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Sep 25, 2016

Take Back

Take Back

Speaker: Jarrod Albergaria

Series: John

Category: Sunday Morning

What hinders you from widening your circle? Now is the time to take back what has been lost to the enemy and let’s extend our vision for this generation and for this community.

Introduction

The time is now to take back what has been lost to the enemy.

For far too long we have given power to the problems of this world, but now is the time for the church to become the solution - to share the answer that is Jesus Christ.

With “Take Back” the youth of this church and their parents have committed to start focusing just as much on the students that are not in a church on Wednesday night, as we do on those that are. We are inviting other churches in the community to join us in our rally nights beginning on October 15th.

This vision extends beyond the youth group of this church, for this generation, for this community.

Take back the areas of your own life today. Whether that means a relationship, or your workplace, or even areas of your own heart that you begin to offer up Jesus as the solution.
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I recently heard a speaker say, “If your circle does not have any people in it that don’t know Jesus, your circle is too small.”

This is a challenging statement. We need to take what we embrace and experience to others. Expressing truth is the increase of our circles.
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In John 2, Jesus is at the start of His ministry doing just that. He is at a wedding with the original five disciples and his mother tells him that they have run out of wine.

This was a big deal in middle eastern culture, a very embarrassing moment for this family that was hosting this special event.

Opening Scripture

John 2:4-11  And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

For thousands of years there had been separation with God and man and in one miracle Jesus began the process of taking it all back.
- He manifested His glory; it became real and tangible
- People began to believe
- Jesus’ circle was widened
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3 Principles Jesus Demonstrated as He Started His Ministry/3 Principles We are Called to Demonstrate in our Relationships

1) We need to take it back together.

- Jesus started his ministry with his disciples and mother, those who loved and needed him.
- We need to do it together in order to reach those who need Jesus.

Acts 2:42-45  They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

It outlines unity as a component in the success in the early church.

If we are going to be effective at reaching our community, we have to stand shoulder to shoulder in what we believe, worship, pray and fellowship.

2) We need to take it back differently.

- Jesus’ approach to the problem He faced was unorthodox, unheard of and borderline taboo.

John 2:6  Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing wenty or thirty gallons each.

You would never drink from cleansing pots that were used to clean dusty feet and hands.

Here Jesus uses something unthought of. He took the very water that was to be used to purify and clean the Jewish people and He changed it that day and later would change how the Jewish people would be purified forever.

We have to be different church; we cannot use the methods of the world to reach the world.
- arguing
- blaming
- fighting
- social media

3) We need to take it back well.

- Jesus gave His very best at that wedding.
- The head waiter was caught off guard since it is customary to serve the best wine first.

When it comes to furthering God’s Kingdom, we have to approach everything like there are souls that depend on it.

The time to widen our circle, the time to take back our church and our community is now.

But we have to do it together, different, and well.
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Digging Deeper:
What is the biggest hinderance to you widening your circle? What holds you back?
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