An Invitation to Build Building to Last Steve McClure

An Invitation to Grow 1. An invitation to Follow – Jesus is Enough 2. An invitation to Grow – Growing to Maturity 3. An invitation to Build – Building to Last 4. An invitation to Labour – God’s Harvest 5. An invitation to Go – A cause to Die for 6. An invitation to Serve – The Worth of the Individual 7. An invitation to Pray – The Lord of the Harvest AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST2

LOVE TO BUILD 3AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

THE BUILDING METAPHOR AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

A SPIRITUAL HOUSE 5AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST “ As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5

EXAMPLES OF NOT BUILDING TO LAST “Demas, because he loved the world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.” (2 Timothy 4:10) “…holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander.” (1 Tim 1:18-20). “…examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (1 Cor 13:5). 6AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

PREPARING TO BUILD – (1A) PURPOSE What is the first thing you need to decide when a building is started? Why do we need to determine this first? What happens is this stage is missed or unclear? What are God’s eternal purposes? AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSES “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things.” Col 1:19-20 “And he has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ…to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” Ephesians 1:9-11 “Then the nations will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 36:23 8AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

PREPARING TO BUILD – (1B) PLACE Where are we building? What is the land? How does the answer to the “where” question affect our building plans? - Planning Permission - Location - Climate - Soil Type AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

PREPARING TO BUILD – (1C) COUNTING THE COST 10 What is the cost of building and where will we obtain quotes and obtain financing? “ Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’.” Luke 14:28-30 AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

(2) LAYING FOUNDATIONS What do we need next? What are foundations? What is our foundation? What does it mean to have Jesus as our foundation? AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of… -repentance from acts that lead to death (or from useless rituals), -and of faith in God, -instruction about cleansing rites (or about baptisms), -the laying on of hands -the resurrection of the dead, -and eternal judgment …And God permitting, we will do so.” Hebrews 6:1-3

(2) LAYING FOUNDATIONS What foundations is the secular world building on? How do you know what Foundations you are Building on? Why is ‘Christian activity’ not part of our foundations? AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

(3) BUILDING TO LAST – ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES Who builds this house? Who are the builders? US (“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.. Phil 2:12) GOD (“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose Phil 2:13) OTHERS (plant, water, encourage, build-up, pray, teach, model, rebuke, admonish etc) AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

(3) BUILDING TO LAST – ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES (Q) What happens if you ask the wrong person to do a job? (Q) What are you building on your foundations? 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.1 Cor 3: AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

HELPING OTHERS BUILD TO LAST How can we help others to think about…  What is the purpose of your life?  What are you trying to build?  Whose purposes are determining how you are building?  Have you signed over the deeds to your life to God?  Are you building for God’s purposes or are you clinging onto your site?  What are the foundations you are basing your life on?  Are you building on Jesus on something else?  What kind of building are you putting up on the foundations? AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST

Appointed to bear lasting fruit… “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:16 PRESENTATION TITLE / Name of Presenter16

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. What are the implications of the purpose, place and cost of what God is building in us? 2. What is so distinctive about building our foundation upon Christ (as opposed to other potential foundations) and how practically can go about doing so? 3. How do you recognise the roles played by yourself, other people and God Himself in putting up this building upon the foundation that has been laid? 4. How can you apply these things to helping others “build to last”? 17AN INVITATION TO BUILD – BUILDING TO LAST