01-30-08 #Disciple Bible Study Titled: ‘Some New Year Priorities’

[Disciple]

‘Some New Year Priorities’
Matthew 6:33
Intro.
This passage of Scripture is of extreme importance in living the Christian life. It is perhaps one of the most important verses that we can apply to our living. It is of such importance to us because it speaks to us about priorities. In these few words Jesus establishes what is the dominant concern and the highest priority for the Christian.
We can note particularly the word ‘seek’. This word calls for a persistent wholehearted pursuit of the realization of the reign of God in our lives. Obviously coming to a personal relationship with God should be our greatest priority in life. If we are planning to spend eternity with God then it makes sense for us to get acquainted with him now.
This should be our first priority because it may be later for us in life than we think. So what are the priorities of your life? What are your priorities for any given day? What is the first order of business for you besides getting out of bed and getting dressed? Look at a verse of Scripture that identifies the priority of Jesus.
Mark 1:35
If Jesus had the need for prayer first thing in the morning, what makes you think you don’t need to pray first thing in the morning? I would urge you in this new year to allow two verses of Scripture define the action of your life:
1 Cor. 10:31
Every act of your life, every word you speak, every thought you think, do it for the Glory of God.
Matthew 6:33
Make the kingdom of God and his righteousness the first priority of your daily living. When we make the kingdom of God the first priority we have the assurance of Jesus himself that everything we need for life will be given to us. Let’s consider some priorities that every Christian needs to have in their life.
I. Worship
There are a couple of verses from Hebrews that speak to us about your personal worship.
Hebrews 10:22
Hebrews 10:25
One of the things that our common sense should tell us is that we need to worship the Lord. And yet one of our greatest failures that many who call themselves Christians is the failure to establish a firm commitment to keep on meeting in the regular habit in the worship assembly of the church.
Some will attend one Sunday and then miss 5 or 6 Sundays before coming to the corporate worship again. Both of these verses are talking about our drawing near to God and the manner and the means of our drawing near.
The world is calling us away from the worship assembly all of the time. We don’t need to help the world call us away from the assembly by advertising what the world has to offer. We must make the weekly worship assembly a top priority in our lives. Doesn’t God deserve your best attendance? Doesn’t God deserve your best worship?
William Gladstone, former Prime Minister of England said, ‘Tell me what the young men of England are doing Sunday and I will tell you what the future of England will be!’ Tell me what people are doing everyday and every Sunday and I will tell you what their future will be. If we make worship part of our daily living, then worship on Sunday will be a top priority for us.
II. Work
No doubt you know the old adage, ‘The world is full of willing people, some willing to work and some willing to let them.’ Some people need motivation in order to work. Some people are motivated because the boss is watching or the money is good or maybe you’re working for the kids. Everybody needs to work in some way, but it seems that it takes a lot to get some people moving in that direction.
When it comes to work, who should be better workers than Christians? Why is it however, that it is such a c**** in the church to get people to work in the church? Let’s look at a couple verses of Scripture about work.
Romans 16:12
Can it be said of you that you work hard in the Lord? What do others have to say about your labor for the Lord?
1 Cor. 15:58
I’m reminded of the preacher who asked how many members he had in his church, he answered, ‘For bragging purposes we have 350, for working purposes we have 35.’ What kind of work can you do for the Lord in 2008? You just don’t know where you can fit in and fill a position. Let me give you a list of things.
1. Invite and bring others to church with you. 2. Communion preparation. 3. Serve the communion emblems and receive the offering. 4. Visit the shut-ins. 5. Teach Sunday School, be a chaperone for a youth trip, teach you class on Sunday/Wednesday evenings. 6. Sing in the choir, be part of a praise team, provide special music. 7. Help with the decorating of the building. 8. Drive the church van. 9. Be a part of a Christmas or Easter drama.

We don’t work in the church so we can be saved, we work because we are saved. Your service to the Lord is the evidence that something has happened in your life and in your heart.

Romans 12:11

III. Witness
Before Jesus left this world, he gave the marching orders for his followers to carry out. We often ask the question, ‘how can we build the church?’ pr ‘how can we bring new followers to Jesus Christ?’ Jesus gave the answer for us.
Matthew 28:19-20
And if those verses aren’t enough for you, then consider what Peter has to say:
1 Peter 3:15
Let me remind you that we are the witnesses for Jesus Christ. It is up to us to share the good news of God’s salvation with others. Why aren’t we witnessing then? We need to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. We need to give our faith away to other people. We need to be walking, taking advertisements of what the Lord can do in your life.
We are the ones who need to lead people to Christ and the church. Are you sold on the premise that Jesus Christ is the answer for our sins and for the needs of our lives? If you are so sold on it, then why aren’t you selling to others?
Conc.
He couldn’t speak before a crowd, He couldn’t teach a class. But when he came to Sunday School He brought the folks ‘en masse.’
He couldn’t sing to save his life, in public, couldn’t pray. But always his jalopy was, just crammed on each Lord’s Day.
And though he could not sing nor speak, nor teach, nor lead in prayer. He listened well, he had a smile And he was always there.
With all the others whom he brought, who lived both near and far- And God’s work prospered, for he had a consecrated car!
In reality, it wasn’t his car that was consecrated, it was his heart! What about you and me? Is our heart consecrated for Jesus Christ? Are we consecrated for worship? For work? For witness?
What will we do for Christ this year?