Building the Lord's family

Topics: reliance, disciples, blessings

I. Your reliance must be on the Lord!

*Your labor, your security and your time are the Lord's!

1. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep (Psalm 127:1, 2).
2. And last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain;

but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me . . . Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:8-10, 58).

II. Your disciples come from the Lord!

*Your spiritual progeny and your weaponry are the Lord's!

1. Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one?s youth (Psalm 127:3, 4).
2. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4, 5).

III. Your blessings are from the Lord!

*Your happiness and your integrity are the Lord's!

1. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:5).
2. For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God . . . But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:10, 16).

Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins, January 7^th, 2024

Life group flow and discussion questions

Building the Lord's family

An important Guideline of Life Groups: Encourage one another to Excel still more in 2024!? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 9, 10 to see how Paul used that expression to inspire spiritual growth and discipleship.

Getting Started:

1. Are your regular activities vain or valuable in the Lord's eyes? How can you reject empty activities (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)?
2. What does it look like to make the Lord your highest priority? How does that focus impact your daily actions?

Discussing Truths:

1. What are some practical ways that we can help build up the Lord's family (our church family, Ephesians 4:11-13)?
2. How can we help restore and build up our Nation's spiritual foundation again?
3. Why is it that our labor, watchfulness and hard work need to be reliant upon the Lord's power and purpose?
4. What are some common distractions that keep Christians from truly living fully dependent upon the Lord? How can we avoid being distracted?
5. In what way is the generational legacy of prosperity to Israel found in Deuteronomy 28:11, 12, able to be applied to our nation?
6. When John wrote, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth" (3 John 4); was he writing about physical children or spiritual children?
7. Take time in prayer to thank the Lord for our Church Family and pray that He would continue to build His Church!

Now What? Application:

1. Who are you discipling (Matthew 28:18-20)? Is there someone you need to connect with and inspire them to follow Jesus through accountability?
2. Who is in your quiver (your OIKOS)? How will you launch them as spiritual arrows?