Rise Up: 3 Years Later and Moving Forward

I want you to take your Bibles and turn to Proverbs 6:6.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “RISE UP: 3 Years Later and Moving Forward.”

 

Think with me back to the summer of 2022.  We had approved construction plans for our Family Life Center, and we turned our attention capital fundraising.

 

BTW…Please always remember that a FLC is not a silver bullet or the magic solution to seeing people saved in Emory and Rains County.  That is Jesus and only Jesus.

 

If you’re here this morning and aren’t saved, the gospel is that man has sinned and is separated from God because of our sin.  That includes you.

However, Jesus died on the cross for your sins and paid your sin debt.  His death has made it possible for us to be saved in relationship with God again.

 

I invited you to be saved this morning if you aren’t already.  That is the main thing.

 

In September and October of 2022, we experienced a church-wide campaign called “RISE UP!”  That theme and encouragement came from Nehemiah 2:18.

 

18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me.  So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.

 

For the Sundays in September and October, we did a survey study of Nehemiah.  This was true for our Sunday School Small Groups and my Sunday morning sermons. 

 

Then, at the end of our study, your were challenged to make a commitment to pay for the Family Life Center.  These commitments would be above and beyond your tithes.  It would be your offering.

 

At the end of November 2022, 79 families or giving units pledged $927,405 over a three year period.  However, at that time, our deacons and FLC Committee decided to pause our construction plans until we had more cash on hand.

 

We resumed our plans in 2024 with the selection of Bearing General Contractor as our builder.  They committed to build our Family Center for $3,999,009, and construction began on May 1, 2025.

 

Today is the last day of three-year giving period that started on December 1, 2022.  Some would give once.  Others would give annually.  Even others gave monthly or weekly. 

 

I am so proud to report to you today what you gave over that three-year giving period.  We exceeded our commitments, and gave $1,271,236, and we aren’t done yet.

 

Before we move any further, let’s turn attention to Proverbs 6:6-11.  We are encouraged to got to ant and watch and learn be.  Watch how the ant acts.  Learn from the ants ways.  Be wise!

 

What exactly will we see?  What can we learn?  Ants are eager in their organization.  Ants are earnest in their preparation.  Ants are expectant in their realization.

 

 

1. Ants are eager in their initiation, 6:7.

 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

Consider her ways and be wise,

7 Which, having no captain,

Overseer or ruler,

 

Solomon tells the reader, that he also calls a sluggard, or lazy to go and watch the ant.  We are to watch how they act and learn how they behave, and be wise.

 

Notice verse 7.  They don’t have anyone telling them what to do.  They don’t have a captain or overseer or ruler.

 

Instead, they take the initiative.  They don’t wait to be told what to do.

 

Emory Baptist Church, before we know the price of this project, we made our commitments.  Before we went to the bank to borrow money, we made our commitments.

 

The ants are eager in their initiation.  Emory Baptist Church is too as the FLC Fund existed long before the FLC construction project.

 

 

2. Ants are earnest in their preparation, 6:8.

8 Provides her supplies in the summer,

And gathers her food in the harvest.

 

Summer is not a time that you would normally work in storing food, but the ant did.  The ant was getting ready for the fall during the summer.

 

The ant prepares in advance, and they work hard in doing it.  They also work hard during the harvest. 

 

The bottom line is that the ant always works hard.  They are diligent and industrious.

 

I commend you brothers and sisters for your hard work.  I know that when you have given to the FLC, you have given above and beyond your tithe.

 

Many of you have given from your savings.  Others have given from your retirement.  Even others have given from their estate.

 

You have committed and sacrificed for this project.  You have worked hard in your preparation.

 

 

3. Ants are expectant in their realization, 6:9-11.

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

When will you rise from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to sleep—

11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,

And your need like an armed man.

 

Why do ants do what they do?  Because they know winter is coming.  They expect reality.

 

Verses 9-11 speak to the reality of poverty if you don’t work.  It will come and try to take away what you have.

 

Brothers and sisters, our reality is that we had to borrow money to complete this project.  A second reality is that we will have to make loan payments as soon as our cash is spent.

 

Therefore, I congratulate today, but I also challenge you.  Keep giving.

 

You have already proved to yourself that you can do it.  Please keep doing it.

 

The more you give, the less we have to actually borrow.  The more you give and the sooner you give, the later we have to borrow.

 

When all is said and done, we want to borrow less and at a lower rate.  The reality is that we will have to pay back whatever we borrow.