“The Intellectual Approach” – Acts 17:16-34

I have three basic questions this morning. The first question is, what makes you laugh? What kinds of things do you find funny? Next question is, what makes you angry? Do you ever get really mad? What was the situation? Last question. What makes you cry?

If you really want to know somebody, those are good questions to ask. They tell you a lot about a person. It’s interesting that I think I know at least three different people that feel one of those things all the time. Some people think everything is funny. Some people are always mad and some people cry about everything. You probably don’t want to be around any of those kinds of people.

Here at “Cries Fellowship” it’s not uncommon for somebody to be crying and it is usually not because we are sad. Most of the time when somebody around here is crying it is because we feel God at work in our lives as individuals and as a church. For most of us, it’s difficult not to cry when you are in the presence of All-mighty, All-powerful, All-knowing God, the Creator and Sustainer and Deliverer, our Savior. It can be scary and intimidating and it should be.

What makes you cry? In this day and age, it’s easy to get mad at things. When you turn on the news and you feel like you’re in the Twilight Zone seeing what some people are doing to our country, it’s easy to get mad. When you see people, as scripture says, calling good evil and evil good, it’s easy to get mad. When you see people making bad choices and blaming God for the consequences, it’s easy to get mad. But maybe it ought to make us cry.

In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Because Jefferson trusted that students would take their studies seriously, the code of discipline was lax. Unfortunately, his trust proved misplaced when the misbehavior of students led to a riot in which professors who tried to restore order were attacked. The following day a meeting was held between the university's board, of which Jefferson was a member, and defiant students. Jefferson began by saying, "This is one of the most painful events of my life," was overcome by emotion, and burst into tears. Another board member asked the rioters to come forward and give their names. Nearly every one did. Later, one of them said, "It was not Mr. Jefferson's words, but his tears."  (Today in the Word, March 29, 1993.)

In our continuing sermon series on the different approaches to evangelism, none of these methods of sharing the Gospel are going to work if you don’t love people and if you don’t feel absolutely broken-hearted at the thought of them going to Hell. Let’s not mince words here because that is exactly what happens when someone dies without having a life-changing relationship with God through His Son Jesus. There is a real Heaven but there is also a real Hell and I don’t wish Hell on my worst enemy.

So, it doesn’t matter if God made you more relational or service-oriented or He made you intellectual, if you don’t have a passion for people, this is a waste of time for you. In Acts chapter 17, we see Paul coming as close to a vacation as we ever see him. He is actually on one of his mission trips and he has some stories to tell already. He has seen lots of people come to know the Lord but he has also been run out of town, put in jail and nearly killed several times. You know, that’s just another Tuesday for Paul.

But in Acts 17, he is by himself and he is waiting for his missionary buddies to meet him in Athens. So, he has some time to kill. He doesn’t have anything on his schedule and I find myself thinking, “C’mon, Paul, why don’t you just go to the beach or something. Get some rest. Heal up a little, maybe rent a jet ski or something and have some fun.” But no, he has to be about the Lord’s work and so as he walks around town, he is making mental notes about what he wants to say to be able to lead these people to Jesus.

Now, you have to know that Athens was the hotbed of intellectual reasoning. It was THE place to go to be a philosopher. For thousands of years people like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle met right here in Athens to do what they did best: talk. Talk, talk, talk all the time. They even had a main place to go to talk and that was the Areopagus. The Areopagus was where they had court and city meetings and basically the place to go to hear and be heard on any number of subjects.

In Paul’s day, this was the place that two groups of people met and discussed their philosophies, the Epicureans and the Stoics. These are like Republicans and Democrats but with some intelligence. Anyway, the Epicureans believed in the pursuit of pleasure and comfort and living well. They were complete atheists. Today, if someone is called epicurean, it probably means they like to eat well. The Stoics, on the other hand, thought there was a different god for everywhere and in everything and were big on self-discipline.

Now, Paul shows up and is concerned for the eternal life of both groups and in verse 16, we see his concern for the city as a whole. Let’s start reading at verse 16 and go to the end of the chapter.

Acts 17:16-34 says, “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.”

In that first verse, it says that Paul was “greatly distressed.” The original word used there means to be broken-hearted and angry together. It is something that Paul just can’t let go. He can’t walk on by and let it slide but he also knows that there is a difference between arguing and debating. These people didn’t argue. They debated. They loved to debate but there was no room here for anger. Paul knew his audience wouldn’t hear a word he said if he went after them like Peter had, if you remember last week’s message. So, Paul took the intellectual approach and he was the perfect man for the job.

Paul was extremely intelligent. He could speak multiple languages. He was well-educated and well-traveled and well-read, but mostly he was good at reading people. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” Paul’s passion was for people to come to know God like he knew God. He wanted them to have the joy and the peace in this life that he had as well as the promise of eternal life in Heaven like he had. So, I want you to see how Paul starts off his evangelistic message.

In verse 22, Paul starts off by giving them a compliment. He said, “I see you are very religious.” Now, the King James Version translates it “very superstitious” and that is not a good translation. They did not consider themselves superstitious at all. But they were proud of being religious. They didn’t know that Paul was not really impressed with how religious they were but would soon explain to them that knowing God is not about religion but relationship.

But he starts off with what they considered a compliment and then he made his case for Jesus being God and Lord telling these intellectuals something that would make them listen. Do you know what most smart people want? They want to get smarter. They crave knowledge so Paul tells them in verse 23 that he is going to tell them something they don’t know.

For us today, we have to be careful with this because you don’t want someone to think you are talking down to them or patronizing them. That’s the wrong method here. What you want them to hear is that you have some knowledge to share that they will be interested in. You don’t even have to be a scholar to do this either. What is a disciple? A disciple is simply one who learns from Jesus and then tells others what you know. That’s all you have to do and an intellectual person will respect you when you say you don’t have all the answers but you know what you know.

That is how Paul starts his message and then he gets into the body of what he wants to say. Look at verse 24 again. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.” Here Paul teaches them about the greatness of God. They were used to worshiping little manmade idols made of wood or stone that had no power or feeling but Paul speaks of the Creator God who made men on purpose and for a reason.

How important is it to feel that you are here on this earth for a reason? Do you think that would be good news for somebody that was an atheist? God created you. You are not an accident. I don’t care what your parents say. You are not a mysterious speck of dust in the vastness of the cosmos. You have meaning. You are loved. You have great worth. Intellectual or not, that is a great message and we can preach it because we have a great God.

Muhammed Ali always claimed to be the greatest, and maybe he was the greatest at boxing but he never created something out of nothing. He never spoke something into existence or held the universe in the span of his hand (Isaiah 40:12). Ali may have ruled in a 20 x 20 boxing ring but God is Lord of Heaven and earth! He is the Creator and Sustainer and he created you and sustains you and at the very second He stops sustaining you is when you take your last breath. That is the greatness of God.

Paul continues his message to the intellectuals at the Areopagus in verse 25 by teaching them of the goodness of God. There is a difference in being great and being good and God couldn’t be great if He weren’t also good. Paul said, “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Paul said that not only did God create us but He gives us everything we have and everything we need.

I say all the time how important it is to know that God is in control and He loves us. If He was only in control but didn’t love us, He would have thumped me off the planet a long time ago. And if He only loved us but wasn’t in control, then that would be nice but what is He really going to do for me? How is He really going to protect me and provide for me? But scripture is full of passages that speak of God’s sovereignty which means He is in control and we know that He loves us, if from nothing else but for the fact that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us.

Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!'" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'" Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances."

Let me repeat that verse she quoted from Psalm 103:11, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.” How do I know that God is good? I know because He is great and His love is great. That’s how I know He is good.

How do I, Todd, know God is good? Because He blesses me with the presence of the Holy Spirit to live inside me and guide me and give me peace and joy in difficult times. That’s how I know God is good. I will probably never have to face something so awful as Corrie Ten Boom did but I can still feel God’s presence in my life and when I feel like a speck of dust in the universe, that makes me feel wanted; like I must have great worth. That is God’s goodness.

Paul has one last point to teach the intellectuals at the Areopagus. In verses 30-31, we see him teach them about the grace of God. Just knowing about God and His greatness and how He created everything is not enough. Most intellectuals, in fact, anybody that thinks deeply at all, want to know how they got here. They also want to know that they are here for a reason. They want to know why they are here. That’s important. And the first two points of Paul’s message address those two important life issues. But deep thinkers also want to believe that there is more to this life than just this life.

Oftentimes, because they can’t explain it, they choose to believe that there is no God. Intellectuals have a hard time with faith. If it can’t be proven in court or in a petri dish then it can’t be believed. Paul chose, in verse 31, to use as his proof the resurrection of Jesus and that was smart because even though they were 2000 miles away from where it happened, when a dead guy comes back to life, people hear about it.

These days, since we are 2000 years away, you might use as your proof your own testimony. We have talked about this before. With intellectuals especially, they might want to debate with you about facts and figures but they can’t debate your personal testimony. They can’t say that you don’t have peace and joy in difficult times. Use your testimony to teach them of the grace of God. That’s what Paul was trying to do in verse 31.

That Paul was so good at this. Look again at verse 31 and see that Paul mentions that God will one day judge with justice. That was a great word to use for these folks because intellectuals usually think in black and white. They like for things to be either right or wrong, true or false. They want justice, or at least think they do because when they see that we are all sinners as it says in Romans 3:23 and that the justice that we deserve is eternal hell as it says in Romans 6:23 then they see their need for grace.

That’s when John 3:16 kicks in. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That’s the Gospel. You can do that. You can do that even if you are not a so-called intellectual. Teach them that God is great. Teach them that God is good and then teach them of God’s grace. Don’t be intimidated. You, as a believer, have the Holy Spirit of God living inside of you to give you the words and to soften their hearts and minds to what He tells you to say.

Paul told his young friend, Timothy, to do the work of an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5) and I have no doubt that he would tell you the same thing today. And you can do the work of an evangelist, no matter what gifts God has given you and no matter how God has wired you. We should be like Paul and it should break our hearts so bad to think of lost people going through this difficult life and then spending eternity away from God in Hell.

It should hurt us bad enough that we would become all things to all people even if those people are smarter than us. We don’t have to know all the answers. Just know your audience like Paul did and then listen to the Holy Spirit speaking and be obedient.

Do you have that voice inside of you that is the Holy Spirit? Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." You can trust that voice if you are close enough to Him to hear it.

But you have to do what Paul told the smarties at the Areopagus. You have to believe and you have to repent. Seek Him, reach out to Him and you will find Him because He is right there. Do it right now as the music plays.

“The Direct Approach” – Acts 2:22-41

Imagine this scene with me if you will. It’s the summer of 1741 in Connecticut. The first Thanksgiving was over 100 years prior but these colonies won’t be part of the United States for several more years. The Puritan church was the center of community life. There was no internet, phone or TV and so everybody just went to church. It was what people did back then. But church had become boring and stale.

Colonial life in those days was predictable, modest and well-behaved. There were lots of rules and even more rules in the churches where, in most cases, the men sat on one side and the women on the other and everyone sat politely and listened and never said a word. Now, continue to imagine with me when a guest preacher named Jonathan Edwards got up to preach and, with his manuscript in his hands covering his face, began to read in his typical monotone voice these words:

“Deuteronomy 32:35 – Their foot shall slide in due time. In this Verse is threatened the Vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, that were God’s visible People, and lived under Means of Grace; and that, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful Works that he had wrought towards that People, yet remained, as is expressed, ver. 28. void of Counsel, having no Understanding in them; and that, under all the Cultivations of Heaven, brought forth bitter and poisonous Fruit; as in the two Verses next preceding the Text.”

I’ll stop right there but you get the idea. Now, what do you think might have been the response of the people? Yawning, boredom, leaving early? Believe it or not, it is my understanding that Edwards was interrupted several times by members of the church crying out, “What must we do to be saved?” They were literally crying, shaking and even rolling in the aisles as he preached, begging to be saved from the literal hell Edwards told them about.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been in a service like that. Oh, I’ve heard lots of sermons like that but I’ve never seen that kind of response. What do you think the secret was? Was it because the lighting and sound was just right and made Edwards look and sound good? Was it because the praise and worship time worked everybody into a frenzy before he got up to speak? Maybe the guitar player had a great solo during “Glorious Day.” I bet that was it.

Or maybe, just maybe, this was the day the Holy Spirit decided to show up and melt some hard hearts and change some minds and sweep this church into the age of the Great Awakening which changed Britain and all the colonies. Maybe this was the day the Holy Spirit used a homely, monotone speaker to be the mouthpiece of Almighty God and pointed people to the amazing grace of God through His Son Jesus. Yep, I’m pretty sure it was that.

He didn’t change Jonathan Edwards. He didn’t make him appear to glow or put a halo over his head like Joel Osteen. He didn’t give him the voice of Billy Graham. He didn’t make the pews any softer or the screen on the wall any clearer. He used Edwards just like he was and for God’s glory in a way that we are still talking about nearly 300 years later. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit in action.

Don’t you wish the Holy Spirit would use you like that? Don’t you wish He would work in your life to bring revival to the world…or at least to your household? The problem is that you are no preacher. That’s not a gift that God has given you, right? You have some gifts but they don’t include being able to change your household, much less the world. Well, I hope that is not what you think because Paul told the church at Corinth, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (I Cor. 12:7).

That means that the Spirit of God has given each of us gifts and together we can use them for the sake of our families, our church and our world. We all have different gifts so that we can all reach different people and together we can reach everybody. Now, while you may or may not have the gift of prophecy or preaching; you may or may not have the gift of evangelism; you may or may not have the gift of teaching but we are all disciples of Jesus and therefore we should learn from Jesus and then tell others what we have learned. That’s the definition of a disciple.

As a disciple, we all have different personalities – and aren’t you glad? Wouldn’t it be boring if everybody was the same? I want us to see that there are ways to be a disciple and to make more disciples using your own personality and your own spiritual gifts to witness to the people that God puts in our lives.

For the next six weeks or so, I want us to see the different ways that God made and used different types of people and in this we will see that all of us can and will be used by God if we are just obedient to doing what He calls us to do.

Turn to Acts chapter 2 in your Bibles to the story of Peter preaching right after Pentecost. If you were here last week, you remember that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to all believers for all time and when He showed up, He changed everything. You would expect Peter to stand up and say something at this point. He was real good about saying stuff. The problem was he rarely said the right thing.

All through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Peter would blurt out something inappropriate or do something stupid or just flat fail at whatever he was trying to do. I think that’s why so many of us like old Pete because we can identify with him. He was impulsive and immature. He had good intentions but wasn’t wise enough to do what he was supposed to. Shoot, it’s like looking into a mirror for some of us!

But in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes into Peter and uses him and speaks through him in a way that is uniquely Peter and yet could only be the Holy Spirit at work. Let’s read Acts 2:22-41.

Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me.
    Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Peter, Peter, Peter…even with the Holy Spirit, he got it wrong. Everybody knows a good sermon has three points and a poem. Peter had three points but no poem at all. It’s sad really. Man, too bad he didn’t ask me before he spoke, huh? 😊Well, even getting it wrong, the Holy Spirit used him to bring 3,000 people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.

He also used Peter in a way that used Peter’s personality. Peter was never one to mince words and even here, Peter used the direct approach to preach the Gospel to the people around him. He basically said, “Way to go you morons, you just killed the Messiah. Now here’s how I know it and what you should do now.” And it worked. It says they were cut to the heart.

Now, if you are going to use the direct approach, you have to make sure you don’t just come off as rude. It can easily be taken that way. A while back I did a funeral for a friend and I got to the funeral home way early. They were just then bringing in the body and all the flowers and stands and everything needed for the funeral. I watched and listened as the man in charge barked orders at all of the employees, especially one nice young lady who, it was obvious, was trying very hard to do everything right.

But it wasn’t enough for this little banty rooster of a boss. He strutted around in his expensive suit and was just rude to everybody. You know the kind. Once he got onto the young lady for something he admitted was not even her fault but he scolded her never the less. I guess he saw me giving him the ministerial stink eye and he said to me, “I’m sorry. I’m blunt and I’m a perfectionist. It’s just how I am.” And I sat there thinking, “No, little man, you’re just a jerk.”

So, be direct in your witness, if that’s how you are but be aware that it’s easy to come off as a jerk. You may think that God gave you the gift of telling it like it is but make sure you tell it in love. Peter absolutely did it in love and because his personality was direct and bold, that’s how he preached.

Now, a common way of being direct is you have to prove what you are saying. There’s no real room for discussion or debate. This is how it is. Take it or leave it. Peter’s first proof was proving Jesus was the Messiah by reminding them of His miracles, wonders and signs in verse 22. “Miracles, wonders and signs” are all supernatural manifestations of God’s power designed to get people’s attention and point them to Jesus.

Do we still see miracles, wonders and signs today? Absolutely. We have an example in our midst this morning. Thirteen months ago Belinda Amerman was a literal broken heap on the sidewalk and today she doesn’t even limp. That was a miracle. We wonder at the power of God through that miracle and it points like a sign to our Savior, Jesus. Every time you mention it, Belinda never fails to say, “To God be the glory.” That’s what miracles are for.

Do you remember in John 3 when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night? Nic was a Pharisee and was highly invested in being part of the ruling class and Jesus was a huge threat to that investment. But Nicodemus wasn’t blind. He could see that Jesus was performing miracles that only God could do and in verse 2 Nicodemus says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him."

In John 11, Jesus raised Lazarus back to life and it says that some of the people that witnessed this went back to the Pharisees and told them what they saw and so it says the Pharisees plotted to kill Him. They couldn’t dispute His miracles but they still rejected Him because they loved sin. You can expect that same response today when you use the direct method.

Peter’s second proof was the prophecy of David in verses 25-31. When Peter used the name David, their ears perked up. Using the name David to people in Peter’s day was like using Ronald Reagan’s name to today’s conservative politicians. You know what I mean? “Oh…well, if Reagan said it or did it, it must be true.”

They knew David was a man after God’s own heart and he was their greatest king and they loved and respected him all those years later. So, Peter quoted Psalm 16 where David prophesied about the resurrection of the Messiah and Peter showed the people that David obviously wasn’t talking about himself. It could only be Jesus.

Here’s the deal for us today. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy. However, if the resurrection of Christ did occur, it confirms His life, His message, and His work. It is the basis of our hope of life beyond the grave. Christ is alive, and the evidence is overwhelming.

There are dozens of passages like this one Peter uses that prophesied the resurrection of Jesus. It is a fact that believers and non-believers alike saw the empty tomb. All they had to do to disprove the resurrection was show the dead body of Jesus but they couldn’t. Another thing about the resurrection is that if the disciples were faking it, do you think they would all be willing to die for the hoax? Because they pretty much all did. They all lost everything including most of them lost their lives. They knew it to be true and because they did, we do too.

That’s a fact and a good point to make if you use the direct approach. Peter’s third proof was what the Holy Spirit had done in the men standing there that day. Peter is basically saying what I told you about Peter earlier. He used to be a bonehead. He used to be immature and constantly saying the wrong thing but in verse 33 Peter is obviously in awe of what the Holy Spirit has done in his own life and he says so.

He says the Holy Spirit has poured out what you see and here today. Don’t you know Peter was amazed that he was able to make such a convincing argument? If they had asked him the day before, he probably would have said something stupid but today he sounded like a scholar. If you have ever felt led to witness to somebody, you may have felt the same power.

Have you ever been witnessing to someone or answering their question and something comes out of your mouth and you think, “Where did that come from? I didn’t know that myself until I just said it!” Or maybe the Spirit guides you somewhere or to someone and things turn out way different than you think.

I’ve told you this before but it’s a perfect example. I used to work at a place that customized trucks and one of my co-workers was really on my heart because he told me he didn’t believe Jesus was the way to Heaven. So, I kept watching for the opportunity to witness to him and finally got my chance. He was working on something underneath the truck and I needed to do something under there as well.

So, as I was gathering up the tools I needed, I started praying. “Lord, give me the words. I’ve got him now, Lord, you just give me something profound and whatever you tell me to say, I will say.” But as I got my creeper on the floor and all my tools gathered, the only thing I heard from God was, “Say something about church.”

“Say something about church?” No, God, you don’t understand, I’m ready to witness. I’m ready to lay out the Gospel and proclaim you as King of kings and Lord of lords. Just tell me what to say.

Again, all I heard was, “Say something about church.” Now, I didn’t hear it audibly. The rafters didn’t shake and there was no smoke coming from my tool set. But I heard it plainly. “Say something about church.” And it almost made me mad. I’m not kidding. I was upset because I was ready to lead this man to Jesus but I knew I couldn’t without the Spirit’s help and all He was giving me was, “Say something about church.”

Well, fine! If that’s all I’m gonna get, then that’s all I’m gonna give. And I got under there and got situated on my back on the creeper and I said, with absolutely no energy, “Rick, we had a good day at church yesterday.” And do you know what happened? Rick put down his tools, propped himself up on his elbow and said, “Really? Tell me about it.”

So, I did and he listened. And then one thing led to another and I started telling him about Heaven and Hell and sin and grace and repentance and forgiveness and I couldn’t believe what was happening. God used me with a bad attitude to share the Gospel with a man who desperately needed it in a way that brought attention and glory to God through His Son Jesus and all I had to do was say something about church.

I’ll be honest. I did not see a great revival that day like Peter did and you might not either. But that’s not up to you. Being obedient IS up to you. Being ready, willing and able to say what you are supposed to say is up to you. I know you don’t feel qualified. You shouldn’t. You don’t have to be a good speaker. You don’t even have to be a good person. You can’t do it on your own but when you admit to God that you will say what He wants said and that your neighbor or your friend or your family member will have to jump over your dying body to get to Hell because you love them too much then God will speak through you.

D.L. Moody was a famous preacher back in the late 1800’s and he was a direct, straight-forward kind of a man. Once, when walking down a certain street in Chicago, Mr. Moody stepped up to a man, a perfect stranger to him, and said: "Sir, are you a Christian?" "You mind your own business," was the reply. Mr. Moody replied: "This is my business." The man said, "Oh, then, you must be D.L. Moody."

God can and will use the direct approach. Say whatever God wants you to say. Say it in love and let the Holy Spirit speak through you whatever He wants said and leave the results to Him. Do you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you? Do you want to? All you have to do is believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no man gets to the Father but through Him. (John 14:6)

Then repent of your sins and ask God to forgive those sins and He will. When you have done that He will change you and every day you will become a little more like Him. You will have the Holy Spirit inside of you and as Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." He will guide you and comfort you and use you to make more disciples just like you. If that does not sound like what has happened in your life, I would love to pray with you right now as the music plays.

March 10

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‘The Power of the Holy Spirit” – Acts 2:1-13

Do you ever get to the point in your life when you say, “I just can’t do this”? I heard the story of the guy who was moving from Alaska to California and about the time he got to California, one of his studded snow tires went flat. So, he limped it in to a tire repair shop and the guy got the tire off the car and began to roll it over. He stared at this studded tire and was just shaking his head, with this look of being completely overwhelmed. He finally walked over to the owner and said, “Mister, I don’t know how to tell you this but you have over a hundred nails in your tire!”

Some of you may feel like that right now. You have a hundred different things going wrong and you don’t know how to handle any of them. Now, don’t answer out loud but just think about what you do when those times come. Do you freak out? Get drunk? Get high? Get low? Roll up in the fetal position and cry?

I think all of us have those times in our lives; some more than others. When that happens, do you ever wish you had someone to just come be with you? And don’t you wish that person was really smart and really wise and could give you good advice about what to do next? Don’t you wish that person was completely trustworthy and only wanted the best for you? I think the perfect person would be someone that would just come along beside you and be there with just what you needed, just when you needed it. Don’t you?

What would you give to have that kind of person in your life? What would you give to have that person with you at all times, in every situation, just waiting for you to ask for help? Would you give your life? I ask that because when you give your life to Jesus, you get more than a religion. You get more than a list of rules, more than a bunch of thou-shalt-nots, more than just a way to Heaven when you die. You literally get One who comes beside.

In John 14, Jesus is comforting His disciples because He is about to leave. He is about to be crucified and die and then rise again and ultimately go back to Heaven and sit at the right hand of the Father. Because He is about to leave, He tells them, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:16).

The Greek word translated here “Counselor” means “one who is called alongside” and has the idea of someone who encourages and exhorts. The Holy Spirit actually takes up permanent residence in the hearts of believers (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 12:13) (gotquestions.org) and His job is to be our Helper, Comforter, and Guide.

Now, I know of some people who make use of the Holy Spirit in their lives about like some people use their extended car warranties. You know what I mean? Have you ever tried to get something fixed on your car that is under warranty? You sign up and pay extra for a warranty and you find out when your car it in the shop that the warranty doesn’t cover what’s broken. Got a flat tire? Not covered. Got a cracked windshield. Not covered. Headlight out? Nope. Air filter? Nope.

Some people think the Holy Spirit probably only works like that. He’s probably only interested in the big stuff and it’s probably going to be a hassle to use Him, so why even bother? “I could get help from the Holy Spirit but I’d have to fill out a bunch of forms and it’s probably not worth it.” But, thankfully, that’s not true. He is there with just a word or even a thought, ready to guide, comfort and help.

I want us to see this morning in a passage from Acts chapter 2 that when the Holy Spirit shows up, He changes everything. Now, I have to admit that when I started studying this chapter, I had every intention of preaching on verses 22-41 where Peter stands and preaches and tells the people how the cow eats the cabbage. He gets up and speaks the Gospel in such a direct and powerful way that 3,000 people are cut to the heart and come to have a life-changing relationship with God through His Son Jesus.

But, if you know Peter, when you read that passage you know that something about him is different. This is not the same guy that just recently cut off a guy’s ear. This is not Peter the loudmouth. This is not Pete the dufus that says the wrong thing and does the wrong thing. This guy has changed and he preaches truth with power! So, what changed? I’m telling you. The Holy Spirit changes everything.

So, let’s back up just a little and start with Acts 2 and verse 1 and let’s read through verse 13.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Just before Jesus left His disciples bodily to go back to Heaven, He told them a couple of things that I guarantee you they didn’t understand. In the last few sentences in the book of Luke, Jesus says, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in my name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Let me read that again and this time listen like you are a disciple. “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in my name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

I just see them squinting at Him, trying to listen and understand what He could possibly have meant. One of them looks at the other one. “Did you get that last part? I don’t know. Something about preaching to all nations and we’re getting new clothes or something. I dunno. He lost me.”

They could not have comprehended what was going to happen because they couldn’t comprehend being able to do that. Who is going to preach to all the nations? It’s sure not us. We can’t speak all those different languages, for one. But if we could, none of us are preachers. And what power are we going to get?

But at least they got the part about staying in the city right because it says they were all together in Jerusalem and when that power came on them, it changed everything. Don’t you know they said, “Oh, now I get it!” They started praising God and people that spoke all different languages understood them. It was a miracle.

In one mighty act, Sovereign God ended one era and started another. He changed everything with the sending of the Holy Spirit. Previously we see the Holy Spirit at work all the way back to creation but He would come for a while and then be gone. With Pentecost, all believers receive the Holy Spirit forever. Some people call that the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I’m not wild about that term because some people take it wrong but let me explain something about it.

The word “baptism” has a literal meaning and a figurative meaning for us. It literally means to be submersed. That’s what we do in the baptistry here. We put you under the water. Figuratively it means to be identified with or associated with. When we get the baptism of the Holy Spirit; when we receive the Holy Spirit at our conversion (and all of us do), we are identified with God the Father and His Spirit and Jesus. We are new creations becoming more and more like Him by His power.

But all through scripture, the disciples are described as being filled with the Holy Spirit which was an extra power or an extra manifestation of God in their lives for the purpose of witnessing and spreading the Gospel. As you go through the book of Acts, you see it over and over.

In Acts 7, Stephen was described as being filled with the Holy Spirit as he preached and was able to ask God to not hold their sin against them as they stoned him. That is not natural. That is supernatural.In Acts 8, Philip was filled with the Spirit and the Spirit told him to go witness to the Ethiopian eunuch. After he laid out the Gospel of Jesus to the guy, the man believed and was baptized and then God snatched Philip away from there and put him in another region of the country. That is not natural. That is supernatural.In chapter 10, Peter (a Jew) is filled with the Spirit and leads a Gentile named Cornelius and his whole household to a life-changing relationship with Jesus. That is not natural. That is supernatural.

In chapter 16, one of my favorite stories is about Paul and Silas who were…anybody want to guess?…filled with the Spirit were arrested and put in jail and beaten with their feet put in stocks and it says in verse 25 that about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and all the other prisoners were listening. How do you do that? I guarantee you that Paul and Silas did not do that on their own. That was not their natural reaction. That was the supernatural filling of the Holy Spirit that allowed them to do that and in the end the jailer and his whole household were saved because of it.

And then…there’s you. If the book of Acts had a chapter written about you, what would it say? Then _________ (fill in your name), filled with the Holy Spirit, got up and drank some coffee, went to work, came home and watched TV, then went to bed. Is that what you want said? Would that be pretty accurate?Would it be accurate to say that you have never made another disciple, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to do what Jesus commanded? That is literally the one, main thing that Jesus instructed us all to be doing while He was gone. It is the Great Commission; the Great Commandment. As you go to work, make disciples. As you go to the store, make disciples. As you go to the gym, the cleaners, the ball game, wherever you go, be intentional about it.

So, we know that we always have the Spirit of God living inside of us but there are times when we are filled with the Spirit. If that is the case, then how do we get filled? What do we have to do to be filled with the Spirit?

Let’s say this cup is you. See what a pretty cup it is? It is washed whiter than snow. It has been sanctified, justified, glorified and everything but petrified. It is a beautiful child of God and its home is in glory. The problem is that it is living here on this nasty old earth right now and just being here has gotten it dirty. Do you ever feel that way?

It seems like everywhere you turn there is somebody or something trying to draw you away from God’s presence. The lure of this world is strong and pretty soon you realize you have sin in your life. In fact, your life is full of sin just like this cup is full of air. How do you get rid of all the sin that is in your life?Well, you might try pouring a little bit of water into the cup. That’s about how much Jesus most of us want in our lives, just a little bit. The problem is, we still have sin and we are not filled with the Spirit and we don’t have supernatural power to witness. In fact, we barely have enough power to get out of bed. So, we try a little more Jesus, a little more God, a little more Spirit. Surely that’s enough, right?

Do you know what God wants for our lives? God wants to fill us up to overflowing. D.L Moody said, "I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God's law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."

We have to empty ourselves of sin, especially the sin of pride which is the thought of, “Oh, I can do this. I don’t need God’s help. I got this.” I’ve told you this before but do you know how every great revival has ever started? I’m not talking about the planned, week or two week-long revival services with special musicians and ministers showing up. I’m talking about organic, grass-roots, waves of salvations that come over whole states or even countries.

The way those kinds of revivals always start is not with a professional minister. It always starts with one lay person who is sick of his sin and repents and gets filled with the Spirit and starts to pray. That’s all the Holy Spirit needs is one person and He can start to move. When that one person says, “Lord, I want less of me and more of you. I want to say what you want me to say, go where you want me to go and do what you want me to do and if it means I lose friends or make my family mad or get fired from my job, so be it. Lord, I want it to be hard for my friends and my family and my community to go to Hell. Would you please fill me and use me however you see fit?”

Do you think that person will have their prayer answered? Absolutely. God can work with that person. So, here’s the options that you have, as I see it. Assuming that you have accepted Jesus to be your Savior, you could just sit back and enjoy your fire insurance, go to church when it’s convenient and pray for help when you need it really bad. You can keep on struggling with your home life and your work life. Your relationships will be a mess. Your peace will be non-existent and hopefully you’ll die soon. How’s that working out for you so far?

Or you can be filled with the Spirit and while you will still have problems, you can have peace and joy in the middle of those problems and you will have supernatural power to tell other people how God has changed your life.When the Holy Spirit fills up your life, everything about your life will change. It’s always been that way. He changes everything. Will you allow Him to do that in your life right now? Ask God to forgive you of your sins, to fill you and use you like only He can. Do that right now.

If you don’t have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus then today is the day of salvation. Again, ask God to forgive you of your sins, repent or turn away from those sins and accept that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no man gets to the Father except through Him. He died on the cross to pay the price for your sins that you couldn’t pay and all you have to do is believe and allow Him to come in and change you. Do that right now.

“The Parable of the Talents” – Matthew 25:14-30

Well, I have good news and bad news this morning. Let me give you the bad news first. A gentleman in our community has died. None of us knew him but he evidently knew us because the good news is that he had put in his will that Christ Fellowship is the sole inheritor of his vast estate and we have been given… one kazillion dollars!

That’s right. It is in the church bank account right now. Our money troubles are over. One kazillion dollars. That’s a lot of zeroes. Aren’t you happy? Now, the question is, what do you want to do with all that money? We can pay off the national debt. We can all become billionaires. We can throw a big party or build a new building, maybe put a big fountain out front. I know people love a nice fountain. I’m pretty sure that’s why so many go to FBC Dallas.

No, seriously, if money was not an issue, what would you like to see happen at Christ Fellowship? We could have enough money for anybody that wanted to go on a mission trip somewhere. We could expand our food pantry. Put in recliners to replace the pews. Give Ben back his microphone. What do you think?

Now, the question is, with all that done, what is going to be your responsibility in all this? Are you going to be the one to work in the food pantry? Are you going to serve meals, wipe down the recliners, clean up at the Bo and Sara Memorial Dog Park next door? What is your responsibility going to be?

Maybe a better question for right now is, what is your responsibility right now? What are you doing, not just for Christ Fellowship, but for the Kingdom of God right now? Maybe you think you don’t have enough of whatever it takes to do what God has called you to do. Maybe you think you don’t have enough time or talent or money to do what you are supposed to do. Did you know that God gives you just what you need to do just what He has called you to do?

As Christians, we all have gifts. We all have talents and abilities and opportunities to use those gifts.  We don’t all have the same time, talents or treasure but we are not all called to do the same things. God has given us all different talents and abilities and has called us to do different things. We know that God has called our church to minister specifically to the poor, the addicted and the incarcerated, but in that calling are many different needs that require many different types of people.

One of the worst things you can do, especially in a church setting, is to compare yourself to somebody else and to think you don’t matter as much as old so-and-so over there because their talents are different or maybe more obvious. Paul said in Romans 12:3-8, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, (and Todd would add, any less than you ought) but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Those are just some of the gifts of the Spirit. We all have different gifts, different talents and different responsibilities and I want you to keep that in mind as we read a passage in Matthew this morning. It is a parable that Jesus used to prepare His disciples – and us - for the end times. We are continuing our look at what we need to do to prepare for the Rapture and for the end times because you can’t help but realize, if you are aware of what’s going on in the world, that the return of Jesus is imminent and we want to be prepared when He comes.

Jesus wanted us to be prepared and so He told this parable of the talents. In some versions it might be called the parable of the loaned money or the bags of money or of the faithful servants. What I need you to understand is that in this parable, a talent is a measure of money. It’s not a talent as we know it. Commentators say a talent of money was anywhere from one to twenty year’s wages for an average worker back in the day. So, when Jesus says in this parable that the master gave a talent, it was money.

Now, here’s the twist. What Jesus was wanting to encourage was for us to use our talents, our gifts and our responsibilities in the same way two of these servants used their money talents. Does that make sense? I think it will as we go along. Let’s read Matthew 25:14-30.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

When I was in middle school, I played on the school basketball team. Back then everybody was about the same height so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was I just wasn’t any good at it. I remember our coach telling us something like, “You can’t make the shots you don’t take.” So, I took that to heart.  I shouldn’t have. I couldn’t make a close-up shot but since he said you can’t make a shot you don’t take, I started chunking ‘em from all over the place. Needless to say, my basketball career was as short as I was.

I took the opportunity to shoot but that was not my talent. That’s not what God put me on earth to do, that’s for sure. Today, so many of us waste our opportunities to use our talents. We miss opportunities to minister to people, witness to people, listen to people, or in some way, just be a blessing to somebody else. We find ourselves too busy or we don’t have what we think we need. We think we have to have all the answers but sometimes people just need you to be there.

Sometimes we just aren’t sensitive to what other people need or we overlook the opportunity that we have. I’ll never forget the story about the shoe salesman that went to Africa. He was there two weeks and he wrote his company back a letter saying, “Please bring me home, nobody wears shoes over here.”

They sent another salesman in his place and in a couple of weeks, he sent a letter back to the company saying, “Please send all the shoes you can, because nobody wears shoes here!” When you live with a proper perspective on who you are in light of God’s Kingdom and what your responsibilities are to it, then you start to live the full and abundant life that God wants you to live like in says in John 10:10. (Repeat)

Also, when you live with a proper perspective on who you are in light of God’s Kingdom and what your responsibilities are to it, then you will start to be prepared for His coming again. That’s the point of these sermons lately, to help us all be prepared for the Rapture, when Jesus comes back to get us and snatches us out of this nasty old world to go and live with Him forever. Now, keeping in mind that the Rapture could happen at any minute, I have three brief things I want us to see in this passage.

First off, this is a parable and not an allegory. One of the differences is that in an allegory, every detail is pertinent to the message the author is wanting to tell. In a parable like this, it’s just the main theme that is important. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Every commentary I read would mention this and then so many would spend five pages detailing how many pieces of gold or silver was in a talent and how big the hole would have had to have been to bury it and what they stored it in and…just stop. That’s not the point.

I believe that for us today, we need to see that the first thing the trustworthy servants did was go immediately to work with what they had.  Do you see that in verse 16? 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. It was the same for the servant with two bags. The emphasis is not on how much they had but on what they did with how much they had. They got busy. They went to work.

Now, let me ask a question. What was the original job of those servants? They were servants. They had full-time jobs just doing what needed to be done around the house and the property. But now the master tells them he has another, more important job for them and gives them what he knows they can be trusted with.

They still had to do the other stuff they were assigned to do originally but now they have greater responsibility. As disciples of Jesus, what is our main job? What is the one main thing we are charged with doing while we wait for Jesus to come again? In Matthew 28:19, Jesus tells His disciples the answer. He is about to ascend back to Heaven and the last thing He tells them to do…”Go and make disciples…”

Now, I know most of you have jobs. Some of you are retired but none of us are free of the responsibility to do just what Jesus said to do. Do you realize that God is not near as concerned with your job as a welder or electrician or bookkeeper or teacher or cowboy or whatever you do to make a living as He is your job to make disciples?

God is not going to welcome us into Heaven with, “Well done, good and faithful servant. I am so proud of the way you got that contract and brought in that job under budget and under time.” He cares about our jobs and so should we. We should be the best employees or bosses the world has ever seen but that is not what ultimately matters.

What matters is, are you doing what you are supposed to do to make disciples with the time, talent and treasure that God has given you? Did you know that God allows or even causes us to go through whatever we are going through to set us up to make disciples right where we are with the resources we have been given?

Think about Esther. Oh, I love me some Esther. It’s the funniest, most comical book in the Bible. If you haven’t read it lately, go back and do it. Ladies especially love this little book. Esther is in position to speak to the king and save her people but what she was called to do was basically illegal and could result in her immediate death. But it was her responsibility and nobody else could do it.

When she said she couldn’t do it, her uncle Mordecai told her, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

As I have said before, God’s will is GOING to be done. The question is, do you want to be in on it and be blessed or do you want to face the consequences of not doing it as you sit back and let somebody else do it and watch them get the blessing?

Now, I hear what you are saying. You have a hard time telling people about Jesus. You just aren’t wired that way. It’s not natural for you and you are uncomfortable. Well, I’ll be honest. My first thought is, “You poor, precious little snowflake. Bless your heart. Let me get you a blankie so you are comfy since it’s all about you.”

But I’m not going to say that. I’m not. What I will say is that as disciples, at some point, you have to speak the words. I understand that we all have different gifts and that we are all called to do different jobs. I understand that you can’t preach it if you aren’t living it. But that’s why we talk a lot around here about being able to give your testimony and give it quickly. We always want to be ready, in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2) to at least say what God has done for us.

God has given us all different gifts and has put us each in different positions in life so that the whole world will hear and, who knows, maybe you are in the position you are in for just such a time as this. Maybe you are the only one that can reach your neighbor or your friend or co-worker or even your doctor. If so, what are you going to say? Are you ready? Are you using the talents God has assigned you?

Okay, I have to move on quickly now. Look again at verse 19. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.” I think 2000-plus years qualifies as a “long time”, don’t you? Did you know that scientists are warning vacationers to Yellowstone National Park to be careful because the big volcano there could blow at any time? Yep. They say it will be a global event and could happen at any time. Evidently, they know that it happens about every 650,000 years and it happened last about 640,000 years ago so if you plan to go to Yellowstone in the next 10,000 years or so, be careful.

We tend to think of the return of Jesus in the same way sometimes, don’t we? “Oh, sure. Jesus is coming back any minute now.” *nudge, nudge, wink, wink* All the while we don’t live like we really expect it to happen. Well, you talk about a global event. Yellowstone has nothing on the rapture of God’s people. At the twinkling of an eye, Jesus says in Matthew 24 that, “This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your LORD will come. 43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Can you imagine how the world is going to react to that? Are you ready? Are you using your time, talents and treasure that God has entrusted to you? There is nothing in prophecy that has to happen before the rapture. It could happen at any time. It says in Hebrews 1:3 that when Jesus went back to Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God the Father. But after watching all the pieces fall into place in the last few years and months and even days, I believe that Jesus has moved out to the edge of His seat and He is looking expectantly at the Father. He is just waiting for Him to say, “Son, go get your bride, the church, your disciples; those that I have promised you that will share in your glory!”

Now, look at one last thing really quick. Look at verse 21. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ For those two servants who were faithful and used their talents as the master wanted, this probably meant a welcome home party with a big feast. The master was glad to be back and wanted to celebrate and wanted his good servants to join him.

Jesus said in Revelation 22:12-13, “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” So, in other words, He’s kind of a big deal. And when Jesus throws a party, I want to be there. When Jesus gives out rewards, I want mine. Don’t you?

I’m going to close with this. I know you have jobs. You have family. You have bills to pay and kids to raise and laundry to do and doctor’s visits without end. You are busy people. But listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved-even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

What he is saying is that when we see Jesus, all our work will be tested and if it was done for the sake of eternity; if we used our time, talent and treasure – no matter how much or how little – for the building up of the Kingdom, then we will be rewarded. But it doesn’t matter how nice your house was or what kind of car you drove. It won’t matter how high up the corporate ladder you climbed or how hard you worked at your job. That will be burned up and you will be disappointed. You will be in Heaven and that will be great. Thank you, Lord. But it says you will suffer loss because your work was done only for the present.

What gifts has God given you? Can you speak? Can you pray? Can you sing? Maybe the best thing you can do is just give money. Maybe God has called you to be a missionary in the darkest jungle of Africa. Maybe. But maybe He has called you to be a missionary to your neighbor across the street or to tell your kids or grandkids about what Jesus has done in your life.

I’m glad you have a job. You should thank God you are able to make money and support yourself. But that’s not what you are called to do. It may be where you are called to be but it’s not what you are called to do. Go and make disciples. We are not guaranteed another breath.

If you are not a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, then repent of your sins today. Turn away from that lifestyle and ask God for forgiveness and believe in Him completely for your salvation to Heaven and from Hell. Allow Him to change your life today. We may not have tomorrow.