(#476) Romans 15 - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to YouGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations.
(#476) Romans 15 – July 28, 2019 -When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries… a small, intimate, and local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. At Barah Ministries, our God is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God, and at Barah Ministries we make a difference by teaching God’s Word from His perspective, and not from man’s perspective…because how our God sees things is very different from how we see things.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
LESSON INTRO
In Matthew, Chapter 28, Verse 19, the Lord says to His disciples…
MATTHEW 28:19 GO therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…
When looking for disciples, we go to those who are seeking…we don’t just sit around and wait for them to come to us. In today’s lesson, we’ll continue our study of Romans, Chapter 15 with a look at the final passage of the chapter.
ABOUT GOD
At the beginning of every lesson at Barah Ministries, we learn something about God. Today we learn the way God expects us to get to know Him. The enemy of God, Satan, tempts us every day, multiple times a day. A temptation is an enticement to do something that is unwise. When the Lord Jesus Christ was on the earth, He was subjected to Satan’s temptations as well…temptations that are beyond anything we could handle. Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 15…
HEBREWS 4:15 For we believers in Christ do not have a high priest (in Jesus Christ) who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses…but One who has been tempted in all things as we are…yet without sin.
One of the most famous passages concerning the temptations Jesus was subjected to occurs in Matthew, Chapter 4…let’s look at Verses 1 to 4…
MATTHEW 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by God the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
MATTHEW 4:2 And after Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
MATTHEW 4:3 And the tempter (Satan) came and said to Jesus, “If (1) You are the Son of God (and of course you are)…command that these stones become bread.”
MATTHEW 4:4 But Jesus answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone (mere physical food)…but man shall live on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
If you want to get to know God, you need a spiritual life…which means you must be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ…and your spiritual life is fed by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The bible is the Word of God…its words are the Lord’s exact thoughts…First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verse 16…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord so well that he will be qualified to instruct Him? But we believers in Christ have the mind of Christ. Many people reject the idea that the bible is the exact thinking of the Lord. They say it is just an outdated book. The Bible disagrees with their contention. Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 12…
HEBREWS 4:12 For the Word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword…and the Word of God is piercing…even as far as the division of soul and spirit…as far as the division of both joints and marrow…and the Word of God is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Why? Second Timothy, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17…because…
SECOND TIMOTHY 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed…and is profitable for teaching…for reproof… for correction…and for training in righteousness…
SECOND TIMOTHY 3:17 …so that the man of God (a believer in Christ) may be mature, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Second Peter, Chapter 1, Verses 20 and 21 say…
SECOND PETER 1:20 …know this first of all (know this as of primary importance)…that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's private interpretation…
SECOND PETER 1:21 …for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will…but men carried along by God the Holy Spirit spoke directly from the exact thinking of THE God…the Lord Jesus Christ.
What are we to do in light of knowing that the Word is our God's exact thinking? Second Timothy, Chapter 2, Verse 15 says you are to…
SECOND TIMOTHY 2:15 Study to show yourself approved by God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed…accurately handling the word of truth.
Welcome to a place where you can get to know the Lord Jesus Christ…the Savior of all mankind…the Sovereign God of the Universe…through the study of His Word.
SONG INTRO
In Second Thessalonians, Chapter 3, Verse 5, the apostle Paul exhorts us…
SECOND THESSALONIANS 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into THE LOVE OF GOD and the steadfastness of (devotion to) Christ.
Here’s June Murphy to sing one on of her new songs…a love song called JESUS I LOVE YOU.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
JESUS, I LOVE YOU June Murphy
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Thank you, Father, for creating Barah Ministries…as we go out to sow the ministries you have planned for us in eternity past, help us to remember that to reap, we have to sow…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
Let’s take a quick look at the passage we just finished studying…Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 14 to 21…and then let’s add on the final passage of the chapter…which is our next focus…Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 22 to 33…
ROMANS 15:14a And concerning you, my brethren (all believers in Christ, but specifically the Christians in first-century Rome)…I (Paul) myself stand convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness…having been filled with all knowledge (a basic understanding of Christianity)…
ROMANS 15:14b …and that you are able also both to counsel and to admonish one another (you’re in a position to share these truths with competence).
ROMANS 15:15 But I (Paul) wrote very boldly to you on some points (in this epistle)…to remind you again (of these points through repetition)…because of the grace that was given to me from God the Father…
ROMANS 15:16 …(the grace) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles…ministering the gospel of God…serving as a priest does…so that my offering of the Gentiles to God may become acceptable to God the Father…an offering having been sanctified (set apart for privilege) by God the Holy Spirit.
ROMANS 15:17 Therefore, in union with Christ Jesus, I (Paul) have found a reason to be proud (to the point of boasting) about my work for God the Father (the spiritual achievement of spreading the gospel message).
ROMANS 15:18 For I (Paul) will not presume to speak of anything except what (supernatural things) Christ has accomplished through me…resulting in bringing the Gentiles who are obedient to the gospel message by the Word I have spoken to them and by the deeds I have done for them…
ROMANS 15:19 …deeds I have done in the power of signs and wonders…and deeds done in the power of the Spirit…so that from Jerusalem (in a full thirty-three-mile circle)…and round about as far as Illyricum…I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
ROMANS 15:20 And I aspired to preach the gospel…not where Christ was already known so that I would not build on another man’s foundation (of preaching the gospel)…
ROMANS 15:21 …but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see…and they who have not heard shall understand.”
It is the job of every Christian to bring the good news of the gospel message to all places…especially to the places where it has not been heard.
ROMANS 15:22 For this reason (my hard work preaching the gospel) I have been prevented many times from coming to you (in Rome)…
ROMANS 15:23 …but now, with no further place for me (to preach) in these regions, and since I have for many years had a longing to come to you…
ROMANS 15:24 …whenever I go to Spain (a Roman colony)—I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while—
ROMANS 15:25 …but right now, I am going to Jerusalem in service to the saints there.
ROMANS 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution (an offering) for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
ROMANS 15:27 Yes, they were pleased to do so (they gave voluntarily)…AND they are indebted to the poor saints in Jerusalem. For if the Gentiles have shared intheir spiritual things…they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.
ROMANS 15:28 Therefore, when I have finished this…and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs…I will go on by way of you (in Rome) to Spain.
ROMANS 15:29 I know that when I come to you…I will be coming in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
ROMANS 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the unconditional love from the source of God the Holy Spirit…to strive together with me in your (intercessory) prayers to God the Father for me…
ROMANS 15:31 …that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints…
ROMANS 15:32 …so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God the Father and find refreshing rest in your company.
ROMANS 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
I can remember back to the time when I first became a parent. On several occasions, it was my turn to prepare Zachary’s bottle. I was quite experienced at taking care of babies because I had lots of practice as I was growing up…so it was no trouble for me. I would do all the things that preparing a bottle requires, and then I would sit the bottle on the table and tell five-month-old Zachary to “come and get it!” And if he didn’t, he’d just go hungry that day.
After all…I had done my part…I bought a house for him to live in…I worked to provide…I bought the groceries…I mixed his formula…I warmed it and put it in the bottle…I figured he could do his part by crawling out of his crib, climbing up to the table, and getting his bottle. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Of course not. It makes no sense at all. So that’s not really what I did. After I prepared the meal, I took it to Zachary, I sat him on my lap, and I fed it to him.
As believers in Christ, we have the gospel message. And what we’re doing as a ministry is saying to everyone…“come and get it.” But that’s not what the Lord instructs us to do. In Matthew, Chapter 28, Verse 19, the Lord says to His disciples…
MATTHEW 28:19 GO therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…
The Lord wants us to go to them! In the first chapter of Romans, Verse 8, the apostle Paul praises the believers in Christ at Rome for doing just that…
ROMANS 1:8 First of all, I (Paul) thank my God and Father through Jesus Christ for you all (believers in Rome), because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
Evangelism.
As believers in Christ, we are commanded to look after the spiritual needs of the whole world. We do that by spreading the gospel message and by encouraging believers in Christ to learn the Word of God. But as a church, we are commanded to go to them…we are not to expect them to come to us.
It needs to be clear to us about our facility that an “if we build it they will come” philosophy is a lie. We need to go out to others. Like the parents of babies, we certainly have the formula. We have bibles. We have publications. We have music CD’s. We have a website. We have a social media presence. The time has come for us to take our unique and distinctive ministry to the world.
We’ve had nearly twelve years of practice. We’ve got a committed core group. We’ve got crystal clear messages. What we haven’t got is a “go to them” attitude.
When we return from our five-minute break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll continue our look at the final passage of Romans, Chapter 15.
FIVE MINUTE BREAK Unconditional Love Donna Summers
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
How does God operate when you give? Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verses 6 to 8 paint the picture…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:6 Now this I (Paul) say…that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly…and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:7 Each believer in Christ must sow just as he has purposed in his heart…not grudgingly or under compulsion…for God loves a cheerful giver.
SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed…
God cares for the givers…your gifts care for the receivers…and God gets all the glory. Give generously! Let’s welcome Deacon Denny Goodall with today’s offering message.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
FIRST CORINTHIANS 3:11 No man can lay a foundation other than the foundation which is laid…which is Jesus Christ.
OFFERING SONG THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU David Bauer, Instrumental
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
SONG INTRO
First John, Chapter 5, Verse 4 says…
FIRST JOHN 5:4 For every born again one of God overcomes the world…and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (in the Lord Jesus Christ).
Believers in Christ…here’s MercyMe to tell you about your victory in their song…the BEST NEWS EVER!
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
BEST NEWS EVER MercyMe
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON - When Evangelizing, You Go to Them…They Don’t Come to You
Welcome back!
Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 20 and 21…
ROMANS 15:20 And I (Paul) aspired to preach the gospel…not where Christ was already known so that I would not build on another man’s foundation (of preaching the gospel)…
ROMANS 15:21 …but as it is written, “They who had no news of Him shall see…and they who have not heard shall understand.”
In light of what we learned about The Lake of Fire, unbelievers, especially family members, should always be at the top of our minds. Barah Ministries was created to be a series of ministries housed in one place. Each of you has a spiritual gift and an obligation to God to use it.
How do you develop a ministry? It has several steps.
Consultants never get to work in their home town. God is telling us…in the matter of evangelism…you’ve got the message…NOW GO!
What’s the challenge of developing a ministry? Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 9 highlights it…
GALATIANS 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good…for in due time (at the proper time) we will reap if we do not grow weary.
I haven’t lost heart…but I sure am weary. SO I’m going to get in shape…rest up a bit…and get on with the real mission of this Christian Church…to build ministries. I hope you’ll be ready.
GOD WANTS YOU! Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
The closing moments of our study are for the benefit of anyone who does not have a personal relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU.
Here are seven things for you to consider if you are seeking a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…
POINT 1 There is a God…He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth
The first four words of the bible confirm His existence…Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
GENESIS 1:1a In the beginning, GOD…
God isn’t shy about telling you who He is…Joel, Chapter 2, Verse 27…
JOEL 2:27b I am the Lord your God, and there is no other God…
He is your Creator…John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…
JOHN 1:3 All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
POINT 2 God Reveals Himself in Ways that Make Sense to Human Beings
God wants you to know Him…He is not hiding from you…He is not mysterious or hard to get to know…Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 20…
ROMANS 1:20 For since the creation of the world the Lord’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and His divine nature (His DEITY), keep on being clearly seen by everyone…being understood even through what has been made (as reflected in the things of nature)…so that all mankind is without excuse (in the matter of knowing of the existence of the Lord).
God doesn’t work in mysterious ways…He is completely predictable.
POINT 3 God Has a Plan for All Mankind
God is organized…Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 23…the earth and the universe were created…
ACTS 2:23a …by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father…
…God made all of His decisions in eternity past.
POINT 4 God Has a Personal Plan for You
God knows you intimately because He created you. Matthew, Chapter 10, Verse 30…
MATTHEW 10:30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
God custom made a life specifically for you.
POINT 5 God Created You
You are one of God’s creatures and He had a purpose in mind when He created you. Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 26…
GENESIS 1:26 Then God the Father said, “Let Us (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) make man in Our image…according to Our likeness…”
You are a spiritual being and as such require a spiritual life.
POINT 6 You Owe God a Hearing
Since God created you, you at least owe him a hearing. He has created in you a desire to know what is beyond yourself and what is beyond this life that is visible to you. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, Verse 11…
ECCLESIASTES 3:11a The Lord has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set a (desire for a) knowledge of eternity in everyone’s heart…
Do you spend any of your time getting to know God?
POINT 7 God’s Enemy, SATAN, Does Not Want You to Know God
Satan does everything he can to keep you ignorant about God. Second Corinthians, Chapter 4, Verse 4…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 4:4 …the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…who is the image of God.
Have you experienced Satan’s deception in your life?
There is nothing more important for you than getting into a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. John, Chapter 1, Verse 12…
JOHN 1:12 But whosoever received Him, to them the Lord Jesus Christ gave the right to become children of God the Father, even to those who believe in Jesus Christ’s name…
Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…
JOHN 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life (right at that moment)…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life...instead, the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him."
Consider these things and then get to know the Lord…TODAY! Do it now!
SONG INTRO
Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 1 says…
ROMANS 8:1 Therefore…there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in union with Christ Jesus.
Here’s one of June’s new songs…IN CHRIST NO CONDEMNATION.
CLOSING SONG IN CHRIST NO MORE CONDEMNATION June Murphy
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening! www.barahministries.com
|