May
Maximize His Story
(Evangelism-Romans 1:16)
May 1 : "The Hard Work" (Matthew 9:35-38)
Matthew 9:35-38
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Intro:
Why aren’t there enough workers? There aren’t enough workers because the work at hand is HARD.
Hazardous
John 15:18
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
As a carpenter Jesus never got into trouble, as a harvester He was crucified.
JESUS reminds us that we will receive the same treatment that He received from this world.
Absurd (John 15:19)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will
Rewardless
If money means a lot to you, then you won’t find this kind of work rewarding. This work gives new meaning to the word “Pro bono”. The term pro bono is short for the Latin "pro bono publico," which means "for the public good." The term generally refers to free services that a professional provides to poverty-stricken clients, non-profit groups or charitable organizations. In the financial world, the term applies to free services or advice provided by a financial professional. Most of the time working for God means working for free but there are times that we pay for our work. PURO ABONO
Degrading
The Best Jobs in America based on www.careercast.com
1. Software Engineer 6. Meteorologist
2. Mathematician 7. Biologist
3. Actuary 8. Historian
4. Statistician 9. Audiologist
5. Computer Systems Analyst 10. Dental Hygienist
I stopped looking after reaching the top 100 because there isn’t anything there associated with the church, and this is in the US of A.
Why is it that we tend to overlook the harvest field when we plan for our career or the career of our children?
You ask what if I’m called to serve God as an accountant, or as a police officer, or as a doctor, or as a nurse, or as an engineer or as a school teacher. I can only say that’s good; there is where your harvest field lies. There is where you have to work to harvest souls for God.
Then
I’ll ask why the harvest is plentiful there and why are the workers so few?
Are you part of God’s workforce there?
May 8 : "The Message of Salvation" (Acts 16:25-34)
Acts 16:25-34
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
The message is…
I.True – There are stories, accounts in the bible that are unbelievable, especially in the old times leading to the time of Jesus. To cite a few…
- The prophets and prophecies
- Hell
- Jesus’ incarnation, substitution, resurrection
- No matter how unbelievable the stories and accounts may seem to be, they are true
- Jesus said the words “I tell you the truth” 78 times in the bible
II.Simple – there are issues or ‘grey areas’ that are difficult to assess and therefore became “controversial.” To name a few...
- Salvation through the law? no
- By baptism of water and/or spirit? no
- By works or the working out of ones salvation? no
- Luke 23:32-43
- In times of confusion look back at the cross. The cross of Christ made salvation perfectly simple
III. Urgent – no matter how long it may have been proclaimed.
- 2 Peter 3:9 “… He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance
- John 3:3 “unless you are born-again”
- Hebrew 4:7 “Today if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts”
- 2 Corinthians 6:2 “Now is the day of salvation”
- If it was urgent it is more urgent now
Conclusion:
The message of salvation is simply to believe. In verse 31 of Acts 16 clearly says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." God made it very simple for man to be saved but it cost more than anything else, and that is His only begotten Son. W e we’re sinners then but saved by Christ and therefore we should tell others His story, we will tell them the message of salvation.
May 15 : "The Secret is Out!" (Romans 15:25-27)
Romans 15:25-27
25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
What is the secret to Maximize HiStory?
The word for “mystery” is the Greek word μυστήριον (mystḗrion).
- It does not mean “mysterious” as in “strange.”
- It is not something unknowable.
- It means “secret”–something that was kept hidden.—It is what can only be known through revelation, i.e. because God reveals it.
I. The Mystery of the Gospel of the Grace of God
- It was a “mystery” until the ascended Lord revealed it to Paul.
- During this time the ascended Lord revealed to Paul the meaning of His death and resurrection (Gal. 1:16-19, 2:1-2).—Paul’s gospel of the grace of God was the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
2. The Importance Gospel of the Grace of God
Summed up in one word – TETELESTAI (Fully Paid) Valid forever
The Secret is Out.
Tell the world who Jesus is!
May 22 : "GO!...Wait...Am I Ready?" (Acts 1:4)
Acts 1:4
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
I. Are we believers commanded to go?
- Matt 28:19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, NIV
- Luke 10:3-4Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. NIV
- Mark 16:15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. NIV
II. If we were commanded to go, why we don’t want to go?
- Mark 6:7-10 Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. 8 These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.NIV
- Luke 10:1
- After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
- I am not capable
- I don’t have the resources
- I am not available
- Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." NIV
- Luke 12:11-12 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say." NIV
