Good evening. How's everybody? Good. Let me share a story.
This was when I was down in Baton Rouge on staff down there one of the things that I did was take students down to Mardi Gras to witness and Did a couple of years and one of the greatest stories that we heard when we were down there was there was a couple And they had a couple of children I think one that was able to walk and one in a stroller and one of our team had come up to them seen them And if you've ever been down to Mardi Gras, it really is Sin City I've seen everything down there you name it and I've seen it and So they were witnessing to this couple and and asked them do they want to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? And they said yes, and so they prayed with this couple and when they got down with the prayer They opened their eyes and right off the bat they said what are we doing here? They both looked at each other and said why are we here? It hit them just like that and they realized that That was not the place for them to be that they were amongst all this sin and everything and they had just accepted Jesus Christ There was great revelation that had come to their minds and to their hearts And they said we have to get our kids out of here right now And they got their kids and they picked up and they took off and it's just that easy It's a spiritual battle that takes place I'm gonna talk about that tonight and help us a little bit with the follow-up after we've talked to somebody after we've shared our story After we've talked to them about the gospel and what's going on in your life So if you'll take out your Bibles tonight if you have those acts chapter 9 Acts chapter 9 why don't you stand with me tonight as we read God's word together beginning in verse 1 This is Saul's conversion when he became Paul now Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest And he asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus So that if he found any belonging to the way both men and women He might bring them bound to Jerusalem and it came about that as he journeyed He was approaching Damascus and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him and he felt it aground and he heard a voice saying to him Saul saw why are you persecuting me and he said to him who art thou Lord and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting But rise and enter the city and it shall be told to you what you must do and the men who traveled with him With him stood speechless hearing the voice but seeing no one and Saul got up from the ground and though his eyes were open He could not see nothing and leading him by the hand They brought him into Damascus and he was three days without sight neither ate nor drank Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias and the Lord said to him in a vision in an ice And he said behold here I am Lord and Lord said him arise and go to the street called straight and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul for behold he is praying and he had seen in the vision of man named Ananias coming in and lay his hands on him So did he might regain his sight but Ananias answered Lord.
I have heard from many about this man How much arm he did to thy saints in Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call upon Thy name and Lord said to him go for he is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the sons of Israel for I will show him how much he must suffer for my namesake Heavenly Father I pray tonight that you would just help us to continue to grow in faith Father to be bold to share our story to help others to see Jesus Christ Father to make disciples to help them to find that the greatest relationship that they can have in this world is a relationship with you And I pray that you would touch our hearts tonight Father with the Holy Spirit in Jesus name we pray amen turn around shake someone's hand before your seat tonight welcome them This is Paul's story and everybody has a different story if we went around the room today We could find that each and every one of you has a different story last week I shared mine and Ruth and Terry shared theirs and all three of those were different and that's one of the things that I know that We've talked about that no two stories are the same mine You know I didn't have the story that Ruth did and and someone say oh well She really has a dynamic testimony well sometimes you know walking with God since your five or six years old is a dynamic testimony Here's the thing everybody's testimony is dynamic because it is what God has done in your life to help you to walk this walk And to help others to see Jesus Christ and his Lord and Savior It's what you add to your stories what you subtract from your story, but it's a story that should glorify God It should glorify God It should point people to Christ and what he did on the cross for them and how that point in your life That you accepted it changed you that you understood it that you came to faith and gone and on and on and on But that's what really changed this is what Jesus Christ did and in just a few days we're gonna be celebrating that So number one what do you do after that? Well, you can invite him to church after you shared your story you can invite him to church Which is a great thing to do you can share more of the Bible God's love letter to us with them share some scriptures with them You can have that talk and just continue on with them There's some people that I have been talking to for years and there's others the first time I had a conversation with them I prayed the sinners prayer with them. We never know what it's gonna take how people are gonna react and and what's gonna happen? But then at some point they need to be challenged by The question do you want except Jesus Christ?
Are you ready to believe you want to have a relationship with God? We need to take the next step in that There's two conversations that you know two conversations are the same and I have witnessed the hundreds over the years And I think it's one of the greatest things that you can do when I was I shared with you down when I was down in Baton Rouge That was one of the greatest times because students had to witness we had to go out on the streets We had to do different things and once they led somebody to the Lord it changed their life If you've never done it Let me challenge you to share your story as we have the last three weeks share your story and and and let somebody see Jesus Christ and what he has done That you you will get so excited that you want to do it again Because you have a little part in that you were either a planter a water But the thing was that when they accepted Jesus Christ you were a harvester and I'll be honest But we live around corn fields and bean fields and all these things on your I am not a farmer I really am not I don't want to go out there and part the soil plant the seed and Okay, do something or even go out there and water it you still have to wait harvesting is fun When you can go out there and you bring in the crop that you're ready to eat that you're ready to share that you're ready to see So we need to do that we need to harvest and it's one of the greatest things as I said that when you ask the question Everyone is different coming to the Lord they have different backgrounds and one of the things that I have also learned is that you need to understand them Understand them they have learned things by going to other churches They've learned things by their from their parents and how they were raised they by what other people have said by what they've seen on TV And you need to understand them Nor to share the gospel if I'm talking to somebody who is let's say Jewish I'm not going to talk to them about things that are of Catholic faith I want to talk to them about what they believe somebody who doesn't believe at all How do you talk to them you need to understand where they're coming from in order to help them to understand what Jesus Christ has done? So they've learned from different places Please don't put them down for for that and understand that just because our names are written in the lambs book of life That doesn't make us any better Just makes us saved just makes us a Christian helps us to understand what Jesus Christ has done for us God has created each and every one of us in this room out of this room equally and they have a soul just like you have a soul So understand that also be careful about speaking in Christian ease. You know what that is?
Saying do you want to be born again? They have no idea what you're talking about go and read the story in John chapter 3 Can I enter back into my mother's womb? No Saying are you saved? I remember when we were down in Louisiana We were on LSU campus, Louisiana State University and myself and this elderly lady we were out witnessing and She asked me she goes I don't like this that we you know ask questions and get to know them and everything else I just want to know if they're saved or not and she goes why can't we just walk up and ask them if they're saved and I said well because they don't understand what you're talking about And she kept going on and on and on and she goes I just want to do it and I said okay the next person we come and and then as we're walking around I'm praying I really am praying This is my prayer God please not the next person be compassionate and please do not let them fall away from you by what is about ready to take place I Said God I because it's this is also witnessing is very serious business.
I'll talk about that in a few minutes It's like for death So we walked up to the next person in your college campus So you know the mindset of the college student and we said hi introduce ourselves and she said are you saved? from what And she didn't know where to go then after that and so it was a very short conversation and Nothing happened and so then she goes okay I understand why we need to get to know people before we get into it And then I pray it again God please touch that person that we just talked to please don't let them take this conversation in a bad way But some somehow come to know you as Lord and Savior So we have to get to know them and understand that everybody comes from a different background that we need to watch when we say salvation a lambs book of life when we're talking about being saved and Everybody's definition of Christian is different and you need to understand what it is Remember who you're talking to people who used to be just like you Now and I was thinking about this today I've been a Christian for 36 years of leave 36 37 years and we kind of longer you walk with God the the last you remember about how you used to be How used to be? But if you go over to 1 Corinthians chapter 9 In verse I'm sorry 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 9 through 11 It says or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God Do not be deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor dolters or no feminine homosexuals nor thieves or covets This or drunkards no violers or swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God in such were some of you But you were washed and you were sanctified you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God Yeah, we used to be that way. We used to have a mindset that we didn't want to have anything to do with God We didn't have time for God.
We didn't believe in God. We Whatever happens to be and then one day we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior into our life Pastor taught he's been teaching on Galatians chapter 5 and you can see the things there that people are and then you can see the fruit of the spirit afterwards Those that don't understand what and how you live and what has changed your life is what we need to share and help them to understand that What would your life be like if you'd never accepted Jesus Christ in your life? I remember having a real quick thought about that and one time and I thought wow, what would it be like? It wouldn't be what it is today Could be in prison could be you know struggling with whatever Maybe having a couple of wives by this time who knows really don't know I know what God has done to keep me on the straight and narrow and that's what I share with other people We need to love them need to love them and sometimes we just need to ask some key questions after we've shared our testimony After we maybe talk to him about the Word of God Don't presume presume that they want to continue to talk to you.
This is one of the big things Ask them if you can talk to them when I was down south as I told you one of the things that we would do is we would start With a survey it helped us in some areas and sometimes when we were doing certain things and when we get down to surveys Just a couple questions, but in those questions We at the end would ask him can I take a few more minutes and just share a little bit about myself? And some people would say yes, some people would say no and that was okay We didn't we didn't want to offend those who had said no We'd already you know talk to him a little bit and ask him a couple questions But we don't want it to offend anybody Because you want people to come to Jesus Christ at some time or another and you don't want it to be somebody who you know When somebody else is witnessing to him they say well all Christians are the same We've never heard that before have we watched the news they throw all Christians into the same category Now our definition of Christianity and somebody else is different So we have to be very careful But just ask them is can I spend a little bit more time and talk to you a little bit more about this? Ask them if they can take more time that you can take more time and explain your relationship or maybe more of the scriptures With them so they can have understanding would you like to know more? Can I tell you what it means to be born again?
Have a relationship with God to understand the peace that I have in my life Can I just take a little bit more time with you? If not ask them can I talk to you about this some other time? I've done that at times and come back somebody some people have to run off or have an appointment or whatever it happens to be Have to be respectful of them and then they need to come to an understanding We have all come to an understanding what Jesus Christ has done for us and across Need to remember that some plant some water some harvest, but only God makes it grow God makes it grow and you might be a planter or you might be a water and you might not see the harvest I know that there's times when I have shared with people and I wonder did anything ever come up at it? Did somebody else come alongside and maybe they planned a little bit more water and then later on somebody harvested and sometimes I think okay I get to harvest But did somebody else plant in water and now they didn't know what took place?
Here's the thing that I do know is that I believe that for everybody who's not a Christian somebody is praying for them Somewhere in this world for everybody who is not a Christian Christian I believe that there is somebody somewhere who is praying for them who is a Christian because we all know people who are not Christians And maybe we're praying for them. Maybe it's a family member who's praying for them But somebody is wanting them to come to that saving knowledge of Jesus Christ One of the most important questions that you can ask is would you like to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior? Would you like to ask Jesus Christ in your heart? Would you like to have a personal relationship with God?
And let me just one of the things that I learned is when you ask that question don't say another word until they answer Even if it gets awkward for 30 seconds because they're thinking about it and wait for them to answer Because if they were yeah, they are either gonna say yes, or they're gonna say no And if they say yes, all right, let's move on if they say no now we need to find out why And have some understanding why they don't want to accept Jesus Christ at that point and it could be that say I'm not ready for that Could be that I don't understand that could be a number of things And don't be pushing but talk to them if they want some more scripture or they want to talk a little bit more go back And ask them again and then ask them again And ask them again Maybe the question should be would you like to have a relationship with God like I have? That's a tough question there because now you have to examine your own life and hopefully it's right with God Would you like to have peace in your heart? One of the things that I have found with all people is that they want peace in their life Joy and contentment you can ask them do you want to have peace in your heart because I find that lots times people are not Where they want to be and they're not content They're not content the next point this one's kind of hard sometimes and have to realize that the gospel is offensive The gospel is offensive my older sister most of you know I've been praying for her for years and she's not a Christian and and I think she's getting closer. She has a great husband a lot my brother-in-law and she has three wonderful sons and they have great wives and My sister has had her first grandson Yeah, so she's excited and I have witnessed to her so many different ways and different times and talk to her and It's interesting that I talked to her about this whenever she sends me a letter or card or something She'll always put Reverend and Mrs.
Paul Rose. I don't like I thought I'm just Paul. I'm your brother I really is but she always does and I asked her one time I said me being a minister does that offend you and she said no and she goes to a Presbyterian church And she said no, I said okay, but I know that I have offended her I have offended her there was one time you were coming back from Chicago and I was writing with her and and we got closer to Springfield and I I started talking about God and just her life and everything else and we got here got out of the car It was a few days later that I got an email from my brother-in-law And he was really angry with me that I had talked to her about God And he said you think that we are not Christians that we're not good people and I hadn't I didn't say anything like that I was just talking to her about her relationship with God and I know my younger sisters talked to her my mom and dad Have talked to her and everything but it took a little bit of time for my brother-in-law to get over that It's a spiritual battle that's going on in their lives and the devil doesn't want them to win that battle This is the thing that I think that we need to understand. This is a spiritual battle that's taking place in their life Let's look at Matthew chapter 10 Matthew chapter 10 verse 24 A disciple is not above his teacher nor a slave above his master It is enough for a disciple that he become as his teacher and a slave as his master If they have called the head of the house bills above how much more the members of his household therefore do not fear them For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known What I tell you in the darkness speaking the light in what you hear whispered in your airport claim upon the house tops And do not fear those who kill the body But are unable to kill the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell are not two sparrows sold for one Sent and yet no one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father But the hairs of your head are all numbered therefore do not fear you are more value than many sparrows everyone therefore who Shall confess me before men I will confess him before my father who is in heaven But whoever shall not deny whoever I'm sorry, but whoever shall deny me before men I will deny him before my father who is in heaven Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth What this is Jesus speaking?
He says do not think that I come to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace But a sword Think about that For I came to set man against his father and daughter against her mother daughter law against her mother law A man's enemies will be the members of his household He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he who loves son or daughter daughter more than me is not worthy of me And he who does not take up his sword and follow after me is not worthy of me He who has found his life shall lose it and he who has lost his life from my sake shall find it is a separation And it's it's not against us and them black and white Russian United States giant no The separation is Christian and non-Christian. That's the separation That statement that he says there I've struggled with that I did not come to bring peace but to bring a sword The separation read the story of the separation of the sheep and the goats The ten virgins five wise five foolish the separation and it's not that we're in a fight against them No, we should love them with all of our heart And they should see that That they see the love that we have inside of us towards them It is a spiritual battle for their soul and this is the greatest battle that they will ever be in You have won that battle You should rejoice in that you have found Jesus Christ to be Lord Savior and you live after him you're on your way to heaven. Sometimes.
I don't think we believe it. I Think we live our lives and oh You know, I'm I complain just as much as anybody else. We are on our way to heaven Did you enjoy the worship this past Sunday morning? I thought we were ready to go Or at least I was ready to go Okay Maybe we need to come in here every day and have Dan lead us through some worship to get us ready We have the greatest gift ever given But there's a whole bunch of people who don't and the devil has blinded them It is a battle that goes on every single day and we have to help them Help them to win that battle To see that they're lost and they're dying in a way that they understand that they would accept Jesus Christ into their hearts That they would believe and that have peace and contentment and understand that one day they'll stand before God and give an account My sister one day she'll stand before God and I am not the judge I'm glad that I'm not I am not God if she would die right now.
I my guess would be no I Want it to be yes But I'm not God. I'm not the judge and I have learned and I've said this to a few people I would give up my life for any of my family any of my family right now if they came to know Jesus Christ It's worth it because what is a soul worth more money than we have in this room more money than we have in this world It's for eternity the devil plays for keeps and he wants to win He wants to win in John chapter 10 verses 7 through 10 and says so Jesus said that I'm truly truly I say to you I am the door of the sheep all who came before me are thieves and robbers But the sheep did not hear them I am the door if anyone enters in through me He will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture the thief comes to steal kill and destroy I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly the devil comes to play paddy cakes The devil comes to have lunch. No, it says he comes to kill steal and destroy We shouldn't take that lightly. We shouldn't take that lightly He wants their soul and he's got it until they accept Jesus Christ and turn from their wicked ways We have to remember that they will have some resistance and for many different reasons For many different reasons.
I've seen some who have easily said I want to accept Jesus Christ And I've seen others who it's taken them years and years and years I've had some they've gotten upset. I don't want to ever hear about Jesus Christ I've had family members said I'm going to hell to be with my friends and we're gonna party I don't think that's gonna happen not from what I read in the Bible. It's weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth It's no fun. It's it's Jesus Christ that they're rejecting.
It's not you and always remember that you're not the Savior Jesus Christ is but don't let that keep you from doing battle. They say no you just go on you keep going on The most important thing that we can do is that we can win souls and make disciples And it is life and death literally eternally It's life and death We have the ability to change someone's life when we share a story when we share some scriptures when we invite him to church when we Talk to him about Jesus Christ and what he's done when we ask him would you like to accept Jesus Christ in your life? The greatest decision that I've ever made in my life was accepting Jesus Christ in my life the next one was marrying my wife Next thing was having our children. I can't deny that's the greatest decision in my life We have to invite them.
We have to ask the question and at least we need to invite him to church Easter is coming up And hopefully you've invited people to come to church. I did yesterday. I was yesterday. I was yesterday I was out at the restaurant and saw somebody and who I'd known and I walked over to the table and said hey How you doing?
I go, hi, how you doing? We had seen each other a couple years got talking and asked him and come to find How he's going to Catholic Church and said what we'd love to have you come to Eastern and they're reaching in my pocket and like Those cards early did I didn't say like that. I thought about myself. They were those cards so I was having lunch with Tina Anacchi and Tyler Smith and So I walked back over I said teeny got my cards and she goes yes, I should get credit for this also I took it back over to him nice and listen.
I really love for you to come to Eastern I kind of went through the services good Friday if you if you come great good Friday. I'll meet you there It's just that easy talk to him for a few more seconds and we'll see what happens I invite him to come we have to do it. It's life or death Then if they say that they want to accept Jesus Christ into their lives All you have to do is just pray a little prayer Pastor Mark does it just about every Sunday and you repeat the same prayer with him People so I don't know what to pray. Here's what you do next Sunday.
You write down what Pastor Mark says Take out your phone record it. I don't care what you do. It's just easy I did it the other day with somebody he called me and and earlier this week somebody that struggles and he goes I just want to I want to pray the service prayer one more time I said okay, we prayed it on the phone he calls me about once a year and we do this and I'd rather do that every day of his life than him not be sure Whatever that process is you need to you need to take them through it And if you heard the story that Jeremy Kemp shared great story that the guy that he was witnessing to and after every Bible study You want to accept Jesus Christ? I want to accept Jesus Christ.
You want to accept Jesus Christ? Year goes by. Do you want to accept Jesus Christ? I'd be like I was with Jeremy on that.
I was like, okay. Do you want to accept Jesus Christ? Maybe? Okay That was a great story and that is really the truth We need to follow up We need to follow up on those that we share a story with that we share the gospel with When I got saved I lived in Jacksonville, Illinois You all know where that is and I lived in this place that looked like green acres It was corn on all four sides and only had two doors and inside the whole house and that was on the bathroom Thankfully and on the guy's house or the guy's bedroom that I was living with a cousin of mine and It really did look like green acres and my dad brought me to the church and I got saved one Sunday And he took me back to Jacksonville and and he said you need to call your mom and tell her what happened They had rededicated lives back to God and and so I called my mom and I said hey How you doing fine?
How you doing all that? Yeah, and I said well, we went to church today all that's good and And he goes he told what you did I said I went down front today And she was excited because she knew what that was all about I had no idea what that was all about I understood that Jesus that God was telling me that I needed to go down front that day And when I did accept a Jesus Christ in my heart, I knew that God was talking to my heart that day and I went down Nobody followed up on me. I didn't hear from anybody. I didn't even know what my telephone number was I didn't know what the address was the house we were living in so I really didn't I could take you to it I can't now I could take you to it at that time Because we lived out in the country and My mom she was all excited, but I'll always remember that that I never nobody ever did help me after that I didn't understand and we need to help those that we talked to understand what the difference is why we should live our lives This way and how we should live our lives Ended up that we moved over to Springfield and I started coming to the church more and I started to grow and faith And that's what we need one of the things we need to invite him to come to church So they grow and and they learn and remember going to a party one night and yeah, no We were at Glenis's house I don't know if Dan was there or not and they weren't dating at the time and I remember them talking about people living together I thought what's wrong with people living together?
There was somebody there who thought the same way I did or at least they were Sharing that and man they just the Bible says and They were really I'm like I'm not getting in this conversation. I am ignorant But I learned that night Maybe there's something about people living together that God's not happy with And as I kept going to church I learned more and read the Bible and started to pray got involved in oasis and Bible studies and those kinds of things surrounding myself with good friends like Dan and Glenis well Glenis so But it's we don't know how to walk this way unless somebody comes alongside and that's why last year We decided that discipleship was what we were going to talk about what we were going to teach on what we were going to help people to do Because we need to disciple people we need to get them in the church Let them see you get them into your relationships into your life into your home So they can see those things and they can see how to walk and how to live and as I shared last Wednesday night I wasn't a bad person. I didn't do a whole lot of things or wasn't wicked. I just ignorant I've gone to church all my life Nobody had ever shared about Jesus Christ and what he had done on the cross and what that meant to me And that's what I needed So I need to come to church We need to talk to them about services and coming to service and meet them when they come service If you invite somebody to Easter tell them what service that you're gonna be at and or see what service they can come to and meet them here Sit with them talk with them.
I invited somebody to come just a couple weeks ago and it came on a Wednesday night Just a couple of Wednesday nights ago, and then when pastor said okay, everybody get up And I want you to share your story with somebody I was in sitting next to him I ran to him real quick because I knew pay were new here tonight. They're gonna get scared and We shared our story with one another Ask them questions. What did you get out of the service? What do you think of the worship?
What about the message? Did it touch your heart? Do you feel anything about what's taking place? And again be fit be careful about the Christianese We will always have an altar call did they go if in a pastor last week said open your eyes if you brought somebody see if they Raise their hand take them down.
Can I go down with you help them? It could be that you would pray with them a sinners prayer later on maybe at home You're talking to them call them on the phone see how they how everything went. It's not easy It really isn't and we don't like to do it, but we need to it It's kind of like any kind of crop you have to tend to it If you want to if you want to pray when you share your story or the gospel you need to ask if they want accept Jesus Christ And if they say yes, then pray if they say no ask more questions Answer their questions the best that you can and sometimes the best answer you can give is I don't know Make sure you stay focused on Jesus though. Don't get into the pre-adamic age Don't get into why they had so many wives and concubines and all those different things No, everything should be focused on Jesus Christ help them tell them where to read in the Bible starting the gospels read John Then go back and read Matthew mark Luke and John it's all about Jesus Help them to learn how to pray And I just tell people pray the way that you talked to anybody talk to God.
I get upset with God He knows that he knows me. Why should I be old Al great as one in the heavens above? No, there's time to say God I'm just not happy right now with you He already knows it so I'm not telling them anything new Help them to walk this walk Might be that you have to pray with him a couple of times that you have to spend time with him That is what harvesting and that is what discipleship is all about. It's not a one-time thing.
It's like school We have to keep going and going Help them to understand and read and pray and worship You know the story about the unique he was reading the Bible, but he didn't have understanding And then understanding came our lives must also be lived for them to follow You can't talk to them about Jesus Christ and then be one of those people that I just talked about read in scriptures It's your Custom not your neighbor or whatever getting mad or you know doing things at work that you shouldn't be doing stealing pens I said I said I said I said this we need to have a bring back to Calvary pen day See I know you all have pens at home And you have them in your cars. Yeah, I use it as a witnessing tool here. It's a church. I go We're gonna have a bring back to Calvary pen day one of these days There's your life line up with the Word of God it should we are showing them what a Christian really is with our actions Sometimes more than what our words say we can live in the world but not be a part of the world And there's been times when I've had people you know ask me and tempt me and do different things and and stay away from those things Stay away from those things in my testimony.
I don't drink and that's what I believe in and I've been offered even by other ministers Believe it or not and I've always said no Even if nobody else is there because that's my testimony that I can say I haven't drank and I can't say our lives will be seen by others doesn't have peace enjoyed is have the fruit of the spirit That's what the world wants and hopefully they'll see it in my example of Christ likeness What do your neighbors see what do your coworkers see your family in 2 Timothy chapter 1? Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord nor of me his prisoners is Paul writing to his young son in the Lord But share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling Not because our works But because of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began Which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light Through the gospel share the gospel for which I was appointed a preacher and a apostle and a teacher Which is why I suffer as I do but I am not ashamed for I know whom I believe and I am convinced that he is able to guard until today What has been entrusted to me follow the pattern of sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and in love That are in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us guard the good deposit and trusted to you Hopefully you can say follow me as I follow Christ It's not always easy. We still fall. We still make mistakes.
We still sin We still sin it's up to us to help those who are seeking after Jesus Christ We are the disciples it says in Matthew chapter 28 go therefore and make disciples Make disciples that's what we are called to do and that takes time We have to spend time with them. We have to help them to understand now when they get saved or they are learning about this And everything don't drop the whole truckload on them at one time Okay, you didn't have that done on you or hopefully that didn't wasn't done You need to change your dress. You need to change your length give up the smoking give up the kissing no no no no no no No, let God help them you're just there to put some guardrails on it And it's probably not good to tell somebody that they need to Let God help them let God help them sometimes it is but let God work on them They need to understand the word of God which means that we need to understand the word God help them get into the word of God Take them and say can I study with you? Can I help you let's go through the gospels and let me bring some understanding to those and just help them walk through the Bible with them Take Matthew and walk through that what's coming up with good Friday bring them to a good Friday service It's one of the greatest messages that we have that's portrayed on good Friday Invite people to come who don't know Jesus Christ They will not be disappointed they might be convicted they might not like it And if they don't then we've done our job because it's a spiritual battle that we're in and the devil's not happy We're the ones that have to help them to grow get them into church and and don't say come to church and then you not come to church Come to church with them make sure that they see you help them to see that help them to grow in their relationship And help them to see that your relationship that you do make mistakes one of the biggest things I think that we do is that we we don't share our mistakes You don't have to share all of them but say I also make mistakes and maybe share some things that you know You failed in and God loved you anyways help them to see that but they would continue in this relationship help them to understand What it is all about?
It's more than just sharing and talking It's living it's living and God has given us his word to help us To help them and as they said it's not easy, but it's our responsibility What would happen if you led one person to the Lord this year? Think about that what would happen in this church? Oh now we've doubled in size and then next year we all did it again. Oh Yeah, we're at the four services Is that so bad?
Wouldn't that be awesome? Make it a goal this year that you try to lead one person to the Lord and then disciple them Can you do that? That'd be my challenge to you to try and lead one person to the Lord and then disciple them help them that from one year From now or whenever it happens. What do you have to teach them?
You need to go out now and win somebody to the Lord What did Jesus call the disciples to do to be fishers of men? Yeah, and that's what we are supposed to do is to go out and go fishing For people if we would do that just think of what would happen in this church Just think what would happen in this community? Because how long do you think it would take before all of Springfield was one to Jesus Christ? Not real long.
I'd rather live in that Springfield than the one we have now But it takes all of us doing what we're supposed to be doing and that's sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others and then helping them To see that it's a relationship not a religion that we need to have Amen, you know, I love you. Thanks Judy My greatest fear Seeing somebody go to hell Somebody that maybe has walked out of this church and loses sight of God and would end up in hell It's my greatest fear Tares me up. I don't I never want to see that Never want to see that I've had people who have left this church I know of one person and I'm sure it might be some others who have left this church because of me I hate it with a passion What can we do to beat the devil up? to take Some of the people that are following after him and let them see what living as a Christian's all about It's up to us.
We have to do it. I wish we had a whole church here tonight That we would do it you have a few days to invite people to good Friday to Easter to talk to him about Jesus Christ Take the opportunity pray about it pray about it pray about it God lead me to the right one help me to find somebody Maybe it's a family member Whatever happens to be I'm praying that somebody will witness to my older sister. I can only do so much I don't I don't see her very often every maybe few months right now Don't talk around the phone very often. I'm praying somebody up in Naperville that will come across her path Well share Jesus Christ and she will accept him.
I don't care who gets the credit I really don't just want to come to know Jesus Christ. We want a great estate is my life It's them having a father Help us to compel help us to be as Jesus Christ. I didn't come to bring peace But a sword help us to understand that this world is in a spiritual battle and it is up to us That's why you created us Not to go to work nine to five not to be with our family and play ball you created us and you Have placed your love in our hearts to help those who don't know you To see you more clear to understand and to accept Jesus Christ Father can palace to go out not just when we see somebody that we should talk to Let us not be fearful Their eternity hangs in a balance Let us see that They're either going to heaven or they're going to hell and we have the gift to help them to get to heaven and Father when we pray with them that prayer help us to walk them through this life life of being a Christian Understanding your word your love letter to us to understand church and why we raise our hands Father why we sing loud why we worship you why we want to hear the word of God Why we want to be fed every single week Father help them to have peace that they can turn around they can do the exact same thing I pray that you would just touch each and everyone here father. You've already commissioned us by go and make disciples Baptizing them father help us to take that seriously and be your servants be your children be your fishers Father be your disciples as we give you praise in Jesus name we pray.
Everyone said amen God bless you I love you invite people to come to church and on Eastern Good Friday