Get In On What God’s Up To!
Missions
Chuck Sligh
March 15, 2015
TEXT: Acts 16:9-10 – “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”
INTRODUCTION
This week, we launch out into another missions conference. [PROMOTE CONFERENCE + SHOW FAITH PROMISE CARD & OFFERING ENVELOPE SLIDES & EXPLAIN.]
As we do, I want God to have His way in your heart and life. In our passage here, we see that Paul and Silas, and apparently Timothy and Luke who were with them at this time, were extremely sensitive to the Holy Spirit. God was at work, and God gave Paul a vision—a vision that calls them to get in on the next big thing God is going to do—to take the Gospel to Europe.
As we look at this passage, I want you to see four things God wants you to get in on what God’s up to in the world:
I. FIRST OF ALL, CATCH GOD’S VISION – Acts 16:9a – “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night…”
Paul had a literal vision, but I’m speaking of a different kind of vision this morning. Today I think we need a vision in two senses of the word:
• First, we need a vision in the sense of having a mission.
We need a vision. – Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish….”
God’s people move when they get a vision of what God’s plan is on earth. Did you know that Jesus has given the church a vision in this sense? It’s called the “Great Commission.”
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
We need a vision to go forth and accomplish the mission of the church—to win the lost to Jesus both near and far; to baptize them in the name of the Trinity; to disciple them in the teachings of God’s Word.
• Second, we need a vision in the sense of seeing things the way God does.
> We need a vision of eternity—a realization that everyone will spend it in heaven or hell.
When you get a vision of these contrasting destinies, you realize that really, everything else pales by comparison, doesn’t it?
> We need a vision of the holiness and perfect righteousness of God.
If we realize that God’s holiness is perfect and infinite and all encompassing, you begin to understand mankind’s precarious condition. It’s because of the holiness of God that God judges sin and why we cannot stand before God in our own goodness. Because our own goodness still falls short of God’s infinite perfection.
> But we also need a vision of the goodness and mercy of God.
God IS infinitely holy, but 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is also love. And it is God’s goodness, love and mercy that caused Him to reach down to sinners like us to provide a way to know Him and be His child.
John said, “8b God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:8-10)
Can you get a vision of this marvelous truth? God in His great love provided a way for the lost to be saved; to have their sins forgiven; to be accepted by God; to have a home in heaven.
> And we need a vision of multitudes in heaven someday, saved by the Blood of the Lamb.
Can you envision it?—Multitudes of people around the throne…there because God’s grace provided an answer to the sinfulness of man. But how will all these multitudes make it into heaven? Each will be there because someone told them the wonderful story of Jesus and the cross and the way of forgiveness through faith in the risen Savior.
May God help us to get a vision of these eternal verities!
II. A SECOND THING GOD WANTS YOU TO DO TODAY IS TO FOCUS ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO HIM – Acts 16:9b – “…There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”
It was the voice of a man; a human; a person in this passage. God wants the focus of our lives to be on PEOPLE.
• Not on THINGS.
Why invest your life in things that will burn up one day?
Illus. – I’ve told you many times of when a missionary friend of mine came by and had to wait in my office for a few minutes. A preacher is proud of his library. I had about as good a library as any preacher, I suppose, and I was imminently proud of it. Well, this preacher, James Rodehorst, was perusing my library when I came in and I said, “Well, Brother, what do you think?” He said “Not bad. Too bad it’s all going to burn up some day.”
Brethren, the same can be said of your car, your furniture, your stereo, your computer, your house, and all the money you’ve got in the bank. They will all burn up some day. As someone has pointed out, “You never see hearse pulling a U-Haul.”
Jesus said, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15)
That’s why Susan and I want to give up some of our money after our regular tithes and offerings for the cause of missions. I don’t want to be covetous: I want to focus on what Jesus died for—PEOPLE!
Our focus in life shouldn’t be on fun and entertainment either. I’m not saying that there is not a legitimate place for relaxation in fun and entertainment for rest and relaxation. But I can never get my favorite motto out of my mind: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Is all your free time and money focused on things that have value only in this life, or are you also investing in what Jesus gave His very life in—PEOPLE?
Instead of these temporal things, our emphasis should be ON PEOPLE. Why?
• Well, first because people are what Jesus died for. – 1 Timothy 1:15 – “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
Jesus didn’t die for an organization or for a cause or for buildings. He died for PEOPLE—so people could be saved from sin and hell; so people could have life and purpose at its best; so people could find fellowship and community with God and one another.
• Second our life’s purpose should focus on people because we can take people to heaven when we go. – Matthew 6:19-21 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
The only way I know to lay up treasures in heaven is to invest some of my time and treasure in the winning of the lost to Christ…
> Serving in my local church to reach the lost here and teaching them Christ’s commandments in accordance with the Great Commission.
> But also giving to provide the means to send others as missionaries around the world to reach the lost and disciple them there.
I want to have a part in that; and in our faith promise commitment, Susan and I have personally increased our faith promise every single year since we started in the 1980s except one.
• Lastly, we should focus on people because people can give love in return.
John says in 1 John 4:19 that “We love him, because he first loved us.”
Our ultimate purpose in life is to love God and know God. But that’s not natural; our sin nature perverts our desires and causes us to seek after substitutes that never truly satisfy. But when we experience God’s love by believing in Christ, we love God in return because He first loved us, and in loving Him, we learn to love others. I want to have a part in this awesome circle of love by sharing God’s love with others here, and giving to missions to share God’s love around the world.
III. THIRDLY, GOD WANTS YOU TO FEEL THE URGENCY OF THE TASK HE HAS GIVEN US – Acts 16:10 – “And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia,…”
When the Holy Spirit identified to them where the harvest was to be, they IMMEDIATELY endeavored to go there. Jesus talked of those without Christ as a great harvest of souls to be brought in by His laborers—you and me, and those who deputize to go for us to other places.
In Matthew 9:37 He talked about its vast size when he said “…The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”
The harvest is plenteous, which means there are many, many people in this harvest. Brethren, there is never a shortage of lost souls who need to hear that Jesus died to save them from their sins and give them eternal life. In fact, the harvest grows with every passing year.So if there ever was a time to stop playing games; if there ever was a time to make genuine sacrifices to our lifestyles to send more missionaries—it’s now!
Jesus emphasized the urgency of bringing in this harvest when he said in John 4:35 – “¿Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
A farmer knows that when wheat has turned white it’s not just ripe, but overripe and he only has a short time to bring in the harvest, or it will be too late. In other words, folks, the harvest of souls is PAST READY; the harvest is OVERRIPE.
What Jesus is saying is that time is of the essence! People are dying daily and going into eternity without Christ!
This has serious implications…
> This means that we must be serious about the work of evangelism and missions!
> This means that we must be about the Master’s business!
> This means that the King’s business requires haste!
> This means that if you are ever going to do anything for missions, you need to start THIS WEEK, not next year, or sometime in the future when your financial situation is better.
> This means if you’re ever going to learn how to share your faith with other, you need to study and learn how to do it today!
> This means that if you’re ever going to write that loved one and tell her about Jesus; or call that friend, and invite him to church; or invite your neighbor over to share the plan of salvation with her—you need to do it NOW.
> This means if you’re ever going to say to the Lord, “Here am I Lord, send me—even to the far-flung reaches of the world if that be your will.”—then it had better be now!
> This means if you are ever going to get serious about God, and faithfulness to God’s house, and commitment, and surrender—NOW is the time to get going for God—because the harvest is white already to harvest, and soon it will be too late.
IV. LASTLY, IN THIS PASSAGE, GOD WANTS YOU TO SEE YOUR PART IN THE HARVEST-GATHERING OF SOULS – Acts 16:10 – “…immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, [now watch this:] assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”
Folks, we can say exactly the same thing. We can assuredly gather from all we read in the Word of God that the Lord of the harvest has called every single one of us as well to bring in the harvest of souls for eternity.
Everyone here is either is a missionary or a mission field.
• If you’re saved—that is, if you’ve turned from sin and trusted Christ to be your Savior and sin-bearer in your place—you are a MISSIONARY.
Five times in His remaining days on earth, Jesus gave some form of the Great Commission. Whenever God speaks once, we should listen. But if He repeats the same command four more times, we’d better sit up and pay attention.
God is trying to get our attention! He’s saying that every Christian is called to be a missionary.
A missionary is “one called to share the Good News with others.” Some are called to share the Good News AT HOME. Some are called to share the Good News ABROAD.
A few minutes ago I said, “There is never a shortage of lost souls.” But Jesus’s statements about the harvest, did you notice that Jesus said that there IS a shortage of LABORERS.
Jesus said in Luke 10:2 – “…The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Oh, that we would have the laborers for the field of God’s harvest! Christian, listen—God has called you to the mission field. Some are called to go out and labor here; others are called to go afar; but we are all called to go and bring in God’s harvest.
Which field has God called you to? Have you surrendered to God’s will in the field that God has called you to?
• If you have not been saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross for your sins, then friend, you are A MISSION FIELD.
You need to know that because of sin and disobedience to God’s laws, you are separated from God and cannot have a relationship with Him. But God’s loves you so deeply that no matter what sins you have done or what commandments you have transgressed, He has provided a way for you to have your sins forgiven and to know God and to experience His love and forgiveness. The way He did that was to send Jesus Christ, His Son, to live a sinless life on earth and then to lay down that life and pay the penalty of your sins in your place. And if you will turn to Jesus today and trust in Him and ask Him to save you, He will save you and give you eternal life.
I hope that this day will not end without your doing this today.
CONCLUSION
Believer, what will you do with this sermon today? Will it go through one ear and out the other—or will you let it penetrate your heart? Will it result in action?
What can you do about what we’ve learned this morning?
• First, make a commitment today to be at every service of our missions conference this week.
Yes, it will involve sacrifice of time; it will mean less rest; it will mean you may have to rush through supper, or even wait until after the service to eat. But we’re talking about souls and we’re talking about God’s plan and we’re talking about eternity and we’re talking about a harvest that is overripe. I challenge you to make God’s priorities this week YOUR priorities.
• Second, resolve to tell your friends and co-workers and loved ones about the message that Jesus died for them and wants to save them, and then ask God for ways to share the Gospel with them.
• Third, participate in our Faith Promise commitment by praying for God to lay upon your and your spouse’s hearts an amount that involves some degree of sacrifice to promise to give each month, or however God lays it on your heart to give. – Say, “I want to have a part in God’s vast harvest field in-gathering by supporting missionaries around the world through Grace Bapist Church.”
Illus. – Fritz Kreisler, a world-famous violinist of the early 20th century, earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions, but he generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he couldn’t afford it. Later, having raised enough money for the asking price, he returned to the seller, only to discover to his great dismay it had been sold to a collector. Kreisler made his way to the new owner’s home and offered to buy the violin. The collector said it had become his prized possession and he would not sell it. Keenly disappointed, Kreisler was about to leave when he had an idea.
“Could I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?” he asked.
Permission was granted, and the great virtuoso filled the room with such heart-moving music that the collector’s emotions were deeply stirred.
“I have no right to keep that to myself,” he exclaimed. “It’s yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into the world, and let people hear it.”
