Freedom Community Church
"Inside/Out" Series "Go big or go home"
"Inside/Out" Series
Locations & Times
Freedom Community Church
12980 Queen Chapel Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22193, USA
Saturday 10:00 AM
"Inside/Out" SERIES "Go big or go home"
Last week: John Meeker - GREAT job on vulnerability
Back to school bash (NEXT SUNDAY!!)
7/23 PANTRY:
64 Families (*37 NEW)
332 people served!
Last week: John Meeker - GREAT job on vulnerability
Back to school bash (NEXT SUNDAY!!)
7/23 PANTRY:
64 Families (*37 NEW)
332 people served!
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Go big or go home”? People say it to motivate themselves or people around them. It basically means, “If you’re going to do something, you better bring your A-game!”
GAME "Go Big or Go Home" (crowd participation PLEASE)...you don't actually have to leave :-)
Thought today: Serving big starts at home.
BIG shows up other ways in conversation, too:
If someone becomes successful, we say, “She’s BIG TIME now. And she’s making BIG MONEY!”
The championship game in some sports is referred to as The BIG DANCE.
Sometimes people move to the BIG CITY. And in the case of New York, it’s the BIG APPLE.
Today we’re going to talk about serving others. And when it comes to service, the idea of big shows up there, too.
You don’t have to be on social media long to find someone promoting a cause. And typically, it’s a really big one.
There’s something really cool about starting or being a part of something bigger than yourself, isn’t there? If you’ve ever been a part of a cause, trip, or movement that seemed to truly help other people, you know what I’m talking about. It gives us all the feels to see something make a difference that we participated in. So naturally, it makes sense that if we’re going to get involved, we want to play a BIG role in a BIG cause that makes a BIG difference.
Being a part of a big cause is awesome. Playing a role that makes an impact is incredible. In a world where so many people only care about themselves, any time you join in to help others, not only are you obeying God, you’re also sharing His love with others and becoming more of who He wants you to be.
Go big or go home.
When you think about this phrase in terms of serving, you could paraphrase it this way:
Going big = good.
Going home = bad.
Now, I’m sure people aren’t thinking this when they say, “Go big or go home.” But when you think about it, it does make it sound like home is the place where ideas, dreams, and goals go to die. When your “go big” doesn’t work out—or isn’t big enough—go back to the place where nothing happens . . .
Home.
But most of you aren’t leaving home anytime soon, are you? You’re going to be living in your household in this town for a while. So while aiming to impact this country or even the world is awesome—and something that we frequently challenge you to do in this student ministry—it doesn’t mean going home is the opposite of going big.
In fact, what if we should go big AND go home?
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
What if we actually started to think, live, and behave this way? What if we started right where we are, at home?
For you, maybe it’d be easier to go to another part of the world and serve than it would be to serve your family. But what if God has big plans for you at home, right now, with the people who challenge you the most and you really want to avoid?
Toward the end of Jesus’ time with His disciples, He told His closest followers that He would be leaving soon. Of course, this made them nervous. They had been following Him for years and couldn’t imagine living life without His leadership and influence. Also, they had abandoned their livelihood and families. So they had pretty much put all their eggs in one basket! So to hear that He was going to leave, well, that was disturbing to say the least!
The only good news was that He promised that, after He left, He would send His Spirit to guide them. And even though they didn’t fully understand what He meant at the time, that seemed like good news.
In the book of Acts, following Jesus’ death and resurrection, right before He ascends into heaven, we get a clearer picture of what Jesus had in mind for His followers after He left. He was counting on them to spread the word about Him and the life, joy, peace, and love that He had to offer.
And then he says this in Acts 1:8-10:
GAME "Go Big or Go Home" (crowd participation PLEASE)...you don't actually have to leave :-)
Thought today: Serving big starts at home.
BIG shows up other ways in conversation, too:
If someone becomes successful, we say, “She’s BIG TIME now. And she’s making BIG MONEY!”
The championship game in some sports is referred to as The BIG DANCE.
Sometimes people move to the BIG CITY. And in the case of New York, it’s the BIG APPLE.
Today we’re going to talk about serving others. And when it comes to service, the idea of big shows up there, too.
You don’t have to be on social media long to find someone promoting a cause. And typically, it’s a really big one.
There’s something really cool about starting or being a part of something bigger than yourself, isn’t there? If you’ve ever been a part of a cause, trip, or movement that seemed to truly help other people, you know what I’m talking about. It gives us all the feels to see something make a difference that we participated in. So naturally, it makes sense that if we’re going to get involved, we want to play a BIG role in a BIG cause that makes a BIG difference.
Being a part of a big cause is awesome. Playing a role that makes an impact is incredible. In a world where so many people only care about themselves, any time you join in to help others, not only are you obeying God, you’re also sharing His love with others and becoming more of who He wants you to be.
Go big or go home.
When you think about this phrase in terms of serving, you could paraphrase it this way:
Going big = good.
Going home = bad.
Now, I’m sure people aren’t thinking this when they say, “Go big or go home.” But when you think about it, it does make it sound like home is the place where ideas, dreams, and goals go to die. When your “go big” doesn’t work out—or isn’t big enough—go back to the place where nothing happens . . .
Home.
But most of you aren’t leaving home anytime soon, are you? You’re going to be living in your household in this town for a while. So while aiming to impact this country or even the world is awesome—and something that we frequently challenge you to do in this student ministry—it doesn’t mean going home is the opposite of going big.
In fact, what if we should go big AND go home?
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
What if we actually started to think, live, and behave this way? What if we started right where we are, at home?
For you, maybe it’d be easier to go to another part of the world and serve than it would be to serve your family. But what if God has big plans for you at home, right now, with the people who challenge you the most and you really want to avoid?
Toward the end of Jesus’ time with His disciples, He told His closest followers that He would be leaving soon. Of course, this made them nervous. They had been following Him for years and couldn’t imagine living life without His leadership and influence. Also, they had abandoned their livelihood and families. So they had pretty much put all their eggs in one basket! So to hear that He was going to leave, well, that was disturbing to say the least!
The only good news was that He promised that, after He left, He would send His Spirit to guide them. And even though they didn’t fully understand what He meant at the time, that seemed like good news.
In the book of Acts, following Jesus’ death and resurrection, right before He ascends into heaven, we get a clearer picture of what Jesus had in mind for His followers after He left. He was counting on them to spread the word about Him and the life, joy, peace, and love that He had to offer.
And then he says this in Acts 1:8-10:
When Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will arrive and that “you will be my witnesses,” this means that the disciples had a job. And that job was to take His message to the world! Sure, it sounded overwhelming, but also empowering. For the most part, these guys were uneducated, common men. They fished for a living or collected taxes. They came from humble beginnings and lived humble lives. To hear a resurrected Jesus tell them that they would be entrusted with His message to spread around the earth—that meant they were part of something big!
Knowing all of that, Jesus gives them a game plan. He gave them a blueprint for where to start if they wanted to go. And He was very intentional in how He spoke. He said . . .
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem . . .”
Jesus mentioned Jerusalem first.
Unless you live in Jerusalem, this probably doesn’t mean much to you. But it meant everything to the disciples! They were already in Jerusalem—it was their home.
In fact, this was the secret sauce to navigating this huge, audacious “go big” moment that Jesus was giving them! Jesus is basically telling His disciples . . .
YES, you are about to be a part of something big!
YES, I want you to go to the ends of the earth!
YES, I’m inviting you to help me change the world!
BUT let me be very clear . . .
Serving big starts at home.
Jesus knew that the best place for them to start sharing the message of His love, joy, and peace, was right where they were. That would change the course of human history and reach the ends of the earth. It would start with their personal family and friends. Once they cared about their home turf—their local communities—then they could branch out to surrounding areas and eventually the rest of the world.
This applies to you and me as well. When we think about service, we have a tendency to think that going big only happens when we get involved with a movement that changes things around the world. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing any of those things. In fact, I would encourage you to get involved!
But it’s also important to remember that serving big starts at home. The people you have the MOST potential to influence may live just down the hall from you.
And you know, based on Jesus’ instructions to His disciples, I think Mother Teresa was right:
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
If we’re going to follow Jesus’ instructions and example, we have to be willing to serve in the way that He served:
Love like Jesus.
Be kind like Jesus.
Encourage like Jesus.
Sacrifice like Jesus.
We should be willing to put others first the same way Jesus did.
Even if it seems like no one would notice.
Even if it feels like no one would appreciate your efforts.
Even if it’s uncomfortable.
Knowing all of that, Jesus gives them a game plan. He gave them a blueprint for where to start if they wanted to go. And He was very intentional in how He spoke. He said . . .
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem . . .”
Jesus mentioned Jerusalem first.
Unless you live in Jerusalem, this probably doesn’t mean much to you. But it meant everything to the disciples! They were already in Jerusalem—it was their home.
In fact, this was the secret sauce to navigating this huge, audacious “go big” moment that Jesus was giving them! Jesus is basically telling His disciples . . .
YES, you are about to be a part of something big!
YES, I want you to go to the ends of the earth!
YES, I’m inviting you to help me change the world!
BUT let me be very clear . . .
Serving big starts at home.
Jesus knew that the best place for them to start sharing the message of His love, joy, and peace, was right where they were. That would change the course of human history and reach the ends of the earth. It would start with their personal family and friends. Once they cared about their home turf—their local communities—then they could branch out to surrounding areas and eventually the rest of the world.
This applies to you and me as well. When we think about service, we have a tendency to think that going big only happens when we get involved with a movement that changes things around the world. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing any of those things. In fact, I would encourage you to get involved!
But it’s also important to remember that serving big starts at home. The people you have the MOST potential to influence may live just down the hall from you.
And you know, based on Jesus’ instructions to His disciples, I think Mother Teresa was right:
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
If we’re going to follow Jesus’ instructions and example, we have to be willing to serve in the way that He served:
Love like Jesus.
Be kind like Jesus.
Encourage like Jesus.
Sacrifice like Jesus.
We should be willing to put others first the same way Jesus did.
Even if it seems like no one would notice.
Even if it feels like no one would appreciate your efforts.
Even if it’s uncomfortable.
Take Away: Serving BIG starts at HOME
So how do you start? With a simple question. Start by asking yourself . . .
“Are there places I could help?”
These are just some of the ways that you can actually serve big at home, right where you are—in your own Jerusalem. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate plan. Just keep it simple and start where you are, with what you have.
As you head out today, I want you to think about one area where you can serve BIG in your own Jerusalem. But remember, the key is not just identifying where you can help; it’s actually doing it. Maybe here at FCC with our bash next Sunday? Maybe joining us as we continue to do #freedomCares projects like the pantry! Maybe your neighborhood, your workplace...ask God to give you strength!!
Your service and how you treat people on the outside will always reveal what you believe on the inside. The way in which you do this is a reflection of what God is doing in your heart. I promise you, your family will notice. And your obedience may just influence them to trust Him as well.
Like the disciples, I know that for some of you, this seems like an impossible task. But the power of the Holy Spirit is available to you to overcome any challenge you may face. Going big at home could be the starting point of your participation in something so much bigger than yourself! And Jesus is inviting you to be a part.
So, where will you start?
So how do you start? With a simple question. Start by asking yourself . . .
“Are there places I could help?”
These are just some of the ways that you can actually serve big at home, right where you are—in your own Jerusalem. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate plan. Just keep it simple and start where you are, with what you have.
As you head out today, I want you to think about one area where you can serve BIG in your own Jerusalem. But remember, the key is not just identifying where you can help; it’s actually doing it. Maybe here at FCC with our bash next Sunday? Maybe joining us as we continue to do #freedomCares projects like the pantry! Maybe your neighborhood, your workplace...ask God to give you strength!!
Your service and how you treat people on the outside will always reveal what you believe on the inside. The way in which you do this is a reflection of what God is doing in your heart. I promise you, your family will notice. And your obedience may just influence them to trust Him as well.
Like the disciples, I know that for some of you, this seems like an impossible task. But the power of the Holy Spirit is available to you to overcome any challenge you may face. Going big at home could be the starting point of your participation in something so much bigger than yourself! And Jesus is inviting you to be a part.
So, where will you start?
Today we are going to observe communion together
**At FCC, we practice open communion - all believers are welcome to participate, no one is forced to participate
*As we read the verses & pass out the elements to you, take a minute to pray & self-reflect!
Why we worship with communion?
-It is SYMBOLIC reminder of Christ’s death and resurrection
-It DEMONSTRATES the unity of The Church
-It allows for me to be TRANSPARENT with my God
*As we read the verses & pass out the elements to you, take a minute and to pray & self-reflect!
(Elements passed out -wait for all have the elements)
-PRAYER FOR BREAD (Body)
**At FCC, we practice open communion - all believers are welcome to participate, no one is forced to participate
*As we read the verses & pass out the elements to you, take a minute to pray & self-reflect!
Why we worship with communion?
-It is SYMBOLIC reminder of Christ’s death and resurrection
-It DEMONSTRATES the unity of The Church
-It allows for me to be TRANSPARENT with my God
*As we read the verses & pass out the elements to you, take a minute and to pray & self-reflect!
(Elements passed out -wait for all have the elements)
-PRAYER FOR BREAD (Body)
-PRAYER FOR CUP (Blood)