Acts 20
23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
You know after all my studying, and reading, and learning, do you know what I know?... NOTHING
After all that I have accomplished, awards, trophies, abilities, do you know who I am?...
NOBODY
When I look back on my life, do you know how many good works I’ve done?...
NONE
Paul said he knew that prisons and hardship were facing him wherever he went. Yet for him he didn’t care as long as he was doing what God had called him to. To testifying of God’s grace. What a wonderful place in your life to reach.
After seeing the movie, “The Passion of Christ”, I was humbled to the very core. I’ve know all my life what He did for me. I have lived through enough Good Friday’s and Easters trying to comprehend the meaning. I’ve heard the goriest sermons man could muster up trying to tell the story. I’ve tried myself to paint the picture in sermons of what He went through. But nothing could come close to the visual images that I hope stay forever lodged in my memory. Never do I ever again want to take for granted the gift of grace. We say it is a free gift from God. No way was it free people. It was costly.
I can’t relate so much to Paul. I don’t think I have prisons and physical persecution awaiting me. My life is pretty good. When I survey my life and see the blessings in it, I am truly amazed at what God has given me. A beautiful, loving, kindhearted wife. Who is a wonderful mother to the best little boy in the entire world. I have so much that it is hard to come up with a Christmas wish list of things I need and want. I have a job that I love, surrounded by people that I love and for whatever reason seem to love me too. I have been given the ability to do some things well, have a love for sports, and the outdoors which I get to enjoy regularly. I was brought up, shown love, and made to feel like I was worth something. I have a wonderful family and even wonderful in-laws. On and on and on and on and on and on and on I could go.
I can’t relate to Paul with his suffering. But listen to this. With how good my life is, I still would consider it worth nothing if I were not able to share God’s love and testify to the gospel and the grace He has entrusted me with. You see no matter where life has brought you to at this point, or wherever it is heading. There is nothing that compares to the love that God has for you.
So I like Paul am compelled to do that which God has called me to. That means something very specific for me.
That means something for you as well.
WELL WHAT?? What does it mean for you? Let me give some things this morning that the Bible tells us we can do. Gifts God gives, callings for your life.
1. We can speak in the tongues or languages of men and of angels.
I’m not sure what all of that entails but...
There is a huge need for those to take the gospel into a part of the world where they don’t have it as readily as us. I plan on learning how to speak Spanish. And will let God use that for whatever He wants. If I don’t learn it He can’t barring a miracle, use me to directly share the Gospel, given a chance to someone who only speaks Spanish. If I do learn it, God at least has that option to use me in whatever way He sees fit..
I heard the testimony of a woman who traveled to a tribe in Africa of whom no outsider had ever traveled to before. She didn’t know the language. No one outside their village knew the language. There were no books to help her learn what words meant. So, she went there not even knowing what will happen to her when she arrived. As she rowed up in her canoe, the natives were taken way back. They had never seen a white woman before, didn’t even know they existed. To make a long story short, she somehow lived among them and eventually learned what some words were. Eventually she could struggle along enough to communicate with them, in their language. By the time she left, she put in their hands the gospel written in their own tongue.
What a wonderful gift she brought to those people. We could do something like that. That would be a wonderful act for someone here to do.
O.K. That you may say might not be something you would look into.
How about the second thing you can do...
2. You can prophesy. In 1Cor. 14:1 it says eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophesy. What is prophesy? It is a communication of the mind of God imparted to a believer by the Holy Spirit. It may be a prediction or an indication of the will of God in a given situation.
What a joy it would be to serve God in this manner for you. To directly communicate His mind or will or things to come. And by doing so others will be edified by it.
We read about many in the Bible who were given this gift. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and many more who told all who would listen about things to come, and about the will and mind of God for their time.
How would you like to be one who is able to predict, and to distinguish between spirits, and be able to communicate the mind of God with others. This is something the Bible tells us some are able to have by the gift of the holy spirit. Wouldn’t you like to seek this gift?
O.K. Still pretty lofty you say. How about this...
3. You can have a faith that can move mountains.
Matthew 17:20 tells us that if we had a faith even as small as a mustard seed, we could say to a mountain, move and it would move. That nothing would be impossible for you. Pat, Bruce, Terri, Don, Janettia why couldn’t you have this kind of faith before we went to Mexico? It sure would have saved us a lot of time driving around and through them. It would have been nice to say to the mountains that were in our way to move over a little so we can get through. Before we go back, I want someone to accomplish this for us. What a wonderful gift you could bring to the team.
Look at Moses, he had the faith that could part the Red Sea. Who says you couldn’t have this same kind of faith? Daniel had a faith that saved him from deadly, hungry lions. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendigo had a faith that saved them from a fiery furnace. David had a faith that allowed him to beat Goliath.
(Possibly insert a personal experience or one of someone you know)
The disciples had faith enough to heal the sick and diseased. Was it a faith in themselves? No. Was it them who did the miracles? No It was their belief that GOD CAN!! SO GOD DID!!
Maybe you can be the one who develops this kind of faith. Why not you?
Wow pastor you are asking some pretty demanding things today. What got into you? Just sharing what the Bible tells us we can do for Him. But hang on I have a few more options...
4. Give all you possess to the poor. Do you think if you did that, that God would leave you hungry, thirsty, and without clothes to wear?
Again in the gospel of Matthew chapter 19 verse 21 Jesus says “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.”
Here we go this is something we can do. It is spelled right out for us on how to do this. We don’t have to wonder how. It is put pretty simple, go and sell your stuff, and give the money to the poor. You are wondering what you can do for God? Here it is. A pretty lofty thing to do that will store for you treasure in Heaven.
Boy it’s kind of quiet out there. You don’t look excited and eager to do this for your Lord. Still to much to ask of you? Why? but O.K. Here is another option... Remember, I only have two more to present to you.
5. Take the gospel to a place that will certainly mean your death. Go before the Cuban and Chinese government and condemn them for their false religion. Boldly claim the one true God. Then go to North Korea and do the same. Then on over to Haiti and continue to all places that don’t take a stand for Jesus as the Messiah and the only way to God the father.
Take a bold stand for your God. The disciples did, and it cost them their lives. So I ask you; Basically give up your life to reach as many who might listen. Surely this would cost you your freedom if not you physical life.
Doesn’t our Bible tell us to rejoice when we are persecuted? Yes it does. There is a special crown awaiting those who have been persecuted for the sake of Christ. Why not you why couldn’t someone here do such things?
Wouldn’t you be near famous if you were able to accomplish some or even one of these great things? Not that you would do it for the pride, because if that was your motivation you sure wouldn’t succeed reaching these goals. But wouldn’t these things turn heads? Or be great and wonderful feats for Jesus? Of course they would. You would make it on the cover of Christianity Today. The 700 club would have you on their show to share why you are able to do this. Every church in the world would want to fly you to their church to do a seminar or showcase you. Great and mighty things for our Lord. So why don’t we try some of them.
But Pastor, be realistic!! None of us are ever going to do this stuff. Let me say to you probably not. Though not impossible, because we know all things are possible with God. But most likely we are not going to achieve these things.
Well let me give you one more. This one may be the hardest of all. This one may require much more than all these I’ve mentioned. This one is truly the most lofty, noble minded, majestic, amazing, awe inspiring, awesome one there is. If you could do anything in the world there is to do for God this would be the one He wants you to do!!!!
Can you even imagine what in the world I could be talking about???
Better than speaking in tongues of men and angels?
Better than prophesying in Jesus’ name?
Better than a faith that can move mountains?
Better than giving all I have to the poor?
Better than surrendering my body to the flames for Jesus sake?
Without doubt, and unequivocally I answer with a RESOUNDING YES!!
What could I be talking about? Anyone know??
6. LOVE
Turn with me to 1 Cor. 13:1-3 (read)
Love?? That is what you are talking about?? Yes that is what I am talking about!!
Here is where Jesus wants you. Everything we stand for, Everything we believe is all about love. When I say from now on “God is Love”, it will mean more to me now than ever.
We just came from a marriage retreat, so I will use this one this morning: Husbands we are told to love our wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
But you don’t understand pastor, my wife is unlovable. She is mean, she is always ornery, It is just not that easy.
As the Roman soldier punched Jesus, whipped Him to within an inch of His life, spit right in His face, was he easy to love? But did Jesus love him? Yup. As I was a sinner, not trying to please God, and rolling my eyes when I would get the Christian speech, was I lovable? No! Did Jesus love me and still die for me? Yup. You see Jesus called us to love as He loved us, and gave Himself for us. Husbands it is your responsibility to love your wives unconditionally. When you do, what wife in the world wouldn’t want to give you her everything because she sees in you the love of Christ? But that is another sermon for another time.
LOVE
Love the Lord God with all your heart soul mind and strength. This is the greatest commandment. Are you loving Him as He loved you. And Love your neighbor as yourself. Are you doing that. You see this is the greatest thing you can accomplish for God is to Love!! I love, so I have arived right? Well, let’s see. What does it mean to love? (Read 1Cor. 13:4-8)It is spelled out for you...
Patience
Kindness
Not proud
Not rude
Not self seeking
Not easily angered
Keeps no record of wrongs
Does not delight in evil
Rejoices with truth
Always protects
Always trusts
Always hopes
Always perseveres
LOVE NEVER FAILS
According to this I don’t know how to love.
I could use to be more patient, less self seeking etc...
I want to do everything I can to show everyone I can, truly what it means to love them as Christ loved them. Will you join me this morning in saying Jesus I want to love like you loved! Teach me, love through me.
Invite those who will to stand and make that commitment with you.
