Becoming a World Class Christian
Pastor Eric Hanson
November 7, 2004
Mark 16:15
You will either be a “World Class Christian” or a “Worldly Christian”.
Do you know that you were saved to serve?
Do you know that you were created for a mission?
Are you excited about being used by God… to build HIS Kingdom?
There are four major shifts any of us need to make in order to think as “World Class Christians”.
Shift from self centered thinking to others centered thinking.
Scriptures: I Corinthians 14:20, Philippians 2:4, I Corinthians 2:12
Do you pray for God to give you an insight and an opening with the unsaved you interact with?
Shift from local thinking to Global thinking.
a. Just think. The first believers lived in a time of slow transportation and no quick communications, but they thought about the whole world!
Psalm 2:8.
b. Do you think about those who are already there? Kathy does a beautiful job with our missionaries. She has provided all of their addresses for us. Do you maintain contact with any of them, and pray for them in a systematic way? (II Corinthians 1:11)
c. Do you read or hear the news with “Great Commission” thinking? When you do, you will ask God to use all new developments to spread the Gospel.
d. Have you been involved in a mission outreach? It’s easier than ever before these days. We even have some money set aside for this. Some of you spend much more on vacations than a week at NEW Mission would cost. Acts 1:8 is not sequential. It is simultaneous. When I went there, it was a real eye opener for me. When Nancy took 7 teens to Mexico, it really opened her eyes too.
Shift from here and now thinking to eternity thinking. (II Corinthians 4:18)
I Corinthians 7:31 reminds us to not take the things of this World too seriously, but Matthew 6:21 tells us to take the things of the next world very seriously. What could be better than to help populate Heaven by being an instrument of God’s good news.
Shift from excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your mission.
You are not too old. Think of Moses and Noah. You are not too young. Think of Daniel and his friends in chapter one of that book. You do have something to offer. God has given you gifts, abilities, and interests which equip you to help. He also has given the Holy Spirit to empower you. Moses made excuses. Paul had persecuted believers. Peter had denied the Lord. Rahab had been a prostitute. Excuses are the Devil’s work. Imperfect people helping to advance the Gospel, is the Lord’s work.
Conclusion: (Mark 8:35) The Great Commission Is My Commission. There are more than 6 Billion souls on God’s planet. You and I are His hands and feet to reach them. Psalm 67:2
If you are interested in going, please see me immediately after church.
