Equipped for Mission

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Equipped for Mission

Genesis 14:1-16

Intro:  There seems to be a fascination among American males with prolonging their adolescence.  (Ban, rejuvenile)

Consider: in 1970, 69 percent of 25-year-old and 85 percent of 30-year-old white men were married; in 2000, only 33 percent and 58 percent were, respectively. 

  • There are 9.7 million Americans living with an unmarried partner of the opposite sex.  1.2 million Americans living with a same-sex partner.

  • The percentage of men marrying is declining as we speak. Census Bureau data show that the median age of marriage among men rose from 26.8 in 2000 to 27.5 in 2006—a dramatic demographic shift for such a short time period.

The prolonged adolescence phenomenon is a frightening reality in our churches, but it’s the best thing that ever happened to the video game industry.

Consider:  Almost half (about 48 percent) of American males between the ages of eighteen to thirty-four play video games every day—for almost three hours.   According to Nielsen Media, almost half—48.2 percent—of American males between the ages of 18 and 34 had used a console during the last quarter of 2006, and did so, on average, two hours and 43 minutes per day. (That’s 13 minutes longer than 12- to 17-year-olds)

  • The average video game buyer is thirty-seven years old.

  • In 2005, 95 percent of computer games and 84 percent of console games were sold to buyers over the age of eighteen.

  • Halo 3 grossed over 300 million dollars in the U.S. in its first week.  More than one million people played it on Xbox Live in the first twenty hours.

  • 75 percent of American heads-of-households play computer and video games.

We need what Univ. of Penn professor and author of “Manhood in the Making” David Gilmore calls “real men.” Real men “give more than they take . . . are generous, even to the point of sacrifice.”

1.      Abraham was Moved by a Cause

Note – lot has been captured by his sin, so to speak!  He needs someone to intervene!  He had been captured by the enemy and could not escape on his own.  Someone who cared more about him than their own life had to do something!

Note – Abraham was a professional shepherd, not a professional warrior.  But, when it was necessary he did what was expected of him!  He went against a trained army of men!

Note – Our cause: Ephesians 2 (People who are lost and taken captive by sin need someone to intercede for them!) We need to take the gospel!!!

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ” (1 Timothy 2:5)

2.      Men Mobilized for the Mission

 

a.       Fighters – Believe in the Fight  (same enemy)

b.      Facilitators – Believe in the cause (same cause)

c.       FAT Men – Believe in the Leader (same mind)

 

Note – FAT Men –Faithful, Available, Trainable

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ” (2 Timothy 2:2)

                                                               i.      They were from his camp (born and raised…they stayed)

                                                             ii.      They could be counted (318)

                                                           iii.      They went the distance (Mamre to Dan = 180 Miles)

                                                           iv.      They were dependable (Led divisions & pursued 50 more miles)

 

Note – Everyone has a job to do in the body!

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11–13)

 

3.      They Made a Difference together

    1. They rescued lot, women and people
    2. They were a blessing to the world
    3. They were honored by God

 

Conclusion:

·        In the late 1940s, the United States government commissioned William Francis Gibbs to work with United States Lines to construct a $78 million troop carrier for the navy.

·        design a ship that could speedily carry 15 thousand troops during times of war.

·        By 1952, construction on the SS United States was complete. 

·        The ship could travel at thirty-eight knots (about forty-four miles per hour), and she could steam ten thousand miles without stopping for fuel or supplies.

·        She could outrun any other ship and travel nonstop anywhere in the world in less than ten days. The SS United States was the fastest and most reliable troop carrier in the world.

·        She never carried troops in any official capacity. The ship was put on standby once during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, but otherwise she was never used in all her capacity by the U.S. Navy.

·        Instead the SS United States became a luxury liner for presidents, heads of state, and a variety of other celebrities who traveled on her during her seventeen years of service.

·        As a luxury liner, she couldn’t carry fifteen thousand people. Instead she could house just under two thousand passengers. Those passengers could enjoy the luxuries of 695 staterooms, 4 dining salons, 3 bars, 2 theaters, 5 acres of open deck with a heated pool, 19 elevators, and the comfort of the world’s first fully air-conditioned passenger ship.

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