WELCOME TO THE JACKSON STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST

WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE

(Eph 2:19-22) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, {20} having been built on the

foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, {21} in whom

the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, {22} in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling

place of God in the Spirit.

GOD EXPECTS HIS KINGDOM TO GROW

(Mark 4:30-32) Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? {31} "It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; {32} "but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

(Eph 4:11-16) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, {12} for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, {13} till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; >>>

GOD SET UP THE CHURCH IN A WAY THAT WOULD PROMOTE

GROWTH

{14} that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, {15} but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; {16} from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

DETERRENTS TO

CHURCH GROWTH (1)

I. LOOSE TALKA. LOOSE TALK PRODUCES SIN - (Prov

10:19) In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

B. LOOSE TALK IS DESTRUCTIVE - (Prov 13:3) He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

C. LOOSE TALK INCREASES STRIFE - (Prov 26:20) Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

II. LOOKING BACKA. LOOKING BACK KEEPS US FROM GOING

FORWARD - (Phil 3:13-14) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, {14} I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

B. LOOKING BACK CAN BE DEADLY - (Luke 17:32) “Remember Lot’s wife.

C. LOOKING BACK CAN KEEP US FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD - (Luke 9:62) But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

III. LACK OF VISIONA. LACK OF VISION CAUSES LACK OF

RESTRAINT - (Prov 29:18) Where there is no revelation (vision), the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.

B. LACK OF VISION CAUSES PROCRASTINATION - (John 4:35) “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

III. LACK OF VISIONC. LACK OF VISION CAUSES

INEFFECTIVENESS - (Luke 16:8) “So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

IV. LITTLE FAITHA. LACK OF FAITH CAUSES US TO

MISUNDERSTAND - (Mat 16:6-10) Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." {7} And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread." {8} But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? {9} "Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? {10} "Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?

IV. LITTLE FAITHB. LACK OF FAITH KEEPS US FROM DOING

THE POSSIBLE - (Mat 14:31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

C. LACK OF FAITH CAUSES US TO LABOR FOR THE WRONG THINGS - (Mat 6:19-34) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20} “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

V. LOVELESSNESSA. COLD LOVE - (Mat 24:12) "And because

lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

B. COMMANDED LOVE - (Mat 22:37-40) Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' {38} "This is the first and great commandment. {39} "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' {40} "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.“

C. COMPASSIONATE LOVE - (John 13:35) “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

VI. LISTENING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE

A. FOOLISH PEOPLE - (Prov 14:7) Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

B. SEDUCTIVE PEOPLE - (Prov 7:5) That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.

C. ITCHING EARS PEOPLE - (2 Tim 4:3-4) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; {4} and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

ARE YOU GUILTY OF…

1. LOOSE TALK2. LOOKING BACK3. LACK OF VISION4. LITTLE FAITH5. LOVELESSNESS 6. LISTENING TO THE WRONG

PEOPLE