TOPIC: BE AN ACTIVE CHRISTIAN [SUNDAY OCTOBER 15TH, 2017]
MEMORY VERSE: “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.” – Matthew 25:15
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 25:14-30
INTRODUCTION:
One reason for the failure of modern churches is that they become a one-man affair. The pew-sitter leaves the work of evangelism, preaching, teaching and visiting to the pastor. This is not God’s order. At Pentecost, there were one hundred and twenty praying but only eleven of them could be called ‘Pastors’, that is, the eleven disciples. There were women present also. When persecution came, the pastors stayed in Jerusalem and the laymen were the ones who went out preaching – Acts 8:4. It is therefore the duty of every church member to be active for Christ.
LESSON OUTLINES
1. From where do I start?
2. What can I do for Jesus?
FROM WHERE DO I START?
The Lord expects you to use the talents He has given you (Matthew 25:15). If you fail to do so, He will take them away from you (Matthew 25:28). You can start by:
1. Being active in prayer (Luke 18:1). When you spend time with the Lord, the Holy Spirit will begin to guide you into areas where you can be useful for the Lord (Acts 13:2-3; 16:9-10).
2. Doing personal Bible study (2Timothy 2:15). Very soon, the opportunity will come to answer a perplexing question authoritatively from the Bible.
3. Understanding senior Christians. You have a lot to learn from them as you will soon take over their responsibilities (1Samuel 3:1, 19-21; 1Kings 19:19-21).
4. Attempting small tasks first, like praying for the preacher of the day, before his sermon, etc. Join the workforce of your local church and be an active member of a department e.g Ushering, Choir, Sunday School, Children, etc (Matthew 25:22-23; Romans 12:4-5).
5. Witnessing to others. Start from your own family members to your friends, neighbours and colleagues (Matthew 28:19-20).
WHAT CAN I DO FOR JESUS?
There are practical ways of working for Jesus. You can:
1. Bring people to church in your car, paying bus fares or simply walking with a first timer to the church. Andrew is a good example of this. He brought Peter (John 1:40-42), the little lad with five loaves and two fishes (John 6:8-9) and certain Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-22).
2. Contribute to missions’ activities. You can go, give money/materials, distribute tracts, pray for missionaries, etc.(Mark 16:15).
3. Encourage your Pastor. You can minister to his needs (1Corinthians 9:7-12).
4. Make your home available for small group meetings like House Fellowship, Children’s Bible club, etc. (Acts 2:42, 46).
5. Give food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned, care for the fatherless and widows (Matthew 25:34-36; James 1:27).
CONCLUSION:
Your duty as a Christian is to do the work of God while you are still alive and active (John 4:35; 9:4).
QUESTIONS:
1. Where do you start from to be an active Christian?
2. Mention some of the things you can do for Jesus.