Here I Am, Send Me

Greeting:

Good evening everyone

Good to see you all back tonight

Time has flown by just like we said as its our next to last night already...

I want to thank you all again for having me

I hope this week has been as benefical to you all as it has to me...

I hope we have all learned something and found an application to our lives.

Lesson Text:

Isaiah 6:8

Opening:

Tonight we are continuing on with our theme for the week...

The church and the need to evangelize.

We started off the week Sunday looking at the church and established our idenity as the church

We also have looked at the charge we have been given as the church to go out and evangelize.

We know that sharing the gospel is something we are all told we must do as Christians...

Once we established that, last night we looked at the question of “What will we do with Jesus?”

Tonight we are going to continue to elaborate on this idea of evangelism and spend some time looking at what out atttidue towards it may be...

When thinking of the need to evangelize what comes to our mind?

Are we excited, ready, prepared?

Do we see the need and are we ready to act?

Or are we maybe scared, indifferent, unwilling to take on the responsibility?

Are we unprepared to take hold of an oppurtunity that comes our way?

Tonight we are going to spend some time looking at scripture and see what I hope all of our mindsets can be when it comes to going out and ssharing the gospel...

How many of us can think back to a time in our life when someone asked us to do something...

Husbands be careful what you say here....

My wife is with me tonight so I gotta watch what I say...

But probably quiet often for all of us right...

Maybe you think back to your parents asking you to do something...

I remember being younger and mom and dad would go somewhere and they would tell me those famous last words before they left...

“Before I get back you better...”

Whteher that was cleaning my room, getting something ready for dinner, cleaning, whaever chore it was...

And what normally happned?

I sat around waited, procrastinated....

Then you hear the vehcile coming down the driveway...uh oh...

But it’s too late...

So you try and scramble and half way get done what they were asking

Or maybe you come up with an excuse?

Or maybe you were a really brave kid and you just told refused to do what they asked...

However we handled the situation we had some sort of response to the command or instructions they gave us didnt we...

This evening I want to look at this idea spiritually.

I want to look at this evening at the fact that God has done this very same thing.

He has asked something of us.

He has given us instructions...

He has told us to evangelize, to share the gospel...

Matthew 28:19 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We’re presented with endless opportunities to do something for Christ.

Endless oppurtunities to evangelize and share Gods word...

This evening I want you to ask yourself the question,

“How will I answer when God calls?”

What will your answer be?

I hope this evening your answer is that of the title of our lesson tonight,

“Here I Am Send Me”

Lesson:

We know and have read all week from scripture that as chrsitians we are given instructions...

We are given instructions and a command to go out and share the gospel.

We are all called to go out and evangelize...

Tonight I want to look at three examples in the Bible of people who God called to do something and how they answered.

I want to compare their answers to that of ours in our life.

As we go, I want to look at our main question this evening, “What will your answer be?”

Will it be that of “Here I am… Send me.”

First off we have Jonah.

Jonah 1:1–3 NKJV

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

We all know the story of Jonah.

We all know God called him and told him to go to Nineveh.

He was told to go there and to preach to the city.

He was given instructions to evangelize and to deliver to them a message...

But what did Jonah say?

What was his response to Gods calling....

Instead of Here I am Send me...Jonah said “Here I Am, I’m Not Going.”

Maybe much like we alluded to earlier in our example of us as kids, Jonah simply refused to obey God.

We see here Jonah went and hid he ran the direct opposite way from God.

He didn’t want to go.

So he went and hid from the presence of the Lord.

He rejected the charge that had been gicen to him...

Is your answer this evening that of Jonah’s?

When you are presented with an opportunity in life to do something for Christ is this your answer?

When given a chance to share with someone the gospel is this what we will say?

Im not doing it...

What does scripture tell us and warn us about concerning this type of attitude?

Matthew 10:32–33 NKJV

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

The Bible tells us that if we deny CHrist before men He is going to deny us before the Father...

I dont know about you but that doesnt sound too good to me...

I dont want Jesus to deny me, to deny that I am his, to deny that I am a christian before God...

Yet how often do we deny him here?

Are we willing to confess our faith in God when we are in certain situations?

Are we willing to step up and evangelize?

Or are we like Jonah and try to hide an deny that we are Christian’s?

We read this last night, but as i said its one of my all time favorite verses when it comes to evangelism...

Matthew 5:14–16 NKJV

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

A Christian’s life isn’t one that’s meant to be lived in secret.

We can’t and shouldn’t hide our Christian life.

We cant be like Jonah and jus try to run and hide from God or the commands he has given us.

Thats not how it works...

We will look at this same question 3 main times this morning after each example.

And I hope you think long and hard on what the answer truly is in your life...

When faced with the call to share the gospel, is this your answer?

Will you run and hide, will you refuse to serve?

Secondly tonight, we have Moses.

Exodus 3:10–12 NKJV

Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

We also know the story of Moses...

We read there in scripture when God told him to lead the people from Egypt.

God tells Moses here he’s going to send him before Pharaoh to free his people.

He is going to save the children of Israel...

But what happens?

What’s Moses answer to our question tonight?

Exodus 4:10–14 NKJV

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

We see here Moses response...

We see two important things from Moses.

First Moses made excuses.

His answer first off is, Here I am but I cant do it...I am not good enough.”

He said I am slow of speech, I am not an eloquent speaker...

I cant do this I cant lead them...

Excuses...

Boy that’s a big one today isn’t it?

How long of a list tonight could we form with the reasons we have given before as to why we cant evangelize?

Romans 1:18–20 NKJV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

We as Christians as Gods people should be without excuse.

God has made it very plain for us who He is and what His messgae is...

We need to always be ready to give an answer, not an excuse, but an answer rooted in Gods word.

1 Peter 3:14–15 NKJV

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

We’re told to give a defense, an answer to anyone who asks.

Always be ready to tell others of the hope we have in us...

Where does that hope come from?

Our faith in Jesus...what we have all based off what he has done for us...

Thats the story of Jesus, thats the gospel, thats the good news.

WIll we make an effort to share it?

Or will we spend more time and energy coming up with excuses and with a million ways to not do something for Christ or a million reasons we can’t… instread of just doing it.

Secondly, with Moses we see his answer to our question.

Here I Am, Send Someone Else”

Is this our response sometimes as well?

Here’s this perfect opportunity in front of me, but surely someone else will do it.

I’m sure there’s someone else that’ll talk to that person about God.

Im sure there’s someone else that will….

Like Gordon said Sunday moring, thats the preachers job...

Philippians 2:12 NKJV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

We as Christians are responsible for our own salvation...

We are responsible for what we do, not what others do, but what we do...

So when we are told as christians to go out and evengelize and we choos not too, who is going to answer for that...

We are...

We need to be making sure that we’re doing everything in our power, not hoping and looking for someone else to save us, but doing what we can do to evangelize...

So again I ask, is this your answer?

Will we make excuses, will we pass the responsibilty to someone else?

Or will we step up and take action...

Finally tonight, we have Isaiah.

Isaiah 6:8 NKJV

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

“Here I Am, Send Me.”

This is the attitud our lives should reflect...

This is the answer we need to have when God has something in store for us.

When we think of the need to evangelize this is the mindset we should have...

Are we this eager to serve God?

Titus 2:11–14 NKJV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Zealous for every good work...

Eager.

Are we eager for every good work as Christian’s?

Are we eager specifically tongiht on the need to evangelize?

Are we chomping at the bit to tell others about the good news of what Jesus has done for them?

Do we have this “here I am send me” mentality?

Romans 1:14–16 NKJV

I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ..

He knows the power of the gospel, he knows its salvation to all who obey...

Do we?

Do we know how powerful the message we have been given to share truly is?

Do we have that “Here I am” mentallity when it comes to our work for Christ?

I am not a hockey player or very knowledable when it comes to the sport but a man by the name Wayne Gretzky was one of the most famous hockey players ever...

He also had one of the most famous quotes in sorts ever as well when he said this...

“You miss 100% of the shots you dont take...”

I want you to think about tha in terms of evanglizing tonight...

Do you think Paul let very many shots at telling someone about Jesus pass him by?

Will we?

Will we have this type of mentality when it comes to telling others about Jesus?

Are we ready? Eager, here I am ready to go, type mentality?

I hope so...

I hope we all are.

Conclusion:

Tonight, whats your answer to the instructions GOd has given us...

Will we reject it outright, and try to run and hide from our responsibilities like Jonah?

Will we make excuses as to why we cant or pass the resposibility off to someone else like Moses?

Or will we offer those same words of Isaiah and the same mindset of Paul and have a “Here i am, send me” mentallity?

Tonight are you a CHristian?

If not why not?

Are you maybe using some of these same excuses or reasons that we have looked at tonight to put off doing what you know you need to do?

Tonight I hope that from tis lesson we can see there is a better mindset we should have...

Make a change in your life tonight, do what you know needs done and become a christian...

Tonight maybe theres someone here who is a christian already but we have the wrong mentallity towards our life as a child of God...

Maybe tonight we are failing to step up to the plate and be the christian we need to be...

Maybe we have fallen victim to sin.

Maybe tonight we just need prayers and encouragement...

Whatver we may need tonight I hope we can take a hard look at ourselves, examine ourselves as Paul says so often, and do what needs done before its too late...