One Equals More than One
Notes
Transcript
When the Lord Jesus Christ saved you, He did not save you ONLY because He wanted to add a soul to Heaven. He saved you because He wanted to add many souls to Heaven.
God never intended for you to go to Heaven alone. He intended to use your life so that others would hear the Gospel and come to know Jesus Christ.
Mankind has long struggled with the question “why”. Why am I here? Why do things exist? Why, why, why.
Philosophers have long debated these questions, and come up with answers that create deep despair or confusion in the heart of man.
When that question is raised: “Why am I here?” it is important to have the right answer. If we have the wrong answer, life will be one of disappointment, sometimes of tragedy, but certainly of confusion and emptiness. We must know “why” God has left us on this earth. He has placed us on this earth to glorify Him.
There another question that God raises in our text. It’s a question that is first raised, then answered:
“Why did God save me?”
God does not leave us ignorant. He does not leave us wondering why he saved us. He tells us plainly in Scripture why we as Christians are here.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
You have one business on Earth - to save souls. — John Wesley
One thing that we can praise God for, and that we can praise Him for in particular during a missions conference, is that we know why we are here. We know why he has saved us. We don’t need to live a confused life, trying to find fulfillment in earthly endeavours alone.
In Paul’s testimony of his conversion on the Damascus Road, Paul relates this fact that Jesus Christ was very clear with him as to the “why” of his salvation.
There is nothing exclusively apostolic in this text. It Is not different from the inclusive statement that Paul made to all of us that we are ambassadors for Christ. It applied to Paul; it applies to me; and it applies to you.
I. Understand the purpose v. 16
I. Understand the purpose v. 16
It is absolutely impossible to be happy or effective unless we understand the purpose of our existence. Unless we understand why we are what we are, and why we are where we are.
Before we go on, ask yourself this: What is the purpose of your life?
Is the purpose of your life to educate humanity on how to do better? For inequalities, for the environment, etc?
Is the purpose of your life to raise children, to leave an inheritance, to give them a good head start?
While many things may be responsibilities, they are not the purpose. All responsibilities tie into a purpose.
According to the Bible, the Word of God, the purpose of your life is to make disciples of all nations.
Essentially, the church has many responsibilities but only one mission, and that is the evangelization and discipling of all nations. — David Bacon
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
You have a ministry: the ministry of reconciling souls to God. We have been saved for the purpose of being a servant and a witness of Jesus Christ.
People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted. — Nate Saint
You must understand the purpose of your salvation. Yes, it was because God wanted to save you. But it was also because God wants to save others. Your salvation was absolutely a cry of joy among the angels, but it was also a call to further the message to those who have not yet heard.
This summer I read a biography of Eric Liddell, the Flying Scotsman. After giving up his fame and prestige, he set sail for China as a missionary. When the journalists on the train platform in Edinburgh inredulously asked him, “Why are you giving it all up to go to China?” Liddell replied, “Because Christ is for the world, and the world needs Christ!”
The fact remains however, that our purpose is greater than our ability. We absolutely need God.
II. Experience the providence v. 17-18
II. Experience the providence v. 17-18
The missionary endeavour is a partnership with the Almighty. The work of world evangelism is not primarily our doing; it is mostly God’s doing.
God is not willing that any should perish, the Bible says. And He is not willing that any of His witnesses should be powerless.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I fear that sometimes we get involved in missions work and missions giving because of pressure. Peer pressure, pressure from the preacher or the guest preacher.
We ought to not be driven by pressure; we ought to be drawn by the promises of God.
Yes, there is a command to go, and we must heed it. But that command is packaged with great promises. Promises of the Lord’s presence. Promises of the Lord’s power. Promises of the Lord’s pleasure.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
God's part is to put forth power; our part is to put forth faith. — Andrew Bonar
To get involved in missions is ultimately to activate these promises of God.
This has been the testimony of every Spirit-filled missionary of all time. Partership with God. The reality of the promises of God.
John G. Paton, a missionary to the South Sea Islands, often lived in danger as he worked among the hostile aborigines who had never heard the gospel. At one time three witch doctors, claiming to have the power to cause death, publicly declared their intentions to kill Paton with their sorcery before the next
Sunday. To carry out their threat, they said they needed some food he had partially eaten. Paton asked for three plums. He took a bite out of each and then gave them to the men who were plotting his death.
On Sunday, the missionary entered the village with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The people looked at each other in amazement, thinking it couldn't possibly be Paton. Their "sacred men" admitted that they had tried by all their incantations to kill him. When asked why they had failed, they replied that the missionary was a sacred man like themselves, but that his God was stronger than theirs. From then on Paton's influence grew, and soon he had the joy of leading some of the villagers to the Lord.
In Paul’s words:
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
All my friends are but One, but He is all sufficient. — William Carey (Father of Modern Missions)
Amy Carmichael had by the Holy Spirit a wonderful gift of teaching others to trust the Faithful One. When the First War brought great hardship and uncertainty to the work in Dohnavur there were opportunities to help the children learn the simplicity and sweetness of faith in God. In her 1915 diary we read: “October 26. Had children in field weeding. Told them of need of money—a new idea to them. Explained a little to older girls about our way of working, and what it involved of careful sensitiveness towards God. Finally got them, and all, to the point of willingness to give today (Festival Day) to weeding. Girls splendid over it, children very sweet and good. Inwardly prayed for a quick assurance from our Father that He was pleased. It would be like Him to do this. “October 27. Mail in today, and 50 from a friend of Irene Streeter, the soldier brother’s money left to her. Took letter up to field where children were weeding, and we all praised God standing in shadow of cactus hedge. There was other money too—more in one mail than has come for many months. All much cheered, and much awed too.”
In verses 17-18, Paul expresses the promises that Christ gives Him for his work: protection as God sees fit (v. 17); the Spirit’s work of conviction and converstion (v. 18).
Please, be involved in missions. But do not be involved simply because of pressure. Be involved because it is an inseparable part of your purpose in this world, and be involved because of the promises of God.
III. Accept the pursuit v. 19
III. Accept the pursuit v. 19
Please take a moment and ponder these words of Paul. In spite of the appearance of Christ, in spite of the sacrifice of Christ, in spite of the command of Christ, in spite of the promises of Christ, Paul was still left with a choice.
He could have said no.
Not joyfully, not with satisfaction, but he could have refused.
But he was obedient to the revelation of Jesus Christ, which we have looked at in this text.
We can look at missions from various angles:
A privilege, and it is.
A promise, and it is.
A purpose, and it is.
Yet, we must be clear. It is a also a command. A commission. We call it the Great Commission.
We can refuse. But we cannot refuse and fulfill the purpose of our salvation. We cannot refuse and fully benefit from the promises of God. We cannot refuse and live a fulfilled Christian life. We cannot.
If you do not do your God-assigned task, throughout eternity there will be a job that has never been done. — Dr. Bob Jones Sr.
We are involved in missions because we are NOT involved in a religion. In religion, men seek God. But in the Bible, God seeks men. Because God seeks men, and He lives in us, we must be inolved in missions.
Conclusion
Conclusion
It is bad enough to be lost, but to be lost and no one is looking for you is tragic. —Evangelist John Mitchell
We are called to look for the lost. It is the plan of God that in saving us, it would lead to more being saved.
If you feel empty, dissatisfied with your career, with your life…while I would not want to oversimplify all that may be going on in your life, I will say this: the overarching purpose of your life is to bring glory to God and the evanglization of the lost, here and around the world.
As you step out in faith and do your part, you will find that the promises of God are true. He will keep you; he will provide for you; He will give the increase.
But none of those things will materialize if we do not obey the Heavenly vision, the heavenly revelation of God: I have saved you because I want to save more than just you.