01.30.11 Comm

Sermon Date: Jan. 30, 2011

Sermon Title: God’s People

Sermon Text: Acts 16:6-10

Small Group Text: Acts 16:6-34 Be on God’s mission What is your life about? The purpose? What gives it meaning? Many people are convinced that life is primarily about personal recognition, fun, money, success, comfort and a host of other self-referential pleasures.

But the Apostle Paul considered his life to be about one thing: He only and always lived in total abandonment to the mission of Jesus Christ—testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24

If his life was important at all (Greek, timios – valuable, honored, esteemed), it derived its significance from the fact that he, Paul, was Christ's own possession. Ever since his conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9), Paul belonged to God and his life—every moment of it—was lived to reach and minister to as many people as possible for the sake of Christ (Acts 9:15; Acts 26:16-18; Galatians 1:1, 11-12, 15-17).

What is our mission?

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10; Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15 & John 20:21.

Our mission is the same as Paul’s. It has been the mission of God’s people from the beginning to proclaim the Gospel (the Good News) throughout the world and make disciples.

“The church on mission” is a church which carries on Christ's earthly ministry (Matt. 18:11; John 14:12). Evangelism and discipleship combine to form Christ's primary mission for his church. Proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ and then training believers to become his devoted followers is, in large part, why the church exists.

“The church on mission” is more than a professional clergy and paid staff. Jesus’ ministry and message of peace and reconciliation with God (Eph. 2:17) are now shared by all who are “in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17, 19).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! [18] All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5:17-20

Be open to God’s voice Serving as Christ’s ambassadors on earth is a privileged and awesome responsibility – and one that necessitates divine wisdom and Godly guidance. Like any good ambassador in a foreign land, believers represent the leadership of the country of which they are citizens (Philippians 3:20). As Christ’s representative, we need to be in constant, close contact with our King. But how? How do we stay in close contact with Jesus since he left this earth more than 2,000 years ago?

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The answer is amazing! We have been given the mind and heart of Christ through the gift of his Holy Spirit. Read John 14:1-6 & 17; 16:12-14 & 1 Corinthians 2:6-13.

We, the people of God, are not alone in this mission. God has granted us His very own Spirit to empower, guide and assure our success in reclaiming this world for Jesus Christ.

But we must be open to his voice, listening, attentive – in all our ways acknowledging him, referencing him, checking it out with him – and only then will He direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-7).

How do we recognize His voice?

Read John 10:14-16 & 27 For one thing, the voice of our Lord has already sounded in the Scriptures. We recognize his voice when we read and reflect upon the Bible!

Secondly, we recognize the voice of our Lord through the prodding of the Holy Spirit as his words become impressed upon our hearts. We know the Lord’s voice because his words will always tend toward protecting and promoting “life.” God is, by nature, lifeaffirming; and the guidance and insights of His Spirit will also be life-affirming.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Thirdly, there is a sense in which hearing the voice of God is an acquired ability attained through the practice of listening and responding in obedience. To hear the prompting of the Spirit and then resist his counsel can result in developing “calloused” ears.

For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

Matthew 13:15-16

Be aware of God’s mid-course corrections and make adjustments Read Acts 16:6-10 Willington’s Bible Handbook refers to this passage as “Two noes, then a go.” Note the Holy Spirit’s leadership step by step as he restrained Paul.

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The Spirit forbade the mission to Asia (Acts 16:6).

The Spirit forbade the mission to Bithynia (Acts 16:7).

Paul journeyed to Troas (Acts 16:8).

The Spirit gave a vision of the man in Macedonia (Acts 16:9).

Twice the Holy Spirit restrained Paul from moving ahead with his plans to preach in Asia.

But then, in a vision at Troas, God led Paul and his church-planting team westward toward Macedonia – Europe!

A few profound questions for your consideration: •

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Did God give Paul a reason for the rejection of his plans? No. The doors were simply closed by the Spirit. In fact, every door in Paul’s itinerary was closed until he could only go one direction. God get’s to do that! As the sovereign Lord with the bird’s eye view, God directs His people in accordance with His plan for the salvation of the world. And very seldom is God’s will linear – rarely a predictable, foreseeable straight line. One simply needs to check out the Bible maps of Paul’s missionary journeys to see that the Holy Spirit directs those on mission in what seems to be random, unsystematic ways. And yet, God accomplishes His perfect will through believers who are open to His voice.

Did Paul know that the cradle of civilization was shifting from Asia to Europe? Of course not. But God knew. And therefore, the call of God to bring the Gospel to Europe became one of the greatest missionary endeavors of all time, as Europe was soon to become the center of world events.

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• Did a closed door paralyze Paul’s ministry? No. Despite God’s restraining Spirit, Paul stayed faithful to his call to preach the Gospel, teach and develop disciples – all the while trusting the Lord to shed further light on His plans at just right time.

This is one of the most important facts about Paul: his openness, not only to the voice of God, but also his awareness of God’s prerogative to alter human agendas.

Had Paul’s attitude been otherwise, the call to Europe may never have come to fruition and the trajectory of world history changed forever.

We don’t know how the Holy Spirit told Paul that he and his companions should not go into Asia. It may have been through a prophet, a vision, an inner conviction, or some other circumstance. God’s will becomes apparent in differing ways. But in every case, when seeking God’s will: Make sure your plan is in harmony with God’s Word Consult mature Christians for their Spirit-informed advice Double check your own motives—are you seeking to do what you want or what God wants?

• Spend considerable time in prayer, asking God to open and close the doors, as He desires.

How open are we to God’s mid-course correction?

We should never be discouraged when God closes a door; for if He does, we can be assured that God is working out everything according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God’s logic may or may not be immediately obvious. Perhaps, God is protecting His people from impending harm. Or maybe he’s opening the door to even greater ministry opportunities for a church “on mission.”

But God’s sovereign plans must always preempt our own agenda – no matter how entrenched or invested we may be.

How open are you to rethinking and renewing your commitment to following hard after God’s plan for the salvation of your community, your city? The need is desperate and immediate. We are not called to over-analyze or meander lethargically. We are called to wait upon the Lord and then respond quickly to the vision God has provided (Acts 16:11) The great mission to the world is still the call of the church. The church must be on mission, open to the voice of God and willing to adjust it’s plans to sync-up with the will of God when His will is made apparent.

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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." Isaiah 30:2

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