What God Might Do Among Us

Posted by on April 30, 2006 under Sermons

Tonight will be our quarterly Family Meeting. It is aptly named. Families have always gathered around the dinner table to discuss what’s going on and check in on everyone. That’s the same spirit we want to have at our family night. When a 700-member family gathers around a dinner table it looks like West-Ark Family Night.

Think of it in the spirit of the text of Acts 14 as well. The church gathered together to share the news of what God had done among them. God was opening a door of faith to the Gentiles. That probably made some a little nervous. It excited others. But notice that the church didn’t gather for a mission report from Paul and Barnabas. They gathered to hear what God had done and was doing. And that must have been inspiring – for if God was doing something out there, then he could do that in here as well. They were all in awe of the wondrous and amazing things that God was doing.

That’s the spirit we want to have as we gather tonight. Yes, we will share needs and encourage you to get involved – but over all we want to talk about what God has done and is doing and may yet do!

This morning I have asked two brothers to share what God has done. …

  • Brent Evans – Dynamic Marriage
  • Brad Pistole – Youth and Family Ministry

    • Ephesians 3 – My Excel spreadsheet measuring high attendance and low attendance. How many different factors do we measure? (Yesterday at the Hope Park ministry we kept counting how many attended). To measure it is one thing – what it means is another. All of this is okay. After all, Luke thought it important to note that 3,000 were added to the church on Pentecost.

    But how do we measure what God is doing? How do we measure what God is able to do among us? Can we measure it? What is the formula? What are the criteria?

    He is able to do immeasurably more that all we can ask or imagine!

    • Yet we often try to contain God or we unintentionally limit God to our measures.
    • Yet we reject what God is doing because what he can do through us doesn’t fit into our measurements.
    • He is able – but too often we are focused on what we are able to do or not to do.
    • More than we can ask or imagine – What do we ask? Do we ask? What can we imagine? Do we imagine?

    Don’t assume that this means we shouldn’t ask or imagine. Just keep in mind that whatever we ask and whatever we imagine, God is ABLE to do more – How much more? Immeasurable more!
    Luke 10 – The disciples were sent out by Christ. And God did through them immeasureably more that any of them could ask or imagine.

    They came back to Jesus and told him – with astonishment!
    And Jesus rejoiced! Wouldn’t you do anything to make Jesus rejoice?

    We begin in worship and praise of God who is able to do immeasurably more.

    • Paul is not giving us a formula for what God can do – he is singing a song of praise.
    • Jesus isn’t giving a lesson on how to cast out evil – he is singing a song of praise to God.

    In worship we encounter God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine. He sends us out. And we return with news that not only inspires all of us – but it also brings a smile to Christ’s face.
    What do you have to share today?