7/20/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Jesus used HIM?????????  HER?????????

    “The most unlikely candidate.”  That is a theme we see often in the Bible.  The weak, the unknown, the rejected -- used by God.
Matthew 4:18-22 NKJV
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Matthew 9:9 NKJV
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
    Jesus called twelve men to be his Disciples.  They spent three years traveling with Jesus, learning at His feet and became the foundation for leading the early church. They had a very intense spiritual education in the foundational teachings of the church.
Two of the Disciples
    Matthew was a tax collector for the Roman government.  They were hated people who were generally dishonest.  They manipulated people and abused their position to get rich.
    Simon, the Zealot.  What do we know about zealots?  The Zealots were fanatical Jewish nationalists.  They hated the Romans and the Roman government.  The historian, Josephus, said the Zealots were reckless persons zealous in good practices and extravagant and reckless in the worst actions.
    So, Jesus must have goofed.  Among the twelve apostles He picked two sworn enemies.  Matthew was collecting taxes for Rome. Simon was committed to destroy the Roman government.  No, Jesus didn’t goof up.  He brought the twelve together and taught them.   They became new as they served God.  They were changed and unified in Jesus.  Jesus saw their potential.
    What is all this saying?  Jesus took ordinary people and used them in supernatural ways.  He is still doing that today.
    Let’s continue looking at the Book of Acts.  God used the most unlikely candidate anyone could pick. He used a man the Christians were afraid of.
Acts 9:1-18 NKJV
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Tell story.
    God uses ordinary people.  God uses the most unlikely candidates.  I would guess that there was not one believer in Acts 8 who ever said, “Saul is going to become one of the most dynamic leaders and missionaries the church will every know”.  Yet, God used him and we quote his writings all the time.  He wrote most of the epistles in the New Testament.
Read story from Remembering Nigeria, by E.V. Phillips, P. 63
DISCUSSION
What do you think it is going to take for God to get the attention of Christians so they will really believe that God wants to use them?
Admit it, we put up obstacles.  If the obstacles that we put up were not there (money, training, time, etc.), what do you desire to be able to do for God?
Did God give you those dreams?  Seek HIM to find out His leading.
Yes?  He gave you those dreams?  Step out and follow His leading.
PRAYER.  Lord, show me your dreams.

7/13/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

God’s Victory When All Looks Bad

    When the outlook is bad, when the enemy is strong, when there seems to be no hope, what should Christians do?  Give up?
Chinese Church Growth Based on Prayer
    In 1949, George Roy and Elizabeth Wood, an American missionary couple serving in northwest China and Tibet, were forced to leave the area. A local leader named Pastor Mung took over the church of 200 people. The Woods returned to America and by 1985 both of them had passed away without ever knowing what had happened to the church they started.
    In 1988 the Wood’s son, George, returned to China and met with Pastor Mung and his wife, who were now in their 80’s. For 28 years the Communist government had done their best to extinguish the church. Pastor Mung wasn’t allowed to preach and he spent nine of those years in prison for his faith. It was illegal to baptize or “indoctrinate” anyone under 18. When the government finally allowed Pastor Mung to reopen the church in 1983 there were only 30 (mostly older) people in attendance.
    Assuming that the church was on its last leg, George Wood asked, “Pastor Mung, how many believers do you have today?” Pastor Mung’s wife brought them a cardboard roll held together by yarn. The first page was filled with writing—five columns: name, age, gender, address, occupation. There were around 20 names. George Wood continued turning over page after page with the names of the baptized. Finally he asked the Mungs, “How many believers do you have now?” He said, “One thousand five hundred baptized believers.” In disbelief George Wood asked, “How did this happen?”
    Pastor Mung smiled as he shared his secret for church growth. It wasn’t a technique or a program. He simply said, “Oh! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And we pray a lot!” Then he went on to describe what the Lord had done.
    Pastor Mung died in 2006 at the age of 96. But when he passed, the number of baptized believers stood at over 15,000!
Adapted from Dr. George Wood, The Assemblies of God Minister's Newsletter (January 2012)
    This is impossible.  This can’t happen.  It doesn’t make sense that in a communist nation one church could grow to 15,000.  It is impossible, except for God.
    Last week we looked at a man of the Spirit named Stephen.  He became the first Christian martyr.  One of the witnessed cheering on Stephen’s death was a young man named Saul.  Let’s pick up the story.
Acts 8:1-3 NIV
1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
NKJV  3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
    Here we see the beginning of a great persecution of believers in Jesus. Saul appears to be the leader of this widespread and severe persecution. It was intense and many were put in prison and beaten. This resulted in the deaths of many.
    God does amazing things.  He used the persecution to launch the missionary outreach to the world. This persecution was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Great Commission.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers became bold for the Lord.
Acts 8:4 NKJV
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
    What happened?  This dispersion of believers caused the message to be spread all over.  So, the message of salvation through Jesus went all over the known world. Acts 8:5-8 NKJV
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
    This city was turned upside down.  The city was impacted and many changes happened.  It was through the power of the Holy Spirit anointing and empowering that Philip was able to preach.  God will use submissive and willing believers.  Many believed and were baptized.  They made a public confession of their faith in Jesus.  God gave them a spiritual breakthrough.
Acts 8:14-17 NKJV
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
    These believers received the power of, the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is one of the keys to spiritual power and victory.  We must seek to receive and remain full of the Holy Spirit.
    The battle is strong.  The battle is mean.  Satan is the accuser and intimidator.  We must rest in God’s power and stand up against evil.  God gives us His victory when it all looks bad.
Satan’s Four Fiery Darts
    In his book By Grace Alone, Sinclair Ferguson identifies four major “fiery darts” Satan uses to unsettle believers and rob them of their assurance and peace in the gospel:
    Fiery Dart 1: “God is against you,” Satan says. “He is not really for you. How can you believe he is for you when you see the things that are happening in your life?”
    Fiery Dart 2: “I have accusations I will bring against you because of your sins,” Satan argues. “What can you say in defense? Nothing.”
    Fiery Dart 3: “You can say you are forgiven, but there is a payback day coming—a condemnation day,” Satan insinuates. “How will you defend yourself then?”
    Fiery Dart 4: “Given your track record, what hope is there that you will persevere to the end?” Satan asks.
Sinclair Ferguson, By Grace Alone (Reformation Trust, 2010), p. 68
    Persecution started early in the history of the church.  It is still strong around the world.  We are seeing it more and more in our country.  There are many who hate Jesus and all He stands for.  Therefore, they hate those who follow Jesus.
Discussion
What did the early church do when they were persecuted and scattered to many places?
How did Philip have such powerful results when he went to Samaria?
The church in this chapter didn’t have any gimmicks or fancy programs to attract people.  They were living in “The strong sense of the power and presence of God.”  This is what we see in these stories.  How does the church achieve that?
    The strong sense of the power and presence of God is what we need, it is what New Richmond and Western Wisconsin desperately need.
PRAYER
Lord, fill me with your Spirit.

7/6/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Stephen - Full of Faith and Power

    Power is an amazing thing.  With the right kind of power we can accomplish many things.  What if you had to cut a large log?  How would it go with a very small hand saw?  What if you had a large chain saw?  The power makes the difference.
    People can do amazing things when adrenalin kicks in.  Just recently in the twin cities a man stopped to help at a burning vehicle.  The driver was trapped.  The stranger who stopped literally bent the door frame with his hands and pulled the man out.
    I have experienced a unique form of power.  Modern airports are huge, and my flight usually is on an end gate.  But, many airports have moving sidewalks that get you to your destination quickly with much less effort.  It is power to make you walk much faster.
    We are familiar with many forms of power in the physical world.  There is also spiritual power.  The Bible tells us there are two kingdoms that wage war against each other.  When we get drawn into the spiritual battles, we must use God’s power to win.  We can’t do it on our own.  The Bible tells us that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood and but against principalities and powers.
Power Encounter in Ghana
    A Christian from Ghana, West Africa, was studying at the School of World Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary. During a trip home, he attempted to share the gospel with several people who lived in his community. Although they listened respectfully, no one turned to Jesus Christ. He later learned that they were intimidated by a witch doctor who lived nearby. The witch doctor kept a symbol of his authority hanging outside his home: a lattice basket, filled with water, that never leaked.
    This believer decided to pray that God would empty the basket.
    He stayed outside the home of the witch doctor and prayed all night that God would demonstrate his power. At some point he fell asleep. The next morning he was awakened by a commotion. The basket was empty. That town saw a mass revival as people learned about the God who caused the water to come out of the basket. There had been a power encounter—and God had won.
Brenda Salter McNeil, "Behold, the Global Church," Christianity Today (November 2006), p. 45
    God has the power and He wins the power encounters.  HE is greater than the forces of evil.
    The Bible tells us that God will empower those who believe in Him.  Christians can and must walk in God’s power.
    Last week we looked at the selection of believers to serve the needs of the widows in the church.
Acts 6 Amplified
3 Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty.
5 And the suggestion pleased the whole assembly, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith (a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah) and full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte (convert) from Antioch.
    What was happening in and through the church at this time?  Amazing and powerful things were happening and there were many who were getting saved.
7 And the message of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem; and [besides] a large number of the priests were obedient to the faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom is obtained eternal salvation in the kingdom of God].
    The things we long to see were happening.  Many were coming to Jesus.  They were making a powerful impact on the city and the surrounding area.
8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people. 9 However, some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (freed Jewish slaves), as it was called, and [of the synagogues] of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and [the province of] Asia, arose [and undertook] to debate and dispute with Stephen. 10 But they were not able to resist the intelligence and the wisdom and [the inspiration of] the Spirit with which and by Whom he spoke.
    There is a strong spiritual battle. And, the enemy fights dirty.  We see it here in this passage.  We see the mean and nasty spiritual battles in our world today as well.  Satan is a liar and deceiver.
11 So they [secretly] instigated and instructed men to say, We have heard this man speak, using slanderous and abusive and blasphemous language against Moses and God. 12 [Thus] they incited the people as well as the elders and the scribes, and they came upon Stephen and arrested him and took him before the council (Sanhedrin). 13 And they brought forward false witnesses who asserted, This man never stops making statements against this sacred place and the Law [of Moses]; 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear down and destroy this place, and will alter the institutions and usages which Moses transmitted to us.
    The Bible says Satan is the father of lies.  If he has to, he will simply make something up and convince people it is the truth.
15 Then all who sat in the council (Sanhedrin), as they gazed intently at Stephen, saw that his face had the appearance of the face of an angel.
    The power and presence of God in a person changes them.  The circumstances can’t destroy what God has done in a person.  When they looked at Stephen they saw that he was different.
    Accusations were brought against Stephen.  When given an opportunity to defend himself, he didn’t plead for his life. Instead, he showed them that God’s plan pointed forward to Jesus.  He proclaimed God to them through their history as a nation.
    This godly man became the first Christian martyr.  He saw Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand to welcome him.
    Let’s look at the application of this story and biblical principles to our lives today.
**What spiritual battles does the church face today?
**What made Stephen stand out from the body of believers?
**Can God use YOU as He did Stephen?
**Apply what we saw in Stephen to each one of us today in the battles we face.  We know in theory that God wants to use us all.  What do we have to do so that God will use us?
    The Battle and the Weapons
Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

6/29/14   YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Involvement - The Work Won’t Get Done Without Workers

    As believers, we all have a job to do.  God’s design for the church includes getting everyone involved.  We don’t have anyone who has mastered everything that needs to be done.  God’s work is as team effort.  It was never God’s plan that “professionals” would do all the work.  Church was never designed to be a spectator sport.  God’s design is for involvement.  Involvement doesn’t seek position, but work to do for the Lord.
    Here’s an interesting story on the benefits of being involved.
Research Study Uncovers the “Ikea Effect”
    A team of researchers from three universities have identified a phenomenon they call “The Ikea Effect”. The name derives from Ikea, the successful company whose products usually arrive with some assembly required. In a series of experiments, the researchers had participants assemble Ikea products, fold origami projects, and build sets of Legos. The study concluded, “[Participants experienced] the increase in valuation of self-made products …. [They] saw their amateurish creations … as similar in value to the creations of experts.” In other words, the researchers found that when we get personally involved in a project, we have a greater affection for the end product—even when we know it isn’t perfect.
    One of the researchers for the study described the Ikea Effect this way: “Imagine that you built a table. Maybe it came out a little crooked. Probably your [spouse] or your neighbor would see it for what it is—a shoddy piece of workmanship. But to you that table might seem really great, because you’re the one who created it. It’s the fruit of your labor. And that is really the idea behind the Ikea Effect.”
Matt Woodley, PreachingToday.com; sources: Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon, Dan Ariely, "The Ikea Effect," Social Science Research Network (3-4-13); Shankar Vedantam, "Why You Love That Ikea Table, Even If It's Crooked, NPR (2-6-13)
    Involvement.  I built that.  I worked on that.  There is a proper place for pride of accomplishment.  Involvement leads to ownership.  Ownership is important for more involvement and accomplishment.  It’s more fun to be involved and not just a spectator.
Acts 6:1-7 NIV
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
What do we see here?  Some key points.
A Community of Fellowship of the Believers
    God made people with a need for fellowship.  We need to belong and have friends.  From the beginning, the church has put emphasis on community, on fellowship.  They cared about each other, they did what they could to take care of needs.  This is how they functioned. This is how the church must continue to function.
The Attacks Against Unity
    Because unity is so necessary, there have been and will continue to be attacks by the enemy.  When the church is fussing with the church, the work of the ministry doesn’t get done.  The amount of time that has been wasted over totally worthless issues is unable to be counted.  “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord” must not only be our theme, but our continued reality.
The Preservation of Unity
    Keeping an eternal focus and staying deeply in love with Jesus are keys to keeping unity.  Here’s a good verse to maintain unity.
Colossians 3:23 NIV
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
    Work for God.  Don’t care about getting credit.  Let God work out the details of rewards.  We are here to change eternity, not get a pat on the back.
Involvement of Godly People
    God’s people got involved in the practical aspects of the work of the local church.  The disciples understood something that the church has struggled with for 2,000 years.  Yes, God has called people to vocational ministry.  But, no, they are not expected to do all the work.  God’s design is that everyone gets involved.
    Let’s look again at these verses.
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
    The disciples understood their responsibility to teach and give spiritual leadership.  Believers must learn what the Bible says and the spiritual battle must be fought.  Consistent and solid Bible teaching is critical if we are going to live a righteous life.  Spiritual compromise must always be rejected.
    The church selected a group of people to serve.
    The church selected people to serve tables.  They were selected to serve.  Yes, I am repeating myself, this is a position of service. They were selected to work and oversee an important ministry.  They did not obtain a position of power.  They were to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
    Instead of only focusing on the administrative skills of these servers (note that it was not a political position they sought) they focused on their spiritual maturity.  Full of the Spirit!!  They must be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  These men selected had to give evidence of faithfully living under the Spirit’s influence.  They had Godly character and were faithful.
    These servers that were selected also had to have spiritual maturity.  They needed wisdom.  While Luke doesn’t specifically use the term deacon here, but the root word is the same.  Those who serve in the role of deacon carry a real responsibility before God.  They can’t be spiritual novices.  It was expected that they were people who lived for Jesus daily, not just when they church gathered.  They needed to live a continuing experience in the Lord.
Galatians 5:16-17 NIV
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
God expects His servant-leaders to live an overcoming life.
Romans 8:13-14 NIV
13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
    So much stuff looks like so much fun.  Many activities are not all necessarily sin.  But, they don’t all bring benefit.  Some things become controlling in our lives.  We must kill off the sinful nature so that we can live in the Spirit.
    The disciples, the spiritual leaders, said they would be devoted to prayer and to teaching the Word of God.  God has called the local church leaders to devote themselves to prayer and to the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  They must give a continuous, focused and faithful commitment to getting God’s Word to people.  Prayer and the proclaiming of the Bible are the highest priorities of Christian leaders.
Former Hell’s Angel Member Joins Knitting Ministry
    I walked out of my office one morning, and a guy I had never met was just getting off the elevator. He was about six foot four, at least 250 pounds, and he wore cut-off jeans and a sweatshirt.  …. We talked down the hall together, and he told me he was going to his first ministry meeting, and he was really nervous.
    [I asked], “Nervous? How come you’re nervous?”
    “Pastor Miles, you always encourage us to do something, so I figured I got to do something. I want to serve the Lord.”
    Since our church has over a hundred outreach ministries, I asked him, “What’s the ministry you’re joining?”
    “The knitting ministry,” he said.
    He added, “Well, actually, I don’t knit, I crochet.”
    Here’s this huge guy who looks like he could be an NFL tackle, and he’s nervous about joining a ministry that makes blankets and hats for hospitalized children.
    Curious, I asked him where he learned how to crochet.
    “I was in the Hell’s Angels for 12 years,” he told me. “I learned to crochet in prison. I know it’s the one thing I can do for the Lord.”
    Just then the lady who heads up the knitting ministry walked toward us, said a quick hi to me, then asked the former Hell’s Angels, “Are you Jim?” She gave him a big grin and took his hand. I watched them go down the hall together. It may not seem like a unique ability to crochet, but when you package that with his life, the ripple effect can push countless others out of their comfort zone to step up and stand out the way God designed them to. Imagine if Jim was worrying about what others would think about him crocheting for Jesus!
Miles McPherson, God in the Mirror (Baker Books, 2013), pp. 51-51
    God never told us to pray for everything to go well or for us to have an easy life.  He did tell us to pray for workers.
Matthew 9:36-38 NIV
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
    God is calling for people to be involved.  This means we seek His direction regarding the areas where He has given us gifts and talents.  Then we are to develop them and use them for GOD.
DISCUSSION
What are the main points of this message?
How can you personally apply this message?  It is a challenge for all of us to be involved.
What equipping do you see needs to be done so we can all serve the way God wants us to serve?
PRAYER
Prayer for equipping.
Prayer for involvement.

6/22/14 YEAR OF EQUIPPING TO SERVE

Acts 5 -- Whose Way?  How are you going to live life?

    A very famous song recorded by one who sold more than 150 million records.   Frank Sinatra – My Way
    And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, I’ll say it clear,
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain.
    I’ve lived a life that’s full.
I’ve traveled each and ev’ry highway;
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
    Regrets, I’ve had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
    I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
    Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.
    I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried.
I’ve had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
    To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
“No, oh no not me,
I did it my way”.
    For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!
Songwriters: JACQUES REVAUX, CLAUDE FRANCOIS, GILLES THIBAUT, PAUL ANKA
My Way lyrics © CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP, S U I S A, COOPERATIVE SOC. OF MUSIC AUTHORS & PUBLISHERS, EMI Music Publishing
    This is a theme of a man who was arrogant and demanding that things go his way.  This message says “I am the standard for life”.  Get out of my way and let me live my life.
    This is the theme of people everywhere.  It is a popular theme of our modern culture.  I’m going to do what I want to do.
□    You can’t tell ME what to do.
□    I need my freedom.
□    That’s just the way I am.
□    God wants me to be happy, doesn’t He?
□    Since God is love He accepts me just the way I am, so leave me alone.
□    I don’t want any restrictions.
    This hunger to do anything we want is infiltrating churches across our nation.  Many things that the Bible calls sin are now accepted and promoted.  People have forgotten that God pays attention to what they do and holds them accountable.  It seems that the word “judgement” has been deleted from the dictionary.  Acts 5 gives us an amazing story of an attempt to deceive God and steal glory.
    At the end of Acts 4 we see a spirit of generosity and giving that came over the church.  They were giving many gifts to help out.  There was a couple who wanted to get in on the giving, but they weren’t really sold out to the sacrifice.  They thought they could get away with lying and deceit.
Acts 5:1-11 NIV
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
    What can we learn from this story?
    They schemed to lie and deceive, thinking they would get away with it.  The Bible says they lied to the Holy Spirit. Their desire was to gain honor and recognition (can you say pride?).  Ananias and Sapphira lied to the church about their giving trying to make themselves look very generous.
    Note: they did not have to give.  This was an offering the church was receiving.  God took note of their deception and  considered their lie a serious offense against the Holy Spirit.  This shows us a very important truth: sin is always against God.
    The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira show us God’s attitude toward pride and deceit among believers.  They forgot
Proverbs 16:18 NIV  Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
    This couple was guilty of conspiracy.  And they thought they could get away with it.  The basic cause of their sin against God was their love for money and the desire to receive praise.  When these prideful things take over -- the love of money and praise -- people become open to all kinds of evil influences.
I Timothy 6:10 NIV
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Matthew 6:24 NIV
24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
    In verses 5 and 10 we see God’s judgement.  It happened right there and then.  Ananias fell over and died. God did this to show His deep hatred of sin, of deceit and dishonesty.  This has no place in His kingdom.  God despises self-promotion and a claim of deep spirituality that is not there.  This sin shows an absence of the holy fear and awe of the Lord that believers must have.  It brings dishonor to God.  As a result, these offenses bring God’s judgment.
    God has always judged sin.  Look at these biblical examples from the very beginning.
Genesis 3:23 NIV
23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
Genesis 4:13, 16 NIV
13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear.”
16 So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Jonah 3:4 NIV
4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.”
    The story of Ananias and Sapphira must be told to our modern world, and especially the church world.  It should be combined with the story of Jonah.  Jonah was judged for his disobedience.  God got his attention and he went to Nineveh to give them God’s message.  It was a message of judgement.
    Our modern world needs to respond like Nineveh did.
Jonah 3:5 NIV
5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
    There was a call for repentance.
Jonah 3:8-9 NIV
8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.
    This message desperately needs to be heard today.  The response of repentance desperately is needed.
    Back to Acts 5.  The response of the church, verse 11.
Acts 5:11 NIV
11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
    Great Fear!!  I would think this would be an obvious result of two deaths.  It is interesting to note that church growth continued.  Note that this was God’s judgment on sin.  His immediate judgement on the sin of Ananias and Sapphira caused a response of fear among the believers.  They were reminded of their accountability to God.  They were struck with a holy awe and reverence to God.  People need a proper fear of God and His anger against sin.  They must never forget His judgment of sin.
    When believers do forget about God’s judgement and anger against sin, they quickly tend to conform to the ungodly ways of the world.  Then they cease to experience the power and blessings of the Holy Spirit and God’s supernatural presence.  The fear of the Lord is a necessary component of faith.
    We have looked at two different approaches.  Living life:
My Way
God’s Way
    Everyone in the world must make a choice.
    I came across an old story, I can’t verify the source.  It has a good point.
    In the American frontier days, there was a settlement in the West whose citizens were engaged in the lumber business. The town felt they wanted a church. They built a building and called a minister. The preacher moved into the settlement and initially was well received. Then one afternoon he happened to see some of his parishioners dragging some logs, which had been floated down the river from another village upstream, onto the bank. Each log was marked with the owner’s stamp on one end. To his great distress, the minister saw his members pulling in the logs and sawing off the end where the telltale stamp appeared.
    The following Sunday he preached a strong sermon on the commandment “Thou shall not steal”.  At the close of the service, his people lined up and offered enthusiastic congratulations: “Wonderful message, Pastor.” “Mighty fine preaching.” “Keep up the good work.”
    It wasn’t the response he expected, so he went home to prepare his sermon for the following Sunday. He preached on the same text, the same commandment, but gave it a different ending. He said, “Yes, thou shall not steal, but thou shall also not cut off the end of thy neighbor’s logs.” When he got through, the congregation ran him out of town.
Haddon Robinson, “Grace and Truth in Application,” PreachingToday.com
Do we HAVE to do things God’s way?  Can’t we do what we want?

    The Law of the Stop Sign.  This law was written by people to control traffic.  It says the traffic safety requires drivers to stop at the intersection.  Those in authority declare that to run the sign will cost you a specific amount of money.  If the traffic changes, they can take the sign down.  The authorities control the law of the stop sign.
    The Law of Fire.  The law of fire says if you put your hand in the fire, you’ll get burned.  What if legislatures and dictators all around the world voted and declared that fire would no longer burn. What would happen?
    People would quickly discover that the law of fire is different than the law of the stop sign.  Within the nature of fire is the penalty for abusing it.  It doesn’t matter what anyone says or tries to change, fire burns.
    Here’s the critical application of this message:  the moral law of God is like the law of fire.  It doesn’t change.  You can try to break God’s laws.  You will get burned.  God never changes.  He won’t change the penalty, because the penalty for breaking the law is bound up in the law itself.

Discussion
Why is God so concerned with obedience and disobedience?
Where did Ananias and Sapphira go wrong?
What speaks to you about the two laws -- stop sign and fire?
Prayer for our world to see the necessity of repentance.
Prayer for the church world to see the necessity of submission to
God’s laws.