Committed To The Call
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Commitment, Cost Of
A hen and a pig approached a church and read the advertised sermon topic: “What can we do to help the poor?” Immediately the hen suggested they feed them bacon and eggs. The pig thought for a moment and said, “There is only one thing wrong with feeding bacon and eggs to the poor. For you it requires only a contribution, but for me it requires total commitment!
While I find this story funny there is a sad truth behind it. In the American church today there are many who like to contribute to the church but aren’t committed to Christ. Many like contributing by going to service, giving some money, and serving every now and then, but few are committed to the cause of Christ. Tonight I want to talk to the many that are in here tonight because I believe each of you can be a part of the few who are committed to the cause of Christ. My hope and prayer after tonight is that you are committed to the call Christ has put on your life. We are going to take a brief look at the life of a man who was committed to Christ, to the point that it cost him his life. This man was the Apostle Paul.
(Prayer)
6 Key Insights To Stay Committed To The Cause of Christ:
6 Key Insights To Stay Committed To The Cause of Christ:
1.) Have A Relationship With Christ:
Before Paul could do what the Lord called him to do, Paul had to surrender his life for the cause of Christ.
Acts 9
I know this may seem basic, but we must never assume the basics.
(Example: Vince Lombardi and the start of summer camp)
Before anything else, we must decide if we will live for Christ.
2.) Go, Proclaim, and Create:
We have a mission and that mission is to Go into all the world to Proclaim the Gospel Message and Create disciples of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-18
Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Going into all the world for you right now may not mean going overseas. Going into all the world for you maybe going to those who are currently in your world. (Example: Schools, Sports Teams, Clubs, Workplace, Family, etc.)
Before you make the commitment to share the name of the Lord Jesus elsewhere, make the commitment to start sharing His name where you are at.
(Share the importance of using the Alive in 5 symbols to share the gospel.)
When he had eaten, he was strengthened.
For several days Saul was with the disciples in Damascus. Immediately he preached in the synagogues that the Christ is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this he who killed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and came here with that intent, to bring them bound to the chief priests?” Yet Saul increased all the more with power and confounded the Jews living in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
3.) Be In Tuned With The Holy Spirit:
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Are you willing to walk in step with the Holy Spirit even if it costs you something?
Paul being called to Jerusalem Acts 20 and 21.
4.) Be Equipped For The Battle:
Be equipped spiritually because the battle is a spiritual battle.
Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, and above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Pray for me, that the power to speak may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.
Being prepared for the battle will allow you to take on the battle.
(Story: When You Don’t Have Your Sports Equipment)
5.) Embrace The Challenges:
Whatever the Lord has called you to, you should be prepared for challenges.
I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. Otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, so that I also may boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you tolerate fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise. For you permit it if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man exalts himself, or if a man strikes you on the face. I say to my reproach that we were too weak for that.
But whenever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly), I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers; in weariness and painfulness, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness. Beside the external things, the care of all the churches pressures me daily. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I am not distressed?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things which concern my weakness. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forevermore, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me. But I was let down by the wall through a window in a basket and escaped his hands.
The Lord’s strength will cary you through in your weakest hour.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(Personal Story: Our weakest hour)
6.) Focus On Your Why:
It needs to be a little deeper then “because I’m supposed to.”
Paul recognized his why behind his calling;
Now I myself am persuaded concerning you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and also able to instruct one another. Nevertheless, brothers, I have written even more boldly to you on some points, to remind you, because of the grace that is given to me from God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Why are you called to (fill in the blank)?
For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Being A Missionary by Thomas Hale
“The one major and compelling reason why missionaries must continue to be sent is because it is God’s will. It is His method of bringing the Gospel of Jesus to the world.
Sometimes two objections are raised about this. First, some people say: Why not just send money to support missionaries from the Third World? They are a lot cheaper and usually more effective.
True. Supporting a Third World missionary costs a fraction of what it costs to support a Western missionary, and the Third World missionary is often (but by no means always) more effective in evangelism than his Western counterpart. But there are simply not enough Third World missionaries to do the job alone—even given their increasing numbers. And there are many places Third World missionaries can’t easily get to. Sending missionaries is the responsibility of churches around the globe: “All nations to all nations.”
Furthermore, if Western churches were to begin sending only checks, their vital commitment to missions would decrease. Our commitment will only be maintained by sending our own sons and daughters out as missionaries—and ourselves as well. God didn’t send a check; He sent His Son.”
The Lord didn’t just contribute to see man saved, He committed all the way by sending His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. The best we can do is to be committed to what He has called us to do.
(Prayer)