Messy Church pt. 15 / Everyday To The Glory Of God

Messy Church, pt 15 – “Everyday to the Glory of God”

Jesus doesn’t want to merely be part of your life, he wants to be the whole of your life.

Honor God / Give into the devil

Put others first / Focus on yourself

Give your life away / Gain the whole world

1 Corinthians 10:20

I do not want you to be participants with demons.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

How to live every day to the glory of God… 

1. Pursue an undivided devotion to God

1 Corinthians 10:14

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

Idolatry is anything that takes the place of God in our hearts.

Idolatry is anything that we pursue or worship in place of God.

Worship – ascribe weight or worth to something or someone.

Declare the “worth-ship” of an object.

Idolatry can even happen when those who know God fail to give God the place of supremacy in their life.

“The expulsive power of a new affection” – Thomas Chalmers

“A moralist will be unsuccessful in trying to displace his love of the world by reviewing the ills of the world. Misplaced affections need to be replaced by the far greater power of the affection of the Gospel”.

“There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to displace from the human heart its love for the world — either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one..”

”The only way to dethrone the idols of your heart is to replace them with a more powerful God!

1 Corinthians 10:15-22

I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that w bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”

Participation – koinonia (fellowship or partnership)

koin – common

Fellowship is participation in what we have in common.

You can’t possibly sit at two different family tables!

2. Pursue the good of others

1 Corinthians 10:23-24

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

1 Corinthians 10:25-26

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

1 Corinthians 10:27-30

If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?“

“eat whatever is set before you”

“this has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it for the sake of the one who informed you”

1 Corinthians 10:31-33

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything Ido, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

3. Pursue ongoing discipleship in the church

1 Corinthians 11:1

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

More disciples who are committed to making more disciples.

Discipleship doesn’t just happen through information but also imitation.

Show

Tell

Show and Tell

Monkey see, monkey do

Who are you coming alongside to help them follow Jesus?

Who are you learning from what it means to follow Jesus

?“whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”