God is Looking for "Nobodies" to be His Stewards -- Santosh Poonen -- December 12, 2021
http://rlcf.church/media/sermons/god-is-looking-for-nobodies-to-be-his-stewards River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central message is that drawing near to God requires accepting His grace, as He has built the bridge for us. True Christian love, exemplified by Christ's love for the Church, cannot be manufactured by human effort but must be filled by the divine love of God. This divine love requires commitment to building up the body of Christ, not just attending services sporadically.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The impossibility of manufacturing divine love in our own strengthWhen we read passages like First Corinthians 13, we quickly realize that having Christ-like patience and a love that never fails is impossible to achieve in our own strength.
Are you committed to building the body of Christ?Believers should not have a loose relationship with the church or merely ride along, but should have a genuine desire to be committed and actively involved in building the local body.
Taking territory for your family and churchJust as the tribes in Joshua had to win their land, believers are called to fight the spiritual battle for their families and support their brothers and sisters in prayer.
The danger of not loving the truthHearing a lot of truth brings great responsibility, and failing to truly love that truth when it confronts our sin can lead to spiritual delusion.
The kingdom of God consists in power, not wordsEven good teaching and Christian activities can become an empty substitute if they lack the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 4:20
The promise of power from on highThe early disciples waited patiently for ten days until God fulfilled His promise to baptize them with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.Acts 1:8
Fleshly division and the danger of prideDivisions, jealousy, and preference for certain preachers are clear signs of walking as mere men without the true power of the Spirit.1 Corinthians 3:3
Recognizing that human workers are nothingWhether someone has a hidden or public ministry, every servant is ultimately a zero, because only God causes the growth and deserves all the glory.
Building with gold through humilityWork done with a humble zero mentality survives God's testing fire as gold, whereas service done for personal recognition is burned up as wood, hay, and stubble.
Being faithful stewards of the mysteries of GodBelievers are simply stewards and armored guards entrusted with God's possessions, and we must never take personal ownership of what belongs to Him.
Nothing we have was not receivedEverything we possess spiritually and materially has been graciously given to us by God, leaving no room for human boasting.
