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.