Becoming a Great Commission Christian!
ME
When Jesus comes into our lives, things sure do change don’t they?
I recall when I was a new believer, I used to work out at the gym all the time, and there was one occasion when a I wanted to use a rowing machine and noticed a towel on the bench. No one was around, so I put the towel on the side and used the machine. A few minutes later, this giant muscle guy that looked like he was fresh out of a muscle magazine walks up to me and just goes into a barrage of UNCHRISTIAN words and calls me all these names.
In my old days, I’d probably deck the guy, but now, I’m a Christian and sometimes, I am realizing, that I probably shouldn’t do what I feel like doing. Well I back down and later ask my dad for some advice.
I sought some fatherly advice from my dad who told me, “I’d pick up the towel, throw it to the right, and when his head turns to look at the towel, I’d knock him in the face.” Here is confession time. As a new believer, I know I am a Christian, but for a long time, I regretted not doing what my dad said. You know how the flesh sometimes seems a lot more enticing than listening to what God wants?
Fast-forward a few years to a gym in Hilo. I recall a guy here in a gym where I worked out, that I asked if I could grab a weight. I tapped him on the shoulder. He turns around begins going off on me again. Calls me some more UNCHRISTIAN names that I won’t mention in church! You know what he does then? HE PUTS HIS TOWEL DOWN ON THE SIDE MACHINE. YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING THROUGH MY MIND.
He puts his finger in my face and begins to threaten me. I WRESTLE WITH WHAT TO DO BECAUSE MY FLESH SCREAMS, “I CAN NAIL THIS GUY”. I THINK, “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? WELL, JESUS SURELY WASN’T A WIMP.”
It’s like the Lord said, “Blessed are you when your are persecuted for MY name sake. Ty go and apologize.” “I don’t want to Lord. It’s not for Your name, it’s for mine. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
By some miracle, my feet began to move. One foot, then the next. The next. I went up to him. Got in his face and said, “What’s your name?”. He paused, looked like he was ready for a fight, and told me his name. I told him, “My name is Ty. I just wanted to tell you that if I offended you, I rrr… I rrrr. I apologize. If I offended you, I am sorry. I apologize.” It was like a big burden was lifted off my shoulders and his too. You know what’s nice after you apologize, sometimes it causes others to apologize too. Since that time, he and I got to develop a relationship where I got to share Jesus with him.
WE
How many of you know that sometimes, God calls us to do what we would rather NOT do? Often times He asks us to do things that make us uncomfortable. I’d like you to watch this video about a successful student ministry I heard of awhile back.
VIDEO EVANGELISM LINEBACKER
This morning we are going to talk about something that God calls us to do, that can often make us uncomfortable. The bible calls it, the Great Commission. It is one of the last things and most important things that Jesus said while He was here.
“18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NASV
In MATTHEW 28:19, Jesus tells us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples …”
I’d like you to underline the word “Go.” Now circle the word, “Go.” Underline the word, “Go” again. Circle it again.
Here is the uncomfortable part. We’d like the verse to say, “wait until other people ask”, or “wait until other people come to us”, then make disciples. But Jesus says, “Go.” As locals often say, “Try, come.” “Try, get that for me.” “Try, go.” Jesus never said , “Try, go.” He says “Go…”. To GO and make disciples is not an option for Christians, it is a command.
Let’s read on. He says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples …”. We’d like it if Jesus said to go and be happy. But He didn’t. He didn’t say go and make money. He didn’t say go and buy a big house. He didn’t even say go to church and then go home. He said go and make disciples. The word disciples means, “one who embraces and assists in the spreading of a teaching.”
How many of you would say that we embrace the teaching of Jesus? Raise your hands. If we do, we are commanded (keep in mind, this is not a suggestion from Jesus, but a command) and expected to assist in the spreading of His teaching.
In order to make a DIFFERENCE, I need to take a RISK.
We cannot afford to sit idly by and watch as people perish around us. A famous evangelist said that the New Testament tells of forty people, each suffering from the same disease, were healed by Jesus. Of this number, thirty-four were either brought to Jesus by friends, or He was taken to them. In only six cases out of forty did the sufferers find the way to Jesus without assistance of someone else.
Did you know that of the great amount of people who find their way to Jesus today, most of them reach Him because the friends of Jesus are concerned about the welfare of their souls... because someone was willing to take a risk for Jesus!
Someone once said it this way. "If this generation is lost, it is not because Satan is more powerful or has something better to offer. It will be because the church didn’t show up for the battle."
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If you are like me, you are sitting here saying, “Oh no Ty, You are going to talk about inviting people to church. You don’t understand. I am not an evangelist. I don’t know enough to share my faith. I don’t have the most intriguing testimony of coming to faith. Actually I still struggle with my own faith, daily. I don’t want to offend my friends or family. I don’t want people to think I am weird or some fanatic.”
If that is how you are feeling, I totally agree with you. I’m not a natural evangelist either. It doesn’t come naturally or comfortably for me to share my faith with others either. I love my family and my friends and the last thing I want to do is be offensive toward them. Let me encourage you though. When we come to God, there are times that we just have to do things that are uncomfortable.
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INVITE UP JOSIAH
Please understand that when I a speaking of sharing your faith, I’m not telling you that you have to be weird or obnoxious. What I will say is that introductions are a natural part of a healthy relationship. Let me give you an example.
This is my son Josiah. He wanted me to use him in the message today and I thought it would be entirely appropriate. Last time I spoke at New Hope Waikiki I used my daughter Gracie as an assistant, today Josiah gets the role. He wanted me to tell you that he is 6 years old as of 2/19, he can do cartwheels, and that he has a clean room.
Did you know that is evangelism? I introduced you to someone who means a lot to me. That’s all it means, but we have to remember that in order to make a DIFFERENCE, I need to take a RISK.
I wonder if God feels that way with us sometimes. “Why didn’t you introduce me? I am standing here all this time, and You don’t even acknowledge me. You don’t even acknowledge that I am here”
Is introducing my kids to someone weird? Of course not! Why? If they mean a lot to me, I’ll introduce people to them because they are a part of me. I don’t think about whether speaking to someone about my kids would offend someone or not. It is just a natural overflow from my life. My kids is a part of who I am. Here is the question to ask yourself. Is God a part of who you are, or is He simply someone you go to in order to get what you want? THANKS JOSIAH.
Let me explain…
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When I come home from work and see my family for the first time during after a long day of work, my kids come running to give me a big hug and welcome me home. I love those times.
Not long ago, I remember coming home from work one day and Josiah came running up to me to give me a big hug as he yelled, “DADDY!” Of course I did what every daddy would do. I got on one knee and welcomed that big hug. Pride began to well up in my chest. I thought to myself. “I am the best dad. My kid loves me sooo much. He can’t stand to be far from me.”
Then came the reason for the embrace. “Daddy, can I play with your Nintendo DS?” He wasn’t coming to embrace me because he wanted to be close to me at all!!! He came to give me a hug because he wanted something from me! Stinking kid!
As I sat thought about this for a second it was like God spoke to my heart and said, “You’ve come to me like that many times before!”
Ouch! Unfortunately that is very true. I remember so many times that I prayed like crazy, raising my hands in worship, and made promises to Him. Truth be told, I was not there because I was in awe of Him or because I wanted to be near to Him, but rather because I wanted something from Him and assumed that if I did the right things, said the right prayers, and made the right promises, He would give in and fulfill my selfish desires.
God knows my heart, my mind, and my motives. Because He does, He will not be tricked by empty, ME-centered worship.
I must be careful to pursue a healthy relationship with my Savior more than I pursue what He can give me. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting the blessings of God, the hand of God in my life, and the miracles of God, but seem to forget that the true treasure I ought to seek more than a change in my circumstance and is, is His presence. It is easy to come to church and be a believer. It is harder to be the church and live as a disciple.
After all, Jesus never gave His life on the cross so I would have a better day. He came to lay down His life to forgive my sin, so that I can enter a relationship with Him. He never came just to give me more stuff and more money. He came to draw me closer to Himself in a loving relationship and then have me share that with others.
It starts with me!
"For the time has come for the judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17-18
It is easy to be a Pharisee and simply instruct others on following the gospel. It is easy to complain about a lack of prayer and 10 commandments in schools, abortion in society, domestic partnerships, and increasing drug use. Peter understood that. Before Jesus crucifixion, Peter was quick to agree that others may fall away from Jesus, but stated that he would never fall away. Yet he did. He was quick to step out of the boat in faith, and just as quick to sink in the waters below. He knew how easy it was to judge others, but Peter had grown. An older, more humble and mature Peter reminds me In 1 Peter 4, where God's judgment ought to begin. It's not in Hollywood, in the government, in the schools, or on television channels. Instead, Peter says, "The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.."
Peter reminds me that before the church can change the world, Christ needs to change the church. Before Christ can change the church, Jesus needs to change me.
It has been said that a revival does not happen when the people out there (in the world) begin to act like us in here (in the church), but when we in here (in the church), begin to live like Jesus, out there (in the world). In other words, if a great flame for God will sweep this land, it does not start as a great fire, but as a small spark. It begins with you and me getting up and taking the risk!
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In baseball, one of the best plays is the home run. A spectacular hit that enables you to run to each base, then make it home to score. 1 Run! If you have come into a relationship with Jesus, that is a homerun!
The greatest play in baseball, however, is not the home run, but the grand slam. This hit not only scores a run for the hitter, but also brings home the other players on base.
Jesus sought believers who would not only hit homeruns for God and make it to heaven one day, but He sought grand-slam Christians who would bring as many home as we could.
Disciples in the early church were not content with their own salvation. Knowing that they would make it home, their hearts beat in order that others would know the Jesus they knew.
Here is something important to know about hitting homeruns and grandslams for God. In order to score for the Kingdom, you need to swing. The best plays are not characterized by being the easiest. They are characterized by the challenge and risk. You cannot hit a home run or a grand slam without swinging!
When you swing, there will be times you strike out! There will be times you hit foul balls, there will be times you will miss. Still you must swing!
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FLOWER VASE AND WATER BUCKET
I have before you two very different items that I want you to remember.
First item: a nice clean flower vase. What is it used for? It is polished. It is nice to look at. It stays in your home in the corner and is used for decoration. It looks good, but it doesn’t do much. All your efforts for this vase go into making sure it looks presentable.
Some of us have a faith like the vase. It’s primary goal? Look good. That is the goal of the faith of a lot of people. Look good. My faith makes me look religious. Not much application. I don’t want to be a “fanatic”. I don’t want my faith to effect my friendships or how I do my job or how I deal with people. Just put it in the corner of my life and let it sit and look pretty.
Second. An old worn out dirty bucket. What is this used for? Whatever you want to use it for. You want to wash your car? Take out the bucket. You need to wash your dogs? Take out the trusty old bucket? You need water to put in your vase? Take out the trusty old bucket.
What is the goal of the bucket? Simply this, be used by its master. If there is a job to be done, use the bucket. No job too dirty or beneath it. If there is something that it is needed for, use the trusty old bucket.
Which type of faith do you think Matthew 28 is calling us to have? Faith like the flower vase to have the appearance of success and to look nice, or to have a faith like the bucket, simply to be faithful to do whatever the Master wants of it?
By the way, which is the goal of your faith? Is the goal of your faith to look good to other people or to be used by your Master in any way He pleases? Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 to have the kind of faith like that old bucket. “GO”
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One of the most impact-full movies I have seen is called, Schindler’s list. How many of you have seen it?
It tells a story of Oscar Schindler, a Nazi who sees the cruelty of his Nazi counterparts and makes the effort to save some of the Jews during the war. He uses the resources he has to buy some 1,100 Jews from the Nazis, to put them to work for him and to save them from being brutally slaughtered by cruel soldiers, killed in anger by the Nazi’s, or executed in gas chambers.
At the ending of the movie, you see Oscar Schindler, after the war, surrounded by the 1100 Jews that he saved. They thank him, and give him gratitude the best way they know how.
As Schindler’s eyes scan the multitude of people, he leans forward to his assistant, and says, almost in a whisper, “I could have done more. I could have got more out. I threw away my money. You have no idea. I didn’t do enough.”
He points to his car. “This car. Why did I keep it? 10 people, right there. 10 people.”
Then he grips a gold pin he has. “This pin. 2 people. It is gold. 2 more people. They would have given me at least one more person.”
He continues. “One more person. I could have saved one more person, but I didn’t. I didn’t.”
Folks people need Jesus. He is the choice between life and death. Is that worth the risk? Folks, our hearts must be to save one more. One more person. One more for Jesus. One more for the Kingdom. One more for Him.
Imagine with me for a moment how the church as a whole would be different if we actually believed and lived out Matthew 28:19-20? Let’s make it a bit more personal, imagine how this church would be different if we all believed and lived out Matthew 28:19-20. Could I take this one step closer? Could I make it a little more personal? How would your life as a follower of Jesus be different if you really believed and lived out Matthew 28:19-20?
What if we, like Oscar Shindler actually caught the importance of a soul to God?
All of those who did great things for God, did so only because they took a risk for Him. They didn’t wait for someone else to do it, or for someone else to step up to take the responsibility. They said, “It may be risky Lord, but I’m in for You.” Will you volunteer to have a faith that looks more like that old reliable bucket than the fancy vase? What risk are you taking for Him today? Let’s pray…
