Trip 2 Europe: Corinth
Notes
Transcript
Too big for God?
Too big for God?
Worries
Politics, Money, Safety
[why care?]
What is God on about anyway?
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
World wide spirit empowered witness to Jesus as ruling rescuing Lord.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Jesus will build his church
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Is it the end? No. What’s to be done until the end…?
8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
God the Father to his Christ—Chosen-King-Son -
Some worries that might get in the way: politics, people movements, money, fears...
Joshua at Jordan before Jericho
Politics no barrier to God’s mission
Politics no barrier to God’s mission
Refugees, people movements:
Refugees, people movements:
2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,
Opposition:
Opposition:
6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.
8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
Indifference
Indifference
(no longer a place where Christians have a seat at the table of power - it started out like that too...
15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”
16 So he drove them off.
17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
// widows oil - Elijah
cost of living… [can I still give? mission costs gone up too // will the rest of the unreached ever get reached for Jesus?]
Finance not a barrier to God’s Mission
Finance not a barrier to God’s Mission
Self-funded
3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.
4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Paul has a trade. He’s able to use it.
Particularly in Corinth he does this to not be on about money.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
Presumably with a gift.
15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;
Philippians were giving to fund this work.
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
The churches of Athens, Berea, Philippi...
Notice that poverty was not a barrier.
Knowing God’s grace, even under pressure, they had joy to be richly generous.
Acts 18:5 (NIV)
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
From working all week except Sabbath - to focusing on preaching.
This is why you pay my living (not an income, not a salary, not wages - a living).
But I want to focus on something else. Mission giving.
Churches, individual Christians give to seeing Jesus proclaimed around the world.
It’s what God is on about. Nobody else will fund it (unlike environment, health, etc).
Only 4 giving households in our whole church fmaily give financially to CMS.
Only 3 receive prayer points for CMS workers.
(and I know that two of them are Topher and us).
Finances are no barrier when the church sees itself as a body.
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
To the church who is giving for mission work.
I’m not sure this is a promise from God you can claim if you aren’t generous with your giving.
Money problems are not a problem for God’s mission.
[personal safety - fears - danger]
Jesus is Lord of God’s Mission
Jesus is Lord of God’s Mission
8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
God to Jesus - his chosen king.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
Remember from Acts 1 - they are Jesus witnesses.
He is directing this work.
All through acts - the Lord is adding daily. The Lord is opening hearts.
Here though is an explicit intervention. These are rare.
Rare even in the Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus.
Not never - such that Jesus can never do this now. But rare such that we should not expect every Christian, nor even every missionary.
This is why we don’t go on about the supernatural - as if Jesus isn’t at work in all the ordinary ways. As if it is only the big experiences where he is doing his work.
But here is a special intervention. To encourage. To have Paul press on.
10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
To have Paul press on in mission. In other circumstances Paul has shaken the dust off his feet and moved on. Which is what Jesus told his disciples in the gospels to do. So Paul is given a special word to stay.
His safety is guaranteed in this city - but not in his life.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
No life guaranteed permanent health.
9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
The despair that can come on a Christian when trouble happens. Is God showing me something? (As if smooth sailing were a sign of God’s pleasure).
A final word on Jesus in mission:
Acts 18:10 (NIV)
10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
This is why Paul was to continue. There were people yet that Jesus planned to rescue - to connect with himself and his church.
Is this not also true of our town now. The end has not yet come.
Are politics a barrier?
Are finances a barrier?
Is personal concern or circumstances a barrier?
Will you comit to praying for mission, praying for your neighbours, giving to mission, giving to gospel declaring work -
And would you pray with me that God raises up people amongst us to GO to our neighbours and to go on cross cultural mission overseas - that the gospel may be declared until the end does come? Maybe even - maybe even you could go? Why not you?