Are You Willing To Make A Difference?

Are You Willing To Make A Difference?

AND HE SAID TO THEM ALL, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME.

INTRODUCTION

Today we’re talking about how you can make a difference in your world, your immediate world, the people around you, in their lives.

But there’s a starting point to all of this. God wants us to know His Word so that it makes us different in order for us to be able to go and make a difference.

The starting point is that you and I have to be willing in our hearts to be used by God. You and I must be willing to pray this prayer God I’m willing to do whatever you want –

Jesus said a number of times in the New Testament, if you are willing and you will do this, if you are willing you will hear the words that I say and you’ll take action upon them.

Jesus said in

Jesus said in

“IF PEOPLE WANT TO FOLLOW ME, THEY MUST GIVE UP THE THINGS THEY WANT. THEY MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR LIVES DAILY TO FOLLOW ME.”

Jesus said, if you want to follow me, if you want to make a difference, then you need to have a willing heart.

How do we have a willing heart? What does a willing heart look like?

There’s this story in the New Testament and it’s a story of four friends who wanted to make a difference in the life of one of their friends who was in desperate need.

This story teaches us what we can do. It’s found in .

This story teaches us what we can do. It’s found in .

. “ONE DAY JESUS WAS TEACHING, [in a home and the] PHARISEES AND THE RELIGION TEACHERS WERE SITTING AROUND. THEY HAD COME FROM NEARLY EVERY VILLAGE IN GALILEE AND JUDEA. EVEN AS FAR AWAY AS JERUSALEM, TO BE THERE…

[So you’ve got to get the picture. The house is packed out. It’s standing room only. There are people on the outside of the house looking in the windows. It’s crowded; all to hear Jesus.]

SOME MEN ARRIVED CARRYING A PARAPLEGIC MAN ON A STRETCHER. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GET INTO THE HOUSE AND SET HIM BEFORE JESUS.

WHEN THEY COULDN’T FIND A WAY IN BECAUSE OF THE CROWD, THEY WENT UP ON THE ROOF, REMOVED SOME TILES, AND LET HIM DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYONE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF JESUS.

IMPRESSED BY THEIR BOLD BELIEF, JESUS SAID, ‘FRIEND, I FORGIVE YOUR SINS.’ THAT SET THE RELIGION SCHOLARS AND THE PHARISEES BUZZING.

‘WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS? THAT’S BLASPHEMOUS TALK! GOD AND ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS.’ JESUS KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE THINKING AND SAID…‘

WELL, JUST SO IT’S CLEAR THAT I AM THE SON OF MAN THAT I AM AUTHORIZED TO DO’ [THIS], HE NOW SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE PARAPLEGIC: ‘GET UP. TAKE UP YOUR BEDROLL AND GO HOME.’

WITHOUT A MOMENT’S HESITATION HE DID IT−GOT UP, TOOK HIS BLANKET, AND LEFT FOR HOME, GIVING GLORY TO GOD ALL THE WAY.

What an incredible story of guys who wanted to make a difference.

THE PEOPLE RUBBED THEIR EYES, INCREDULOUS−AND THEN THEY ALSO GAVE GLORY TO GOD. AWESTRUCK, THEY SAID, ‘WE’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT!’”

What an incredible story! An incredible story of guys who wanted to make a difference.

It’s in this story that we can learn four truths in our lives and how we can make a difference in our world. Let’s take a look at them.

The first truth is this to make a difference in our world

I must be willing to let my life be interrupted.

In this story Jesus came back to town and no one knew. It was a surprise. There were no plans for Him to be there. The word spread: “Did you hear? Jesus is here. Jesus is back.

These four friends heard Jesus is back in town! And they knew they had a friend who was in need so they went and got their friend.

These four friends heard Jesus is back in town! And they knew they had a friend who was in need so they went and got their friend.

They were willing for their lives to be interrupted so that they could help a friend get to Jesus.

But what we do know is they dropped their plans. They were willing for their lives to be interrupted so that they could help a friend get to Jesus.

This idea of letting life’s interruptions come into our life so that people can meet Jesus is actually a theme throughout all of Jesus’ ministry. His ministry was full of interruptions.

There was a time when the children wanted to come to see Jesus and the disciples were saying, “No, no. You guys can’t. He’s too busy.” And Jesus said, “No, it’s ok. You can interrupt me. Let the little children come to me.”

All the great stories that we love are stories of interruptions. When Jesus came across the blind man, it was an interruption. He would heal the blind man.

All the great stories that we love are stories of interruptions. When Jesus came across the blind man, it was an interruption. He would heal the blind man.

He was all right being interrupted whether it was by a thief or by a prostitute or by an outcast.

He was all right being interrupted whether it was by a thief or by a prostitute or by an outcast.

He was all right being interrupted whether it was by a thief or by a prostitute or by an outcast.

Even in the story here as Jesus was teaching, what happens? He gets massively interrupted.

The reason that Jesus never minded interruptions is because He always saw them as opportunities to do something great in someone life.

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My availability and your availability in life becomes God’s opportunity to do something great in someone else’s life if I’m willing, if I’m willing to be interrupted and be available.

My availability and your availability in life becomes God’s opportunity to do something great in someone else’s life if I’m willing, if I’m willing to be interrupted and be available.

What keeps us from being available? What keeps us from giving up our own agenda and our own plans?

I think it’s a lot of things but it can boil down to one word. That word is distractions.

Distractions keep us from letting our life be interrupted.

I get this, because I’m easily distracted. I get distracted all the time. I get distracted from really good things that keep me from doing what God wants me to do.

What are your distractions? What keeps you from doing what God wants you to do for His kingdom?

What are your distractions? What keeps you from doing what God wants you to do for his kingdom? There are thousands of them.

Is it work that’s keeping you from being interrupted? Is it sports? Is it video games? Is it TV? Is it a boyfriend or a girlfriend? Is it a hobby?

Is it the text message you just got? We can see you up here. Just want you to know that.

The fact is there are lots of things in life that keep us distracted. And Jesus had some sobering words about the distractions of life.

“ANYONE WHO LETS HIMSELF BE DISTRACTED FROM THE WORK I PLAN FOR HIM IS NOT FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” (LB)

As a pastor I talk to a lot of people. I listen to what’s going on in their lives. Let me tell you the two biggest distractions that I hear all the time from folks.

The first distraction I hear all the time is this pursuit of wealth.

It’s the pursuit of material things, the desire to get rich. It’s not bad to be wealthy but Jesus said you cannot serve God and money at the same time.

But as long as we’ve got God as first place in our life, it’s ok if we make money. The problem comes when it becomes the priority of our lives and it’s all consuming in our life and we cut God out of the equation.

So as long as we’ve got God as first place in our life, it’s ok if we make money. The problem comes when it becomes the priority of our lives and it’s all consuming in our life and we cut God out of the equation.

The second big distraction I hear from folks all the time is busyness.

The second big distraction I hear from folks all the time is busyness.

The second big distraction I hear from folks all the time is busyness. Busyness is like the new buzz word for everything.

We’re really busy people. Our calendars are filled up from top to bottom every day of the week.

We used to ask people how they’re doing, and they would tell you, I’m doing pretty good. And that was it. Now it’s, How you doing? and it’s “I’m doing good. I’m busy.”

What have you been up to? “Not a whole lot. I’m just real busy.” What’s been going on in your life? “I’m busy.”

The fact of the matter is we are. We’re really busy people. Our calendars are filled up from top to bottom every day of the week.

As long as I have my agenda, it won’t work. God’s agenda must become my agenda.

As long as I have my agenda, it won’t work. God’s agenda must become my agenda.

Because I struggle with this, with these distractions of life, here’s what I’ve learned: It’s not automatic to give up my plans and be interrupted.

It’s a conscious decision I have to make. It’s something internally I have to do every single day, to be willing to be interrupted for God’s plans.

God didn’t create you without a plan for your life. God has a blueprint with your name on the top of it. The plans that He wants to do in your life.

SAYS “BEFORE I MADE YOU IN YOUR MOTHER’S WOMB, I CHOSE YOU. BEFORE YOU WERE BORN, I SET YOU APART FOR A SPECIAL WORK.”

Circle those words “special work.” God has got something planned for you in your life, something amazing He wants to do.

But this special work we’re talking about is in your world. Right where you live.

If you’ve never taken it before, I highly encourage you to take Class 3000. It’s all about how God can use you and how God has made you and shaped you to serve him in ministry.

But this special work we’re talking about is in your world. Right where you live, eat and breathe.

There’s a second thing we need to do to make a difference in our world.

My availability becomes God’s opportunity to do something great in someone else’s life, if I’m willing to be interrupted.

There’s a second thing we need to do to make a difference in our world.

I must be willing to change my attitude.

“WHEN THEY COULDN’T FIND A WAY IN BECAUSE OF THE CROWD, THEY WENT UP ON THE ROOF, REMOVED SOME TILES, AND LET HIM DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYONE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF JESUS.”

Every time I read this story, I don’t think of the guy on the mat, I don’t think of Jesus and I don’t think of those four friends. You know who I think about? The guy who owned the house!

We don’t know what he was thinking but what we do know is the attitude the friends had is the attitude God wants us to have. That is, whatever it would take to help their friend. They were willing to do whatever it would take.

And there’s Jesus front and center. He’s got to be loving it and listening. All of a sudden he hears something going on on his roof. He’s ignoring it.

All of a sudden things start falling through. Then a man comes through. What was he thinking? Somebody’s got to pay for that roof!

Are You Willing To Make A Difference?

We don’t know what he was thinking but what we do know is the attitude the friends had is the attitude God wants us to have. That is, whatever it would take to help their friend. They were willing to do whatever it would take.

There wasn’t a way in so they made one. They were willing to do something different. They were willing to be different in order to make a difference. They were willing to care about what God cares about, which is people.

God’s attitudes must become my attitudes. We must be willing to be different inside in order to make a difference. We must be willing to care about those around us, right around us.

SAYS “WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR NEIGHBOR AND THE GOOD THINGS THAT WILL BUILD HIS FAITH.”

SAYS “PEOPLE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS AND NOT JUST ABOUT THEMSELVES.”

Let me ask you a personal question: What attitude is holding you back from being willing to be used by God? And from having a willing heart?

You say, “Pastor, you don’t know my story. You don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know all that I have done. God will never use me. God doesn’t want to use me.”

To that I’d say no, God wants to use you. God will never place you on a shelf. We place ourselves on a shelf with our attitudes and the attitudes that block us from being used by God.

Over the years of ministry and asking people “What is it that kept you from getting involved, starting to serve and getting involved in ministry?” Let me just give you some of the things that came from these people:

Some said, I was too shy. Another person said, I was a new believer, a new Christian. I didn’t think I had anything to offer. Someone said, I wasn’t sure where to serve.

Some said, I was too shy. Another person said, I was a new believer, a new Christian. I didn’t think I had anything to offer. Someone said, I wasn’t sure where to serve.

Someone said, I didn’t know what to do when I would get there. Another person said, it was too time consuming. Back to the busyness.

Our attitudes that we have that we replay in our mind, go over and over again, they can be destructive and they can hurt us when they’re negative.

When I think of these attitudes that we have, they remind me of something. You know what they remind me of? They remind me of the most annoying bug on the planet. You know what that is? It’s the gnat. I hate gnats.

You can’t think or focus on anything until you get away from the gnats, because they’re all consuming in your life at that moment.

They’re always circle around your head. They’re not going to circle around your feet. They’re going to circle around your head. And all of a sudden you’re going, where did these come from?

At first you try to just blow them off. They’re bugging you. What do we do? We step over like two feet, like that’s going to make a difference and they’re not going to follow. But that’s what we do. You step over and you swat your hands a little bit.

Then one flies up your nose. Now you’re really annoyed. You start moving your hands a little bit harder. Then one flies in your mouth and you eat it. Now you’re ticked. Now you’re mad. You’re kicking your legs, you’re throwing your arms around, you’re going crazy.

Here’s the thing with gnats. They’re so small that you can’t even see them until they’re circle around your head. So the guy down the beach, he’s looking at you and you just looked like you’re going crazy!

Here’s the thing with gnats. They’re so small that you can’t even see them until they’re circle around your head. So the guy down the beach, he’s looking at you and you just looked like you’re going crazy!

You can’t think or focus on anything until you get away from the gnats, because they’re all consuming in your life at that moment.

Our attitudes are the same way. They become all consuming in our lives. Here’s the difference. Gnats can’t hurt you. They can annoy you, but they can’t hurt you.

Our attitudes that we have that we replay in our mind, go over and over again, they can be destructive and they can hurt us when they’re negative.

God doesn’t want us to have them. He doesn’t want these attitudes to block us from being used by Him, thinking that you have nothing to offer.

That you don’t have enough talent; you have too many hang ups. God doesn’t want that for you in your life. He wants you to know that He wants to use you.

SAYS “WE SHOULD REMOVE FROM OUR LIVES ANYTHING [THE GNATS] THAT WOULD GET IN THE WAY AND THE SIN THAT SO EASILY HOLDS US BACK.”

God is not looking for perfect people, but He is looking for willing people. He’s looking for people who want to be different inside in order to make a difference, people who are willing to push through their fears to be used by Him.

I must be willing to do what I can, when I can, as often as I can.

What I love about this story is it’s a local story. It’s four friends who help a friend in need. No doubt they’ve known this friend for a long time. They’ve probably helped this friend a lot of times before.

When Jesus comes to town, they knew they have to get their friend to Jesus because Jesus is the only one who can help him.

When Jesus comes to town, they know they have to get their friend to Jesus because Jesus is the only one who can help him.

AND WHEN HE SAW THEIR FAITH, HE SAID UNTO HIM, MAN, THY SINS ARE FORGIVEN THEE.

Jesus said in this story, it’s because of your faith [referring to the friends, talking directly to the friends] that your friend has been healed.

Here’s the reality, unless you’re a professional missionary, most if your ministry is going to be done right here where you live, eat and breathe, locally. That’s where your impact is going to be.

A lot of times we look for the one big thing that will make a huge impact in somebody’s life, or in our lives really. What God wants us to do is not look for the big thing.

A lot of times we look for the one big thing that will make a huge impact in somebody’s life, or in our lives really. What God wants us to do is not look for the big thing.

He wants us to look for the hundred thousand little things that you and I can do over the course of a whole lifetime. They add up to one big huge impact of a life that is well lived.

YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH…YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN… IN THE SAME WAY, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. (NIV)

Jesus said, when you’re here on this earth as believers I want you to be two things. I want you to be salt and I want you to be light.

Jesus said, when you’re here on this earth as believers I want you to be two things. God want you to be salt and I want you to be light.

Jesus said, when you’re here on this earth as believers I want you to be two things. I want you to be salt and I want you to be light.

Salt was a preservative. They didn’t have refrigerators like we have so they would take the salt and rub in their meat to keep it fresh.

Salt enhances flavor and salt also makes you thirsty. We figure this out.

Salt enhances flavor and salt also makes you thirsty. We figure this out.

Here’s what Jesus said, I want you to live your life in such a way that people thirst after me. They hunger for what’s different about you, and they want that in their own lives.

There’s a second thing God wants us to be a light.

You may not be a big light, but you’ll be the only light that your family, friends will see.

And God wants us to be the light and the salt of the earth.

God can use us if we’re willing to be interrupted, if we’re willing to change our attitude and be willing to do whatever we can when we can. And there’s a fourth thing this story teaches us.

If I want to make a difference I must be willing to work with others.

I must be willing to work with others. How many people did it take to get this guy on the roof? Four. It took four people to get this guy up there. It took a team of people.

If one of the guys was missing it wouldn’t have worked. They wouldn’t have been able to get him to Jesus. It took all four of them working together as a team.

“WE WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS WHO BELONG TO GOD.”

“WE WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS WHO BELONG TO GOD.”

SAYS “TWO CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH AS ONE.”

We must be willing to work together to be used by God.

LOOK AT WHAT JESUS SAID IN

. JESUS SAID “IF ANYONE GIVES EVEN A CUP OF WATER [the smallest thing] BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO ME, I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THAT THAT PERSON WILL SURELY BE REWARDED.”

In God’s economy, everything we do for Him in big and small ways, together, by teams and individually, everything we do counts.

I want you to visualize yourself as the person on the mat. You’re the one on the mat looking up.

Your whole life you’ve had to look up. Your whole life you’ve needed other people to help you.

You couldn’t do things on your own. You’ve had to ask other people.

You hear that Jesus is in town and you believe that Jesus can heal you but you can’t get there on your own.

You can’t make it there. You need someone else to get you there.

There are people in your life that the only way they’re going to get to Jesus is if you take them. That’s the only way.

When Jesus looks at this world and He looks at the lost and he looks at the hurting and he looks at the lonely, he looks around and He says who is the person I can send this person to who is going to be willing to be interrupted, who’s going to be willing to do whatever it takes?

Who is the person I can send this hurting, lost soul to?

Because He will. He’ll send them to you if you’re willing to be interrupted and He’ll send them to us if we as the church are willing to be that.

Because He will. He’ll send them to you if you’re willing to be interrupted and He’ll send them to us if we as the church are willing to be that.