SERMON OUTLINE

GENERAL DETAILS NAME ROBERT FIIFII SEI TURKSON DATE OF PREACH 23

RD

JUNE, 2013

SERMON TITLE

A leader of unimaginable influence I want to start todays sermon by giving you a kind of leadership challenge. Suppose you wanted to change the world so much that in two thousand (2000) years, not only would your name be remembered but your birthday will be celebrated all over the planet. What will you do? Where would you start? It has only happened once. You cant look at a map without being reminded of this man. The instrument on which his enemies killed him, a cross, marks more graves, adorns more jewelry is the single most recognizable symbol in the world. His movement grows even though it leaders are often leadership challenged.

INTRODUCTION

ONE SENTENCE PURPOSE OF MESSAGE

TEXT

Too often we argue about Christianity instead of marveling about Jesus. And we need to marvel because there are millions of people who dont believe in Jesus right now but they might become admires of His and then maybe followers. Leaders especially need to expand their vision of Jesus Kingdom impact because we are stewards of that movement, a movement that has reshaped history than any others, and it is not done. Jesus never held an office, never led an army, never wrote a book, and never traveled abroad. His followers were remarkably unimportant. The New Testament itself records them being called unschooled, ordinary men. And yet 2,000 years later it is impossible to imagine the world without him. And so for the next few moments well just marvel at Jesus. A leader of unimaginable influence Colossians 1:15-17(NKJV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

EXPANDING THE TEXT POINT 1 TITLE HIS INFLUENCE (zippy title - needs to provoke curiosity a. Jesus gave the world its most influential movement: the ILLUSTRATION church. To begin with He gave the world its most influential movement called
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the church, which you are part of. Before Jesus, there was nothing like the church that existed. Imagine the world with no church, no Hope city church, no storefront churches in watts, no house churches in china, no gatherings in Africa or Asia or South America, no Peter or Paul or Mother Teresa or Martin Luther or Dave Gilpin or Basil or Andy Gorman or Randy or Benny Hinn. People of every culture, every nationality every status together, you think about this. Where before the church was there a movement that actively sought to include every single human being regardless of ethnicity, status, language group, wealth, or gender to be a single transformational community? Not only had there never been such a community before; There had never been that idea of a community like that. It was His idea. Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Look at people gathering all together for church service today all across our churches and other churches. Look at the people that only Jesus could bring together, Viv, Robert, Johnny, Ayako, OP, Josephine, Joseph, Amanda, Agnes, Karen, colleen, Jacky, Pete etc. who else brings people like that together except Jesus. Who was this man? b. Jesus changed the way we think about history. He is the most famous human being that ever lived. Even history id dated before and after his birth BC and AD c. Jesus is the greatest Teacher of all times It was been said that the famous philosophers, Socrates and Aristotle each taught for 40 years, and Plato for 50 years, but Jesus only taught for three years. Yet His influence far surpasses their combined 130 years of teaching. d. Jesus revolutionized the arts. Handel, Dante, Bach, Luthers hymns, Mozart, were inspired by him and all did their work to the glory of God. Symphonies, hymns etc were compose in His honor. e. Jesus movement shaped education 92% of all colleges and universities started before the Civil War were started in Christs name. f. Jesus influence changed paintings He painted no pictures yet the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci received their motivation from Him. I can go on and on about this man. Who was this man? POINT 2 TITLE (zippy title - needs to provoke curiosity HIS LIFE
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ILLUSTRATION

Our main source of information about Jesus is of course from the bible. The first four books of the new testament are eyewitness accounts of His life biographies telling us what he did and said by people who knew Him or His close friends personally. So what does it tell us about Jesus? Matthew 13:55 He was the son a carpenter He knew had work Matthew 13:55-56 He had brothers and sisters He knew family! Luke 10:38-42 He had friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus He knew companionship! John 11:32-36 He cried when He heard His friend Lazarus was dead He knew sorrow! Matthew 4:1-11 He felt hunger and was tempted He knew crisis! Matthew 26:36-46 He prayed to be spared the cross He knew fear! Matthew 26:47-50 He was betrayed by friends. He knew loneliness and rejection! Matthew 27:45-50 He was cut off from God. He knew separation from God! It is clear that Jesus was a man who shared in our humanity in every way in hard work, in family, in companionship, in sorrow, in crisis, in fear, in loneliness and rejection, in separation from God except one. The bible says that he sit at the right of God almighty interceding on our behalf.

POINT 3 TITLE HIS WORDS (zippy title - needs to provoke curiosity Jesus said I am the resurrection and life.The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; John 11:25 He gives eternal life I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12 He is the only one who can show the way to God ILLUSTRATION I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 He sustains us I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 He is the only way to receive eternal life. Add the pastoral bit Are you struggling with something Jesus has said to you! Is your neighbour difficult? His words can bring life to your
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relationships. (eg) POINT 4 TITLE HIS ACTIONS (zippy title - needs to provoke curiosity Jesus fed the five (5) thousand with five (5) loaves of bread and two (2) fish. Luke 5:20-26 He forgives sin.

What Jesus Did this is all about our salvation now, AND its about our freedom to live life to the full AND its about our appointment to build his kingdom What Jesus did was make a way.

ILLUSTRATION

He heal the sick, raise the dead, open dumb ears, open the eyes of the blind, turn water into wine, walk on the sea, fed five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish, forgive sin, gave us salvation etc Who is this man?

PASTORAL (helping those in difficulty)

See, the real question is not who was this man. The real question is who is this man? Who is this Jesus? Even the angles in heaven sing saying Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! Revelation 5:12-13 Who is this Jesus? He is the hinge of History. He is the hope of the oppressed. He is the inspiration of the despairing. He is the king of Kings. He is the Lord of Lords. He is the greatest teacher that ever taught.
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He is the greatest mind that ever thought. He offered the greatest gifts ever given. He launched the greatest movement ever known. And the reason that we must marvel at this man is his work in not done yet. Our world is waiting for a fresh conversation, for a fresh manifestation of this man and His vision. What might happen in the radical expression of compassion, in the waging of peace and justice, in the dignity of the marginalized, in the education of the left out, in the inspiration of the arts, in the call of the mighty to humility? What might happen if somehow the Jesus impact on your world were to go greater in the next generation than in any before and why could it not be so? For still in our day the call of the carpenter comes again to that man or to that women follow me. See what I see. Love what I love. Follow me. Will you be that man? Will you be that woman? Will you devote yourself, whatever it costs, to that man and the expanded vision of His kingdom? Will you give your life to the man who was given for the sake of the world? John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. For He alone master life. He alone conquered death. He alone overcame sin. He alone grows present with every passing day. He is the Son of God, He is the Glory of Humankind, the crucified carpenter of Nazareth is the hope of the nations and the savior of the world, and thats who this man is.

CONCLUSION AND FINAL ILLUSTRATION

Each one of us is called and invited to be part of this movement For some of you, you are even ashamed to carry your bible to church, how much more to tell others about Jesus Christ. Because you think when people see you they may say ah see this lady or gentleman who use to be this or that is preaching. And some, either we are ashamed to tell people about Jesus or we are selfish and wicked. Many of us here have not even invited or talk to people about this Jesus this year. Let me show you how wicked some of us are. Let say you have a cure for one of these incurable diseases like HIV AIDS and you have kept it to yourself. It was someone who talked to you about before you got to know him. Church you got to tell others about this Jesus.
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PASTORAL ENDING (helping those in difficulty and including Rhema words).

Some of us also say that we dont know the bible. You dont need to know the whole bible. Just Jesus loves you and your story alone can bring people to Christ.

For some of you too, when you show kindness, love, mercy or help someone in any little way you are doing it for Jesus or Jesus working through you. You are Jesus feet, legs, hands, mouth, His representative, His ambassador. You are Jesus himself.

PRAYER (hands up)

Let stand. All eyes closed. If you are here this morning is not by an accident, maybe God brought you here to listen to this sermon. Maybe Jesus is far, far, far away in your life or you dont know him at all or you were a Christian but you have backslidden and you want to come back to him. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Left up your hand and I will pray. Maybe you are also here and as I was preaching you felt a strong urge or need to answer His call to continue his work no matter the cost. Think about those outside the fence, your brothers and sisters, your colleagues, relatives etc. they also must come inside the fence. Come forward

PRAYER FOR SOULS (done in the format Ps Dave does)

Salvation Prayer: "God, I recognise now that I have not lived my life for You up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. I need You in my life; I want You in my life. I understand the sacrifice made by Your Son Jesus Christ in giving His life for me on the cross, and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Saviour. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Your son. Amen."

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