The Importance of One

Happy New Year!

This morning is going to be a little bit of a different service, as we usually camp out in one section of Scripture, and this morning, we are going to trace a thread throughout Scripture.

We are going to start in so go ahead and be opening your Bibles there

This morning we are coming to dedicate this year to being obedient to the calling that Christ has given us, that is to share the Gospel with the lost

And specifically, at the end of the service today, we are going to nail our cards onto this cross, with the name of the person that the Lord has laid on our hearts to focus our ministry on this year.

But for some, this idea of focusing on one person is counter productive. We have been called to tell everybody, so why would I spend so much time on “just one”?

And with that statement alone, we can already see that we do not have a right view of the importance of one

We think of “one” as small and insignificant.

We don’t want one cookie

We only have one dollar

I am only “one man” or “one woman”

Yet, throughout Scripture, we see the drastic and lasting effects of “just one”

Genesis 3:6–7 ESV

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Genesis 3:6

It was one fruit, one act that separated Adam and Eve from God

And we still have problems seeing our sin this way

We say things like

“Well it was only once”

“Yeah, it happened one time, but I’m only human”

It doesn’t matter if you’ve only been drunk once

or viewed pornography once

or gossiped about somebody once

ONCE IS ENOUGH TO CONDEMN YOU

Paul shows us in Romans the effect of “Just once”

Romans 5:12 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

One sin, through one man

And what was the result?

Romans 5:12–13 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

,

“Death spread to all men”

Ladies and Gentlemen don’t fall for the lie that “just one sin” can’t hurt you

Because “Just one sin” condemned us all

But thankfully, the condemnation that came through one man was undone by the obedience of “just one”

Romans 5:15 ESV

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

Romans 5:15

We don’t come this morning with sacrifices because there is only “one” sacrifice that is acceptable.

We are going to spend eternity with God because His “one and only son” gave His life to remove our debt.

“Just one” was enough to condemn us, and “Just one” was enough to save us.

We also see the importance of one when God picks one man to build the ark and to continue the line of the seed of the woman from

Turn in your Bibles to , where we will see the impact of “Just one”

Genesis 12:1–3 ESV

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1

Through one man, God promises to bless all the families of the earth.

Then, through his great-grandson Joseph, God used one man to rescue all of Israel from the famine .

And someone might be thinking

“Yeah, ok Brandon I get it. But we are talking about Patriarchs. We are talking about people who are listed in hall of faith. I’m not them. I don’t have faith like that. I’m just me”

But we also see in Scripture how God uses those who doubt

Exodus 3:10–12 ESV

Come, 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 bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 3:10-

Exodus 4:1 ESV

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ”

Exodus 4:1

Exodus 4:10–12 ESV

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Exodus 4:10

And we know the rest of the story. Moses goes, and through Him, God leads His people out of captivity.

We also see it in Jeremiah chapter 1

Jeremiah 1:4–9 ESV

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Jeremiah 1:4-

Jeremiah would go on to prophesy to the Nation of Israel until their exile to Babylon.

So God uses those who aren’t sure if they can fulfill what the Lord has called them to, but who are obedient in the face of that fear.

And we can look over and over and over at instances throughout redemption history where God calls individuals to obedience and service, and we have hindsight to see the massive fruit their obedience created.

You see, God has always used means to accomplish His purposes

Could God have just brought fire from heaven to destroy the Egyptians and lead His people out? Absolutely!

But instead, He used Moses

Even though He does not need us, in His sovereign plan, God has chosen to use people to accomplish His will.

And we saw just last week in the last message from Matthew, that we are the means that God has ordained to spread His Gospel

I want you to take out your cards. I want you to look at the name you have written on that card.

And while you are looking at that name, I want you to get a picture of that person in your mind.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you are the means that God has ordained to tell that person about Jesus.

I don’t have to pray about that, I don’t have to wonder if that’s true, I know its true.

Because if you are a believer this morning, God has ordained you, God has commissioned you, to tell those who He brings into your path.

“Brandon I know all that. I know I’m supposed to share my faith with people around me. But I just don’t know what to say”

And to that let me say two things.

This year, beginning in February, every one of our small groups is going to go through lessons about Evangelism, so that we can help to equip you for the task, and help you think through how to share your faith

One of the problems we have with evangelism is we try to be too cute about it. Think about what Moses and Jeremiah said. Moses said I’m not a good talker, and God said “Who made the mouth?” and Jeremiah said “Im too young to know how to talk” and God said “I will put my words in your mouth”.

So many times, we want to have what we are going to say so rehearsed, so perfect, and in reality, we just need to talk to people about the Bible

If it is the Holy Spirit of God working through the Word of God that changes hearts, then the Word of God is what we need to be telling people

Do you believe that the Word is sufficient?

Do you believe that the Word is able to overcome your weaknesses?

Paul did.

2 Corinthians 3:5–6 ESV

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:

God made each of us sufficient to be ministers of this new covenant

You aren’t good at talking to people? GOOD! That means when people get saved you will know it is by God’s power and not yours

The power of the Gospel is the Power of God, and not the power of you

And if that’s true, then I don’t have to worry about being perfect in what I say. I just have to be obedient and show people the Word.

And if we are living lives that commend us as Christians, it is likely that the people around us will bring it up

I know there are quite a few of us in this room this morning who have talked about how we are the person that people come ask their faith questions to

No matter where I have ever worked, I am always peppered with questions about faith, the Bible, what the Bible teaches.

Something must be written on my face that says “Ask me about faith”

And I have some relationships today, ongoing relationships with unbelievers that are solid friendships because of those conversations.

I used to work at Grifols, and many of you have heard about my friend Yasser.

Yasser is a Muslim, and we worked together for the majority of the time I worked there

And one day, I was having a conversation with him, and he told me

“This person is a Christian, but they are so Ugly, they are so mean. Why are they like this?”

And that was a wonderful conversation where we talked about how Christians are not perfect people, but they are forgiven based on what Christ has done for us.

We are called to be ready to provide an answer of the hope that is in us, and many times those are God given ways to share the truth of the Gospel with those close to us

But Lastly this morning, Obedience will not happen without intentionality.

Part of our desire this morning as we come and nail these names on the cross, is to create intentionality in our relationships with these people

If we wait for all the things in our lives to align so that we can share with our one, we will be writing their name again next year without them ever hearing from us

If we think that we need to be less busy so that we can evangelize our person, it will never happen

If we think that we need to grow our relationship with this person before we can share, we will never say a word

We have to be intentional to invite our person out to breakfast, lunch or dinner

We have to be intentional to invite them to church

We have to be intentional to share our testimony

And this intentionality must grow out of a love for them, and and understanding of the reality of the situation.

In the affluent society we live in, its easy to forget that without Christ, eternal damnation awaits that person whose name you wrote down

We think they are safe, they aren’t in any danger.

But Scripture says they are

Revelation 20:15 ESV

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:

Until we see our one as an eternal soul that will one day either be united to Christ or thrown into the lake of fire, we will never be intentional about being obedient

Spending this year to minister to just one person is a waste, unless that person is supremely valuable

Leaving the 99 for the one seems foolish, until you are that one

There was a christian group I grew up listening to called Phillips, Craig and Dean, and they had a song way back in 1992 called “Favorite Song of All”

The Chorus said

That's His favorite song of all Is the song of the redeemed When lost sinners now made clean Lift their voices loud and strong When those purchased by His blood Lift to Him a song of love There's nothin' more He'd rather hear Nor so pleasin' to His ear As His favorite song of all

Make no mistake about it folks. When a lost sinner repents, and one of God’s Children is washed in the blood of Jesus, there is no greater rejoicing in Heaven.

And we are the ones that God has sent out to tell people. We are the means that God uses to draw His Children to Himself.

He has gifted to us His Word, and His Spirit in order to make us sufficient to the task.

So the only question left this morning is

Will we be obedient or disobedient servants?

Let us dedicate this year to be obedient to our mission, and love these people that we are about to bring to the cross enough to share the Gospel with them.