We Go, and Sometimes That Means Stay
Message
Introduction
I returned from Fenton this Friday from the minister’s meeting. The new executive board, youth board, and evangelism board were elected. If you would like to know what ministers are on each board, I shared that with you on the Facebook page.
We also had an opportunity on Friday night to listen to Bishop Powell and his wife Jessika cast the vision for the State of Michigan this year. At General Assembly, a new General Overseer was appointed, Bishop Gary Lewis. In his vision casting, he presented a very powerful series of statements that our State Overseer has adopted for our state: We Go, We Care, We Pray, We Disciple, and We Preach.
This morning, I will be briefly discussing We Go as we continue our walk through the book of Acts. I have entitled my sermon We Go and Sometimes That Means Stay which sounds like an oxymoron, but you will see what I mean by it as we go along.
I was thinking about the spiritual warfare that each believer must endure in life. On Tuesday, during the Women’s Bible study, we talked about the importance of knowing who our adversary is. As I pondered these things this week, I began to look at the life of Job. If you’re going to talk about someone who could be the poster child for the spiritual attack, you could probably make a good case for Job.
Job was a faithful follower of Yahweh; in fact, he was so faithful that he became a challenge for satan. Who doesn’t like a good challenge?
Read Job 1:1-3; 6-12
This faithful and blessed man of God had no clue what was about to happen to him. His whole life was about to change in the face of devastation.
Satan stole his children in a freak wind that collapsed a house upon them.
He stole his wealth with the loss of all of his possessions and livestock…all of his sheep, oxen, donkeys, and camels.
He stole his health by inflicting him with painful boils.
He stole his peace with a cursing and unempathetic wife and friends who blamed him for his troubles.
Indeed, you could say that Job had every reason to complain and give up. But he didn’t! And God blessed him: Job 42: 12-13.
The enemy of your soul has not changed! He still attacks the people of God with the same things: sickness, poverty, loss, death, and mental anguish.
He inflicts depression and discouragement.
He steals your rest with nightmares and restlessness
He overwhelms you with fear and anxiety.
He throws shame, condemnation, and guilt on you
He creates doubt and questioning of truth
Job found himself unnerved and questioning his very life…actually wishing that he’d never been born.
What do we do when the enemy is on the horizon? When the scout sees the enemy flag flying just over the hill?
We close the gate and raise the drawbridge.
We circle the wagons
We get in the trenches.to hide from artillery
The problem with this is that in the church, it can lead us to pull inward and shut the doors. Why? Because of fear, protection, and ignorance.
Read Acts 15: 1-5
Notice that the leaders of the church are suddenly faced with a dilemma because of the influx of new Gentile converts. These people didn’t look like the Jews who normally attended temple. They had a set code of what is acceptable appearance and actions. They began to demand conformation…they were closing the gate and raising the drawbridge against change.
Jesus commanded us to go.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 14: 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
He said go and make disciples of all nations. I submit to you today that Go Sometimes Means We Stay…we cannot create disciples of all nations if we have closed the doors of our church to people who look different, sound different, and who don’t fit into our mold of what we think a “Good Christian” should be. Compel them to come in…don’t shut them out with judgment and unfriendly fire.
Read Acts 15: 6-12; 19-21
We need a renewed determination to make personal soul-winning a part of our lives. Soul winning is not an option. It is a clear command of God. If I’m out compelling them into the walls of the church where God’s love is supposed to abound, I’m certainly not expecting the first thing that they experience to be people’s judgmental looks and actions.
Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor that morning.
He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service... only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food... NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the usher if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation...
"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"... The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation... The homeless man sitting in the back stood up... and started walking down the aisle... the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him... he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment... then he recited:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning... many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said... “Today I see a gathering of people... not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples... when will YOU decide to become disciples?” He then dismissed service until next week...
What would you do or say to this person who entered your church?
Or this one?
Or this one?
Or this one?
Would they find cold stares and dirty looks, or would they find warmth and love?
Sometimes a “Go” mentality is what happens once the lost have been compelled to come into the house of God. They know they’re sinners; they know judgment; they have giant walls around their hearts from Christians. The world tells them that the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites who are full of hate. We must show them differently.
I’ve said it before and it bears repeating this morning. It's our job to bring them into the house of God; it’s our job to bring them the word of God, and it’s Holy Spirit’s job to teach and correct and convince them to change their lives.
Have you ever heard the saying, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?” It’s a proverb that means it's better to be nice and polite to people than to be rude or unpleasant.
We can spray vinegar on someone who walks in covered in tattoos or dressed provocatively or wearing gang colors…or we can GO BY STAYING. Staying full of love and acceptance just as Christ accepted you just as you were sin and all.
I’m proud to belong to a church who loves well. I’m proud to belong to a movement who prioritize evangelism to bring in the lost and disciple them in love. Keep ever in your mind that we are to love people how Jesus loved them. He corrected gently…remember the woman who was about to be stoned? He didn’t condemn her; he said “neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
If you are sitting at home and you have been a victim of bad treatment from a Christian person, I would like to humbly repent for them now. Forgive the lack of love, and please don’t hold that against all of us, especially don’t hold it against God who loves you better than anyone could. Know that you will find love and acceptance at Redemption Place Church of God.
If you’re sitting here today and you have been hurt by the treatment of others in the church, I repent for them today and ask you to forgive them for they didn’t know how to show the love of Jesus. If you need to come to the altar to lay down that hurt…it’s always open for you.
If you need the prayers of the elders, the altar is open for you.
If you need Jesus, it’s as easy as ABC. Admit that you have sinned and ask God to forgive you. Believe that Jesus is the son of God who died for you and rose again on the third day. And Confess Him as Lord of your life. You can pray with me:
Lord I come to you today, a sinner who needs your help and your love. Forgive me for the wrong things I have done in my life. I believe Jesus is your son and I’m asking you today to come and be Lord of my life. Amen
It’s that easy. If you prayed that with me today, you are now a child of God and part of the family. We’d love to hear from you; leave a comment below this video or come and visit us if you’re in the area.
Thank you for visiting us today.
