Sermon Archives
Grand Opening Celebration Service
We Will Tell
J. Josh Smith
April 9, 2017
Description:
Yes, in one sense our new building is nothing more than steel, bricks, and mortar, all of which will one day perish like everything else. Yet, in another sense, our new building represents the faithfulness of a God who once again demonstrated His perfect power and wisdom. It was such a joy to celebrate our Lord this past Sunday for the great things He has done. It is truly amazing to consider the various obstacles that came against this project and yet how our Lord allowed us to overcome them all, providing exactly what we needed when we needed it. Praise the Lord!
However, this past Sunday was not the finish line; instead, it was just the beginning. Opening a new building was never the goal. The new building is a means to a much greater end—to reach the next generation of our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Psalm 78 highlights two truths that are woven throughout all of Scripture: God has a passion for the next generation, and He has a plan to reach them. As the people of God we must listen to God’s plea, and we must embrace His passion for the next generation. That passion will then be manifested through action; we must engage in God’s plan to reach a younger generation with the Gospel. There is an all-out war for the next generation in our community; God is not alone in His passion for the hearts of children. We are in a battle against a real adversary who, every day, seeks to steal the hearts of a younger generation. This is a battle we can win because the Spirit and the word are ours. However, we must fight. We must engage in the battle.
Church, reaching the next generation is one of our missional assignments, and every single member of our body plays an important role in that assignment. What role do you play? Have you asked God how He wants you to engage in this plan? Let it never be said of the next generation in our community that they “did not know the Lord or the things He had done.”
Keywords:
Next Generation