GRACE TRANSFORMS — MULTIPLY (pt. 1)

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GRACE TRANSFORMS — MULTIPLY (pt. 1)

Ephesians 4:1-16

NAME: We want to reach this Big Central Valley with the Grace of Jesus Christ in Community with His Church.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Church is to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

MISSION: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples.  Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20 (ESV)

VISION: Love your [actual] neighbor. This means every member of the Body of Christ, being led by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, evangelizing and discipling our [actual] neighbors, and leading them to do the same.

Grace Transforms residents of earth into
Citizens of Heaven who MULTIPLY through Jesus Christ.  
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 (ESV)

Three THREATS to Multiplication:  

Threat #1:  Hearing the Word & having NO UNDERSTANDING.

“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.”  Matthew 13:18-19 (ESV) 

Threat #2:  Hearing the Word & having NO APPLICATION.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. Matthew 13:20-21 (ESV)

Threat #3:  Hearing the Word & having NO PRIORITY.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. Matthew 13:22 (ESV) 

Two OPPORTUNITIES for Multiplication:  

Opportunity #1:  HEAR & UNDERSTAND the Word. 

“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.” Matthew 13:23 (ESV) 

Opportunity #2: APPLY & PRIORITIZE the Word.

“He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:23 (ESV)

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41 (ESV)

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7 (ESV)

For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11:26 (ESV)

But the word of God increased and multiplied. Acts 12:24 (ESV)

The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. Acts 13:44 (ESV)

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:23 (ESV)

This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:10 (ESV)

Goal: To glorify God through exponential discipleship.

“All the residents of  heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19:10  

VISION: Love your [actual] neighbor. This means every member of the Body of Christ, being led by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, evangelizing and discipling our [actual] neighbors, and leading them to do the same.