Builders, Not Spectators

God doesn’t call us to just gather—He calls us to build. In this episode, we explore what it means to move from the sidelines into action through faith, unity, and service.

Discover how your gifts, skills, and resources can become tools in God’s hands to strengthen His Church and impact the world around you.

Share this with someone who’s ready to step into their calling, and let us know what you’re putting in God’s hands.

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Transcript

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God’s Call For A Church

SPEAKER_00 0:10

We are in the third week of Called to Build series, and I am blessed even while preparing, even last week, Pastor Anand shared the 10 metaphors of the church. If you were able to remember even at least three, you are entering heaven. But it would be great because we know that each and every one of us we are called to build for sure. Right? And if we as a local church, I always believe that when there are a group of people, any people, whether it is a church or some other organization, whenever there is a group of people gathering corporately and God gives them a call, always God is up to something, and the other otherwise he would not give a call. And if we have, if God has given a call to us as a group, Hope Unlimited Church, Second Rabad Campus, in specific, for this specific area, Second Rabad, to build something, that means he is up to something. He is, you know, moving things that we cannot see in us and around us so that he can build his church. And I'm almost, you know, uh in that phase of believing for greater things. I was talking, I just messaged to our team. Can we believe for 350 people by the end of this year? It looks impossible, and thank God it is impossible. Because thank God God is there in the impossible, right? Can we? And uh uh they did not reply, but they might be thinking uh in their heart, one reply, but they might be thinking in the in their heart that uh they cannot do it alone. But we all together, for sure, if we join our hands together with the leadership team, with the department heads, whatever, you know, in whichever smaller way or a bigger way, uh, that if we partner together, whenever God calls, people are supposed to come together. Whenever there was a drought, people came together, prayed, God sent. Whenever there was a threat on the nation of Israel, people Esther gave a call for everyone. Hey, gather, let's fast. God is up to something, God is going to bring us out. Amen. And if we take up this responsibility upon our shoulders and unite ourselves, we can allow God to do great things

Builders Not Spectators

SPEAKER_00 2:40

in and through us. Amen. In all of the things that we have covered so far, we see that we are not called to stay at one place. Okay? If we are not moving, that means we are paralyzed or dead. Which is not a good thing. Right? Right? It's not comfortable, it's not free, it it almost means that you are amount to nothing. And whenever God calls, that's what the Bible recommends that we continue to serve, that means we are moving somewhere. In the in the week one, I showed you some of my mimicry mimicry skills, which is tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck of Noah, beating the nails into the wood to build the ark for quite a lot of years, right? And that required action, that required movement in Noah. He did not just pray and sat there. God, you build the ark, and God said, No, you build the ark. I gave you everything, all the resources, all the provision, and we are called to move and do and act upon everything that we are praying for, believing for. We are the move of God. Turn to your neighbor. Please move. We are the body of Christ. That means we are God Himself on the earth, he is representatives, and if God wants to move on the earth, he moved 2000 years back, and even in the Old Testament, but now his movement is different, which is through the Holy Spirit, who is in us right here, full power of heaven, ready to be unleashed on earth. Our obedience allows heaven, our generosity allows heaven to be represented on the earth, our joy, our peace, our love, allows heaven to be represented on earth, and that is the move of God. Anytime you see someone responding to God, becoming great, was only because they responded when there was a call by God. And if we miss out on that, God will still stay out of our house. Keep knocking till we respond, till we respond. He's a gentle God, he will wait, he will wait, he will keep on knocking, he will tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck until we start doing tuck, tuck, tuck, tuck. He's a patient God. I mean, he did not change just because he got bored of us. He's a patient God from generation to generation, from the beginning of the time to the end of the time. He is a patient God and he is asking us that we are a builder and not a spectator. We are not called to just view what's happening around us, we are called to build. Membership is a status, building is action. I love whenever we take up the point to the leadership team, should we have a membership structure? And always there is no. We are not that kind, we are not called to be that kind of a church. We are called to become partners of the vision. We are called to be the builders, we are called not just to pay some fee and uh, you know, get the benefits, but we are called to serve, pour out ourselves into the vision of God. Amen. And if we are still uh, you know, um if we are still at at the at the end uh at the sideline and if we are just cheering, we don't need your cheering. God doesn't need our cheering. In fact, he loves for us to cheer while we are playing. That's called worship, while we are serving, while we are at our job, when while we are uh doing the business deals, while we are uh you know listening to the teachers in Sunday school or or in the in the school or in the college, while we are studying, we are supposed to be obedient to God, and that becomes worship to God. During it's like an on-job training that happens. God does not need sideline cheerers. He has angels, by the way, who pray wonderfully sing much more better than us, and yet God is longing to listen to our voice, God is longing to answer our prayers, God is longing for our obedience, for our sacrifice, for us to allow him to come onto this earth. If you are waiting for Jesus to come back onto this earth, that is of course the second coming. But we can have him on the earth through us. Walk the streets, walk into our neighborhoods, walk into the places of darkness, walk into the places where there is no hope, walk into the places where there is no joy. All of Jesus is available in us and wants to unleash on this earth through us. Amen. And if we are not moving, we are saying, Jesus, stop here. Please stand here. Do we want to do that? There are sick people. There are people who are depressed. Whether it is a juvenile home, I love when somebody goes on an outreach. Can we go? Can we go as a team? Can we go as a family? Can we go uh, you know, not just to the picnics, but also to the nearby villages and preach the gospel? If we are not moving, we are restricting God's move on this earth.

What’s In Your Hand?

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Amen. Exodus chapter 4, 2, we looked about this, where God asked Moses, what is that in your hand? And at first glance, Moses is holding nothing more than an ordinary stick. We looked about this and in week one. What is the one skill, one resource, and one hour that I can look at and say, hmm, maybe it is time for me to give into the house of God. Maybe it is time for me to serve in the house of God. And serving is not just restricted to a weekend. Serving can happen wherever we are. If you have a smartphone, you are you are a volunteer already. Yeah, absolutely. We can do much more. We have great ideas and plans that we can execute if only we have people who are committed, obedient, and want to respond to the call of God. Amen. One 1 Peter chapter 4, verse 10. It says, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. Wow. There comes the complication. Gift, I thought it is for me. But this says you should whatever gift you have received, you need to use it to serve others as faithful stewards. If we are called to be the faithful stewards, that is what the word of God says, that we need to serve others. Now you might you might think, if I serve others, how can why is God giving me the gift? Right? Obviously. But God has called us as a community. So as I serve Karalaka, Karalaka's gift is going to serve me. So there is a connection, there is a relationship that is established, there is a network that God is building. There is a one part of the body, another part of the body. Another part of the body, you are not. No, you are also part of the body. You are also part of the body. Everyone who are sitting here, called, responding to God, called to be the body of Christ, we are parts of the body of Christ, and we are called to serve others. Others first, me next. Other families first, my family next. If we have that, then don't you think that we respond and build greater connections in the Church of God. And if we do that, we become faithful stewards of the gifts of God. Amen. As fruit as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms, maybe we are restricting and we are only able to see two or three forms of this grace. But if we allow God and serve others, we will begin to see how God can use our gifts. Every gift is a form of God's grace, every act of service is a way to reflect the generosity we have received in Jesus. Just as Pastor Keetana said, you know, we have to live from that place of freedom, from that place of victory, from that place of generosity, from the place of we representing heaven on earth. Every, we never know how a door can be opened if we show God's grace through the gifts that He has given to each and every one of us. None, not one person here can say that God did not give me any gift. It's just that maybe we did not discover it yet. Or we might think that, hey, I have so many gifts, but they are not fit for church. Show me, I will show you. Show me, I will show you. I will show you how you can serve God with that gift. I need people. This church needs people who, not cheerleaders, who place their hand on the plow, committed, obedient, sacrificial, no matter what happens in our life, we will not leave this plow and we will take up this responsibility. And as we respond to God's call, this corporate call that God has given to us to build, not just the house of God. If we are thinking that we are, I'm doing this series to build a beautiful building in this place. No, this is a greater call that we will build ourselves to be the representatives of Christ on this earth. Next week, it's going to be Live Group Sunday, and I'm super excited how this church, the body of Christ, your neighbor, the person sitting next to you, is going to explode heaven in your neighborhood through your homes. There's going to be, like if you look at the Google map and the second or bad area, you can see the light beam here, light beam here, light beam here. So thick that there is, you can't see the dark areas in the second or bad area. Our houses, if you are frustrated that your house is too far, God placed you there for a purpose. Our house is also very far. So I'm sure there is some purpose. Yeah, amen. Can we look at if God allowed it? He is up to something. The day I come to know what he is up to, I will. Why didn't I just respond to him? Why was not why was I not obedient to him? Let's prepare ourselves. God is up to something and he is on the move. He's on the move. Amen. One 1 Peter chapter 4. You know, the the verse that we see, every gift reflects God's

Many Gifts One Body

SPEAKER_00 14:57

glory. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 4 to 7. It says, There are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit, it's the same spirit, there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord, and there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. Yeah. Because all of your money is at my disposal. I'm so full of freedom. Why? Because all of your freedoms put together is my freedom too. I'm so blessed to have such a huge family. Because I have a lot of brothers sitting here, sisters sitting here, kids sitting here. They're not my kids. Not my responsibility. But there might be one day where I have to take care of the kids. All of them put together. What a joyful day that's going to be for the kids. I have great uh friends who are uh sportsmen, sportswomen sitting in the house of God. Maybe I don't know whether they discovered or not. Oh yeah, because he's there. Yeah, good. At least have at least one. I have so many friends who will, you know, represent India on the bigger stage. It's not Jem Rodriguez only. I have so many friends here in church. I am connected with, it's my part of my family only, who will represent on a bigger stage, glorifying the name of Jesus. All the gifts. I have great cars, by the way. Yeah, look at the parking lot, look at my parking lot. I mean our parking lot. Great mango trees, but we do not have permission yet. Uh but diverse gifts, but one spirit. Lot of gifts and skills, but one body, one purpose to glorify Jesus. Glorify Jesus. Every time there is a need, understand by default, if you have a need, understand by default that the church, someone in the church or some connection in the church is a is an answer to your need. It's just that we are not yet connected with everyone. If only we connect, we help each other. We we we we we take each other as up and up to greater levels. Amen. Diverse gifts, one spirit. We are called to be one. Involvement is a blessing. We might think that it is a duty. Every Sunday I have to wake up early in the morning, which is way out of my usual sleep cycle. My sleep cycles are usually punctured. But if we look at it, you know, uh in Romans it beautifully says, uh, Romans chapter 12, verses 15 and 16, it says, rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, be devoted to one another, be devoted to one another. That's that's that's an involvement beyond the things that we have in the church, beyond production team, beyond media team, beyond the the the momentum or sisters or leadership team, who whatever parking team, right? It's not about the teams, it is our nature. Hey, whenever someone mourns, I'll just go and mourn with them, just sit with them and and make them feel comfortable, let them journey in a proper way. That's what the church of Christ is. When someone is celebrating, I am there because I was part of that celebration, I was part of that moment, I was part of the journey. As they've gone through loss, I was there. So I get to celebrate with them. And that's what the God is calling us. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. It is beyond the walls. It's beyond the walls, it's seen in our nature, it's seen in our neighborhoods, in our families, in our life groups, in our in our ministry gatherings, in our offices, wherever we are. God is there because you are there. Amen. We might think that it is a greater responsibility, but you know, with greater responsibility comes greater fruit. We have, we we are, we should be super excited when we get an opportunity to serve in the house because it brings blessing into my into our house. Is it just for the blessing? No, it is a response that we do because I am naturally, bro, natural servant. Naturally, I mourn and make people comfortable whenever they go through tough situations. It's nature, God's nature. Jesus is in me. I just do it. I don't know how I do it. Can we mature ourselves into that place where we just respond as as Christ did on this earth? He was moved with compassion when people were felt sick. Can we move with compassion and say a word of prayer whenever we go by the hospital? Whenever we say prayer, it's heaven. Heavens is we are like swiggy delivery boys. Right? We we push a little bit of God's presence in this hospital, God's presence in this hospital. What did you order? Two measures of God's presence? God's presence. We dispose faith in this place, we dispose faith in this place. We sow the seeds, we sow the seeds, we sow the seeds, we sow the seeds, we sow the seeds. We have the power through Christ to turn impossible situations into possibility for his glory. Amen. We just have to open our eyes and think like heaven. We just have to open up our mindsets and think like heaven. We should not box ourselves into this religion because Jesus walked like that, I'm expected to walk like that only. There are there are vehicles to go to different places. Right? If God let you into any situation that is not going right, why would God let you into that situation? Just think about it. Injustice that came to you, or you placed in some injustice. Why would God allow you into that place? Can we think? Can we open up our eyes and let God move?

Homes That Carry The Gospel

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Acts chapter 2, verses 46, 47. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. Sunday morning, worship service. But they did not stop there. They broke bread in their homes. I love the fact that it did not mention the names of the people of uh who whose homes. Right? Otherwise, we will restrict. Yeah. We need to elect three people who will open their homes and we will break the bread in their houses only. I love the fact that there was no boundary there. They broke bread in their homes. Like everyone has their own homes. Like your house is mine, your house is mine, that room is mine, that bed is mine. All everyone sharing together and with glad and sincere hearts. Maturity. Can we can we can we grow to that level of thinking? That what I have today is for everyone. It's for everyone and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. They did not go through a trot or a famine. They were still celebrating. They were able to continue to celebrate because they had each other. They had each other. Amen. Every day they met, ate. Now these days, one day only is becoming so much difficult. No, we need to open up our houses, homes, and this is not just for life group. Let's not restrict anything only to a certain ministry. We can open up our homes, even if it is not a life group. We can open up, invite guests, establish friendships with them, connections with them so that they feel the love of God. The thing that I said, every time you speak, Jesus is speaking. Imagine. Jesus is speaking hope. Jesus is releasing joy through each and every one of us. What if your neighbors are going through a tough time and Jesus wants to speak to them? The only way is to send you or allow you to open your home. Can we not be restricted by we are supposed to do this only on this day, this way, these are the rules? No. Holy Spirit, God is in us so that He can become the living word that can be dynamic at any moment in time, as long as we are not going against the Word. Anything that we do, any moment in time, if we are moving in the Spirit of God, God wants to uh, you know, uh come through each and every one of us. Galatians chapter 5, verse 13. You, my brothers and sisters, that is tough. That's tough because we don't have more than one brother that we know in this church. Sisters, sisters speak to sister only, brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters. Are we are we really at that place? How many brothers do you know? Except for your husband. How many men do you know? If something happens, do you have at least three people in this church to reach out to? At least three people. And that's what that's what life group does. Ananara, ananada, anunar. Everyone knows. Easy starundi. Easy starundi. Someone falls sick, sviggi delivery. If only I had a sister who will cook nice mutton biryani and send when I am sick. When I am going through a tough time. Yeah. All our brothers and sisters are sitting here only. It's just that we did not yet become brothers and sisters, like the Bible calls us to. Amen. Of course, but do not indulge your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, some serve one another humbly in love. Freedom leads us to serve. Freedom leads us to serve. Amen. Serve one another in love, purity, holiness. When we walk and and move in in alignment of the Holy Spirit, God, He He will open doors. Unimaginable doors. Amen.

Stewardship That Grows Capacity

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Every gift is a responsibility. Luke chapter 12, verse 48, it says, From everyone who has been given, much will be demanded. We can't even return the gift. But if God has already given you the gift, that means He has already given you according to the capacity that He has put in you. Just like the parable of the talents, they were given according to the capacity, according to their maturity, according to how much they will be handled, they will be able to handle in that particular season. Now, if you understand that, the one who made five into ten, not only did his talents grow, but also his capacity grew. Because he was a good steward with five, faithful with little, he was given much more. And by the way, though he worked hard on those five talents, it is God who gives us the strength and God who gives us the increase. His capacity increased while he was faithfully stewarding the gift, the resource, the skill, the hour. If you are very bad with time management, give me one hour to serve in the house of God. Your life will be changed. If you are unable to handle your skill, you do not have a place, you do not know your purpose, give me one skill, give me one resource that you commit into the house of God. God will be your teacher. God will be your teacher. Serve in the house of God. How much will you lose? If you calculate correctly, you are already losing. Yeah, some are smiling, like me. If only we submit ourselves to the purpose of God, the vision of this church. Church is there to serve you. Church is there to direct you. Church is there to help you. Church is there to correct you. Church is established. God established this church or any other church that once we are planted, we are guided, we are provided for, we are protected. It's just that we did not mature ourselves to receive or to give.

Bring Everything And Build

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Amen. Can we all stand to our feet? It is our responsibility. I love this situation in in Old Testament when Moses asked, when Bezalel was filled with the Spirit, Moses asked, the people of God, bring everything that you have. Uh you know, whatever you want to give into the house of God. Bring, come on, let's build a temple for God. And he gives a call. And I love the way people respond. They just run into the marketplace, they just run into their houses and bring everything that they have. So much so that Moses has to say, stop, stop, just stop. We have enough already. Please stop. We do not have enough place to store all your gifts, all your skills. We should be a church that will be able to serve other churches, but not be restricted within ourselves. We should be a church who will chill, who will serve the churches in the villages who do not have all the skills, all the resources, all the time that we have in this house, brothers and sisters. This is my humble request. Respond to God, not me. Respond to God. If God is inspiring you, if the Holy Spirit God is is is nudging you to just go, just go. I will show you. I know you are going through a difficult time, but your rescue plan is while you serve in the house of God. Moses had to say, stop, stop. We do not have enough space to hold. Can we be a church that is generous to the call of God? And not just finances, but with our time, with our love, with our joy, with our peace, with our skills, with our talents. If God has given us the call, it is our responsibility to carry it and bring everything that we can.