2006-08-26 - You can go - gospels-acts

Message: You can Go                                        Newport Baptist Church

Scr: see below                                                      Date: 2006-08-26

Intro: trip home from Ontario – we had somewhere to go – 1 day to do it… Toronto… fine, Montreal… fine… making great time, 1 hour from home… hit Lincoln, NB.  L  Really had to watch my language at that point!

Travel with a family is fun… the children get to really know their parents, they hope to grow up and be like us and even follow us around at times… sometimes we forget that the time will come when they must go out into the world themselves.

Life is a journey, life with Christ is a journey.  We come to know Jesus, we try and grow to be like him, we follow him where he leads, and eventually we realize that he has called us to follow him so that we can go.  My friends, you can go.

1)       Matt 4:18-22

a)       Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men

b)       Jesus doesn’t save without purpose

i)         Every soul that is saved is saved for a reason – God’s plan!

ii)       Plan was not to create pew warmers, history lovers, doubters and whiners

iii)      Sometimes takes us a while to figure out what the purpose is.

c)       Ill – for 10 years – asked John – how do you know if you are supposed to be a pastor?

i)         God was calling me, but I was afraid to follow.

d)       Application – first step is to answer his call!

2)       Luke 9:1-6

a)       He sent them out

i)         Take nothing

ii)       They went, preaching and healing

b)       Ill – a few weeks after starting with Bob steeves – preach Geoff J

i)         Panic! – I knew nothing!

ii)       No training, no practice, no idea!

iii)      But I did – preaching and healing

c)       Application – 2nd step is to accept his direction

3)       Luke 18:15-17

a)       People brought babies and little children to Jesus – to touch them

i)         Disciples rebuked, but Jesus says no – kingdom of God belongs to these

ii)       We have to receive it like a little child – implications?

b)       Application – 3rd step is to accept what we cannot understand

i)         Lee MacDonald – I don’t understand why he saved someone like me, but I know he did and I want everyone else to know that he will save them too.

4)       Mark 14:43-52

a)       Some will betray his cause

i)         Intentionally - Judas

ii)       Unintentionally – one who cut off the ear

iii)      Scriptures must be fulfilled

b)       Everyone fled – one young man – naked!

c)       Ill – Gary’s house burned down – all standing outside in December in the snow wearing pajamas – fled because feared the fire

i)         Followers are usually the first to flee

d)       When receive the fire of the HS within, fire outside is not so scary – enables us to go! – Pentecost – fire came down and freed them from fear

5)       Acts 2:22-39

a)       Ill – Rick Warren – The more unashamed you are of the gospel, the more God will bless your teaching of it.  TRUE!

b)       The gospel given – 22-24

i)         No longer afraid – power!

c)       Jesus exalted to God’s right hand

i)         He received the HS and gave to us! – vs 33

d)       Promise in scripture – faith comes by hearing… Romans 10:17

e)       Those who killed Jesus - 37

i)         Recognized their wrongs

ii)       Looked for help

f)        Peter told them what to do. – vs 38-39

i)         Repent and be baptized.

ii)       God will give the gift of the HS

iii)      Promise is for everyone!

iv)     About 3000 added! – vs 41 – baptized!

6)       Acts 5:29-42

a)       Who do we fear – obey God, not man – vs 29

i)         warned not to preach – they did what they were to do… go and preach.

b)       Repeat the gospel – vs 30-32

i)         HS is a witness, not just I believe, but HS knows!

ii)       Some will reject it no matter what.

iii)      Some will recognize that what comes from God is irresistible

c)       Disciples were flogged/whipped/beaten – their response?

i)         Rejoicing!

ii)       They were worthy to suffer for Jesus.

iii)      There is a cost to going – but it is worth the price

Conclusion –  Story of water carrier, one pot cracked, pot worried that it was useless… but it watered the flowers.

vs 42 – they went – you can go…  Jesus told us to go.

HS goes with us.  My friends, if the apostles can go – Peter who denied, Thomas who doubted, Paul who persecuted… the fishermen, the sons of thunder, the tax collector, the zealot.  These were not the best and brightest, the ones Jesus called were all flawed, even as we are.  We are all cracked too, flawed, broken.

And yet we, like the disciples are called, called by Jesus, called to follow, and then, commanded to go, filled with the HS.  – Matt 28 – Go!