Gifts of the Spirit - Evangelism

Burlington – Gifts of the Spirit – Evangelism. March 17, 2024

Scriptures: James 4:13-14, Proverbs 27:1, Luke 5:12-16, Romans 12:3-5, 1 Timothy 2:3-6, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 4:25, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 1:9-11, Galatians 6:2-6, Romans 12:1-2, Psalm 105:1-7, Isaiah 53:4-6, Isaiah 6:5-8, Zechariah 9:9-10

Good morning. Thank you, Joe, Jess, Billy. How the Lord moves among us just amazes me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe in coincidence. I don’t believe in luck, though certainly there are times when God’s fortunes have smiled upon me. Whether or not I understood at that time that it was God moving on my behalf, or on behalf of my family. Or I thought I had done a really good job, or actually earned whatever grace and gifts came my way. I just have never believed in coincidence.

(SLIDE) The Oxford dictionary defines that in part as 1.A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection. Similar words would be accident, chance, serendipity, fate, destiny, providence, freak, twist of fate, fortune, a bit of luck, a fluke. There are additional definitions, including the second one. 2. Correspondence in nature or in time of occurrence. Of something happening. When the creator of the universe and all that exists or has ever existed. When the eternal God our Father, who sees time as a continual moment, past, present, and future, moves on our behalf, for His purposes, I am simply humbled and in awe of how the Spirit moves among us.

(SLIDE) Wednesday morning I left home early to get my haircut I stopped at home to hug my wife, because well, I didn’t have to be in Tekonsha until 10 to have coffee with the other three pastors of the Tekonsha Pastors Committee, or whatever we call ourselves in that group. So, if your workday allowed you to stop home and tell your wife or husband or child, children that you loved them before continuing on to work, you would too. At least I hope you would. Most of us have reached an age, and we certainly live in a time where tomorrow isn’t promised. God’s children have always lived since the fall in the Garden of Eden where tomorrow isn’t promised.

James the brother of Jesus tells us (Slide) James 4:13-14 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Well, that seems a little harsh James, but he’s just really quoting the wisdom of Solomon. Proverbs 27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

So of course, on my way to Tekonsha, I’m a little early speeding down the back roads through Fulton. Filling up my car with gas in Athens. It was a beautiful day for driving, so I thought I’ll pull into the church and drop off some things before meeting the other pastors for coffee. Guess who left their office keys on the dresser at home that morning. Well Sue and Nancy and Tom and Tom all have front door keys, so I promise you, I chuckled a little. Silly boy. So busy with meetings lined up throughout the afternoon, work projects and church projects leading up to meal and a message that night. I just hurried out the door to the haircut with almost everything I needed.

And leaving the salon, she charges me less than the barber does which is another gift from God. That still small voice is saying stop back at home because I’m thinking, Hug Katherine, and he’s nudging me saying “don’t forget your keys.” If I was listening. But I already had a sermon picked out to listen to playing in the car, and it was a beautiful day. Met with Jennifer, Cleve and Ken to plan out Easter Weekend so we could assign out the different parts of the combined Good Friday service and the Sunday morning Sunrise Service.

Sat through some Zoom meetings. Finished up getting a new class published online for folks to take in April. Went to Jack’s to pick up a couple of things for the Wednesday meal. Pulled the blue ray or DVD player out along with the projector and got those set up downstairs so we could watch an episode of The Chosen after breaking bread together.

Now it’s not always an age thing, but for the life of me I couldn’t remember what episode we’d watched last before taking that winter that never happened break. Fortunately, we’ve got Julie, who was baking cookies in the kitchen while Bob was running back home to get a ladder for replacing lights in the church entrance. She knew. (SLIDE)We last watched Season 1, Episode 5, The Wedding Gift. The turning of water into wine to save the celebration that’s found in John 2:1-11 and Luke 2:41-52. Nobody waits to bring out the best wine after the guests have already been drinking. Except the Lord of course, who waited patiently for His children to be in an obedient relationship with him, then brought out the best wine in the atonement that our Lord and Savior paid for us on Cross. This is my blood shed for you, this is my body broken for you and I.

So, I set the episode up which is called Indescribable Compassion and it’s based on the scriptures found in Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 12:36-48; and Matthew 6:1-18. Do those sound familiar at all from last week’s bulletin? And here’s where the word coincidence comes in this morning.

(SLIDE) While we’re watching Tom turns to me and says “isn’t that we talked about on Sunday” in reference to the Leper. My brain was thinking about the woman with the blood disorder, Jairus and his dying daughter in Capernaum, and not this healing. But Tom was right, we did talk about this from Luke 5:12-16, which I mistakenly left off the scripture list in the bulletin.

(SLIDE) Luke 5:12-16 12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

(SLIDE) You remember? And then this week at night I’ve been watching Season 3 of the Chosen to relax and be filled by the Holy Spirit at the same time. Low and behold the stories of the woman who touched Jesus robe, Jairus and his daughter came to life in front of me. You understand why I say I don’t believe in coincidence? Part of me would love to say I’m that structured and planned ahead. That I knew what we were going to be watching on Wednesday night and included that when preparing last week’s sermon.

But that’s also what Paul warns about as we read when we started this series on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit a month ago.

(Slide) Romans 12:3-5 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

Praise God. I would rather be in the flow of what He’s doing, without questioning Him. Just seeking after God’s own heart. Learning to walk in, increased obedience, in the knowledge and wisdom, mercy, grace and healing of the King of Kings and Lord and Lords.

(SLIDE) This week before I sat down to start writing what the Lord had placed on my heart after praying and meditating on the word and seeking His guidance, I started hearing over and over in my head. “I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered. I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered. That’s why I trust him.” Which of course Jess, Julie and I sang last week in our worship. I can stand up here before you now, and say in the darkest time of my life, one of many dark periods of my selfish failures, He heard me and answered. And He heard Katherine and answered her, bringing us together to become something more in the Lord than we ever could be on our own. Or that we could before He brought us together. I sought the Lord, He spoke, I heard and accepted, and He heard, and He answered. While you sought the Lord and He heard and He answered. He opened a door that brought us together. Where, by the power of His Holy Spirit you are helping to heal us, as much as we are helping to heal you. Amen?

So here we are almost halfway through a discussion today about Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as we continue this series. (Slide) You might be thinking, when’s the sermon going to start. Ah, but if you remember Moses and Elijah. God wasn’t in the wind. God wasn’t in the earthquake or the fire. He was in the gentle whisper. The still small voice. The faith that we have in Jesus Christ which by the power of His Holy Spirit allows us to discern when it’s the Father who is moving. Or whether, as it is for all of us at times, our will, our desires, that get in the way of what the Lord wants. If you’re not sure of that the Lord wants, (Slide) 1 Timothy 2:3-6 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

What the Lord wants is for us to be open vessels, that He can fill by the power of His Holy Spirit, to use His gifts, to do His Will. God’s will is for us to grow in a knowledge of His word, in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior that we can be witnesses of the gospel to all the nations. Yes? That we can evangelize, not on our strength and wisdom, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can share the gospel from the Wisdom and Knowledge that comes from studying His word and spending time with Him in prayer, that others may become disciples and apostles, followers and leaders of Jesus Christ in sharing the good news.

So looking at our chart if it’s ok with you let’s begin with Faith, as we heard Jesus say last week. Your faith has healed you. Faith itself is a gift from God. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.In the Greek the word we read as faith here is peitho (pi'-tho)and it is more than just being persuaded, having confidence in something. Peithoinvolves obedience as a result of God’s persuasion, God’s influence in our lives. We often think of faith, not just as the specifics of our spiritual and religious views, as in choosing one faith over another, but just as a basis for belief in something outside of ourselves. Faith that there is something beyond this physical, temporary world and body that we live in today.

As you have time this week as we move towards Palm Sunday and Easter weekend, read Paul’s discussion of faith in Romans chapters 3 through 6. Just pulling a few verses this morning, to confirm what we already know and believe beginning in (Slide) Romans 3:21-24 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Jumping ahead to (Slide) Romans 4:25 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Amen. I can’t ever imagine getting into a debate with Paul. Not just because, as he tells us, Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees. Raised by a Pharisee, and someone who knew the law better than he knew himself until after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. I say that because the next verses after this in Romans 5 have a circular logic that is undeniable as God’s truth.

(Slide) Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And let us boast in the hope of the glory of God. Grace is the gift of God that we could nothing to earn but to believe. We read in Mark 9 where Jesus heals a boy from an unclean spirit the disciples couldn’t heal. The father brings him before Christ, and asks for his son to be healed, “if only you can”. Jesus tells him “To believe”, to which the father replies, “I do believe, help me with my unbelief.” (Mark 9:14-29).

(Slide) That healing didn’t make it into last week’s sermon and was going to be this week’s focus. Until I heard that still small voice in preparing for today. For every child of God. For all of us. Our hope. Our joy. Our righteousness. Our belief. Our faith is in the historically resurrected Jesus Christ and the power that God has today to move through us. To move through me. To move through you by the power of His Holy Spirit. My faith in Him is unshakeable. I will stand upon the Rock of my salvation because I know this to be true with every cell and fiber of my being.

As Paul firmly wrote to the (Slide) Romans 8:38-39 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen? If in any part of us, we have doubts about what God has done for us, or what God is doing, right now this very minute. What God is doing tomorrow when you wake up. As we read from James in our discussion on the Holy Spirit’s gifts of wisdom and knowledge. James 1:5 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

(Slide) We understand God’s will by spending time in the word. Time in prayer. Time with other believers sharing what God has place on our hearts, and the burdens we’re called to share with each other. That’s time with other believers in the risen Lord beyond just an hour or so on Sunday mornings. If we are walking by the power of the Holy Spirit, growing in obedience, and knowledge of the Lord then we can discern what God’s will right now is. Beyond the big picture of sharing the gospel. Right? What does the Lord want us to be doing this afternoon, tomorrow, within His plan for His kingdom.

Paul writing to the church in Philippi (Slide) Philippians 1:9-11 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. We talked about praying the word of God a couple of Sundays ago and here again is a perfect example of that. (Pray). Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior I lift before you this congregation in Burlington, this community and everyone who may be watching online at any time, your Words. Father let your Holy Spirit move through us, that the love you have for all your children would be visible, as we grow in our knowledge of your word, of the hope and joy that only you can provide, gracious Father. We want to be able to discern your will for our lives, for this church, for this community that the good news of your Son Jesus Christ might be shared and many will come to a knowledge of Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. For your glory alone Father, and none of our own. We just want your will, your good, perfect and pleasing will, to be done in our lives and our community. And all praise and honor belongs to you alone. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

(SLIDE) The Greek word we read as discern here in Philippians 1:10 is only translated discern a few times in the New Testament depending on the translation you’re reading. Three times in 1stCorinthians and here in Philippians. It is dokimazo (dok-im-ad’-zo) in it’s basic meaning is to test, to prove, to examine, to demonstrate after testing that I am fit. To demonstrate what is good. What did Jesus say in Mark 10:18? There is none good but God.

In the marketplace they would use this word when authorities examined coins to make sure they weren’t counterfeit. That’s a secular example of the word, where in our spiritual relationship with Christ by the Holy Spirit, the ultimate authority is God. It is our knowledge and understanding, our belief. It is our faith that is tested at times that we may prove ourselves worthy of the sacrifice that the Father made when He sent His only son into the world that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17).

More often you read this Greek word dokimazo (dok-im-ad’-zo) in any translation as tested, proved, to approve, to examine. Paul in writing to the Galatians 6:2-6 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

We also see this going back to Romans again as I quoted earlier but didn’t put on the screen. (Slide) Romans 12:1-2Therefore, I urge you, brothers, and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

How do we do that? Offer our bodies as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Paul means transformed into the image of Christ. Transformed as the Holy Spirit so that we see, everyone else, the way God sees them. Not by human comparisons and judgments but by seeing others the way our Heavenly Father does. With love and mercy and grace. Time in His word. Time alone with Him in prayer. Making time to listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to us, as well as to share our hearts with the Lord. Only then are we fully prepared to do what He has called all of us to do. Which is to go forth and make disciples of all nations. Beginning here in this congregation, in this community and in this region.

(Slide) It's not difficult to finish up with our last two Gifts of the Spirit today. Evangelism and Apostleship. Searching the Hebrew bible and the New Testament you won’t actually find the word Evangelize or Evangelism. The word evangelize comes from the Church Latin word evangelizare, which means "to spread or preach the Gospel". It also has Greek roots, which means "bring good news". To share the word of God with others. This week in your bulletin you’ll find 40 scriptures related to that command from our Heavenly Father.

(SLIDE) Let’s start from the Hebrew Bible in Psalms 105:1-5 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. 5 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. 1000 years before the ministry of Jesus Christ, David, a man after God’s own heart is telling us to share what God has done first for Israel, and now to share what the Lord has done for us.

(Slide) Last week the final scripture we looked at was from Isaiah 53. If you remember. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our inequities. Written more than 700 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah is an interesting prophet in the sense that he was part of the Jewish elite. Son of the prophet Amotz, and nephew of the Judean king Amatzia, Isaiah believes that he knows God, the word of God and that he’s living an upright proper life. Then if you read Isaiah 6, he has a vision of God, and realizes that he’s been living a spiritual life on his terms, not God’s terms. Isaiah 6:5 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

The band Mercy Me turned that into a wonderful song. Here am I. Send Me. Send an apostle of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The word apostle appears 88 times in the New Testament, and it shouldn’t matter which translation you’re reading. In the Greek the word is Apostolos (ap-os'-tol-os)which means… are you ready?

(Slide) An apostle. A messenger, one who is sent on a mission to represent Jesus Christ and preach the gospel. This is someone’s image of Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. We are like Paul in this sense. Paul didn’t meet Jesus before the crucifixion and resurrection. Paul was well along in his adult life as a Pharisee when he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus and became saved. Paul was both an apostle and a disciple. Disciples were followers of Jesus who devoted themselves to learning from him or his school of thought while apostles were called by Jesus and "sent out" to spread the gospel. And so it is with each of us. If we have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior with our mouth, and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, then we are saved. That is just the beginning of His calling us to be both disciples, followers of Jesus Christ. Doers of the word, not just hearers of the word. And then apostles who share the testimony of what God has done in our lives with others. Amen?

Next weekend is Palm Sunday, and 530 years before that weekend, the prophet Zechariah, while in exile in Babylon wrote.

Zechariah 9:9-10 (ESV)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

He shall speak peace to the nations. If only, the nations would listen. Whom shall I send? Here I am send me. How can I serve you my Lord and Savior? Let’s pray