hat on Earth are we here for ?
Rev 7:9-11
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” " (Revelation 7:9-10, ESV)
Do you ‘spoil’ a film by reading too much about it first or do you like surprises?
We have peaked to the end of the book and know whats coming.
We know Jesus is returning for a glorious church not a vanguished vanishing one.
We know that a great multitude will be saved
We suspect that may well be more than those who are lost.
We know revival is occurring elsewhere in the world so what do we do?
Does salvation really belong to God?
Is it him who determines the what the when the where the who?
If the answer to this is ‘no, it all depends on us’ then our major danger is that we either become legalistic, driven and fearful that we haven’t done enough. IF my evangelism is failing because I am no good at it does that mean I am sending people to hell?
If so, then the other danger is that we give up and become depressed, wondering even if we have done enough to scrape into heaven ourselves!
If we do believe that God is the real author of salvation, that he determines who is going to be saved, that the outcome is certain, that everyone who he has chosen will be saved, then the danger is
That we give up- God will save people anyway what can I do about it!
‘God can save the Indians without you’
BUT God decides who is going to be saved and also decides the way in which they will be saved!
Have a look at your feet for a moment- are they beautiful or ugly?
"For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”" (Romans 10:13-15, ESV)
Turn to your neighbour and say- you have beautiful feet!
To the lost the message is ‘Everyone who calls on the lord will be saved’ This is good news!!! Anyone here who hasn’t called on the Lord you can today.
To those who have already called on Jesus, the message is God was the author of your salvation
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. " (Ephesians 2:8-10, ESV)
So we have a job to do, or rather each of us has our own job to do!!!!
ESTHER – ‘For such a time as this’
This week we saw what can be done by a team of people working together in just three days our old garage, drive, patio, lawn, fencing were all destroyed and new ones installed. One of the people seemed to have the job of making coffees for the workers. Everyone knew what they were meant to do and did it!
What are you meant to do?
What on Earth are you here for?
"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction….. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go," (Matthew 9:37-10:5, ESV)
We can’t simply wait for the lost to COME to us- praise God for things like the internet, by which many people find out about us. But Jesus commands us to GO
We can make a difference- If we told TEN people and they all told TEN people, by the time that had happened just EIGHT times more than the population of the UK would have been told and if this happened just another TWICE after that then the whole population of the world would know
Not much wonder we all get so much junk mail forwarded to us, and that viruses do so well!!!
We need to PRAY like it all depends on God and WORK like it all depends on us!
Believe God that he will keep you safe on the roads but drive safely and wear your seatbelt!
Believe that God will provide your wife but go out there and meet the ladies!!! (40 single girls at Sue and Ant’s wedding!)
TRUST GOD and Keep your powder dry!
SO, What on EARTH are WE HERE FOR?
Mt"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” " (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)
Four things we are to DO
GO – be apostolic, be on a mission, have a sense of purpose and calling to a specific job
MAKE DISCIPLES – the goal of Evangelism- not decisions! Must make a friend before you can make a follower. Of ALL NATIONS- all types of people- building the great multitude
BAPTISING- the outward sign of joining the community of God’s people. Our identity marker- you’re not properly ‘in’ if you haven’t done this as a believer in Jesus!
TEACH the word- we must OBEY all that God commanded us-
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” " (Matthew 22:36-40, ESV)
A PROMISE to GO with
JESUS will be with us! I won’t go unless he is- want to see him doing stuff.
Cell Questions
What are you on Earth for?
How is your contacts list progressing? How are your friendships developing?
How can we build a stronger sense of the community of God?
How do we practically work out loving God and our neighbour?
