The Work is Great

The Work is Great 1 Chronicles 29:1-16

• Doing something sacrificial for someone else is one of the most rewarding things you can do
• Its what breaks you of your self, it elevates another person, honors who they are. 
• I remember for a Church anniversary that Ps Jay made me a wonderful quilt
• Every time I pull it over myself during football season I’m reminded of his love for me
• It wasn’t easy to make. It took time. Skill. Sacrifice. Work. Time. And mostly love
• But that’s what it takes to do something meaningful. It doesn’t come easy, but its worth it. 
• Just like that quilt, this church didn’t build itself.
• It wasn’t easy to make. It took time. Skill. Sacrifice. Work. Time. And mostly love
• And my hope is when the Lord looks down on us///, he’s pleased with the work we’ve done. 
• 1 Chron 29:1 …the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.
• What he’s done here is by him, through him and for him. The work is great, but worth it. 
• Today I’d like to talk about the faith it took to get here and rejoice in our 23 years of ministry. 

Background of the scripture

• David is at the end of his reign. God has told him that he will not build the temple, but his son Solomon will. David publicly challenges the nation to support the work of building God’s house.
• He leads by example, giving generously from his own wealth before asking anyone else to give.
• The leaders and people respond with willing hearts and abundant generosity. 
• David then prays, acknowledging that everything they possess came from God in the first place and that their gifts are simply a return of what already belongs to Him. 

To build our church-

1. We Believed

• • 1 Chronicles 29:1 The work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.
  • To build anything you have to have faith. A business, a project, a family. You see the goal and you see a vision of what it could be. You talk, you plan, you pray, and then- you do it. 
  • But it takes faith. It takes belief. Because anything you build will have challenges. It just will. 
  • Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us
  • So ask, and you think and you put your hand to the plow but you just keep faith in God. He will
  • For FVC, we set up that first Sunday with no visitors and we believed. We kept meeting. We added ministries. Setbacks. Loss, but we kept the faith. Moved to the warehouse 10 years. Added staff. Sent missionaries.  Moved to this building. Paid it off. Bought properties. Believed
  • The work was bigger than us. We started with vision before we had resources. We believed God wanted a church here. Every great work of God begins with people who believe His promise.
  • Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

• And the church life mirrors an individuals life doesn’t it? Challenges with money, relationships, properties, setbacks etc. But you just keep believing through it all. You don’t give up. You cant

• Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
• Zechariah 4:10 For who has despised the day of small things? 

2. We Sacrificed

• Love always sacrifices. People gave time, talent, treasure, energy, and effort.
• The church was built because people loved God’s house. Sacrifice is the evidence of affection.
• 1 Chronicles 29:3 Because I have set my affection on the house of my God…
• We love our church. We love God, his people, the presence of God and what he does here. 
• But he’s able to do it because of the sacrifices of the people. Its more than money. Its lives
• Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
• Every service, project, ministry, outreach, retreat, event, paint chip and cup of black coffee
• Sacrifice. People said- God is more important than my money. My time. My relaxation ///
• 2 Samuel 24:24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” 
• There’s a real cost to building for the King. Money tithed is money not spent on self. Not invested in retirement. Time spent is time away from family and recreation. A real cost. 
• But Jesus sees it. He saw the widow with the 2 mites and he sees you. Its sacrificial. 
• And we’re not trying to pat ourselves on our spiritual backs here to take recognition, we’re just declaring- it took sacrifice. We all bear the emotional, relational, financial and spiritual scars
• But that’s what love does. Like a mother who sacrifices her body to bear children, its worth it
• 2 Corinthians 8:3 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
• And some have great ability. The 165k to pay off the building and the faithful weekly tither. 
• Beyond their ability. That’s the sacrificial model of a Church that does a great work for the Lord
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

3. We Consecrated Ourselves

• So David stands before the congregation of Israel as they build the temple and says
• 1 Chronicles 29:5 “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”
• To consecrate yourself means to set yourself apart for God’s purposes.
• He wasn’t asking who is willing to donate, he’s asking them to lay down their lives for God
• A donation says “here’s what I have” consecration says “Here I am, use me as you will”
• That’s how the kingdom of God is built. Surrender. Its laying down your nets and following. 
• It’s a mindset that says, Lord the work is great but you’re greater and you’re worth it. 
• Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
• That’s the heart of our church. Willing vessels of honor willing to do whatever it takes for him
• Believing is faith. Sacrifice is cost. Consecration is commitment. It says “I’m here for it”
• It’s the ministry leaders but it’s the entire body. Fixing, cleaning, cooking, serving
• But it’s the late night calls. The long parking lot talks. The hugs and the help. 
• The greatest resource of this church hasn’t been the money- its been the people
• Money doesn’t build a church. Dead people build a church. ///
• Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
• That’s a heart that runs a discipleship group. Gives generously. Practices for worship. Works on a message. Shows up early for Service manager. Kids ministry. Safety. Ushers. Sound. Consecrated. 
• 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,
• We love our Church because we love the one who’s building it and we go over and above all. 
• 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
• When people come in, they sense that we’re on mission together for the Lord. 
• Col 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
• A consecrated heart is willing to do whatever it takes whenever the Lord has need of it. 

• 4. We Rejoiced

• 1 Chronicles 29:9 says “Then the people rejoiced…”
• Well yes. Yes they did. They were building a house for the Lord and they were pleased what they had done and pleased for who it was for. They set their affection and then praised him
• When you’re in a FVC service, you can tell that we worship from our guts. We’re thankful 
• We celebrate that Jesus forgave us and set us free, but we also rejoice that souls have been saved, lives have been changed, marriages have been restored, children raised in the Lord, /// missions gone out, and we’ve strengthen countless other Churches with this ministry. 
• Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.
• What else in life matters? What else has this type of teeth that grabs the depths of our souls
• Nehemiah 12:43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
• Do you realize that all of my pastor friends are enamored with our church? They’ve never seen anything like it. They all say the same thing- This church worships God. And we do
• We’ve had services where we hit 100db! That’s as loud as a chainsaw or a motorcycle! 
• Psalm 100:1-4 make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

• Luke 10:20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

5. We Remembered

• 1 Chronicles 29:14 “For all things come from You…”
• Every blessing came from God. Every provision came from God. Every breakthrough came from God. Every victory came from God. Gratitude keeps us humble.
• We cannot ever forget that it was the Lord that did this. Not us. Christ in us, the hope of glory
• Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
• It’s a very easy human condition to receive a blessing and forget who did it for you. We cant
• James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
• You were saved? Redeemed? Got that Job? Provided for your family? Friends, spouses, kids
• Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
• We have instilled and need to continue to instill in our children- The Lord built this house
• Ungrateful people think more about what they’ve done and what others haven’t. 
• When you pray, when you worship. Remind yourself of the goodness of God and what did

6. We Glorified God

• • And so we believed, we sacrificed, we consecrated, we rejoiced, we remembered
  • 1 Chronicles 29:16“All this abundance… is from Your hand, and is all Your own.”

• That’s the best part of it all. We didn’t do more than give back to God what was his already

• • This church belongs to God. This ministry belongs to God. This story belongs to God.
  • The glory belongs to God. We have been stewards of what He has entrusted to us.
  • Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another,
  • He gave us life, skills, and provision. Its all from his hand and we’re to use it for his glory
  • Jesus called 12 disciples 2000 years ago and asked them- will you lay down your life so that we can change the world and draw people to a relationship with the father?
  • They went and they spread the message and changed the world. Jesus told them
  • John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
  • And that’s our DNA. We stand on their shoulders and one day people will stand on ours
  • Whether Jesus comes back today or a 1000 years from now, we’re carrying the torch to them
  • Eph 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Rev 4:11 You are worthy,  O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.
  • Twenty-three years ago there were six adults. Today there are hundreds. What God has done is nothing short of remarkable.
  • We believed. We sacrificed. We consecrated ourselves. We rejoiced. We remembered. And through it all, we glorified God.

• But if David taught us anything in 1 Chronicles 29, it’s this: none of it belongs to us.

• The people belong to Him. The ministry belongs to Him. The resources belong to Him. The victories belong to Him. The glory belongs to Him.
• We have simply been stewards of what He placed into our hands.
• One day another generation will stand where we stand, tell the stories, preach the gospel, and carry the torch forward.
• They will do it because a group of ordinary people decided that the work was great because it was for the Lord.
• Our testimony after 23 years is still the same: The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. What a great God!