Hope Yeller (Pastor Appreciation for Eddie Toole)

Matthew 28:18–20 (NLT)

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Introduction:

Pastor Craig Groeschel recounts in his book “Lead Like It Matters” how he went from a beer-drinking frat boy to a Jesus freak. He started following Christ midway through college and was given a free Gideon Bible. He located a church close to his college campus and with embarrassing hilarity describes his encounter with “The Church.” He describes the ushers as bouncers and talks about an elderly woman claiming that he was in her seat. The whole encounter was awkward!

As a new believer, he summarized his visit in a statement that we need to clearly hear. “When he [Senior Pastor] had finally finished, everyone got up and left unceremoniously. I dutifully followed the flow of traffic out the door and got in my car. On my drive home, I was bewildered, struggling to understand why God—this God who had so radically transformed my life with his irresistible grace and unfathomable power, who breathed into me new life and new passion—would demand that I waste my Sunday mornings like this.” (Pg. 8)

God places things in our hearts that burden us. He put rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem on Nehemiah’s heart, and He puts children, youth, seniors, prisoners, and prostitutes are other people’s hearts.

Since God saved me, He has put the church on my heart. I deeply love the church and am deeply concerned for the church as a whole.

I know that your pastor, my friend Pastor Eddie Toole loves the church and has a heart for her as well!

More than 2000 years ago, Jesus said, “Go!”

He said, "Go," and they went.

They went and preached the good news that Jesus is a soul-saving God.

They preached, “repent and be baptized in Jesus name.” They preached going into all the world and people got saved.

The early church went despite the persecution they were facing, and as a matter of fact, it grew by leaps and bounds, maybe even because of the persecution. Think about it. Who in the world would continue preaching a message even when they are being killed for it unless they believed what they were preaching?

During the last 8 years under the direction of Dr. Tim Hill, the Church of God has been working on spreading the good news with the idea that Jesus was coming back soon and that we need to Finish the Great Commission in our lifetime. I agree with Dr. Hill and believe the Lord is coming back soon.

At the 2024 General Assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana, Dr. Gary Lewis and our Executive Committee preached an awesome message about the Harvest. They reminded us that “We are the Church of God!”

We are a GOING Church

We are a PREACHING Church

We are a CARING Church and

We are a DISCIPLING Church

These giants of the faith reminded us that it’s who we are; it’s in our DNA.

Jesus told us to GO and the message is clear today just as it was then.

We GO!

I have encountered some very concerning statistics:

34% of adults in the United States are unchurched (Barna)

3 in 10 adults are now considering themselves “Religiously Unaffiliated.”

Babies born to Muslims will begin to outnumber Christian births by 2035 (Pew Research Center)

The results are staggering to me, and the reason is deeply personal.

Is it because the Church has stopped Going??

Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy. Listen to what he told him.

2 Timothy 3:1–9 NLT

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.

There is very little doubt that we are living in the last days that Paul describes.

The world is dark. People are hurting, lost, angry and question everything. They are searching for answers. Answers that you and I know. The answer to all the questions is Jesus! (PTL)

We are the ones, the church of the living God who can help people!

God gave the great commission to Go and he told Claxton Churh of God to GO !!

I love the way that Willie Robertson describes what we are to be in his latest book, Gospeller. He says that all of us that have been saved by Christ are to proclaim the good news of Jesus, not just the pastor. He says we are to be Hope Yellers.

That is a term that I can get behind.

I once was lost but now I am found.

I had no future but God made a way.

I had no thought of anyone other than myself, but God cared about me, and because He cares about me, I can care about others.

I had no hope, and God filled me with His unfailing love and gave me a future. He did the same for you and He did the same for every person that has ever called on His name for salvation. (ISN’T THAT TOTALLY AMAZING!)

Brother and Sisters of Claxton Church of God, we are called to be HOPE YELLERS!

I believe that Pastor Eddie and Sister Shiela are Hope Yellers.

(PRESENT GIFTS AT THIS TIME)

Not only do I believe your leaders are Hope Yellers, I believe there are some Hope Yellers here!!

Sadly some people in the church are yelling something else.

The Church has been yelling about the past.

I have heard so many times that we need to go back to the way things used to be.

I have been guilty of that myself.

Let me ask you this: Do you really want to go back to the past?

How far back do you go?

To when there was slavery?

To when there was civil war; brother fighting against brother?

You must take the good with the bad.

Instead of preaching about the past, let us be like Paul

Philippians 3:13–14 “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

We must stay focused on the mission of reaching the harvest. Let’s GO and yell about JESUS

the church is not only yelling about the past but…

The Church is yelling about the Darkness.

Some Christians seem to enjoy telling others about how bad the world has become.

It is a dark place and people do whatever they want.

There is filth that I never thought I would see.

There are things that are happening that I never even imagined could happen.

But let me remind you that darkness has been around since the beginning.

A serpent led a man and woman astray and the world has been infected with sin every since.

But there is good news: Jesus washes away sin! (PTL)

Instead of telling everyone about the darkness let’s tell them about the Light of the World.

Instead of telling people that they are going to hell, help them do something about it. Share Jesus!

not only is the church yelling about the past and the darkness but…

The Church is yelling about the Government.

Some people in the church make it sound like putting the right person in office is the solution.

If we get this person voted in or that person voted in, we will get back to where we need to be.

If you’re hope is in a politician, you are very confused and need to repent.

I’m not against voting. You should do that. It is a civil responsibility and a privilege.

There are things we can do: pray for those in office that they will be open to God’s divine wisdom and direction. Pray that God will raise up godly men and women who will bring Him glory by serving the people. Lets pray for Biden, Harris and Trump. They all need Jesus!

But let me make this very clear, the only hope for this country and for the world, is the saving power of Jesus Christ!

Instead of telling everyone about how messed up the government is and who we need in office, let’s get back to sharing the good news of Jesus. He is the hope for the world!

not only is the church yelling about the past, the darkness and the government but…

The Church is preaching to the choir.

I agree with how Willie Robertson said it, “We’re yelling alright but not yelling hope.” (Gospeller)

He says its more like we’re yelling despair.

It seems like some in the church have a form of godliness but deny its power.

We spend too much time condemning the world instead of reminding people the power of Jesus Christ.

Resurrection power is still available today.

Let’s remind people that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.

The early church was sent by Jesus and they went. They were a GOING church.

It was Peter who denied Jesus even after walking closely with him for three years and seeing all that He did.

It was this same Peter who Jesus told him that on him, He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

It was this same Peter who after being confronted and forgiven on a beach found the love of Jesus.

It was this same Peter who after being filled with the Holy Spirit, preached on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 men were saved and the church was started.

It was Peter who told them to repent and be baptized in Jesus name.

Jesus told Peter to Go and Peter went.

There was the stoning of Stephen, the first martyr for the church. In attendance that day was a young man from the tribe of Benjamin who saw it all.

It was this man Saul who would be zealous for the killing of the followers of Jesus.

He was so filled with hatred toward Christians, that he went to the leading priests and asked for special letters so he could go hunt them down.

It was this man Saul, who Jesus would meet on a road to Damascus and knock him off his horse with a bright light shining from heaven. He would ask him why he was persecuting me.

It was this man who would call out and say “Lord.”

It was Gods great love that would get ahold of this tyrant.

It was this man who Jesus would change that old name Saul to Paul and who would become one of the greatest Christians to ever live.

It was this man Paul who would preach to the Gentiles and they would be saved. Thank God for Paul, because you and I would not be in church today if Paul did not Go.

Brothers and Sisters, God has called us to Go. Now let us Go!

That doesn’t mean that we don’t take care of those in the church. Of course we do, but too many in the church are lame because they are not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We have to have the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s the only way we will ever do anything for God.

Only a changed and empowered people can be a healing and help to a hurting world.

Dr. David Ramirez said it very well at the General Assembly, “Too many churches have replaced their windows with mirrors.”

Church let’s be a going church.

Let’s be Hope Yellers

Let’s tell people about Jesus!

Would you stand with me please?

Altar Call

The Hope that you need is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He gives hope for salvation, hope for eternal life, hope for victory over death, hope for peace and strength during trials. Call on Him and He will save you! Admit, Believe, Commit

Some here today and at home need to get things right with God. He is merciful and His love is unfailing. Let this altar be a place where it all changes today.

Some people here need to receive a dose of hope yourself. Come and let the Holy Spirit minister to you today.

If its okay with your pastor, I’d like to pray a special blessing over you today.

A Franciscan Blessing

MAY GOD BLESS YOU

with discomfort, at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you

with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you

with tears, to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen