Hard Goodbyes

Introduction

Driving without gas - coasted into Sam’s.

Required a great deal of momentum!

All Are In A Battle - which makes it difficult at times to keep moving forward.

Sometimes we will find ourselves coasting.

Where and how far a person coasts is dependent upon previous direction and speed.

It is important to be aware of those things in your spiritual life before the battle hits.

This will keep us moving forward in life! Reaping the fruit of joy and purpose!

Paul had experienced such difficulties, but even in times where he needed to recover, he continued moving in the right direction.

We can identify four great things that had helped keep him going and going in the right direction.

Paul’s Great Message (v. 21)

People who refuse to give up: difficult relationships, difficult jobs, difficult medical treatments, difficult loved one with a physical or mental illness. How do we keep going?

After describing all the hardships he has endured, he reminds them of how he kept on going (v.20a).

It was all about the Great Message that Paul had. Not just was sharing, but living out himself.

The two essential things: Repentance and Faith

Paul was filled with this Great message. Not just that he thought about it, but it filled him completely.

[verse 1] Well I pulled up to the station in my bright new shiny car And I asked the man who was working there what was he staring at me for Well nevertheless I let him rest but then i watched him freeze When I told him what I wanted was two dollars of God please

[chorus] 'Cause that's not enough to make me love someone who's not like me But the right amount to get me through my very busy week I don't want nothing radical 'cause then I'd have to change my ways No I just want two dollars and that would be just fine today [repeat intro]

[verse 2] Well that man did what I wanted he put the gas into my car Not so much as to slow me down but enough to get me far Now some people call me crazy but I'm smart enough to know The type of fuel changes the way the engine runs and so [repeat chorus]

[verse 3] Well next time you're by that station tell that man I said hello 'Cause I think he's starting to understand what I told him not long ago See I don't want to live for God my friend 'cause His ways and mine don't mix So I only go every week or so to get my two dollar fix

Too many people are cruising around with their $2 of God and wondering why they are so empty!

Come to Jesus! Repent to God and Faith in Jesus!

Live it out fully!

Have a faith of commitment and not of convenience.

Paul’s Great Desire (v. 24)

Paul’s greatest desire was to testify of Jesus.

He wanted to tell other people about what Jesus had done!

There are a lot of good things in life that can be our focus: family, jobs, education.

“The good is always the enemy of the best.”

Oswald Chambers

We have to think about priorities!

What will receive my greatest efforts and affections?

The fact that Christ has saved us should focus us to Kingdom desires.

Does this mean we need to quit our jobs, abandon our families, and drop out of school?

As tempting as some of those may sound to you at times, NO!

These parts of our lives are not individual drawers that are disconnected, but part of a single piece of furniture.

All of these compartments go into the whole of who we are as followers of Jesus.

Christian son/daughter/father/mother. Christian Employee. Christian Student. All for the glory of Jesus.

Paul’s Great Concern (v. 28)

Paul was reminding them that they, as Elders, were to care for the sheep, the believers.

Elders (v. 17); Overseers (v. 28); Shepherds (v. 28). Three words to describe a single position.

Each with its own emphasis.

Elder = Spiritual Example

Overseer = Administrator of the church

Shepherd = Caretaker of the believers

Guarding against threats, both external and internal.

External are wolves who will seek to tear the church down from the outside. Accusations and distractions.

Internal are false teachers. Those who claim to be believers, who are within the church, but cause division and strife and spread false teachings.

This role of elder is a specific calling, but there is overlap for all believers.

Each of us should be on guard against the wolves and false teachers, threats external and internal.

And we should be watching out for one another!!

There is a level of care that we must express to one another.

Paul’s Great Love (vv. 36-37)

One of the most tender moments in the entire New Testament.

Paul, gathered with these friends and brothers, fellow elders, and he is praying with them.

This just shows a moment of absolute genuine love for other believers.

Paul exemplifies an awareness of them as people.

There is an awareness of these people.

People didn’t just exist to work to meet the goals, but there were valuable sons and daughters of God.

Show genuine love.

Care about how others are doing. Reach out to them.

Realize that people exist beyond your interactions with them.

Conclusion

Flying back from Brazil and we got to see the Space Shuttle Discovery after it had launched from Cape Canaveral.

Plume left behind it as it shot through the air with enough velocity to break from the earth’s gravitational hold.

The solid rocket boosters consume propellant at a rate of 11,000 pounds per second.

The Three Main engines on the orbiter consume around 1,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen per second. It takes around 8 1/2 minutes to drain the 520,000 gallon tank.

All that power is required to actually break out of the gravitational pull of the earth.

It takes a lot of effort to get something moving.

Maybe you feel like your life is at a standstill. Nothing of consequence. Or just feel stuck in a routine.

Pursuing Jesus provides the fuel to move us forward in the right direction, towards a life filled with meaning.