Do Something: Get Ignited And Go Light Your World

DO SOMETHING #4: GET IGNITED AND GO LIGHT YOUR WORLD

SUPERBOWL SUNDAY ILLUSTRATION:

Ray had rushed down to the local supermarket to pick up some hamburger rolls, chips and drinks. The big game was going to be on, so he was having a few friends over to watch it. The store was loaded with shoppers and as he headed for the six item express lane, the only one that didn't have a long line, a woman completely ignoring the overhead sign slipped into the check-out line just in front of him pushing a cart piled high with groceries. Ray was quietly fuming at the anticipated delay. But the elderly cashier beckoned the woman to come forward, looked into the cart and asked ever so sweetly, "So Dearie, which six items would you like to buy?"

JOKE: Coach James “Shug” Jordan at Auburn University asked his former Line-backer Mike Kolen, who was then playing for the Miami Dolphins, if he would help him do some recruiting. Mike said, "Sure, coach. What kind of player are you looking for?" The coach said, "Well Mike, you know there's that fellow, you knock him down, he just stays down?" Mike said, "We don't want him, do we, coach?" "No, that's right. Then there's that fellow, you knock him down and he gets up, you knock him down again and he stays down." Mike said, "We don't want him either do we coach?" Coach said, "No, but Mike, there's a fellow, you knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up. Knock him down, he gets up." Mike said, "That's the guy we want isn't it, coach?" The coach answered, "No, Mike, we don't want him either. I want you to find the guy who's knocking everybody down. That's the guy we want."

INTRO TO TOPIC: This morning, I wanted to share a message on going and lighting your world, but I realized something – we first need to get ignited before we can go light our world!

TESTIMONY: When I first got saved, there was a fire and passion burning brightly in my heart. I wanted to tell everyone I knew about Jesus! I saw Christians who were lukewarm and had little fire, and I prayed that would never happen to me. But one day it did. I got to a place where going to church and serving God was just part of my life. Routine. Ritual.

• QUOTE: If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll have what you’ve always had.

Then I made a decision to return to my first love. First things first. Secret place. Meeting with Jesus again daily in prayer, worship and the Word.

• QUOTE: “There was a time when people came to church to meet with God. Now they come to church to hear stories and sing songs about Him.” (Leonard Ravenhill).

• Are you tired of the usual? Hungry for more of God?

FROM MY BIBLE READING ON FRIDAY:

“Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.” (Mark 3:14-15).

• We must come to Jesus first before we can go to the world!

THE BIG IDEA: We need to get ignited with the fire of God before we can go light our world!

GET IGNITED - IN THE UPPER ROOM!

“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5).

“And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room…These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.” (Acts 1:13-14).

"On the Day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4).

• If we want to go light our world, we first need to get ignited!

• This happens in the Upper Room—the secret place of prayer, Bible reading and worship.

• Jeremiah said, “Your Word was like a fire, shut up in my bones!”

KEEP THE FIRE BURNING:

“A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.” (Lev. 6:13).

“Where there is no fuel, the fire goes out.” (Prov. 26:20).