Top 5 - South Union Baptist Church

Prioritize The Presence Of God

February 11, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • Exodus 19

Bottom line: Priority number one is meeting with God. We meet with God corporately and, most importantly, alone. All throughout our Top 5 series, we've mentioned the fact that God wants to us to meet with Him at the table. As God's children we have a seat. We have a seat because of our position and relationship as a child of God. However, having a seat and taking a seat are two different things. We need to prioritize taking our seat in the presence of God. In Exodus 19 we see several principles that we can apply to prepare ourselves to meet with God: 1) We need a willingness to obey God 2) We need a sensitivity to listen to God 3) We need a consecration to God 4) We need a reverence for God It is God's pleasure to meet with us and communicate His Word and will.

Prioritize Generosity Toward God

February 4, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • Exodus 35:4–10, Exodus 35:20–21

Bottom line: Let's prioritize our generosity toward God because God has been generous toward us. God lays our three principles of generosity when He asks the Jews to bring an offering for the construction of the tabernacle. 1) The principle of how: We are to give generously (willingly) from the heart. 2) The principle of what: We are to give generously to the Lord what He has first generously given to us. 3) The principle of why: We are to give generously so that the purpose(s) of the Lord can be accomplished. Generosity should mark us as God's children because as God's children we've been marked by God's generosity.

Prioritize Pushing Away From The Table

January 28, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • John 13:1–17

Bottom line: Let's prioritize pushing away from the table and serving like Jesus by serving the needs of others. Jesus pushed away from the table in the upper room and served a practical need of his men (i.e. washed their feet). In doing so, he demonstrated his humility through the action of serving. After Jesus washed their feet, he plainly tells them to replicate his actions, i.e. serve others by meeting needs. Jesus invites us today to push away from the table and serve for at least two reasons: 1) when we serve, the life of Jesus is expressed in this world; and 2) when we serve, we live a better life. Our sacrifice to serve leads to satisfaction in life.

Prioritize Together Life

January 21, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • Hebrews 10:24–25

Bottom line: When we prioritize being together at the table of the King, we experience the betterness of togetherness. If church were likened unto the family home, the small group setting would be the dining room and living room of the church. It is where our together life happens best. Many of us as believers idealize what our walk with God should be and how it should be experienced. In reality, we don't realize what we idealize. We realize what we prioritize. When it comes to the small group setting there are several things that we need to set forth as priorities. We must prioritize connecting relationally together, serving together, growing spiritually together, and practicing accountability and care together. If we don't prioritize it, we probably won't realize it, i.e. connect relationally, serve cooperatively, grow spiritually, practice accountability, or care ministerially.

Prioritize The Invitation

January 14, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • 2 Samuel 9

Bottom line: Let's prioritize extending God's invitation to come to his table of grace as sons and daughters. We see in David's invitation to Mephibosheth to come to his table as a son a wonderful illustration of God's invitation to us to come to His table of grace as sons and daughters of the King. Charles Stanley said God's highest priority for each of us is an intimate relationship with Him. If that is true, then our highest priority should be our own intimate relationship with God and prioritizing extending an invitation to those far from God to come His table.

Prioritize Coming To The Table

January 7, 2024 • Pastor Chad Thompson • James 1:21–25

Bottom Line: Let's prioritize coming to the table with God by welcoming His Word into our hearts consistently and acting on His Word instantly. God welcomes us to the table He has prepared for us, but do we welcome His invitation to sit down, fellowship, and dine with Him? Charles Stanley said, "You were created for intimacy with God...His highest priority for you is to be involved with Him..." If God's highest priority for us is our intimacy with Him, then our highest priority should be our intimacy with Him too. If we are going to make coming to the table with the King a priority in our lives, then we must welcome His Word consistently and act on His Word instantly. Our hearts our open to receive God Words when we can say, "God, I welcome your guidance, instruction, encouragement, and your power to do what Your Word is asking me to do." Acting on God's Word means to obey it. Obedience is the agent of change, growth, maturity, and intimacy in our relationship with God.