Shelby Wesleyan Church
https://www.angelfire.com/mi2/robhenderson/
robnaomi@oceana.net
November 19, 2000am
Acts 28:11-30
Sharing the gospel to someone is the greatest challenge to Christianity. For all that we represent it would seem only natural that we would have no trouble finding a friend or anybody to share God’s love with.
As a sports fan, I must confess that it easier to discuss the possiblities of Kentucky winning a championship. Or talk to others about the Michigan Wolverines. Not that there is anything wrong with this but name your favorite subject matter and it seems that it would be easier to discuss that than Christ. Some love to talk about politics or hunting or shopping.
I love the story that Dr. Earle Wilson shares in the Wesleyan Advocate this month. “Oscar Wilde once wrote of his Aunt jane who died of mortification because no one came to her grand ball. She died without knowing that she had failed to mail out the invitations.”
Too often our churches in America are dying because we have failed to send out invitations. We wonder why our churches don’t grow and why people don’t attend. Christianity as a movement has only grown five per cent in the last ten years. And I don’t mean invitations just to church. (In fact, as your pastor I would be happy if everyone here did invite someone to church.) We need to be passing out invitations to Christ. Telling others about what Jesus has done in your life.
You see, we are all like Biography.com: Everybody has a story. And the question for you to consider is this: what is your story? What has Jesus done in your own heart and life?
If He has done something then that something is worth sharing with someone that is not a Christian. Come to that place where you can’t help but talk about what God means to you. Let people see Jesus in you.
Last week while cruising the elevators at Spectrum Hospital I noticed a small sign. It was laying on the floor. I had seen this sign in a few other places- non-chalantly placed on a chair or on the bathroom counter. It read: “Jesus in me loves you.”
And that is just it in each of our lives. Jesus in me loving other people. Showing this common grace that we all share and reaching out to those who need Christ the most.
Paul had come to that place early on in his life. He saw the light on the raod to Damascus. He was ministered to by an old Christian, he then went away for some time to be discipled and when he arrived back to jerusalem he quickly rose in leadership. Paul was not your ordinary Christian. He put his money where his mouth was and his feet where his heart was, and preached the gospel.
I want to make three points this morning that I hope challenge us to a greater commitment in sharing Christ. I thought that I would use song titles to hang these thoughts on today.
1. I Know Whom I Have Believed
Paul made it his undeniable goal to know Who he believed in and what he believed. There is no question that without Paul, Christianity would have been in serious trouble. And this is where the sovereignty of God comes into play. Peter was a wonderful leader but lacked the real education that Christianity desperately needed. That’s not without saying that Peter seemed to be blown by strange winds of opinion that derailed him from living out the truth. Paul was able to couple zeal with his knowledge and bring forth challenges to Christians that are still at work today. Other disciples seemed to lack particular strengths that were desperately needed by a new-founded church. Paul brought a depth of understanding that the others would have been unable chart. Paul was God’s man for the hour.
Paul’s utmost desire was to know Christ. His testimony in Philippians has been a challenge to my own life. If I am to be the man of God that I need to be it begins by getting to know who Christ is. I cannot be a great anything without Christ first. Paul’s entire life was built on that foundation of knowing Christ.
Paul had a hope in Jesus Christ. This hope was based on Christ’s death and resurrection. He admits that his understanding was still not comprehending but yet he continued to strain towards what was ahead. All he had staked his life on was Jesus Christ and Him alone.
There are many roads that we travel in life. Most of us here have experienced the cross country travels for vacations or visits to far-off relatives. We usually try and take the quickest route possible. I personally enjoy the wide six lanes of freeway in the Atlanta area. Lots of room to zoom through that great city. Other roads that we travel are less conducive to security and safety. There are risks that come into play.
While in Kentucky last spring we decided to take the afternoon and drive the teens up to the Shepherd of the Hills State Park. Richard knew the back way in so we took it. Folks, my heart nearly stopped a few times. We seemed to be at the edge of a cliff continually. I was so glad that we had a Marine driving! I was grasping the seat and door handle trying to look cool at the same time. Was I scared? Never mind. I hated the road- that twisting-up-the-side-of-the-mountain road... But the view was fantastic! What an awesome scenery. We took pictures and were in awe of what we were able to see.
The spiritual road we travel is rough and steep. Its narrow path leads us to heights of splendor and to an even more intimate knowledge of Christ. Do you want to know Christ? Then walk the dusty road and care for the poor and blind along the way. During those difficult times in your life step out on the water and walk towards his loving arms. And when in doubt about what He has done in your life, walk the narrow city streets of Jerusalem with Him as He carried His cross.
Paul knew Who he believed in. And he wanted everyone to know.
2. A Charge to Keep I Have
Paul loved his people. Who were his people? Spiritually his people were all those who named the name of Jesus Christ but ethnically his people were the people of Israel- the Jews. Paul’s heart broke for his people.
God had given Paul a charge to bring the gospel to the Jewish leaders in Rome. He called for them to come and they showed up in droves to hear what he had to say. I believe that it would be safe to say that his reputation had preceded him.
He told them about Christ. He shared with them how Jesus and the law of Moses related. There were some among them who were convinced of the truth. However there were others who did not want to believe. A dispute ensued. Paul sends them off with a quote from Isaiah 6 and then says this: “I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
How this had to have torn at Paul’s heart! These were his people. They were a part of his family. And yet he had to separate himself from them. What a tragic circumstance for Paul.
But Paul had a call to fulfill. He witnessed to his own people and they rejected the call to salvation. He did his part.
Are we doing our part in our country? Are we taking up the challenge to see that the gospel is brought to those all around us?
Remember, the call to witness is not for the Pastor or Youth Pastor but is for every one who names the name of Christ. Each one of us must show the love of Christ. I love the quote of Mother Teresa that has been inserted in the Hymnal- #539:
“Make us worthy Lord, to serve those throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them, through our hands, this day their daily bread; and by our understanding love, give peace and joy.”
We must witness to our friends and neighbors here in Samaria and Judea. We must be sharing the gospel with those all around us. We must tell them our story: what Jesus has done for us.
3. I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go
Where did God call Paul to minister? Where did Paul go?
The last two years of Paul’s ministry is spent under Roman guard in a rented apartment. He did not have the freedom to do the things that we do. He did not have the luxuries that most of us in ministry have but what he did have was the call of God on his life and the willingness to go where God wanted him to go.
I find it difficult to comprehend that this great man was quite likely ripped to shreads by lions. It is so difficult to believe that this great man was not allowed to live out his days in peace. But you see, Paul was killed for living and preaching the gospel. The ultimate price was paid for his self-denial.
So often we fret over money issues of ministry. But I do not see Paul even hinting that he had financial problems with his ministry. The point is this: money should not and cannot drive a ministry forward. Yes, it is important but the bottom line is the willingness of God’s people to move forward with a self-denial attitude and pay a price for sharing Christ. The gospel goes on- not because of the evangelist but because of the common people who know who they believe in, they keep the charge given to them and they go where God wants them to go- being a witness to all people regardless of nationality or skin color.
The story is told of a teenage girl named Kate Shelley who looked out her window during a terrible thunderstorm one Iowa summer night and saw that the railroad bridge had been swept away. She saw the faint light of a train coming that direction. She took a lantern and climbed the rocky trail, cutting herself and clothing, and furiously swung her lantern back and forth. Upon stopping the train the engineer begged her to go the station so a warning could be sent out to an express train heading that direction.
Quickly she headed down the track. The wind blew out her lantern and she threw it away knowing that she could not relight it in the storm. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled five-hundred feet across the high trestled bridge that the tracks laid on- with flashes of lightning showing her the way and the wind blowing against her. With the lightning continuing to light the way she followed the rails to the station where she gave her story and fell in a dead faint at the station-agents feet.
Help went out to the trapped engineer as well as warnings sent up and down the line warning of the impending danger. When the passengers arrived and heard what had happened and who had saved them they were awestruck. “Words were too lean and weak to express their gratitude.”
And in the closing words of AB Earle he finishes his story with these words:
“Kate Shelley, living or dying, with her approving conscience, can say: I did what I could.
“What an example to all Christians, who see so clearly the dark abyss just a step before unconverted men, and they rushing with great speed towards it. Let us swing the lamp of truth before them and cry with great earnestness:
“Danger ahead! Bridge gone! No crossing but through the bleeding victim of Calvary!
“May we learn a lesson of sacrifice and effort to save others, from this incident that, in the coming day, Christ may say of us: They have done what they could.”
