Arise and Shine, Now is the time

Praise & Worship – Praise Team

Opening Remarks – 

Rise and Shine!

Have you ever slept through an alarm clock? I know of someone who put his alarm clock on the other side of the room. But after doing that, the alarm would blast; he'd sleepwalk to turn it off, crawl back into bed and never wake up. Spiritually we can be that tired and sleepy. Alarm clocks are going off all around us, but maybe we feel helpless to do anything about the problems. So we pull our blankets over our heads and try to just get on with our lives. But that's not a restful way to live; plus, deep down, we know the problems are not going away; they'll get worse. 

What do we do about them? Guilt?

Our text this morning was written to believers who really needed help to get going, not more guilt. It gives three invigorating reasons to Rise and Shine! 1. Our light has come. 2. Our light is needed. 3. Our light will attract others to the Light. 

Welcome

Scripture Reading & Prayer- 

Main Feature:

Summary of God's calling in Abraham's life- 

God called Abraham out from his home in Haran and told him to go to a land that He will show. God also makes three promises to Abraham:

1. The promise of a land of his own.
2. The promise to be made into a great nation.
3. The promise of blessing.

These promises form the basis for what will later be called the Abrahamic Covenant (established in Genesis 15 and ratified in Genesis 17). However, what makes Abraham unique is that he obeyed God. Genesis 12:4 records that, after God called Abraham, he went "as the LORD had told him." "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8).

How many of us would arise, exercise faith in God, leave behind everything familiar to us, and just go without knowing our destination? 

Skit/Role Play 

Gen 12: 1- (God called Abraham to leave his country- God is calling us from our state of comfort, we may not know where he will lead us, call is clear that we should arise) 

Do a modern-day Abraham story- person gets two phone calls and decides to either accept God's calling to the singing ministry or call to worldly music.

 The word arise should be used to identify the pros and cons of choice, sing a Christian and worldly song and say which one you think you sound better at, conclusion: arise and Go to do the Father's will.

The person gets 2 phone calls to sing at a crusade or on a popular tv show.

They look at the chance to become famous; would I end up being like the prodigal son. 

Now look at Abraham story. He was not sure what will happen when singing at the crusade. How will he survive and be able to get rich?

Look at the positives of choosing the singing ministry and compare to Abraham becoming the Father of many nations through his faithfulness; when a decision is made, the person says I will arise and do my Father's will. 

Sing fitting song- Yes Lord yes to your will and to your ways

Special Music

Lesson Study: 

Closing Remarks- 

The word ARISE means "to get up or to stand up as from a lying or sitting position", "to come into notice", "to be recognized", "to ascend". What this means is that you should expect to get up, stand up, ascend and come into notice (be recognized). To "Arise" also means to move on to the next level, a higher level. You do not arise downward, you arise upward. Many issues may have tied you down, many burdens and yokes may be pulling you down, perhaps its debt or sickness, friends, expect to get up. The God of the Breakthrough, the Creator of the Universe, The One who holds the whole world in His hands says "ARISE", stand up. Expect to ascend to greater heights because the LORD, the Burden Remover, will destroy every yoke that is holding you down in Jesus Mighty Name.

Closing Song: Rise, Shine give God the glory