Empowered. Called.

“I am ready to burn out for God.  I am ready to endure any hardship, if by any means I might save some.  The longing of my heart is to make known my glorious Redeemer to those who have never heard.” William Burns

what will you give?

what will you do?

God has called each one of us to be ambassadors and witnesses – to shine His light into the world so that people will see God in the darkness.  it is God who saves and draws people to Himself but He demonstrates His love and grace and lives out salvation in us.

God has qualified and empowered each one of us to do this momentous task.  It should be done every day in every converstation in every opportunity.  Its not something we turn off or turn on.  We ARE witnesses.  We ARE the light of the world, unhidden and shinning bright.

we may feel insignificant and unqualified – but remember – We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 – the real power comes from God – we are the vessel and God is the light that shines – we are the life that expresses the power of God and message of God – as we humble ourselves and draw near to God and pray THEN we are usable.  God delights to use His children to reach the lost.  As we step out in faith His power enables us and gives us the right words.

Be used.  Make the choice.  Be close and in love with God, know Him and make Him known!

“Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God’s delight in being God.” John Piper

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies.  And if they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay.  If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” Charles H. Spurgeon

Footprints

“There are people on this planet whom only you will be able to reach, because of where you live and what God has made you to be. If just one person will be in heaven because of you, your life will have made a difference for eternity” Rick Warren

A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy!

who said….

A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy!

i had to google it.  a friend was asking on facebook this morning.

but it sparked something in me…

what is the dangerous disease our world faces today?  seperation from God, sin, lostness…

what was the remedy for our sin?  the death and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Son of God, upon the brutal cross in crucifixion.

and what is our response to this… that we should lay own lives down, that we should live our lives radically for the Gospel of Good News, that we should be ambassadors of reconcilliation, witnesses to this generation of the great love of God!

we overcome by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony and that we love our lives not…  revelation 11:12

our lives are not our own.  we were brought with a price.  the blood of the sinless perfect amazing Jesus who gave His life to pay for my sin.

we should live our lives by faith in Jesus, following His call, following His purpose and plan.

not dangerously for the sake of danger, but unrelentless and poured out.

dont be conformed to the pattern of this world, complacent, quiet, tolerant… but lets stand and shine and declare the grace of God, lets demonstrate His kindness and love.

a desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy – God has done it all, He made the way, He made the way for redemption and cure.  the cure is found – lets tell the good news!

Lost

“Lost people matter to God,

and so they must matter to us.”

— Keith Wright

Call of God

“If God calls you to be a missionary, don’t stoop to be a king” — Jordan Grooms (variations of this also credited to G. K. Chesterson, Thomas Carlyle and Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

One Life

“I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light” — John Keith Falconer

Shine

Bright red.  The hue of bullseyes.  The exact opposite of camouflage.  That’s the colour Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the red baron, chose to paint his warplane during WW1.  This was not the irrational decision of a self-destructive mind however, but rather the calculated intimidation of a seasoned, deadly hunter.  The Red Baron did not want to hide.  He wanted to be a beacon of arrogance in the sky.  A challenge.  A dare.

I read this at the Blenehim Airport in July as I was returning from a holiday with my family.  It is on sign advertising the Air War Museum at the Air Force base.

But it hit me in my spirit and I could feel God speaking to me right there, in the airport.

To wear bright red on a battlefield means you are declaring who you are that you refuse to back down and hide.   You’ve picked your side and you’re not afraid to declare it.

We are a Christian.  We are forgiven.  We are righteous.  We are a child  of God.  We are loved.  We are saved.  We are redeemed.  We are the light of the world.   We are called.  We are chosen.  We are a servant of God.  We are filled with the Holy Spirit.  We are witnesses empowered by God.  We are ministers of reconciliation. We are ambassadors.  We are supernatural.  We are Christians.

Matthew 5:14-16  says “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lamp stand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.”

Every day we have a choice to let our light shine or to dull it and hide it.

Philippians 2:15-16 says that we are “children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life.”

We carry within us The Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us to reveal Jesus to those around us who are lost and in need of the rescue of the Gospel.

Light brings hope in the darkness.  Light shows the way when people cannot see the way to go.  Light illuminates.

Light will always overcome darkness. The law of nature reflects the truth in the spiritual realm. “And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]” John 1:5 Amplified.  Put simply, when the light of God shines the darkness is overcome.  Darkness does not overcome light – light always overcomes the darkness.   Light shines.  Light wins.

The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ. We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Our job is to shine.  We are the vessel.  God empowers us like the electricity in that empowers a light bulb.

Don’t hide your light.  Don’t hide The Light of the World, Jesus Christ!  As Manfred von Richthofen would say “Camouflage is for sissies!”

The goal is not to live gray lives but to live lives knowing our awesome amazing God that stretched out His arms on the cross, as Jesus Christ, dying to make the way for us to be saved and clean and forgiven and new.

Today the call is to live our lives knowing God and following Him and making Him known… to be bold and radical and Christian!   Christians are not called to wear camouflage.  The call is to not blend in but to stand out as lights in this world.  The challenge is to not be assimilated into this world but to be Christians in it – demonstrating the love and grace and power of God as He leads us and empowers us.

God’s Plan

“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose.” — John Piper

CURE FOUND

“If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn’t it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death.” — Dave Davidson

Camouflage Is For Sissies

Bright red.  The hue of bullseyes.  The exact opposite of camouflage.  That’s the colour Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the red baron, chose to paint his warplane during WW1.  This was not the irrational decision of a self-destructive mind however, but rather the calculated intimidation of a seasoned, deadly hunter.  The Red Baron did not want to hide.  He wanted to be a beacon of arrogance in the sky.  A challenge.  A dare.

I read this at the Blenehim Airport.  It is on a sign advertising the Air War Museum thing there.

But it hit me in my spirit and I could feel God speaking to me right there, in the airport.

To wear bright red on a battlefield means you are declaring who you are that you refuse to back down and hide.   You’ve picked your side and you’re not afraid to declare it.

You are a Christian.  You are forgiven.  You are righteous.  You are a child of God.  You are loved.  You are saved.  You are redeemed.  You are the light of the world.   You are called.  You are chosen.  You are a servant of God.  You are filled with the Holy Spirit.  You are witnesses empowered by God.  You are ministers of reconciliation. You are ambassadors.  You are supernatural.  You are Christians.

Lets see how this plays out in real life.  Please turn to Acts 3.  Acts 3.  This attitude, this no camouflage living is demonstrated and lived by the disciples.

Lets put this in context.  50 days before Pentecost Jesus was arrested as a criminal and convicted and condemned and executed.  3 days later he rose again but the movement he begun with his teaching and his life still was viewed by the religious authorities as criminal and treasonous.  Before getting saved the apostle paul was hired by the jewish leaders to purge Christianity from Israel – by killing followers of Jesus.  It was unsettled crazy dangerous times.  It was all brand new.  Jesus had really JUST died and JUST rose and the Holy Spirit had JUST fallen and the church was JUST born.   Acts 1 Jesus asends to heaven.  Acts 2 is Pentecost – the Holy Spirit falls, tounges of fire, speaking in tounges, miracles, salvations, revival.

So in this brand new dangerous time we see how the disciples responded – and we should take a leaf out of their book and make this real in our lives.

Acts 3:1-10

The time of prayer was about three o’clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. A man who had been born lame was being carried to the temple door. Each day he was placed beside this door, known as the Beautiful Gate. He sat there and begged from the people who were going in. The man saw Peter and John entering the temple, and he asked them for money. But they looked straight at him and said, “Look up at us!” The man stared at them and thought he was going to get something. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold! But I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, get up and start walking.” Peter then took him by the right hand and helped him up.    At once the man’s feet and ankles became strong, and he jumped up and started walking. He went with Peter and John into the temple, walking and jumping and praising God. Everyone saw him walking around and praising God. They knew that he was the beggar who had been lying beside the Beautiful Gate, and they were completely surprised. They could not imagine what had happened to the man.

Matthew 5:14-16  says You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

The disciples let their light shine.  They did not hide their light under the bed.  They went out into their community and shined hard and bright.   Did you notice verse 1 – it was the normal everyday usual time of prayer – their everyday day ordinary lives.   We don’t just let our light shine between 10 and 12 and 5 and 6 on Sundays (and 7.30-10 on Wednesday nights….)  we be Christians, real christians everyday and every moment.  We don’t turn it off like a lightswitch…

And just so you know – Jesus isn’t talking about a this little light of mine -  though in saying that, the light from even one match in the darkness can be seen for miles away….

Light will always penetrate darkness. It is a law of nature. It is the same way in the spiritual realm. When the light of God shows up, it literally shows up, and the darkness flees before it. It must, because that’s what darkness does when light comes. Simple.

Don’t hide your light.  Don’t hide The Light of the World, Jesus Christ!  Camouflage is for sissies.

The disciples had a choice.  They were having awesome fellowship times and prayer meetings in each others homes.  They could of hide in their homes, they could of turned their housegroups and housechurch into a place of hiding but they made the choice to get out there and to be bold and to BE Christians.  To BE light.  To be demonstrating the love and grace of God to those in need around them.  They did not hide but they shinned a bright light in a world trying to get darker.

The man was healed.  The Gospel was declared and shared.

We are called like the disciples, like the apostles to get out there and shine and to be real Christians.  To not hide away the power of God that lives within us.

BREATHER:  LOTR clip….

Lets jump forward a chapter to Acts 4….  Living a no camo life is bold and awesome… but can have its adventures on the way….

The disciples were arrested.    They were dragged before the courts and told to sit down and shut up pretty much…

Peter’s response – Peter who had JUST over 50 days ago denied he even knew Jesus Christ – “Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard.”  (Acts 4:19-10)

Do you think God wants us to obey you or obey Him?

Do you think God wants us to please them or Him?

Who will I live to please?

The world?  Or God?

Myself?  Or God?

My friends?  Or God?

The lukewarm Christians I know?  Or God who calls me to love him with all my heart and soul and strength?

As Christians we live our lives, not for ourselves but for our God.

We are not our own?  For we were bought at a price ;   we were rescued from the useless way of life that we learned from your ancestors. But we know that we were not rescued by such things as silver or gold that don’t last forever. we were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb ; so  it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1 Peter 1:19, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Galatians 2:20

We are not of this world and we don’t cling to it.  We make a choice to live our lives in this world, living and breathing and physical, but we are citizens with a Holy Mighty King whom we serve.

Any Star Trek fans here?   The world is the borg and we reject assimilation!  Resistance is not futile!

“Do NOT be CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD (Don’t Copy the Behaviour and Customs of this World), but let God TRANSFORM you into a New Person by changing the way you THINK. THEN you will learn to know GOD’S WILL FOR YOU, which is GOOD and PLEASING and PERFECT.”  Romans 12:2

Live bold obedient lives.  Make the choice to follow God.  Don’t camouflage yourselves by compromising.  Don’t camouflage yourself by blending in with the world and disobeying God.  Don’t let compromise become a way of life.  Be holy and follow God.

Don’t compromise in the way you talk.

Don’t compromise in what you wear.

Don’t compromise in relationships.

Don’t compromise in what you watch.

Don’t compromise in what you do socially, in the music you listen to, in the places you go, in the conversations you have, in the computer games you play, in the things you read…

The goal is not to live gray lives but to live lives knowing our awesome amazing God that stretched out his arms on the cross, as Jesus Christ, dying to make the way for us to be saved and clean and forgiven and new.

Today the call is to live our lives knowing God and following Him and making Him known… to be bold and radical and Christian!   Christians are not called to wear camouflage.  The call is to not blend in but to stand out as lights in this world.  The challenge is to not be assimilated into this world but to be Christians in it – demonstrating the love and grace and power of God as he leads us and empowers us.

preaching notes for this sunday young adults church