Circles of Influence

Introduction: In the 1960s, Fred Smith was a economics student at Yale University where he wrote a paper outlining his idea to improve the postal service and provide overnight delivery in a a growing information age. He received a C as his professor did not believe the idea was feasibly (or so the story goes). Fred Smith would turn that paper into FedEx. From small beginnings to global outreach he effectively changed the landscape of delievery services..

Anyone knows a business is limited by their reach. Even if you have a great product, it doesn’t matter if you can only reach customers in your local community or even your state or country. But if your greatest reach is if you can go global.

And the best products aren’t ones that make money, but ones that also make life better and easier for those around the world. a company like FedEx actually made this possible.

As Christians we aren’t selling anything but offering the gospel to a world that needs good news. More than anything, as Christians, we have something the world needs to hear. And while the story of God redeeming His people goes back thousands of years, it really got going when Jesus walked the earth as God in the flesh.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 1:6-14.

When Jesus walked the earth, His ministry was local. In order to go global, He needed to go back to heaven and unleash the church to fulfil His mission.

Transition to the Text: It’s hard to imagine that the church would be better off after Jesus went back to heaven but that’s exactly what he taught. And I’m sure for many of us and for the disciples it would have difficult to understand. However, Jesus had bigger plans.

On earth, he was limited by only being able to be in one place at one time, but He said the Holy Spirit would come and be in every Christian.

Jesus’ earthly ministry was mainly a local affair, but for future of the church, Jesus was planning a global operation.

Set up the Big Idea: Jesus has big plans for His Church and the world.

Let’s read about those plans in:

Acts 1:6–14 ESV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Again,

Big Idea: Jesus had big plans for His Church and the world.

Transition to the Points: Now before these plans would take off, His followers needed of some of their misconceived notions about what they thought the plan was.

And the truth is we might need to as well.

Main Point #1 - Let go of your plan to embrace Jesus’ better plan. (Acts 1:6-7)

Explanation: On the final time that the disciples would see Jesus in the flesh, they continue to show that they don’t yet understand what Jesus came for.

They are still tied to this idea that that Messiah would overthrow Rome and reestablish the nation of Israel as an independent nation…with the potential that the Messiah would rule over the entire world. I mean that’s what the Old Testament says right?

Well in a sense yes, eventually Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem seated on the throne of David…just not yet. That’s in the second coming…which we still are waiting for.

Jesus didn’t correct them and say, “That’s not what’s going to happen!” He didn’t even say that they are mistaken…which he had often said before.

He simply said, it’s not for you to know. Jesus was about to tell them the plan for the future, but before He can get that out, He needs to manage their expectations on what is coming.

No the kingdom isn’t being restored now.

No I’m not telling you when that will be.

No the hard part isn’t over. Things are going to get worse, but I will be with you.

Illustration: I always feel bad for the Cleveland Browns. They are consistently terrible and seem to always have been. But year after year, in August, their fans consistently say, “This is our year!” And it never is.

They need to really manage their expectations a little bit better. However, it’s fairly safe to say, that eventually it will be their year. Eventually the team won’t be bad. Even if it’s just one year, like with the Eagles in 2018. Eventually things will click. And believe it or not, all the painful years of losing suddenly fade away and it will worth it!

Application: The disciples were no doubt hoping that dark days and persecution were behind them. But they were only just beginning.

Jesus’ plan, though painful was going to be a beautiful picture of His love for His people. The disciples would begin that plan, it would cost them their lives, and they would go to their deaths singing the praises of the one who died for them! But in the end, being with Jesus for eternity, was going to make it so worth it.

The apostle Paul gets is in:

Romans 8:18 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

But it requires us to manage our expectations. It requires that we adjust our plan and our perception of His plan.

The Christian life won’t be one where we rule with Jesus on human thrones, but it will be worth it in the end.

Plus, for the disciples and for us, there is still a lot of work to do!

So where to start?

Main Point #2 - Wait for the Holy Spirit and then go. (Acts 1:8-12)

Explanation: Now Jesus says, “You will receive power....” This is still a future tense at this time. Notice that Jesus didn’t say that they already had everything in them to change the world. He didn’t give them a pep talk and didn’t even tell them to go.

At some time in the future the Holy Spirit would come and give them power.

Now the author of Acts is Luke who also wrote the Gospel of Luke who already wrote these words in:

Luke 24:46–49 ESV

46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

In fact Jesus was pretty clear that they couldn’t do anything on their own but that the mission He was sending them on was only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is telling the disciples (and to a certain degree…us as well) that we will be witnesses to what Jesus has done in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, to the ends of the earth. for the disciples these were their circles of influence. Jerusalem was home base, Judea and Samaria was a little further out. Now, Samaria was a probably a huge shock to them as Jewish people had been taught to hate the Samaritans as enemies. Was it possible that Jesus was saying you are going to be witnesses for me behind enemy lines? That just sounds crazy!

For them, it might have seemed that the Ends of the Earth were more appealing that Samaria.

Illustration: And isn’t that the truth for us too? Many would much easier go to the ends of the earth that to cross the street and talk to the neighbor’s whose music is always loud or who never cuts their grass.

It’s important for us to note that Jesus doesn’t jump to the ends of the earth. And he doesn’t tell them to start in Jerusalem and move on to the ends of the Earth. Each of these circles of influence is important and must be given attention.

Don’t neglect Jerusalem for the ends of the earth and don’t neglect the ends of the earth for your Jerusalem. There must be balance.

Application: 2 Things are so important for us to always remember:

Jesus has given us a mission.

What is our Jerusalem? Vallejo

What is our Judea and Samaria? California and the United States

What is our Ends of the Earth? As a church we have been focused on China and the Philippines.

We can’t do it in our own power…we need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the key!

What would turn a doubter like Thomas, a denier like Peter into Christ exalting world changers? What would take a lowly fisherman like Thomas from his home in Galilea to India? Or Peter to Rome?

Everything will change in a few short verses when the Holy Spirit comes! It wasn’t until the Holy Spirit came that they were equipped to fulfil the mission Jesus gave them.

Main Point #3 - Love one another. (Acts 1:13-14)

Explanation: By now you might be recognizing that there is no way you can do this on your own.

This is why the church is so important, because it is together that we do this. It is as a family that we change the world. No one can do it alone and no one should do it alone. There are no lone ranger Christians.

Many hands make light work. Or to go more biblical

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 ESV

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

One other thing that was going to be of utmost importance is the unity and love they have for one another.

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The power came from the Holy Spirit working in them. But one thing that could derail them was strife among themselves. They needed to be all on the same page and playing for the same team.

The disciples started out in one accord. I’m not sure why it wasn’t a Chevy Suburban, but the Bible says accord so that must be what it was.

From the very beginning they had a spirit of unity. And let’s remember it wasn’t just the men. The women were included as well.

But you might say, well there is a log of division in the church. There are a lot of denominations. Let’s not mistake secondary issues from strong division. We are united in all the things that matter. We might disagree on spiritual gifts, the end times, or even calvinism vs. arminianism, but if we agree on the gospel, we are united.

So what is the gospel?

The good news is that the one and only God who is holy made us in his image to know Him. But we sinned and cut ourselves off from Him. In his great love, God became a man in jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law himself, and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in Him. He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us has been exhausted. He ascended and presented his completed word to His heavenly father. He now sends out His spirit to call us through this message to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God. (9 Marks, Dever, p. 98)

The gospel is what’s important.

Now I am aware that someone watching this message may have been hurt by the church and is not willing to give a healthy church another chance. You may harbor some ill feelings towards a former pastor or a former church. For that I just want to say I’m sorry. The church is meant to build up and not tear down. And more than that, it’s meant to push you near to Jesus.

Illustration: My favorite food is pizza. I could eat pizza every day for every meal. I missed my calling as a Ninja Turtle. I also feel it’s pretty hard to mess up pizza. Even bad pizza is good…or so I thought. One time I went to a pizza place and it was the worst experience I have had. The pizza was terrible. The dough was almost raw, there was too much sauce, not enough cheese and don’t get me started on the lack of pepperoni. On top of that, I think I got food poisoning. You might think I would swear off pizza forever. Maybe if someone tried to tell me that was pizza, you might understand if I never ate pizza again. But I wasn’t going to let one bad experience keep me from what I know to be good.

If you have been hurt by a church, please don’t let one bad experience keep you from being a part of God’s good family. Find a healthy church that teaches God’s word and teaches people to love one another.

I believe North Hills is a church like that. That’s one of the reasons we talk about how we are family of love.

I’m glad you’ve tuned in to our service, but when we can meet again in person I hope you’ll join us in person as well.

Application: Christians, let’s strive for unity for the sake of others. As Jesus said:

John 13:35 ESV

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And why is this so important?

Because we are witnesses of the love of Jesus and the gospel starting here to the ends of the earth.

Summation: So what do we learn here?

Sometimes our plans don’t align with God’s will for the world. When this happens, we have to let go of our plans for God’s plan!

We need to recognize that we can’t do anything apart from the Holy Spirit.

We need to make sure that our relationships are loving, gracious and mericiful.

And all of this comes around to the idea that we need to be witnesses in our circles of influence.

For the disciples it was Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

For us, Jerusalem is our hometown of Vallejo, Benicia, American Canyon, Fairfield. etc… But as a local church, our Jerusalem is Vallejo.

Our Judea and Samaria is California and the USA.

Our Ends of the Earth is just that.

So...

Response: What impact are you making in your circles of Influence?

Conclusion:

Jesus envisioned His church as an unstoppable force that would storm the gates of hell and liberate those taken captive to sin and death.

The role of the church is to be a witness to the things that Jesus has done both in history and in our own lives.

Some Christians don’t realize that we are at war. And no unbelievers aren’t the enemy. Politicians aren’t the enemy. Other races aren’t the enemy You’re mother in law isn’t the enemy.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

For us we need a change in mentality and start to see people as they are…sinners in need of a savior.

And we don’t save anyone. At the same time, we don’t condemn anyone either. Our responsibility is not to convince anyone, but simply bare witness to Jesus and the truth of God’s word.

So where do we start?

Well we start where we are.

And maybe today, my role is to invite you to repent of your sins and follow Jesus.

I know that it has never been easier to check out a worship service from the comfort of home.

So maybe you found us online. Or maybe you are a regular who hasn’t yet made that step of faith.

I want to invite you to join us in embracing the savior who died for your sins.

So what should you do? What response does the gospel call for? What should we do when we sense our need, our understanding of who God is and who Jesus is and what he has done? When these things all begin to come together, what should be our response? Is it to walk down an isle? Is it to fill out a card, or to lift up a hand? Is it to make an appointment with a preacher, or to decide to be baptized and join the church?

In our time right now, those really aren’t possible, but the good news is you don’t have to wait until we come back together as a church to embrace the love of Jesus. In fact, according to the Bible, our response should be to repent and believe. God calls us to repent of our sins and to rely on Christ alone. And you can do that where you are.

Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don’t please you. I have lived my life for myself only. I am sorry, and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe that you died on the cross for me, to save me. I believe that 3 days Jesus was raised from the dead showing His victory over my sin and death. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life. From this day forward, help me to live every day for you and in a way that pleases you. I love you, Lord, and I thank you that I will spend all eternity with you. Amen.

Now, there is nothing magical about this prayer and their is nothing special about me leading you in the prayer. In fact, if you don’t actually believe, it does nothing. But, if you do believe, it simply helps you to affirm what the Bible teaches that:

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Challenge: If you didn’t share the link to the service with someone this past week, then I challenge you to do that this week.

If you did share the link, I want to challenge you to follow up with that person(s). Ask them what they thought of the service and if they have any questions.

Closing: A few years ago, I heard the story of Edward Kimble and since then, he has become one of my personal heroes is a man named Edward Kimble.  You’ve probably never heard of him, but he was a Sunday school teacher in the 1800s.  He devoted his life to working with young men. To get to know his students better, he’d often visit them during the week where they lived or worked.  One Sunday a troubled youth showed up. He was prone to outbursts of anger and profanity. This is the kind of guy who’s often kicked out of youth groups and I certainly wouldn’t want hanging out with my daughter. God put this young man on Edward’s heart so he visited him at the shoe store where this young man worked. He walked past several times before getting up the courage to walk in. Once he did, he was so nervous that this young man would direct that anger and profanity at him, he was only able to put his hand on the young man’s shoulder and mumble something about how Jesus loved him. As a result the young man received his teacher and was moved to give his life to Lord. This young man whose name was D.L. Moody would go on to be one of the most successful evangelists of 19 th century preaching to nearly 100 people over the course of his ministry. During that time, he had the privilege of leading a man by the name of F.B. Meyer to Lord who carried the great evangelistic awakening into the 20th century where he subsequently mentored J.W. Chapman who founded the Chaplain ministry to major league baseball. There Chapman met Billy Sunday, a professional ball player who later become a pastor and evangelist in his own right.  During Sunday’s ministry ministry, He led a man by the name of Mordecai Hamm to faith. Mordecai Hamm would go on to lead evangelistic meetings around the country. During during one of his final meetings in North Carolina, a young teenager came forward and gave his life to Christ: His name was Billy Graham.

Edward had no idea that he would be in the spiritual lineage of such spiritual giants. He only listened to God’s nudges and allowed himself to be used by God.  Sometimes in God’s grace, he doesn’t allow us to see the fruits of our labors until years after we’ve planted the seeds.  Sometimes God doesn’t allow us to see them at all. 

Application:You see you don’t have to be a prophet or even a pastor to be used by God. God uses normal people to affect change around them where they are because of the Holy Spirit. You just have to open your eyes to see those opportunities. Don’t pass these opportunities off to pastors. See the opportunities that God places before you each day and seize them. Go disciple someone without telling them. Take a risk. Just do something. But I have to warn you…just because God tells you to do something, doesn’t mean other people are going to like it.

But you just keep following Jesus and by following Jesus we’ll change the world.

Let’s pray.