SERMON NOTES: LEGACY 04

Prophetic Roadmap for 2019

2019 is a year…

1. That will rise and fall on our prayer lives.
2. To step out into new things that God is doing in your life.
3. For a new level of maturity.
4. To grow in and develop our faith and to exercise our faith
5. To stand with our church family members who are believing for spouses
6. For us to focus our prayer/action on the upcoming National Elections
7. For us to contend for revival

BELIEVING FOR GENERATIONS

Legacy = something tangible (that is built) that is passed from one generation to another

• Matthew 16:18 (ESV) – And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
• We have talked about the call to be BUILDERS  – and partnering with Jesus in the building of Toronto City Church. We want to move past being SPECTATORS, “FEED ME” CHRISTIANS, and ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKS and be those who BUILD.
• We have talked about four key pictures of what we are building:
  1. Family
  2. Spiritual Hospital
  3. Training Centre
  4. Rescue Ship

We Need to Think Generationally

Exodus 3:15 (NKJV) – 15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

• God refers to himself as the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob approximately a dozen times in the Bible
• In doing so He is emphasizing the covenant and promises that He made with the people of Israel
• He is also revealing His heart/character to think/work generationally

LEGACY is all about building for generations to come… God is calling us to think generationally

Judges 2:7-12 (NKJV) – …10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel…

• We see a great tragedy here in that one generation fought for something but they did not get it to the next generation
• They did not know the Lord, nor the work which He had done for Israel
• When the next generation is not led into intimacy with God, and experiencing His power they ultimately turn away to idols
• We are called to build a church family where intimacy with God is real, and His power is made manifested

2 Kings 20:14-19 (NKJV) – …19 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?”

• There is something so wrong about this! The word of the Lord comes that destruction is coming… and all Hezekiah cares about is that things will be ok in his lifetime!

LEGACY is about:

1. Having a heart for the coming generations
2. Building for the coming generations
3. Sacrificing for the coming generations

Will we allow God to give us a heart to be part of building a church that impacts our grandkids and our great-grandkids?

• Yeah but isn’t Jesus coming back soon? Well, what if he isn’t? 
• Matthew 24:36 (ESV) – “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
• Proverbs 13:22 (ESV) – A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
• We are called to live our lives as if Jesus is returning today, but build as if He isn’t returning for 100 years!

Will you join me in building what God is building at Toronto City Church?

Let Me Tell You a Bit About the Church I See:

• I see a church of 10,000 + people that gather together to worship but also meet from house to house throughout the GTA (Acts 20:20).

• I see a church that can’t build buildings big enough to hold all the people that are being reached so they have multiple services throughout the weekend. I see a church that has a hub campus in the city of Toronto and then has four satellite campuses in the North, South, East and West corners of the GTA.

• I see a church that looks like heaven on earth (Rev. 7:9) and is intercultural and intergenerational. I see a church that is home to people from every nation on the earth, where we walk in love towards one another. I see a church where every generation is present and activated and there is great unity. I see a church that recognizes that we are better together than we are on our own! 

• I see a church that is family. I see a church where there is room at the table for every person: a place where no matter where you have been, or what you have done, you are ‘welcomed home’. I see a church where sons and daughters grow up into their destiny, and where prodigal sons and daughters are welcomed home by the Father. 

• I see a church that is a spiritual hospital – that doesn’t judge people for being sick with sin – but loves them and points them to the cure: Jesus Christ. I see a church that is a house of healing where people are healed spiritually, physically and emotionally. I see a church where people come before they go to the hospital because they hear that this is a place where miracles happen.

• I see a church that is a training centre for real disciples of Jesus and world changers. I see a church filled with people who have rejected consumer-based comfortable Christianity and denied themselves, taken up their cross and followed Him (Luke 9:23)! I see a church where people are equipped and empowered to serve the purposes of God in their generation.

• I see a church that’s truly a rescue ship. I see a church where people are committed to do whatever, whenever, however, to love and reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. I see a church that rejects all forms of ‘cruise ship Christianity’ and have joined Jesus in his mission to ’seek and save’ the lost (Luke 19:10).

• I see a church that is a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11:17). I see a praying church where every believer gives themselves to prayer, not just a ‘faithful few’. I see a church where there is day and night prayer and worship.

• I see a church that is radically generous. I see a church where people are committed to seeking first the Kingdom of God with their resources (Matt. 6:33). I see a church that has more than enough to do all that God has called it to because every believer is taking their place and obeying the commands of scripture and the Holy Spirit. I see a church that measures success, not by how much we can get but how much we can give!

• I see a church that is ‘outside the box’ and creative. I see a church that communicates the timeless truths of the word of God through innovation and creative expression. I see a church where songs and plays are written, art and film is created, and media and technology are used to the glory of God!

• I see a church that is the ’hands and feet of Jesus’ and meets the needs of people. I see a church that helps lift people out of poverty, addictions, and bondage and see’s them experience life ‘in abundance, to the full, til it overflows’ (John 10:10 AMP).  I see a church committed to seeing righteousness and justice established in the world around us.

• I see a church that plants churches across our nation and in key cities around the world. I see a church that is a launching pad for ‘global workers’ who serve in the nations. I see a church that welcomes and reaches the youth of the nations here in Toronto and then sees them return to their homes as salt and light. I see a network of churches working together to accomplish the purposes of God in our nation and in the nations of the world. 

• I see a church that recognizes that we are not ‘it’ but we are part of the larger body of Christ. I see a church that loves and champions the local church in every city and does whatever we can to serve and support our brothers and sisters in Christ. I see a church that has a Kingdom mentality and is committed to our King and His plans and purposes in the earth! 

LEGACY OFFERING 2019

• Today we will be taking up our annual LEGACY Offering.
• This offering is a gift above and beyond our regular giving with a heart to build what God is doing at Toronto City Church.
• You can give the full amount on the 23^rd or make a pledge to give over the next several months. Pledge cards will be made available.
• The proceeds from this year’s Legacy Offering will go to cover the following:
  • Help us cover all the final costs associated with the Dome Turf Replacement
  • Refreshing the paint in the facility
  • Our Mortgage Reduction Plan
  • Help us finish the fiscal year off in strength
• Thank you in advance for your continued faithfulness and generosity.

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