THE MOST AMAZING BUT UNDERSTATED SUCCESS STORY EVER TOLD

THE MOST AMAZING BUT UNDERSTATED SUCCESS STORY EVER TOLD Psalm 67 June 11, 2006 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction The Book of Heroic Failures contains a story about the 1978 strike of British firefighters, when the army filled the gap for the missing firemen. One afternoon the replacement firefighters got a call to rescue a cat caught high in a tree. The soldiers rushed to the scene, put up a ladder, brought down the cat, and gave it back to the owner. The woman was grateful and invited them in for tea. After a wonderful time, they said goodbye, got in the truck, and backed away over the cat. This prompts the question, "Could that rescue mission really be considered a success?" What is success? It is doing what you are called to do as well as you can do it, regardless of the apparent results. In his book, The Faithful Christian, Billy Graham writes: Within the New Testament, there is no indication that Christians should expect to be healthy, wealthy, and successful in this present age. ... Christ never told his disciples that they would get an Academy Award for their performances, but He did tell them to expect to have troubles. This age is interested in success, not suffering. We can identify with James and John who wanted choice seats in the kingdom. We might even ask for reclining chairs and soft music. But success in the Kingdom of God is, and always will be, loving God with all our hearts, minds and strength and doing the will of God as best we can in the power of His Spirit. We leave results to God. And God gets results. I want to encourage us this morning with a brief review of the success of the Kingdom of God in this world. Please turn to Psalm 67. If we are determined to be successful kingdom people, we must know God’s purpose for the kingdom and do our best to serve that purpose. Psalm 67:1-2 - May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:3-4 - May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth. Psalm 67:5-7 - May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise You. Then the land will yield it's harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him. Verse 1 borrows language from the priestly benediction of Numbers 6:24-26. The psalmist is asking for God’s blessings for him and his people, but the unique thing is—he is asking so that God’s purpose will be served. He says so that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. It is God’s will that the church, the community of His faithful people on earth, would be in complete agreement with this purpose. It is in this agreement that Psalm 67 is written. Verses 3 and following are a prayer for the purposes of God to be accomplished. The stress is on the peoples and the nations. The people of God – praying for all the other people of the earth to know God and His will for them. And verse 7 closes the psalm with the grand prayer that the ends of the earth would fear God. As a part of the church of Jesus Christ in this world, this is the hope and prayer that drives us as well. It drives us to live for Him and to serve His purpose of reaching the entire world with the saving message of His grace through Christ. I want to encourage the body of Christ this morning with the truth that the purposes of God are moving forward in the world—in Brazil, in America and in virtually all parts of the globe. Beginning with 120 disciples who faithfully gave themselves—many of them even their lives—for the cause of the gospel, the church has now grown to 2 billion people, or one-third of the earth’s population of 6 billion people. In the continuing spiritual struggle of overcoming the strongholds of manmade religious structures and beliefs, the biblical faith continues to move. The remaining two-thirds of the world falls into these categories:   Islam – 1.2 billion Atheism (and other non-religious affiliation) – 920 million Hindu – 774 million Buddhist 359 million Tribalism - 252 million Sikh – 23 million Jews – 15 million   In the book, The Church is Bigger Than You Think, Patrick Johnstone demonstrates a phenomenal perspective on the progress of the gospel. If our purpose is to reach all people groups, we should rejoice in the work of translating the scriptures into the languages of those people groups. In nineteen centuries the Bible was translated into 537 languages, but look at what has happened in the last 100 years! Most of the world’s major language groups now have the Bible available! Speaking of translations, one of the most effective means of transmitting the message of Christ today is the Jesus film. Since it became available in 1990, Christian organizations, churches, and mission groups like Campus Crusade for Christ and Youth with a Mission, have made this powerful, biblically accurate film version of the Gospel of Luke available in hundreds of languages. To date almost three and a half thousand million people have viewed this evangelistic film and an estimated 12 million have received salvation through Christ. Time doesn’t permit me to share the countless other encouraging reports of the worldwide expansion of the church, but so much of what is happening is encouraging. Matthew 24:14 promises that …this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. I want you as a part of MECF to be excited about what God is doing in Brazil—and I know you are. I want you to be excited about the progress of the gospel in every sector of God’s world. I want you to be excited that 12 cents out of every dollar that you give into the general fund of this church is going directly to effective outreach efforts in Brazil, Niger, Palestine and other nations of the earth. I want you to pray for the work that the Gregory family are doing with PAZ Ministries in Castanhal. Pray for them by name and ask the Lord bless them so that they will be encouraged and strengthened in the cause of the gospel.     [Back to Top]