I recieded this idea from my mentor Jerrie Barber.
I Want the Church to Grow - But Do I Want Any More People? #3
Acts 15:1-5
A Christian man owned a barber shop, and one night during a Gospel Meeting he felt greatly burdened to do more for the cause of Christ. So he went out and got a copy of “Go Ye Means Go Me!” and started attending a "soul winners class" at his church. He attended the class faithfully; rehearsed all the material, took extensive notes, and memorized the assigned Bible verses. At the end of the class he received a certificate acknowledging his completion of the course.
The next morning, in the barber shop, he hung the certificate and bowed his head. "Dear Lord," he prayed, "help me to talk about you with the first man to come through that door this morning." At that moment in walked the biggest, meanest, foulest man the barber had ever seen. It seems this man had recently lost a bet and now he had to get his head shaved. Needless to say, the barber did not feel very comfortable quoting the "Roman Road" to a man with a tattoo of a dragon on his neck.
The day just got worse from there and finally at 5:00 p.m., the barber was sobbing with shame. He had not spoken about Christ to a single person. He bowed his head again. This time he prayed, "Lord, if you will allow one more opportunity, I promise I will do my part." At that, the door opened and in walked a pleasant looking gentleman. The man smiled at the barber, apologized for coming in so late and took a seat in the chair.
As the barber draped the man in his protective sheet, he began to try to remember what he was supposed to say. He began to get very befuddled. As the barber put shaving cream on the man’s face, he tried to remember all of the answers he had learned to the possible objections, and what to say when. Soon the barber realized that he simply could not remember a thing he had learned and he broke out in a cold sweat but not wanting to fail he figured that he had to take a shot. Finally, in desperation, he shook the razor at the man and screamed, "ARE YOU PREPARED TO DIE??!!!"
Over the last few weeks we have been looking at the Biblical problem of Growth. We know that the church needs to grow because it is in God’s plan for His church to do so and we have also looked at the fact the Jesus said that it would. But as we look through the scriptures we have run into a real problem.
You see sometimes I am not very evangelistic because there are some people out there that I am afraid of, just like the Barber was afraid of the big man with the tattoo on his neck. And then there are times that I am not sure that I want people here who are of a different race. I am comfortable with people who are just like me.
But as we have seen over the past two weeks when we try to decide who gets in and who doesn’t we get in a real fix. You see the same Jesus who was crucified for my sins was the same Jesus who COMMANDED SOWING WHCH PRODUCES GROWTH.
In Matthew 13:1-9 we read the parable of the sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."
He then goes on to explain the Parable starting in verse 18.
"Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
I believe that the Parables that Christ told have so many different facets that we could spend a good month studying each one, but I only want you to get a mustard seed from this parable tonight. What was the job of the Sower?
Was it to look at the ground and decide if it is worth wasting the seed? No if that was the case then he would have never sowed on the path.
Was it his job to prepare the ground before sowing the seed? If that was the case then all of the rocks would have been removed before he sowed the seeds.
Was it his job to wait and see if the ground could produce a good crop? No if that was the case he would have known that the weeds were there.
I believe that Jesus is using this parable tonight to tell us that we must sow. If the hearts or hard, it is our job to sow. If they don’t have the initiative to stick with the change that will come in their lives it is our job to sow. If they cannot turn loose of the things of this world it is our job to sow.
Remember what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
Paul sowed, that was his job. He allowed God to worry about the increase. And I believe that why he was the most successful evangelist that the world has ever known.
You see it is our job to sow the word but if I do that then it might cause problems because I MAY NOT WANT PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS OF GROWTH THAT I HAVE.
I love the story found ion Acts 15. It seems that there were some in the early church who wanted to require Gentiles to become Jews before they could become Christians. It seems that they had already forgotten all about the freedom that Christ’s death had offered them.
The little problem that we encounter in our passage is that they wanted to circumcise the Gentile converts and command them to keep the Law of Moses, along with the laws of Christ.
And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses" (Acts 15: 1,2,5).
Now The Bible clearly states that there were advantages in being Jewish.
Romans 3:1,2 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.
Eugene Patterson in his commentary the Message says it this way So what difference does it make who’s a Jew and who isn’t, who has been trained in God’s ways and who hasn’t? As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference--but not the difference so many have assumed. First, there’s the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God’s revelation, these Holy Scriptures..
There were huge benefits in being Jewish and the first one was that they had always been God’s people. One of the problems that I have encountered in working with people in the inner city is how hard it is for them to give up what they knew as truth, for the truth that God offers.
In the inner City truth is don’t trust anyone, and hurt them before they can hurt you. But God’s truth is different.
Matthew 22: 36-40 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
If you were brought up doing one thing sometimes it is hard to change in mid stream. It was true for the Gentiles who were struggling with changing their whole lives and going from many gods to the one true God. And it was true for the Jews who had lived a life of laws, and circumcision. That is why Paul had to address this with the Jews living in Rome. You see the very people that he had just told there was value to being Jewish is the very same people that he writes these words found in Romans 3:21-26
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
That was the conclusion of the Jerusalem meeting that we read about in Acts 15. They decided, rightfully so, that God wanted everyone saved. God did not want everyone to become Jewish; He wanted them to become Christians.
I believe that we want the same thing today but honestly sometimes we struggle with those who were raised in a different church setting than we were. Growing up in a military home I have had the opportunity to live and worship in San Francisco, New Orleans, Dallas, and Nashville. You can be sure that I have had a different church experience that those who had the opportunity to grow up and worship in one area their whole life.
There are things that are a matter of fellowship with some that to others are a non issue. Let me give you an example:
One Monday afternoon two men were sitting on a train riding from Chicago to Boston. Mr. Jones had been convicted through a sermon the day before to be more evangelistic so he thought now was the time to begin. He introduced himself to Mr. Brown and told him he was a Christian. Mr. Brown replied, “I also am a Christian.” Mr. Jones looked at Mr. Brown, smiled, and the following conversation ensued.
“Where do you go to Church?”
“Church of Christ.”
“Wonderful Me too! Do you believe in one cup?”
“No, we use many small ones.”
“Us too! Do you have a Sunday school?”
“One of the best in town.”
“Orphanages?”
“Monthly support.”
“Instruments?”
“Definitely not!”
“What’s your pulpit made of: Plexi-glass or Wood?”
“Plexi-Glass”
“Heretic!” and Mr. Jones stormed off.
Now we might not fight over pulpits but what are the tests of Faith we use to see if someone can be added to the family?
I remember while at Faulkner I was told that I was not a real Christian because I played cards, and Dominos. Now I want you to try to understand my confusion, growing up in a military family, and going to church with other military families, I had been to church card parties. I had even seen the preacher cheat at cards. It wasn’t until I was 18 years old that I ever knew that playing spades was punishable by eternal damnation.
I believe that the brother that confronted me that night was as honest and sincere as he could be. I believe that he wanted to do right and wanted me to do right, but he and I had a different process of growth, growing up. I was the Gentile and he was the Jew.
It’s not just cards and dominos either. Some people seem to have a little check list to see if someone is worthy to be saved.
1. Were you raised in a Christian family?
2. Were you taught with OBS or Jule Miller filmstrips?
3. What books have you read? Purpose Drive Life or Behold; the Pattern.
4. Did you go to Faulkner, or Lipscomb, or Pepperdine?
You see sometimes we need to be reminded that there is no one in this room, city, or state that is worthy of being saved. Paul says that it is a free gift, regardless of how you got here.
So I know that you want to the church to grow, but do you want any more people? What about people who have not been through the same process of growth that you have?
Remember what God wants
All who are burdened with sin.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" Matthew 11 :28-30.
And all who want to be saved.
And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely Revelation 22:17
God wants every one regardless of their past growth process. You see it is our job to sow only God can provide the increase.
Tonight you can get your life right. You can become the person that God wants you to become. You can become a new creature by clothing yourself in Christ through the watery grave of Baptism. Or if there is the need you can come back home where you belong. Tonight how can we assist you as we stand together and sing.
