Sermon Central
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On Fire! Series
Contributed by Paul Decker on Jan 20, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Say it! [Tell the truth about Jesus]
ON FIRE!
I Corinthians 9.15-18
S: Evangelism
C: Using the spoken Word
Th: Plan to Win!
Pr: SAY IT!
?: Why? Why should we say it?
KW: Reasons
TS: We will find in I Corinthians 9.16 three reasons why we should speak the good news about Jesus.
Type: Propositional
The ____ reason is…
I. IT HUMBLES US.
II. IT BURDENS US.
III. IT DISTRESSES US.
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Be excited about how great this message is – speak up!
• Let go of the burden – speak out!
• Pass it on – speak on!
Version: ESV
RMBC 20 January 08 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Film Clip
“Amazing Grace,” scene 11, John Newton confesses his sins as a slave trader.
In the film clip we saw earlier, a blind John Newton is speaking to William Wilberforce, the man credited for ending the slave trade in England. John had felt the weight of his sin. And the words of his own song were coming all the more true for him:
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see.
I wonder, today…
1. What has profoundly changed you?
What has happened in your life that has made you switch direction?
Has there been a circumstance?
Has there been an accomplishment?
Has there been a person?
One thing, for sure, is that…
2. We don’t stay quiet when change has come.
When something really good has happened to us, it is very natural for us to tell someone else about it.
We don’t stay quiet.
We speak about it.
We tell others.
And if it really has profoundly hanged us and we are excited about, it could be said that we are “on fire”…
It reminds us of the words of Jesus that were brought to us last September, when He said…
"I have come to bring fire on the earth...”
Luke 12.49 (NIV)
It could be said that Jesus set His followers on fire.
And from generation to generation, they have been passing that fire along.
They have not allowed it to die.
It is a fire that has spread all across the world.
It is a fire that is good news.
But how does each generation keep this good news alive?
Well, it is very simple.
They…
3. SAY IT!
They say it!
And that is our instruction as well today.
We are to “say it”!
You see, people need to hear the good news about Jesus.
We are to tell them because people are God’s passion.
He absolutely loves His creation.
And so, we are to tell them the good news, the truth about God and us.
It is a necessity.
Note how the apostle Paul describes it in I Corinthians 9.15-18:
(15) But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. (16) For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (17) For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. (18) What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
The verse we want to focus on is verse 16.
It shows Paul’s heart.
For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting.
For necessity is laid upon me.
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
OUR STUDY:
I. The first reason we speak the good news is IT HUMBLES US.
The good news, the gospel, is about Jesus.
1. This is not about me.
We are mistaken if somehow we think that we are deserving of the grace that has come to us.
The fact is we are unworthy to receive it.
We are incompetent in terms of earning it.
It is out of our reach.
But there is good news…
2. The good news is about the determination of Jesus.
Jesus was determined.
He had a plan.
He had a plan to win!
He was not going to settle for anything less.
Failure was not an option.
He successfully came to earth.
He showed us how to live.
And then He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
But His death was not the end.
He defeated the power of death and, thus, the power of sin by raising from the dead.
