Our Little Preacher
Foundation
Statement: God
has a specific model of how the body of Christ is supposed to function in
the Earth. When we function according to that model we will be
effective in what we do. God gave the 5-fold ministry gifts to perfect
the saints so that the saints would be equipped for the work of the ministry
and the work of their ministry would edify the body of Christ. Satan
always endeavors to pervert God’s model and it’s deceptive perversion because
the model he produces always seems right. Without direct ministry from and
exposure to the 5-fold ministry gifts the believer won’t grow the way they
should. If we are going to grow up we need to make much of the Word and much of
the vehicles God uses to get you that word. If all you needed to grow
up was a Bible God wouldn’t have given you these
gifts.
I.
Ephesians 4:12-This is
God’s model for how the body of Christ is supposed to function; 5-Fold Ministry
gifts are perfecting the saints, the saints are working their ministry, the body
is being edified
A. One of the avenues by
which God planned for us to grow is the 5-Fold ministry gifts; God gave us
these gifts so that we could be perfected
(complete furnishing, equipping, to complete, make one what he ought to be)
1.
MSG-He
handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to
train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s
body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each
other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults,
fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. 14-16 No prolonged infancies among us,
please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy
mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and
tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ,
who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His
very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy
in God, robust in love.
B. Without direct ministry from
and exposure to the 5-fold ministry gifts the believer won’t grow the way they
should
1.
God
called and anointed the 5-fold ministry gifts for the perfecting of the saints
2.
The
person in the pew is going to be matured and developed to do the work of the
ministry because God works through the person in the pulpit
3.
One
reason you go to church is to be exposed to the gifting’s that can grow you up
– We are here to grow up, not to play church
C. Satan always endeavors to
pervert God’s model, but it’s deceptive perversion because the model he
produces always seems right
1.
The
enemy has infected the system with the thought that the work of the ministry is
the preacher’s job. Why? If he can get the preacher running day and night doing
“the work of the ministry,” and leave him with no time left for the word of God
and prayer then when the preacher gets up to preach it won’t be anointed the
way it needs to be anointed to nourish the people the way they need to be
nourished-Acts 6:2
a. Not all preaching and
teaching is anointed the same; There is teaching that feeds you more than other
teaching
2.
The
one who is doing the preaching doesn’t need to be doing the running; That’s a
faulty model (To the untrained eye it looks noble to have our good little
preacher running around all week taking care of all us babies, but it’s a
faulty model that won’t work)
II.
If you’re going to grow
up you need to make much of the Word and much of the vehicles God uses to get
you that word
A. 1 Peter 2:1-3-We grow by
the Word of God-If the Word is not giving priority and precedence growth will
not be produced
1.
We
should value the Word of God-Job 23:12, Psalm 119:72,127,103,131,162,167
2.
You
won’t desire what you don’t not value – If you don’t value the word, you
won’t desire the Word and you won’t grow
3.
Most
people on the planet don’t think enough of the Word of God to go to any kind of
service or even own a Bible and read it
B. Ephesians 4:8,11-We grow
by the 5-fold ministry gifts
1.
These
fivefold ministry gifts are gifts from God given to you and me – How
should we treat these gifts from God?
a. We’re not making much of
a man or woman, but we are making much of the call and anointing on their lives
because it’s a gift from God given to us and if you treat it like it’s nothing
you are not just disrespecting the gift, you are disrespecting the one who gave
you the gift
b. This is not about making
much of flesh, this is about making much of God-Matthew 10:40, 1 Thessalonians
2:13
2.
If
we value God, we value doing what God says; If we value doing what God says
(our ministry) we value growing up; if we value growing up, we value the Word
of God because we grow by the Word; If we value the word we value the vehicle
or vessel God used to the Word to us-Romans 10:10-17
a. The Word of God and the
vehicles God uses to get me that word, people that are mature, will esteem
those two things very highly – If you don’t value the word (which you
grow by) and the five-fold ministry gifts (which you’re perfected by) you won’t
grow
b. If all you needed to grow
up was a Bible, God wouldn’t have spoken about these ministry gifts in such a
way
Foundation Statement: God uses people to feed you the Word of God.
Who did He send into your life to feed you.
You got to watch jumping around from preacher to preacher because
there are divine connections that God has made for you, people you are supposed
to stay hooked to. We grow by the 5-fold ministry gifts. God sends a
preacher to initiate change and growth in your life. If all you
needed was a bible to grow up God wouldn’t have given
you these gifts. If you’re going to grow up you have to make much
of the Word and much of the vehicles God uses to get you the word.
III.
To grow to another level
you have to exercise at another level and to exercise at another level you have
to eat at another level – Who’s feeding you?
A. God uses people to feed
you both the milk of the Word and the meat of the Word-1 Corinthians 3:2-I have fed you
1.
Hebrews13:7-Who are you following? Who is preaching the Word of God
to you? Who are you sitting under? Be on the watch against jumping around
2.
John
6:63-They left when they should have stayed – You will be tempted to
leave the ones God has connected you with
3.
1
Corinthians 4:15-There are divine connections and God hasn’t connected you with
every preacher in the body of Christ – There are certain things you need
that you’re only going to be able to get from the ones God has hooked you with
4.
EX:
You can cook something, but not like a five star chef can cook you something
B. Ephesians 4:8,11-We grow
by the 5-fold ministry gift
1.
If
all you needed to grow up was a Bible, God wouldn’t have spoken about these
ministry gifts in such a way
2.
Romans
10, Matthew 13-God sends a preacher to bring the world to build faith to spark
change
3.
This
is not about making much of flesh, this is about making much of God-Matthew
10:40, 1 Thessalonians 2:13
C. If you’re going to grow
up you need to make much of the Word and much of the vehicles God uses to get
you that word
1.
The
Word of God and the vehicles God uses to get me that word, people that are
mature, will esteem those two things very highly – If you don’t value the
word (which you grow by) and the five-fold ministry gifts (which you’re
perfected by) you won’t grow
2.
You
won’t desire what you don’t not value – If you don’t value the word, you
won’t desire the Word and you won’t grow
a. Most people on the planet
don’t think enough of the Word of God to go to any kind of service or even own
a Bible and read it
3.
If
we value God, we value doing what God says; If we value doing what God says
(our ministry) we value growing up; if we value growing up, we value the Word
of God because we grow by the Word; If we value the word we value the vehicle
or vessel God used to the Word to us-Romans 10:10-17
a. You got to be at a place
spiritually to even receive some of these things-So many Christians come to
church, haven’t spent time in the Word all week, they are weak, malnourished,
worn out, tired and can’t handle strong teaching or instruction, but just want
to be encouraged; When you live like that you’ll never grow-You got to get on
solid ground before you can build a house-1Sam30:6