How to Build the Church

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best utilized in conjunction with the video or audio of this message.  To watch the video please click here.  To listen to the audio please click here.


Matthew 16:13-18
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"  14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

People have a tendency to compare you to someone they are already familiar with.
The general consensus about the identity of Jesus is varied but centers on the idea that he is a man of God.

Jesus asks the disciples, “who do men say that I am” because he wants to see if any of his disciples have been listening to the heavenly frequency from the Father and he wants one of them to make a declaration about his identity.

Peter has been listening to the Heavenly Father and knows by this voice the identity of Jesus.

Instead of rebuking Peter for his brashness (as Jesus always did when confronted by error), Jesus blesses him for his confession of faith. Throughout His ministry Jesus accepted prayers and worship as rightfully belonging to Himself.

Jesus on Trial Before the Sanhedrin

Matthew 26
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." 64"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.

For Peter to say, “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God he is also risking blasphemy.” His deep rooted understanding of the identity of Jesus is deeper in him than his fear of death. Peter, as a good monotheistic Jew understands what he is saying, in the same way the Sanhedrin understood what Jesus said.

Jesus says, You are Petros (littler Rock) and upon this Petra (Big Rock), I will build my church. When we hear from God and say what he tells us to and do what he says we become littler rocks upon the Big Rock (God’s revealed voice)

This is the way the church is built.

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone
Ephesians 2:19-22
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

When we hear God and come in line with his word we become part of the church and serve to further the work of the church. This is the best reason to be a part of a church ministry, because He has spoken to you to be a part.

A paradigm shift from John Kennedy. He said, ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country. I believe it’s appropriate among the spiritually mature to ask the same question accept substitute the word Church for country. Ask not what your church can do for you, but what can you do for your church.

If everyone has a servant’s attitude we can’t help but grow. However when we take on an, “I need to be served” “I need to be fed” attitude we will be limited in our ability to measure up to people’s expectations. If we can meet a person’s expectations and perceived needs they will stay, if we can’t they will leave.
We need servant minded people serving the Lord to push us over the hump.

Our church isn’t perfect but we’re doing pretty well for where we are. I’m very optimistic about our future and know it will take sacrifice from everyone if we’re going to continue moving forward.

One thing that gives people fuel to critique any ministry is if they themselves are out of the will of God. Often being out of God’s will, walking in dis-obedience, creates feelings of guilt that can be temporarily eased by critiquing someone else.
It’s much easier to critique it than get involved and start bringing about positive change. Joe Schmo off the street has an opinion but this will not advance the kingdom of God.

Spiritual Ambition
Mark 9:35
35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Luke 13
30Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.

One of the biggest indicators of spiritual maturity is service for God and others. People who need to be served haven’t reached a basic level of spiritual maturity.

John 13:13-17
13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Philippians 2:4-11
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It’s my desire that we will have a church body where we’ll have a lot more to offer baby Christians. However in the meantime we must all serve faithfully in our own areas to move the church forward. Servant hood is the key.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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The Old Phone on the Wall

When I was a young boy, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny
receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.  Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was
"Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's
number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was
terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information, please" I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear. "Information."

"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open the icebox?" she asked. I said I could.

"Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.  She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died.  I called, "Information Please," and told her the sad
story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to
end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, " Wayne , always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please."

"Information," said in the now familiar voice.

"How do I spell fix?", I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest . When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle . I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please."

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.

"Information."

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying,

"Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"

I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me.

I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle .. A different voice answered,

"Information." I asked for Sally.

"Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this,"She said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up, she said, "Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?"  "Yes." I answered.
"Well, Sally left a message for you.  She wrote it down in case you called.  Let me read it to you."

The note said, "Tell him there are other worlds to
sing in.  He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on
others..

Whose life have you touched today?

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

7 Reasons Not To Mess With Children

Reason # 1
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.

The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to Hell?'

The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.


Reason #2
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'

The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'


Reason #3
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to 'honor' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?'

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'


Reason #4
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mum?'

Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.'

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Mummy, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'


Reason #5
The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor..'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'


Reason #6
A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, 'Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.'

'Yes,' the class said.

'Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?'

A little fellow shouted,
'Cause your feet ain't empty.'


Reason #7
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE .. God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'





If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

For God So Loved the World that He Gave

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up and walked over to the pulpit.  Before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service.

In the introduction the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends. He wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.


With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.


"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific coast," he began.  "When a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore.  The waves were so high; even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright.  The three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.  The aged minister continued with his story. "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life, which boy would he throw the other end of the life line?  He only had seconds to make the decision.  The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not.  The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of the waves."


"As the father yelled out, 'I love you son!' He threw out the life line to his son's friend.  By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night.  His body was never recovered."

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth.

"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus.  Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend."


"How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us.  Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His only begotten Son so that we could be saved.  I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line he is throwing out to you in this service."  With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.

The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end.  However, no one responded to the appeal.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side.  "That was a nice story," politely stated one of them, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."


"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible.  A big smile broadened his narrow face.  He once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic is it?  I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me."

"You see, I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


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by Tony V. Hammack

Be Thankful for the Unshakable Kingdom

by Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best utilized when used in conjunction with the audio or video.  Click here for the audio.  Click here for the video.


Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,


1.  We are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken!

54 of 65 references to the “Kingdom of God” refer to a present or relative to our time, past kingdom. 11 times when the term Kingdom of God is used in the New Testament it’s referring to a future or coming kingdom.

The Internal Kingdom of God
Where did Jesus tell us the kingdom of God would be?
Luke 17:20,21
20Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Expressions of the Kingdom of God
A. Power
1 Corinthians 4:20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

B. Deliverance
Matthew 12:28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matthew 17:14-21
The Healing of a Boy With a Demon
14When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15"Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.  16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."  17"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.  19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.“ 21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

C. Healing
Luke 9:2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

D. Preaching
Luke 4:43 But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."
Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

E. An expanded home and family after sacrifice
Luke 18:29,30
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.“

Whatever we give up for the Lord he will return to us expanded.
Luke 6:38
³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

F. Fruit Production
Matthew 21:43 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

2 Types of Fruit

 1.  Internal Fruit – When the internal fruit is in place, via abiding in the presence of Jesus, the external fruit will manifest.  The internal fruits of God's spirit abiding in a person are
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-Control

 2.  External Fruit
Converts, Disciples, Kingdom Influence, Fruit Bearing followers.

2. Be Thankful
Thankfulness illustrates a person’s appreciation for someone else’s work or something else someone has done. This appreciation equates to understanding the sacrifice that was made, the skill possessed or the dedication of another and can equate to like behavior from the thankful party.
People who have an, “I deserve it” mentality usually never figure out how to provide for themselves what is being given to them as a gift.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

The Ten Lepers - A Story about Thankfulness

Luke 17:11-19
11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"  14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.  15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Your Faith has made you well.
His faith had added to it another grace, that of love. His faith had not only saved his body, but he had been born to the new life, his soul was saved.
This passage states the fact that Jesus offers this leper more than the other nine. They all received physical healing, but this Samaritan receives a deeper salvation in addition. His faith prompted by revelation knowledge drives him to return to the feet of Jesus in thanks, and that personal contact, that personal submission signifies a soul healing that is more than skin deep.  Jesus tells him he's sozo.

3. Worship God with Reverence and Awe

Reverence – profound adoring awed respect with caution. Included in the Greek word eulabeia are the concepts of fear, fearful, fearfulness.

Awe - an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime with a modesty which is rooted in the character.

Reverence and Awe come as a result of revelation knowledge.
When we know who Jesus is and who we are, we have to feel reverence and awe!

The Kind of worshipers the Father is seeking.
John 4:23,24
23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Spirit of faith - believing that God is who he says he is and he’s worthy of our time and focus.
Truth - understanding predominantly who He is and to a much lesser degree who we are. We walk in the truth as we worship.

In conclusion

1. We are receiving an unshakable kingdom.
2. We should be thankful.
3. We should worship with reverence and awe.

Lord, help us to see what you’ve prepared for us in your kingdom. Give us the faith and grace we need to become the people of thankfulness you’ve called us to become. Reveal yourself to us in such a way that causes awe and reverence to rise up in our hearts.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124


View Larger Map
by Tony V. Hammack