Trouble Will Come In Proclaiming The Word Of God Series

Trouble will come in Proclaiming the Word of God

World will reject you

Your tasks in the world may seem burdensome

The people to whom you minister to may at times reject you

DBF Sunday Sermon, 8/11/02

You know as much as I love the people, land, and region of Bristol Bay I cannot stand here and say that our ministry of bringing the light and love of Christ to the Alaska Native People of Dillingham and Bristol Bay has been pain free.

The first year I was here, I was treated completely as an outsider, and I can understand with the large turnover of Non-Natives why that would be.

Who can say that they will be able to make it in a “Bush” community?

Housing costs, electricity, gasoline, heating oil, and all basic store bought necessities are quite expensive. Add in the cost of airfare to Anchorage for a family of four and you have enough to buy a pretty good used car in most communities.

You see God wisely chose to allow us to get to feel and understand the reasons that people in “Bush” communities feel this way. Each year as I see new “Non-Natives” arrive I wonder if they will make it past 6 months, 1 year or if they are truly hardy enough to make it two years. It is rare to find the individuals that are able to make it three years in any line of trade, and I have been seeing that it is not substantially different for the people that come to “Proclaim the Word of God”.

You see the great commission tells us:

Matthew 28:18-20 (KJV)

[18]And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

You see when he sends us to teach all nations, this includes the Alaska Natives, and if these wonderful people have a hard time believing someone who hasn’t spent a winter or two out here then we should Praise God and enjoy a time of quietness and solitude with God, learning what it is we are asked to teach.

You see every ministry field has its challenges, its blessings, and its own unique opportunities. Let us walk with Moses as he experiences some of these in Exodus Chapter 5.

World will reject you

Exodus 5:1-3 (KJV)

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. [2] And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. [3] And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

afterward Moses and Aaron went in…When God sent out his Apostles, when God anointed David King, when God appointed Gideon what were they required to do that Moses and Aaron start of well doing?

They were given special instructions to carry out plans that would further the Kingdom of God. You and I as benefactors of our brothers and sisters who have gone before us have no less of a requirement in fulfilling God’s perfect plan and the words of the “Great Commission” might as well start with your name because it applies fully to each of us.

Moses and Aaron had to put aside fear, misgivings, and trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This is so easily said but we falter in this very critical area often…

When a loved one says they do not love you anymore…

When you cannot see your way out of a bad situation…

When you are held accountable by the various authorities set above you…

When you are a loved one is diagnosed with what might be a fatal disease…

You see we are called to go…but the world and Satan will reject much of what we say. Don’t despair when they do…they also rejected Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus. It does not change the Truth which we are called to proclaim when we “GO”.

Moses told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go…The message has not changed much over the past 3000 plus years.

You and I proclaim today “Let my people go from the sins of worry, homosexuality, adultery, bigotry, murder, and wanton lusts”.