Hey friends,
Here’s today’s sermon.
Be ready to TEST- Testify, Encourage, Serve and Tithe
"And Josiah set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord"—2 Chronicles 35:2.
[Jhn 13:14-15 NLT] 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
[1Pe 3:15 NLT] 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.
[1Th 5:14-18 NLT] 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
Introduction
* It’s important for church members to be ready to testify, encourage, serve and Give
* Highlight the importance of these principles in promoting mental health and well-being, particularly as we age.
* Emphasize that one of the core values of the church is celebration and how it is important for members of the church to celebrate and encourage each other, as well as celebrate testimonies.
* Mnemonic device: TEST- Testimony-Encourage, Serve and Tithe
* Testifying
[Rev 12:10-11 NLT] 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has come at last--salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth--the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
* The importance of being ready to share our personal testimony of how Jesus has changed our lives
* Highlight the positive impact that sharing our testimony can have on our mental health and well-being, particularly as we age.
* Being willing to testify about our faith can also improve communication skills, as it requires us to clearly and effectively convey our beliefs to others. Additionally, sharing our testimony can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are common among older adults.
* For Work:
The 1-1-1 Method
Every single evening, at the end of your work day, open up your journal and write down three simple points:
• 1 win from the day
• 1 point of tension, anxiety, or stress
• 1 point of gratitude
It takes just 5 minutes at the end of the day.
* Additional suggestion: Encourage Summit Partners to start a weekly journaling practice to help them reflect on the ways that God is working in their lives and make it easier to share their testimony when the opportunity arises.
* We often remember the bad better than the good
* We remember breakdowns but often forget breakthroughs.
Encouraging
* The role of church members in building up and cheering up one another
* Highlight the positive impact that encouragement can have on mental health and well-being, particularly as we age.
* 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
* African Proverb: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
* The most common greeting in the Zulu tribe is Sawubona.- It literally means “I see you, you are important to me and I value you”.
* Data: According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, social support, including encouragement, is positively associated with mental and physical health outcomes
* individuals whose signature strength is encouragement tend to have a positive view of others, are genuinely invested in the welfare of others, and are excited to see others grow and develop (see also Carns & Carns, 2006, for similar insights from Adlerian psychology).
* Encouraging others can also increase social capital, as it helps to foster positive relationships and a sense of community among those around us.
Serving
* The importance of coming to church ready to serve and give, including the practice of tithing
* "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
* We saying Tithing for the memory device but you can say
giving cheerfully, sacrificial, proportionate and systematic giving
* Supporting scripture: Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
* Additional scripture: Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."
* Quote: "Tithing is not just a biblical concept, it's a business principle that has been proven to work for thousands of years." - Tony Robbins
* By tithing and giving to the church, we are not only fulfilling our duty as Christians, but also demonstrating our faith and trust in God's provision. Additionally, Giving can be a powerful tool for financial management and growth.
* Emphasize that when we serve and give, it is important to come to God's gathering not empty-handed, but with a willing heart to give back to the community and to God.
* main points of the sermon, using the mnemonic device to help remember the key elements (Testifying, Encouraging, Serving, and Tithing)
* Highlight the positive impact that these principles can have on mental health and well-being, particularly as we age.
* by practicing these principles, we can be known as a church where people can come and hear great testimonies, receive encouragement, and see Christians sacrifice (give and serve) with a smile.
* Remind them that by being ready to testify, encourage, and serve, we are not only fulfilling our duty as Christians, but also setting an example for our children and those around us and also promoting our own mental health and well-being.
* Emphasize that celebrating and encouraging each other is an important part of our faith and a core value of the church
If this sermon was encouraging and you want to buy me coffee, or book or pay my way to a conference https://www.buymeacoffee.com/BGpy6TM
My dad is my 3rd fave preacher-Cleo Castro
