Sunday Service (5th May, 2019)

TOPIC: FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP A PREREQUISITE FOR FRUITFUL LIVING

TEXT: 1 PETER 4:10-11

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)
¹⁰ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
¹¹ If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

INTRODUCTION

There is an error we need to correct from the very onset, and that is, Stewardship is not just about money.

Every sane person desires to live a fruitful life. For just as the ‘fruit’ is the major purpose of a plant, so is ‘fruitfulness’ the purpose of our own lives also. Just as Jesus told that fig tree (Mk 11:12-14) that only thrived in leaves so is he saying to any person that refuses to be fruitful

THINGS TO NOTE

1.      YOUR GIFTINGS ARE GIFTS. (Vs 10a) Every ability you claim to have are gifts from God (1. Cor. 4:7)

2.      USE YOUR GIFTS TO SERVE OTHERS. (Vs 10b) How can you say you love God when you do not love your fellow man.

3.      YOUR FAITHFUL SERVICE LEADS TO FRUITFULNESS. Luke 16:10&12

 "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?  It is your faithfulness in the ‘little’ that you have that qualifies you for much more from God.

4.      YOUR FRUITFULNESS COMMANDS GOD’S BLESSINGS (John 15:2&5)
² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
⁵ "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing

The blessing of God flows into the lives of the faithful ones. As God finds in them a worthy vessel He can use, He pours on them His abundance convinced that they will use these blessings to the glory of His name

CONCLUSION

Imagine some celestial auditors are here today to audit your life for the past three months…. They just want to audit the use of your time and money

Time.  2880 hours for the past 4 months  =(24hrs of a )day 100 per cent

-          8 hrs to sleep in 4 months = 960 hrs                        = 33.3 percent

-          7 hrs at work                                                                    =  29.1  “

-          15 min in the bathroom in 4 month                            = 30hrs

-          15 min to dress up

-          1 hr in the kitchen

-          1 hr on WhatsApp                                                              = 4.1 “

-          1 hr on facebook  - in 4 months = 120hrs

-          30mins of phone call   “               = 60                            = 2 percent

-          2 hrs to watch Television  “         = 240                               = 8.3 “

-          30 mins of gossip

-          1 hr of driving

-          1 hr of relaxing with family

-          5 min to praise God               “  10hrs                          = .35 percent

-          10 min of bible study           “     20hrs                                 = .7   “

-          10 min of prayer                   “     20hrs                                  =  .7 “

-          5 mins other things

Money. 200,000. For 4 months    = 100 per cent

Imagine you are the auditor; will you call this person a Christian?

If these celestial auditors should even try to audit your finances.... can you be adjudged a lover of God? Is you offering given according to how God has prospered you? (see 1 Cor. 16:2) Can you confidently say that your offering reflects who you are? 

1 Corinthians 16:2 (HCSB)
² On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.

1 Corinthians 16:2 (NIV)
² On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

1 Corinthians 16:2 (AMP)
² On the first [day] of each week, let each one of you [personally] put aside something and save it up as he has prospered [in proportion to what he is given], so that no collections will need to be taken after I come.

THINK. ARE YOU NOT GIVING LEFTOVERS TO GOD?

An Unknown Author wrote a piece titled

 Leftovers

Leftovers are such humble things,

We would not serve them to a guest,

And yet we serve them to our Lord

Who deserves the very best.

We give to Him leftover time,

Stray minutes here and there,

Leftover cash we give to Him,

Such few coins as we can spare.

We give our youth unto the world,

To hatred, lust and strife;

Then in declining years we give

To Him the remnant of our life.

Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.

UPCOMING EVENTS/ INFORMATION

1.      Next week, Pst. & Mrs Olaniran will serve in the Children department

2.      Pst. Ebere Obasi will lead the Workers’ Prayer next week.

MISSION COMMITMENT

Members are reminded of a monthly contribution of #20/person per month Mission’s contribution under the auspices of Ogbomoso Baptist Conference and #500/person per month CAN Trust Fund. You can make your payment to Mrs. Bose Ayinde.

HEALTH TIPS

Members who have interest in checking their Blood Pressure for free can do so after Wednesday Bible Study

BIRTHDAY/ WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FOR THE MONTH

We should not forget to felicitate with people celebrating their Birthday and Wedding Anniversary in the month of May

AMOUNT NEEDED FOR THE NEW AUDITORIUM

For the next phase of the work on the building, amount needed is 4.8 million naira

BUILDING PROJECT ACCOUNT                        CHURCH ACCOUNT

Access Bank                                              First Bank

New Spring Baptist Church                      New Spring Baptist Church

0697011767                                               2023699560

BENEVOLENCE

This Church genuinely cares for her members and is committed to seeing to their welfare. So, if any member is in a serious need and requires help, please do not hesitate to meet with the Church Pastor or the Benevolence Chairperson, Dns. Christiana Oketoobo.

PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

1. Give thanks to God for the success of 2019 NBC Convention

2. Pray that you be faithful steward of God’s manifold grace.

PASTOR’S CORNER

God is the ultimate owner of everything (Psalm24:1) but He has graciously entrusted the nonhuman creation to the care of humankind to care for and give account to Him. Living daily in the consciousness of this fact that we are mere caretakers is faithful stewardship. Are you a faithful steward? 

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

MONDAY:

Intercessors Meeting-5:00pm

TUESDAY:

WMS & Sunbeam-5:00pm

WEDNESDAY:

Bible Study & Prayer Meeting-5:00pm

THURSDAY:

Visitation Committee-5:00pm

Drama Group - 5:00pm

FRIDAY:

Choir Rehearsal-4:00pm

SATURDAY:

Royal Ambassadors, Lydia -3:00pm,

Girls Auxiliary-3:30pm

Choir Rehearsal-4:00pm

Sunday School Preparatory Class-5:00pm