ministry? Are you actively empowering believers to make disciples? What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25

Application Are you being salt and light in a lost and dying community through your growing relationship with God and others in mentoring and small group relationships? What on Earth Are You Doing? Matthew 6:21-25