Introduction:
Today is a day of new beginnings for First Baptist Church, and for Lenea and I. For the past 10 years we were given the privilege to serve Michigan Heights Baptist Church in Stockton and now God has brought us here to serve Him through serving you. Last Sunday as I said “farewll” to my church family, and my friends. I shared with them from Paul’s “farewell” message to Ephesus in Acts 20 and today I would like for us to “turn the page” so-to-speak, to Acts 21 and I’d like to share with you Paul’s “greeting” to the church in Jerusalem.
Last week it was “farewell” to Michigan Heights, and today it is “greetings” First Baptist.
Text: Acts 21:17-20
17When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 18The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19After greeting them, he related one by one what God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
The Apostle Paul was heading for Jerusalem, and all along the way he was warned about the challenges ahead. He was even warned not to go. I remember 10 years ago as we were preparing to move to Stockton how people “warned” us about how bad a place it was, how terrible the gangs were, how we would be better off going just about anywhere other than Stockton. Well…that was 10 years ago and God blessed us with not only safety but an awareness of His divine purpose in leading us there.
We have faced some similar “warning” over the past couple of months, and we are approaching this new leg of our journey with the same steadfastness and reliance on the Lord as we did 10 years ago. As we begin this new journey I want to focus on 3 words today:
1) Receive
2) Report
3) Rejoice
And in through these 3 words I want to help us establish a new mindset for the days ahead for us all.
I. RECEIVE
17When we reached Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. 18The following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
1. You’ve received me as your new Pastor.
God has called me to lead you to fulfilling His plan for First Baptist Church. Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians reminds us of God’s call for His leaders:
Ephesians 4:11-13
11And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
2. I’ve received you as a new congregation.
You are a group of people that God has entrusted me to guide and to help grow into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. How I am supposed to accomplish that task?
2 Timothy 4:1-2
1Before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom, I solemnly charge you: 2proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.
Everything we do together in the years ahead is going to be centered in the Word of God.
II. REPORT
19After greeting them, he related one by one what God did among the Gentiles through his ministry.
When Paul arrived he reported on WHAT GOD DID! And I want to do the same with you today. There are three simple statements that I want to report to you today:
1. God still REIGNS
2. God still REACHES
3. God is still RELEVANT
Lenea and I have seen God do marvelous things over the 20+ years we have been in ministry. The last 10 years He has time and time again proved Himself faithful. Why? Because He is still the King of kings and Lord of lords. Because He is still changing lives. Because, regardless of what the world might want us to believe, people are still searching for answers, and Jesus is THE answer!
What God has done, He will continue to do in our lives and in the life of His Church. The question is, “Are we willing to be a part of what He wants to do through us?”
III. REJOICE
20When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.
I know that there is some “joy” here at First Baptist Church because you have a new Pastor. I appreciate that sentiment, and share in the joy of being able to join you in serving our Savior here in Crescent City. But as we rejoice we need to ask ourselves, “Who gets the glory for what God does? Is it Him or us?”
We know the answer is Him, but knowing the answer and living it out are not the same thing. We need to commitment to the Lord, and to one another that He will be number one in our lives and in His Church. Here are two thoughts I want to leave you with as I conclude my first sermon as your Pastor:
1. Jesus should be in the center or our worship and our work.
Nothing, and no one should be more important than Him and what He has called us as His Church to do.
2. There will always be challenges when you are doing God’s work.
It isn’t going to be easy. In fact, if we are truly committed to Christ our enemy is going to attack us to try and discourage us from fulfilling our purpose.
Today is a new beginning, and a new opportunity for us to renew our commitment to make a difference for Christ in our community.
