ALIVE TO DREAM DREAMS

•    Holy Spirit poured out: declare God’s wonders; see visions, dream dreams
•    change a sign of life
•    difference between “lively” vs. “dead” church
•    “Form Follows Function” - what are we here for?
•    take our cues from Jesus’ own articulated priorities

WHO? HOW? WHAT?

•    parts of Isaiah’s prophecy applied to Israel back then, not to us now
•    Jesus at Nazareth: prophecy coming true in their hearing

WHO ARE THE FEW WHOM JESUS COMES TO HELP?

•    Jesus didn’t come to help everybody: not righteous / healthy, but sinners / sick
•    poor / brokenhearted / prisoners / mourners / grief-stricken
•    grace for those held captive by sin (not literal prison cell)

HOW DOES HE HELP THEM?

•    PROCLAIM: ministry of Word central - sermons, Sunday School, Bible study, small groups
•    PRACTICAL: compassion for the brokenhearted, sad, bereft
•    early church experience: apostles’ teaching / ministry of word not hijacked by food distribution
•    Jesus’ ‘new’ command - to love one another; e.g. selling possessions to give to needy

WHAT IS THE UPSHOT OF GENUINE MINISTRY?

•    God gets the glory: display His splendour; praise due to good deeds
•    we become known as God’s priests / ministers: reputation for helping / serving

THE BODY MINISTERS, THE BUILDING IS A TOOL

•    mistake: expecting building to motivate people to minister
•    buildings cannot minister: are simply tools for ministry