COME – HELP- US ACTS 16:6-10
INTRO: BILL HYBELS SAID “THE WORK OF THE CHURCH AROUND ME KILLS THE WORK OF GOD IN ME.” HOW TRUE THAT IS. IN THE MODERN AMERICAN CHURCH WE SO OFTEN FORGET ABOUT THE SIMPLICITY OF WHAT OUR WORK AS CHRISTIANS IS ALL ABOUT. THAT WORK IS TO BRING ETERNAL GLORY TO GOD THE FATHER THRU HOLY SPIRIT FILLED WORSHIP AND JESUS EXALTING GOSPEL MISSIONS. QUITE SIMPLY, IF WE WORSHIP GOD IN OUR LIVES AND HE IS LORD OF ALL WE ARE THEN OTHERS WILL SEE THE LORD JESUS LIVING THRU US AND THEY WILL CALL OUT TO US IN SOME WAY “HEY, COME OVER HERE AND HELP US” TO GET WHAT YOU HAVE. HOWEVER WHAT MOST OFTEN HAPPENS IS WE GET SO BOGGED DOWN IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN COMMITTEES, PROGRAMS AND TRADITIONS THAT WE DO KILL THE WORK OF GOD IN OURSELVES. THIS CHURCH WORK IN ESSENCE BECOMES OUR GOD AND OUR RELIGION. WE FACE A WORLD THAT IS CRYING OUT TO THE CHURCH “COME OVER AND HELP US…PLEASE.” PERHAPS IT IS TIME WE DO! LET’S SEE WHAT PAUL DID WHEN HE WAS PRESENTED WITH THIS SAME QUESTION AND OPPORTUNITY.
READ ACTS 16:6-10
I. V9 “COME OVER…”
A. V6-8 STRUGGLE, CONFUSED, NO DIRECTION
WHERE DO WE GO? - WHAT DO WE DO? - WHY SHOULD WE?
CAUSED BY ARGUMENT? 15:36-40
1. THEY DID NOT STOP – WORK IMPORTANT
V6 PHRYGIA, GALTIA
V7 MYSIA – BITHYNIA
V8 TROAS
V9 FINALLY GOD GAVE A VISION OF HIS WORK
B. V9 “COME OVER” CALL IS TO US - GREAT COMMISSION
ILL: GOD SAYS COME TO JESUS, THEN GO AND TELL
BUT WE ARE MORE INTERESTED IN CONTROVERSY
THAT IS WHAT EXCITES US, RATHER THAN THE
VISION OF GODS MISSION, COME TO ME AND GO AND
TELL. JUST LIKE THESE IN ACTS 16.
II. V9 “COME OVER AND HELP…”
A. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP
FEED THE HUNGRY
SHELTER THE HOMELESS
CLOTHE THE NAKED
ENCOURAGE THE DISHEARTENED
LOVE THE UNLOVABLE
BUT MOST IMPORTANT HELP IS THE GOSPEL!
B. HOW CAN WE HELP IF WE ARE THE ONES IN NEED?
2 COR. 5:18-19 “NOW ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, WHO HAS RECONCILED
US TO HIMSELF THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, AND HAS GIVEN US THE
MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, THAT IS, THAT GOD WAS IN CHRIST
RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR
TRESPASSES TO THEM, AND HAS COMMITTED TO US THE WORD OF
RECONCILIATION”
WE MUST BE RECONCILED BEFORE WE CAN
COME OVER AND HELP.
C. GOSPEL HELP IS WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER
1. VISION IS WHAT IS NEEDED V9 PROV 29:18
D. NOTICE THE CONTEXT OF PASSAGE
V8 “THEY…” LUKE WITH THEM BUT NOT IN
UNITY. ILL: “THEY AND US”
V9 “COME AND HELP…” VISION COMES OF
GODS WILL – GO AND GIVE GOSPEL
ILL: PASTORS OF LEWIS CO. = JESUS
V10 “WE…” FINALLY GODS WORK – UNITY
WE WILL COME AND DO IT!
FROM “THEY” TO “WE” = HARMONY, UNITY, PURPOSE, EXCITEMENT. PROV. 29:18. WITH VISION THERE IS LIFE!
III. V9 “COME OVER …AND HELP US”
A. HELP “US” WHAT MUST WE DO?
1. CONTEND FOR THE TRUTH –
CONTEND = “FIRMLY HOLD ONTO”
CONTEND FOR OUR MISSION = GOSPEL
ILL: IF WE MUST AGREE ON EVERYTHING OUR MISSION WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING. WE SHOULD AGREE ON OUR MISSION,
“COME AND HELP EVERYONE WE CAN TO KNOW JESUS AS SAVIOR AND TO GLORIFY GOD IN THE HIGHEST WAY POSSIBLE.”
IN THE END SHARING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS AND GLORIFYING GOD IN THE HIGHEST, THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IN THE PRESENT AND IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL BRINGS US TOGETHER!
B. HELP “US” HOW DO WE DO THIS?
1. CONTEXTUALIZE THE GOSPEL= MAKE IT RELEVANT
AND UNDERSTANDABLE TO OUR CULTURE
ILL: MISSIONARIES SPEND YEARS TRAINING TO RELATE TO CULTURE. WE THINK WE CAN REACH OURS WITH METHODS OF THE 50’S AND 60’S. 1 COR. 9:22-23 “I HAVE BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME. 23 NOW THIS I DO FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE, THAT I MAY BE PARTAKER OF IT WITH YOU.”
PAUL “I HAVE COME TO HELP…”
C. HELP “US” THEY NEED OUR HELP
1. HELP REQUIRES US TO CHANGE
OUR PREFERENCES – TRADITIONS – COMFORT
ILL: MY FOOT IS FUNNY SHAPED. SHOES HURT TILL BROKE IN. RESIST NEW SHOES. SHOE SEPARATED IN, PUDDLE, WATER THRU TOES. BUY NEW SHOES.
ED STEZER SAID “PEOPLE NEVER CHANGE UNTIL THE PAIN OF STAYING THE SAME IS GREATER THAN THE PAIN OF CHANGE.”
“COME OVER AND HELP US”
SINGLE MOM - ABUSED WIFE - HOMELESS CHILD -
HUNGRY SENIOR - PREGNANT TEEN - DRUG ADDICT, DRUNK - OUT OF WORK FATHER – TROUBLED MARRIAGE
LONELY TEENAGER – DEPRESSED MOM -
WE CAN ARGUE, BEMOAN, COMPLAIN AND BICKER
OR WE CAN “GO!”
V10 AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THEM. OFFER THEM PHYSICAL HELP, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND SPIRITUAL FORGIVENESS AND FREEDOM.
THIS MORNING LETS ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION.
THE RIGHT QUESTION IS NOT
“WHAT IS GODS WILL FOR ME OR FOR MY CHURCH?”
THE RIGHT QUESTION FOR EACH OF US TO ASK IS
“WILL I DO GODS WILL?”
IF YOU WON’T DO IT AND WE WON’T DO IT THEN GOD WILL FIND SOMEONE ELSE WHO WILL. HIS WORK WILL BE DONE, THE ONLY QUESTION HE IS WAITING ON IS FOR OUR CHURCH TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
“WILL YOU COME OVER AND HELP US?”
PRAY
INVITATION
WILL YOU COME AND HELP? ARE YOU WILLING TO GO ON GODS MISSION? TELL HIM!
UNDERSTAND THE LORD IS LISTENING. YES NO
GOSPEL
