Partnership - 2
Subject – God Uses People
By Rick Welborne
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NLT2) 1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
--The more I meditate on this beautiful partnership between God and man, the more I see it in the Word of God and in our community of believers.
--When someone comes to the Lord in their home, on the street, in a restaurant, or in church it is God Who saves them and makes them a new creation. A beautiful transformation.
--But the transformation is not complete…the person needs more. They need discipleship. God continues to work in their lives but He uses the church (people) to help them grow.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
--What a great example in scripture to help us see what I am trying to say about this beautiful partnership. Obviously, all authority belongs to Jesus and He gets all the glory.
--But who does the going? Who does the making of disciples? Who does the baptizing? And, who does the teaching? God uses the church. He uses people to do this.
--How insulting is it to God for us to receive the gift of salvation and then, to either stay home from church, or to come and not partner with God in blessing the church and making disciples.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT2)
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
--Again, God can be trusted and God should always get all the glory but this partnership helps me understand my responsibility to love Him and to love people.
--This partnership should make me think of ways to motivate my brothers and sisters toward loving each other and to doing something of value for God. My faith in God motivates me.
1. Partnership Requires Faith and Action.
James 2:14-18 (NIV) 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
--This portion of Scripture is the reason many wanted the book of James to be left out of the Canon when the Bible was being put together. They did not like man’s part…works or partnership.
--That camp is still around today…everything is grace. I have even been accused of preaching heresy or untruth because I have dared to challenge people with their lifestyle and sin.
--Don’t misunderstand me, we are only saved by grace (unmerited favor) from God and we truly cannot produce that on our own. But listen to the key verses:
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT2)
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
--Paul reminds us that God has saved us by His grace when we believed. But just like James, he tells us our faith in God leads us to do the good things He had planned. Faith and works. Partnership.
--I partner with God by receiving His beautiful gift of salvation. And then, I continue to partner with Him by doing the good things He had planned for me a long time ago.
2. Partnership Requires Obedience to God’s Word.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV) 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;
John 14:15, 21, 23 (NKJV) 15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
--Salvation is not only repeating a prayer after a pastor leads you in what to say. It is not only walking forward in a church and shaking the pastor’s hand.
--It is not just having your name on a church roster. It is not just being baptized, sprinkled, or dedicated as a baby in a special service. Or infant baptism.
--What flows out of salvation is this beautiful partnership that says to God, I surrender my life and my will to you forever. I will be obedient to do whatever you call me or tell me to do.
--Whenever I interview someone to work with me here at Life Church as a pastor, I always ask them to tell me when God called them and what that experience was like.
--If they cannot tell me or if they tell me it was just something they wanted to do, the interview is over. Some even say that others told them they should be a pastor.
--This partnership is so important to God, so He will do His own calling and recruiting. Our part is to be obedient to whatever He says. It’s a serious partnership.
Romans 11:29 (NKJV) 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable…without repentance.
The Old Hymn – Trust and Obey When we walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way; while we do His good will,
He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
3. Partnership Requires Generosity.
1 John 3:16-19 (NLT2) 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
--We know what real love is in this partnership, it’s generosity. God was so generous He gave us Jesus and Jesus was so generous He gave up His life.
--I looked up the definition of “stingy” and almost shared it with you in this sermon. Then, I decided to give you examples of generosity in our own church.
--I know widows in our church who are poor by this world’s standard…maybe get $1200 Social Security a month, some less, and they are so generous.
--They tithe, they make a Faith Promise, they serve in the kitchen when needed. So many times I see them with a gift in their hands to bless someone in the church.
--I’m tempted to tell them, “You don’t have to do so much.” Then, I am checked by Holy Spirit and I realize they have partnered with God. They are laying up treasure.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV) 19 "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.
--One more example in our church that shows this partnership and generosity. In 2024 at our Annual Business Meeting we shared how we were being tested financially. 2025 we rejoiced over the increase.
--What made the difference? A couple of families who have been blessed partnered with God and were extremely generous with the church, therefor our numbers were up. PTL!
--One more, this year God touched hearts so many partnered with God in FPs. Up $50,000 from last year. Partnership and generosity will result in many souls for the Kingdom.
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