11/07/10 - Vision Sunday - The Table - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "The Table" in this Vision Sunday service.

The Table

Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, November 7, 2010

www.mylifegatechurch.com


Sermon Notes:


Come to the Table

Proverbs 9:1-6 “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.”

(MESSAGE) "Are you confused about life, don't know what's going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me!...Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning."


The Table is Set

Exodus 25:29-30 “Make special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, pans, pitchers, and jars—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings. Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before me at all times.”


The Chairs at the Table:

1.   The seeker: the “pre-believer”—Healthy church should always be welcoming to those “not there yet”.  A safe place to ask the questions, try out the water, taste and see.  A safe place to “emerge”.  Romans 2:4 “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”

2.   The new Christian: Healthy church should be the place not only to learn, but to fail.  To reach out for the impossible, sometimes grabbing it, but landing safely when you don’t.  A safe place to find out who you are in Christ.  A safe place to “form”.  Hebrews 5:14 “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”  (Healthy churches are safe places for people who blow it—it is part of the training process.)

3.   The mature Christian:  Healthy church is filled with Christians who have discovered who they are in Christ and have found, or are finding, the place to use those Gifts, Abilities, Talents and Experiences to serve others.  A safe place to step out on the water and connect with others to accomplish something amazing.  Mature Christians are asking “to be fed”—they are serving at the Table.  They know how to feed themselves.  Their fulfillment comes in following Christ as a “servant leader”.  Matthew 20:26-27 (MESSAGE) It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage."

4.   The ministry leaders: The called leaders who cast vision, give direction, arrange the members for ministry. Ephesians 4:11-12 “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

There is another chair, not at the Table, but one that wants the attention of all those at The Table:  The WHY CHAIR. 2 Corinthians 12:20 “I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.”   All their questions are not questions, they are complaints disguised as a question.  Instead of finding life as we do life together, they are able to find more excuses for not participating in life.  They are fault-finders, blame-placers, cry-babies and “WHY-NERS”, who do not accept responsibility.  They keep others from coming to the table (literally-as in the case of those who stand outside during our celebrations focusing on their problems or their ‘counsel’ instead of coming into the Table and doing life together with the Body.  They draw others away from the table through attention seeking and gossip.) 

If those sitting in the Leader chair turn to give attention to those in the WHY-Chair, they turn their back on the other 3 chairs and the church begins the slide into insignificance and unhealthiness.  1 Peter 5:2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.  (NKJV) Shepherd the flock of God which is among you

The Church, the Table, must be a safe place where seekers can emerge, new believers can form, saints can mature, and the harvest of souls be won.  The 4th law of the Harvest is you must have a safe place to store it.  That is the Church.  
We are the table in the wilderness.

Psalm 78:19 “They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?”