Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

Last week we began a new series entitled Advance. We are taking a few weeks to look at the call of God. I shared with you last week that every believer is called by God. The initial call of God is first and foremost to Him. It is a call to restored relationship with God where we know Him, and the purposes of His heart.

The purpose of our lives is to know God and hear His voice so that we can live a life of servanthood and obedience. Remember this morning that God does not desire lukewarm apathetic fondness. He wants our total devotion.

One thing highlighted last week was the understanding that when we surrender our lives to Christ we are to become His ambassadors the world. This thought leads us into today’s message.

The Truth is this: You and I are created and commanded to work.

From the beginning we see that God is a worker. In Genesis 1 He creates the heavens and the earth, the light, the firmament (Sky), He divided the waters and caused dry land to appear, He caused the earth to bring forth grass, plants, and trees. He created the stars, the seas and all that is in them, He created the birds and animals that would be on the earth.

Finally, He created man.

We are created in His image and likeness. God is a worker and His work had purpose. At the creation of man, He gave the commands.
1. We are commanded to be fruitful and multiply.
2. We are commanded to fill up the earth.
3. We are commanded to subdue it.
4. We are commanded to have dominion.

In order to be fruitful and multiply we must till, sow, and gather the harvest.

The second command to fill up the earth is intriguing to me. The command of God was more than the obvious act of procreation. God’s purpose was to multiply the number of people on earth who carry His Glory, Image, and Likeness.

With this in mind I want you to see something that can be easily overlooked. God designed pleasure into the process of fruitfulness. Procreation: the act of sex we know can be a pleasurable experience, but later the time of labor will come. The purpose was to multiply His image, but the process brought pleasure.

Living a life of obedience and servanthood is work mixed with pleasure. To subdue and exercise dominion will require effort and strength. Fruitfulness and multiplication will only come as a result of labor.

The life of a servant of God is work and pleasure. Being a servant of Christ does not rob us of enjoying life, it enhances life.

Believers in Christ are called to work.

Jesus in the book of Matthew calls disciples to come and follow him. Four of them are fisherman.

Did Jesus say, Follow Me and I will make you attenders of Church? Certainly Not!

He in fact, said the opposite.

Believers are not simply called but commanded to go and advance the Gospel in the world. We are commanded to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that He has commanded us.

In the American Church we have had a shift in the last several decades where for one reason or another the advancement of the Gospel was relegated to a few who worked at churches. This thought or mindset originated in the pits of hell.

The removal of the body of Christ from the work of ministry has been effective to weaken and slow the advancement of the Gospel. It has caused spiritual atrophy in the body allowing wickedness, sin, and death to reign. To combat this, we must realign ourselves to the word of God.
We must grow in knowledge and understanding and make the decision to live it out.

1. The Great Commission is given to everyone.
2. What was the purpose that God calls be to full time ministry?

God gave 5 gifts to the body of Christ.
1. Apostles: One who is sent by God with authority to advance in specific assignments.

2. Prophets: is one who functions as God’s spokesperson and is commissioned by him to deliver his word, either to individuals or groups. They receive the word of God through various means including dreams, visions, and theophanies. In the NT, a prophet is one whom God has equipped, alongside apostles, pastors, and teachers to lead the church through the edification and encouragement of believers.

3. Evangelist: is one who is called to announce the good news and, especially, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. They burn with a passion to win souls.

4. Pastors: the title literally means shepherd. They are given to feed and tend the flock of God. Moving the flock from place to another as “THE MASTER” desires.

5. Teachers: Have a responsibility to instruct others, especially in relation to matters of faith and life. God is the supreme teacher of His people, but He gives those to help bring understanding so that we might observe His commandments.

God uses these gifts to help you fulfill your purpose. Their work is to help train you to do the work.

Today, we can’t stop short. Every person is called. We must do our part to grow and mature. There are others who are counting on it. When we each do our part, it causes growth to the body of Christ. God uses our personal growth and maturity to impact others. The result is Hope restored, changed lives, bodies healed, and salvation resulting in eternal life.

Remember, Christianity is not church attendance. It is relationship with God followed by servanthood to advance His kingdom.