03.06.11 Comm

Sermon Date: March 6, 2011

Sermon Title: Fighting the Burn

Sermon Text: Luke 1:16-17

Small Group Text: Prov. 24:11-12; Esther 4:13-17; Matt. 25:33-46 God Has Sent The World A Burn Notice Read 2 Peter 3:1-13

Note especially verses 7, 10, and 12 where God’s final judgment upon the world is described as an all-consuming and utterly destroying fire. Certain Old Testament prophets also foresaw a fiery end to the world, as we know it (Isaiah 66:15-16; Malachi 4:1) . And if these passages were not enough to give one pause, the Bible seems to teach an even more dreadful judgment awaits those who die without Christ – described as an eternal lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15) . But this ultimate verdict will not come as a new revelation; for throughout the Scriptures, God has forewarned of impending judgment – the expression of His ultimate justice. Contained within this Biblical burn notice is also a way of escape – a message of salvation for any and everyone who will receive God’s free gift of salvation through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is the message of redemption – the good news of God’s reconciling initiative toward the world He loves (John 3:16-17) . And here’s the point: The church, and every believer in it, has been commissioned to move out across the earth to bring the message of hope and salvation to a world on fire (Mark 16:15) .

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. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor. 5:17-21

Picture this: You are standing at the edge of a cliff – below which is a fiery abyss; and you’re watching the wave of lost humanity march forward toward certain and eternal death (Matthew 7:13) . And yet, at the same time, you know you have the means by which to help many turn back toward eternal life. You have the message of hope and salvation.

What do you do? This, in fact, is a common depiction of the mission of the church: to rescue the perishing – reaching as many as possible, as soon as possible, by the most effective means possible (1 Corinthians 9:22-23) .

Read Proverbs 24:11-12

Respond To The Emergency, Don't Hesitate To Step In Click to view this short video:

Read Proverbs 24:11-12 again. Apathy and indifference toward those who are perishing would be unconscionable – especially if it was within our power to do something to save them. And our lack of concern would not escape the attention of God who examines the disposition of all men’s hearts.

In it’s historical context, Proverbs 24:11-12 probably refers to an ancient Jewish law which allowed for a bystander, observing the procession of a convicted criminal, to shout out any new evidence – any fact – anything that might save the convicted person from the executioner’s sword. If, indeed, new evidence could be brought to bear that would save the condemned person from certain death, the onlooker had the obligation to make it known.

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What a marvelous application for the New Testament church – you and me! Because this is exactly the message of the Gospel! New information can now be brought to bear on behalf of all those in peril of eternal judgment. The atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has satisfied the justice of God, fully paying the debt of sin and offering a full pardon to anyone who will repent of their sin and confess their need for God’s saving grace. These new facts have the potential to save many lives! And we, the Church of Jesus Christ, are to move out into the world and shout out the good news on behalf of those who are “stumbling toward death.”

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

No Excuses!

Read again, Proverbs 24:12 And here’s the point, what if the bystander were to simply keep the new information to him/herself for whatever reason; perhaps…

• Apathy (“I just don’t care!”)

• Fear (“I just don’t want to get involved!” or “What will everyone else think if I start shouting?”)

• Negligence (“It’s none of my business!” or “I’m too preoccupied with my own stuff right now.”)

• Pretended ignorance (“I just didn’t know!” or “I didn’t know how to shout out the new info well enough.”)

This Scripture makes it clear that there was a certain culpability that accompanied such disregard for the life of another. God sees and knows and He considers peoples’ inner motives and thoughts (Proverbs 21:2) . And here again is a profound application for the New Testament church. Christ’s Great Commission is a generalized call for the church to actively plan and execute rescue operations for those perishing for lack of the Gospel message. And our God is keenly aware of what can and should be done in the power of His own Holy Spirit to salvage people from everlasting destruction.

Sins of commission and sins of omission It’s common in many Christian environments to give the most airtime to sins of commission – the emphasis being, how wrong it is to do wrong things. While, on the other hand, much less importance is given to sins of omission, i.e., how wrong it is not to do right things. Too often, the so-called “mark of a good Christian” focuses on what a person does not do. But God’s word is every bit as much concerned with what believers could or should do – but don’t. James, the half-brother is Jesus, could not be more clear on the issue when he write, Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17 Esther, Our Example One of the most remarkable illustrations of this truth comes from the Old Testament book of Esther. In about 478 B.C., Xerxes, King of Persia, married a Jewish exile named Esther.

The book bearing her name tells the story of how Esther risked her own life to defeat a plan to exterminate all the Jews in the Persian Empire. When, in the midst of her daring plan, her courage faltered, her adoptive cousin, Mordecai, made a profound observation: “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 royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 The words, “You have come to royal position for such a time as this” are as applicable today as when Mordecai first uttered them to Esther. Note how the Apostle Peter articulates our royal status and the purpose for which Christians have been lifted up to such a noble position: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Esther was given much by way of position, power and influence – but not as an end in itself. She was required by God to use the resources at hand to rescue the perishing. Her

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calling and purpose were clear and undeniable – as are the calling and purpose of Christ’s church on earth. We have come to royal position for such a time as this – that we may perform heroic and noble acts of rescue toward those who, without the Gospel, are in peril of a dreadful fate.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

God Is Pleased When We Rescue Those In Peril Read again Proverbs 24:11-12 – concentrating on the end of verse 12.

If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? Proverbs 24:12

Acknowledging God’s omniscience (ability to know all things knowable) , the writer of Proverbs 24 gives a somber warning of a day of reckoning when our response to those in need will be called into account. The writings of the Apostle Paul point to a similar time when the discerning eye of Jesus will test the quality of believers’ works done on earth. Once Christ’s refining fire has consumed the combustible dross of one’s life, the only question remaining will be, “what is left to show for one’s years on earth?” It would be easy to imagine that any work done to rescue souls from eternal destruction could be represented by the metaphors of gold, silver and precious stones.

If any man builds on this foundation (the foundation of Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, [13] his 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 man's work. [14] If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. [15] If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Cor. 3:12-15

Read Matthew 25:32-40

The applications of this passage are many and diverse; but no doubt, deeds done by Christ-followers contributing to the rescue of eternal souls in peril will elicit the commendation of Jesus Christ on that day.

"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!' Matthew 25:23

According to Jesus, there is such an organic union between Him and those who have come to know Him as Lord and Savior that he regards any action that benefits “the least” of His people as pertaining to Him personally.

Conclusion In the Academy Award winning film, Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler, the story’s main character, moved from Germany to Nazi occupied Poland (WW II) with the idea of prospering from the exploitation of concentration camp workers in his factory. But the horrors perpetrated against the Jews by the Nazis eventually set Schindler on a quest to save as many lives as possible from the Nazi death camps. And here, in this story, is a graphic depiction of the mission of the church for a world in desperate straights as most of humanity is, even now, marching off to death.

Reference: Schindler’s List Trailer

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