1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,440 Well, it's been a good service tonight and it's been a distressing service tonight. 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:11,960 After I got onto the platform and was seated about ten minutes into the service, I got 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,720 a note from my daughter. 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:23,880 It says, Dad, Mom can't come to church because you have the keys. 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,680 You can go get her or call her if you want. 6 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:30,640 Oh, Emily. 7 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:38,640 Emily, I'm glad somebody loves me. 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:49,520 So it's been a distressing service in some respects, but I'll get the details later. 9 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,600 If there's anything my wife hates, it's to miss a church service. 10 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,840 Bless her heart and well, anyway. 11 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,280 Tonight in our closing minutes of the service, we want to talk about what makes a missionary 12 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,280 successful. 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:08,320 I'd like to open your Bible to Acts, chapters 16 and 17, as we just pick out a few things 14 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:12,320 here that I think answer that question. 15 00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:18,240 Someone might answer the question, what makes a missionary successful by saying education? 16 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:24,460 I certainly wouldn't deny that education can play an important role in preparing a person 17 00:01:24,460 --> 00:01:28,640 to serve the Lord overseas or here in the States for that matter. 18 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:35,480 Education's greatest benefit perhaps is the fact that it opens doors of ministry for a 19 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:36,480 person. 20 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,440 Someone else might answer the question by saying, well, I think it's methods. 21 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,280 And indeed, methodology is very, very important. 22 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,640 Today there are many missionaries and mission organizations on the cutting line of new methodologies 23 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,200 that are really exciting. 24 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,080 But I don't think that's the best answer. 25 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:56,920 Someone else might say, well, it's fame. 26 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:57,920 It's being well known. 27 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:05,480 People can go in and just immediately have a claim and have a position to speak from. 28 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:06,480 That can be helpful. 29 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,680 But the fact is there are very many successful missionaries and other servants of Christ 30 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,760 in the world who have no fame whatsoever. 31 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:15,760 Someone else says, well, it's money. 32 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,440 If they have enough money to get the job done, and indeed money is part of it. 33 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,120 It costs money to send missionaries overseas and for them to live there and to minister 34 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,520 there effectively where God's called them. 35 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,200 That's an important part of the whole picture. 36 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:36,600 But there are missionaries who have excess money who aren't successful. 37 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,220 I believe that the thing that really makes a missionary successful is the same thing 38 00:02:40,220 --> 00:02:47,880 that makes a servant of God here successful or wherever he or she may be, its character. 39 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,840 And I want you to notice with me three or four characteristics of the Apostle Paul, 40 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:56,120 certainly one of the greatest missionaries of the whole church age. 41 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:04,360 Acts chapter 16, verses 6 through 10 describe for us the first part of the second missionary 42 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,720 journey of the Apostle Paul. 43 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:13,720 And they pass through the Phrygian and Galatian regions, the Phrygian regions, that's Minnesota, 44 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,520 Phrygian and Galatian region. 45 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,240 And they've been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 46 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,720 And when they had come to Messia, they were trying to go into Bithynia and the Spirit 47 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,040 of Jesus did not permit them. 48 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:32,000 And passing by Messia, they came down to Troas. 49 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,240 Here they had a plan all laid out. 50 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,680 They knew where they wanted to go and how they were going to get there. 51 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,240 And one time, and then again, the Lord said no. 52 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,280 And just how God did that, we don't know. 53 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:45,280 Was it health? 54 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:46,280 Was it other circumstances? 55 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,280 Was it a vision from God? 56 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,160 Was it a prophet who came and spoke to them? 57 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,160 We don't know. 58 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,680 But in some way, God said no, no. 59 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:56,680 They were uncertain. 60 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:01,920 And so, it says they went down to Troas, which was the direction God was moving them. 61 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,800 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. 62 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,400 A certain man of Macedonia was standing, appealing to him and saying, come over to Macedonia 63 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,320 and help us. 64 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:15,160 When he had seen the vision, immediately we, Luke now being on board with them, sought 65 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:21,320 to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 66 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,600 I think the first characteristic that I see of the apostle Paul is that he was obedient 67 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,160 in uncertainty. 68 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,160 God said no to him. 69 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,840 And I think that Paul must have been wondering, Lord, what are you doing? 70 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:34,880 Have you ever felt that way? 71 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,160 When you thought you had your plans laid out, you thought you had the green lights from 72 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:43,240 God and then all of a sudden, things just seemed to turn around and you were uncertain 73 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,600 as to what God wanted. 74 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,520 Sort of a fog set in on you. 75 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:56,640 A number of years ago now, we were in California in the San Francisco area and we were staying 76 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:57,640 in a home. 77 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:02,440 And as we looked back toward the hills, I don't know what they're officially called, 78 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:08,480 but there's some hills there that separate some of the city from the ocean. 79 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,800 As we look back there at those hills, an amazing thing happened, there was this stuff that 80 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:20,400 started coming through the low spots in the hills and began to come quickly down the sides 81 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:21,400 of the hills. 82 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:23,160 The wind was blowing ferociously. 83 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,880 I thought maybe the end of the world had come. 84 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,280 Something was attacking the city of San Francisco and this eerie stuff was coming down across 85 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:32,920 the city. 86 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,100 And as I inquired of the hosts as to what it was, they said it was fog and it built 87 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:38,920 up on the other side of the hills over the ocean. 88 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,040 And it had gotten up high enough and now the wind was carrying it down the valleys and 89 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,520 the crevices of the hills over the rest of the city. 90 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,840 And it wasn't too long before the sun was obliterated and it was foggy. 91 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:52,680 And it had been a sunny, beautiful day. 92 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,560 You know, there are times when our Christian life is that way. 93 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:57,560 Everything is just wonderful. 94 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:02,680 The sky is blue, the sun is shining, it's warm, we're happy, and all of a sudden the 95 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:04,920 fog sets in. 96 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,280 What do you do when that happens, when you're uncertain? 97 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,240 Well the answer is be obedient to what you know God wants you to do. 98 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,960 You may not have all the answers and all the pieces to the puzzle, but as much as you know, 99 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,600 just be obedient to God even if that means to wait. 100 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,440 The Apostle Paul was obedient in uncertainty and I believe that any of us who desire to 101 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:32,920 really be used of God and be successful and fruitful in ministry have to begin here with 102 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:39,680 obedience, obedience even when we're uncertain of the whole picture of what God wants. 103 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:46,920 There are times when all of us face uncertainty, it's important to handle uncertainty properly. 104 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,960 And the best way I know to do it is just do one step at a time. 105 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,000 If I see one step that God wants me to take, take that one step. 106 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,680 I may not see where the next one is going to be or what the ultimate end of it all is, 107 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,240 but if I see one step, take it. 108 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,560 Be obedient in uncertainty. 109 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,520 As you work your way down the chapter, you come to verse 22, they get into trouble in 110 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:13,360 Philippi where they preach and it says that the crowd rose up together against them and 111 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:19,160 the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten 112 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:20,160 with rods. 113 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:26,680 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, this is now Paul and Silas, inflicted 114 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:31,520 many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them 115 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:37,200 securely and he having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened 116 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:38,960 their feet in the stocks. 117 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:45,360 But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God and the 118 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,240 prisoners were listening to them. 119 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:54,240 I see a second wonderful characteristic here and that is that they rejoiced in suffering. 120 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,280 Now that's not the normal natural thing to do. 121 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:03,680 The first thing is to say ouch and then the second thing is to say why me? 122 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,320 But the apostle Paul along with Silas, his partner here rejoiced in the midst of their 123 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,600 suffering. 124 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,880 That is the paradox of God's people. 125 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:21,440 The apostle Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians 6, sorrowful yet always rejoicing. 126 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:26,960 To the Philippians he said, rejoice in the Lord always. 127 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,700 And remember he himself was imprisoned in Rome at that time. 128 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:35,340 But he says to them, rejoice in the Lord always and he repeats it. 129 00:08:35,340 --> 00:08:38,640 Again I say, rejoice. 130 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:44,960 How is it that one can rejoice in the midst of suffering, especially suffering that one 131 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:45,960 doesn't deserve? 132 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:53,640 I mean if you get yourself into a mess, into a logjam, then somehow you can rationalize 133 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,560 and understand why you're going through what you're going through. 134 00:08:57,560 --> 00:09:00,800 But when you've just been serving God and when you've been obedient to God and just 135 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:08,680 doing what you think God wants you to do and you suffer for it, how do you rejoice? 136 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:13,240 I believe that the real heart of the answer there is to realize at that moment of suffering 137 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:18,280 that you are in union with Jesus Christ who suffered for righteousness sake. 138 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,840 Isn't that what Peter says especially in his first epistle? 139 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,360 He says that you and I can rejoice when we suffer for righteousness sake, for Christ's 140 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:28,360 sake. 141 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,320 We're just following his example. 142 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:39,360 There is a special bond I think between the one who suffers for Jesus Christ and the Savior. 143 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:44,160 And at that moment of suffering or that time of suffering, the Lord Himself is able to 144 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:50,680 put a special joy in the heart of His Son, His daughter who is suffering for His sake. 145 00:09:50,680 --> 00:09:54,800 It is the union, the oneness of life that creates that joy. 146 00:09:54,800 --> 00:10:03,400 We have Jesus' joy fulfilled in us at no greater time than when we're suffering for His sake. 147 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,000 We don't know a great deal about that. 148 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:18,280 But there are times when you and I do experience certain types of suffering for Jesus' sake. 149 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,040 Rejoice in suffering. 150 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,080 If you want to have victory in it, rejoice. 151 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:26,560 If you want to be successful in the ministry God's called you to, keep at it even if you 152 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:28,680 suffer and rejoice. 153 00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:32,240 Sing praises to God in the midst of the suffering. 154 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:33,520 And I think it's instructive. 155 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:37,040 What Luke includes here, this note that the prisoners were listening. 156 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:41,720 What a testimony it was to the prisoners who heard them rejoicing and singing praises to 157 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:46,680 God after they knew what had happened to Paul and to Silas. 158 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:50,520 Then I notice something else in chapter 16. 159 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:56,600 They were released by God's work from the prison, but they didn't run. 160 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,240 They were taken care of by the jailer. 161 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:04,280 And then in verse 35 it says, Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen 162 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,000 saying, Release those men. 163 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,240 And the jailer reported these words to Paul saying, The chief magistrates have sent to 164 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:12,240 release you. 165 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,720 Now therefore come out and go in peace. 166 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:20,360 But Paul said to them, They have beaten us in public without trial. 167 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:21,600 Men who are Romans. 168 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,240 Now that was a no-no. 169 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:29,000 You did not beat a Roman without a trial. 170 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,640 The magistrates had seriously broken the law. 171 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:35,680 And Paul knew it. 172 00:11:35,680 --> 00:11:41,640 And he says, They have beaten us being Romans and have thrown us into prison. 173 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,400 Now are they sending us away secretly? 174 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,100 No indeed. 175 00:11:46,100 --> 00:11:49,520 But let them come themselves and bring us out. 176 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:56,840 So Paul wants those magistrates to come down and to face the situation that they had created. 177 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,280 Well it goes on to say that the policeman reported these words to the magistrates and 178 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,680 they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. 179 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:06,040 And they came and appealed to them. 180 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,900 And when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 181 00:12:10,900 --> 00:12:14,400 And they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia. 182 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,880 And when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. 183 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:21,040 And so they did leave. 184 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:26,260 But I see here another characteristic of one who is successful in serving Jesus Christ. 185 00:12:26,260 --> 00:12:29,200 He is determined in opposition. 186 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,200 The apostle Paul was opposed by these magistrates. 187 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,720 He had been beaten unjustly. 188 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:40,320 And now he has the opportunity to get out of the city and escape the whole situation 189 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,620 without creating any more tension. 190 00:12:43,620 --> 00:12:47,120 But he refuses to do that even though he is opposed. 191 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,320 He is determined that he is going to honor God in it. 192 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,600 So he insists that those magistrates who have broken the law come down themselves to the 193 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:57,480 prison, get them out, and ask them to leave. 194 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,720 And they did that and appealed. 195 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,280 And I think we can include there the concept of apology. 196 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,000 These magistrates were afraid because they had broken the law. 197 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,600 They themselves could now be punished because of that. 198 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,280 Had Paul insisted on it. 199 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:14,160 And they just begged them over and over again to leave the city. 200 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,120 Just go, they said to Paul and to his party. 201 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,520 But notice that Paul is in no rush. 202 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,080 He goes off to the house of Lydia, the first convert in Europe. 203 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,280 And there he sees those who have been won to the Savior. 204 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:33,960 And when he was ready, his party departed from that city and went to the next place. 205 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,240 I see here a man who is determined in the midst of opposition. 206 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:43,440 You know, opposition can break us or can strengthen us. 207 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:49,440 Opposition can cause us to be discouraged or opposition can build character in us. 208 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,380 You and I can face a number of kinds of opposition. 209 00:13:52,380 --> 00:13:56,240 We can face opposition from Satan. 210 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,960 And Paul had right here in this very city, earlier in the chapter, you'll notice there 211 00:13:59,960 --> 00:14:03,480 was a slave girl who was demon possessed. 212 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:04,480 Verse 16. 213 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:12,000 And in verse 17 it says that she followed Paul and his party around the city. 214 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:17,400 And she kept crying out and this is what she said, these men are bond servants of the most 215 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:24,600 high God who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation. 216 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:25,600 Is that the truth? 217 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,720 Yeah, it was the truth. 218 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,320 Then why was Paul upset? 219 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:38,240 For several days she did this and finally Paul greatly annoyed, turned and said to the 220 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:42,360 spirit, I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. 221 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:47,480 And it came out at that very moment. 222 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:52,920 Paul was annoyed because he did not want the message of the gospel associated with this 223 00:14:52,920 --> 00:15:01,140 spirit and the girl and those who employed her in her divination. 224 00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:08,520 He wanted clear separation of the message of the most high God from that satanic mess. 225 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:13,720 There are times when Satan can oppose us and put pressure on us as he did with Paul. 226 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,720 And then we can face pressure from the world. 227 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:22,280 We see that here as the city is in an uproar and they're thrown into prison. 228 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:28,160 And we can also face opposition from ourselves, internal. 229 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:34,120 It's not the world out there, it's not the devil, it's problems we face inside. 230 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:41,000 It doesn't happen here, but if you look over in chapter 18, you see it with Paul. 231 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:51,040 It says here in this chapter talking about his ministry in Corinth, verse 9, and the 232 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:57,960 Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, do not be afraid any longer. 233 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:02,760 In other words, something had come over Paul in Corinth. 234 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,840 Something caused him to be afraid. 235 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:10,040 And so the Lord Himself appeared to Paul and said, don't be afraid any longer. 236 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:11,040 Go on speaking. 237 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:16,240 Do not be silent for I am with you and no man will attack you in order to harm you for 238 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,320 I have many people in this city. 239 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:23,600 What Jesus says to Paul suggests that he, the missionary, may have become afraid of 240 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,280 the threats of people. 241 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,920 And so he had that internal opposition, battling with himself and his own fears. 242 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:31,920 You ever face that? 243 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,840 Well, I suppose all of us do from time to time. 244 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:42,040 Whatever kind of opposition we face, by the grace of God, let us be determined. 245 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:47,480 Let's respond to that opposition in a way that will accomplish the will of God. 246 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:53,280 Now finally, I'd like us to turn over to chapter 17 to look at one more characteristic 247 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,640 and we'll be on our way home. 248 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,120 But first I want you to notice that there was something else about Paul that made him 249 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,160 especially fruitful in his missionary work. 250 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:06,920 And it'll make any of us in our service for Christ fruitful too. 251 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:15,680 Look in chapter 17 and verse 16, now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit 252 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:23,520 was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols. 253 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:31,520 Here I see the characteristic in Paul that he was stirred by circumstances. 254 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,320 What does it take to stir you up? 255 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:41,920 What does it take to get you agitated, to get you excited about something? 256 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:46,340 Someone has said, I can tell you a lot about a person by what makes him cry, what makes 257 00:17:46,340 --> 00:17:48,960 him laugh, and what makes him angry. 258 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,120 That's the truth. 259 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:55,120 What is it that stirs you? 260 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:57,200 What was it that stirred Paul here in Athens? 261 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:58,200 Well, it was the idols. 262 00:17:58,200 --> 00:17:59,680 But what about the idols? 263 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:04,320 Well, I believe that there were several ingredients involved in Paul's stirring. 264 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,360 It's sort of like a cake mix being stirred together. 265 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:12,120 I think in the first place there was the ingredient of compassion for the people of Athens who 266 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:15,000 were lost and on their way to hell. 267 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:23,120 The false religion of the Romans and the Greeks, the mythology and all of their idols, that 268 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:26,440 was nothing but the creation of Satan. 269 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:30,200 It was a false religion that was leading them into eternal lostness. 270 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,560 And Paul had compassion for the people of Athens. 271 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:39,560 I think that there was also the ingredient of hatred for the idols, hatred for the whole 272 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:46,400 religious system, not the people now, but that whole system, the satanic system that 273 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:53,840 had deceived these people and plunged them and their whole culture, their whole empire 274 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,840 into darkness and damnation. 275 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,680 And Paul hated that. 276 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:05,000 There's a time for you and me to hate religious systems too that are deceiving people and 277 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,560 leading them astray from the truth. 278 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:09,160 And I think there was a third ingredient. 279 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,800 I believe that Paul was jealous for God. 280 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:19,040 He was jealous for the one true God who was not being worshiped by the citizens of Athens. 281 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:25,040 And so as you know in the story here, he sees this one particular idol that's an altar that 282 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,440 is addressed to the unknown God. 283 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:33,080 And Paul latches onto that idea and uses that as a base for preaching to the city and presenting 284 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,720 the truth of God. 285 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:40,800 If you and I are going to be used of God and be made fruitful in our service for Him, we 286 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,800 must be stirrable by the circumstances of people we minister to. 287 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:51,200 Whether it be compassion for their condition or hatred of the deceit that holds them in 288 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:57,320 bondage or if it be jealousy for the living God and a desire that people might trust Him 289 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,760 and glorify Him, our hearts need to be stirrable. 290 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:08,360 But alas, our hearts are too often like concrete that's set too long in one place. 291 00:20:08,360 --> 00:20:14,240 Oh, that our hearts might be malleable, that they might be moldable and stirrable, that 292 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:23,160 there might be something that provokes us enough to take action in our service for God. 293 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:28,720 What is it that causes a servant of the Lord, a missionary or a witness here in the United 294 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,880 States to be used of God and to be fruitful? 295 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:36,360 Well, I believe it's obedience. 296 00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:40,560 Obedience to that next step that God calls us to take, whatever it may be, even if there's 297 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:47,560 uncertainty regarding additional steps, take the next step that God tells you to take. 298 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,840 What is it that makes us fruitful in our service for God? 299 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:57,000 I believe it's the joy of the Lord, especially in the midst of suffering. 300 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,520 Furthermore, I believe it's determination. 301 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:06,760 It's the ability to stick to it even when we are opposed, even when it's rough. 302 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,280 The ability to stick with it. 303 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:17,520 Perseverance, that's the greatest kind of character quality a servant of God might have. 304 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:23,760 And then compassion, the ability to be stirred, to care, to be concerned. 305 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:27,920 And I pray that that would be characteristic of our church. 306 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:34,640 And that as Jim and Carmen head off to South Africa, that the qualities that we see in 307 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:39,600 them might not only be there as they minister, but be here too. 308 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:44,040 That they might truly be an extension of what we are like as a church. 309 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:49,680 Not just some of us transplanted, but an extension of the very quality of our life and our service 310 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,280 for Jesus Christ. 311 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:56,760 So whether it's in South Africa, or it's in England, or it's in Taliabu, or somewhere 312 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:02,960 in South America, that wherever the extension of this body is, is really a true representation 313 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:04,440 of what we are. 314 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,120 What we are. 315 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:10,720 And that we might be fruitful here for the glory of God. 316 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,600 God's called us to be channels. 317 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:14,600 Channels for Him. 318 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,520 I'd like to sing about that as we close. 319 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:21,240 I think it's number 92. 320 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,160 So my memory is changing with my hair color. 321 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,040 Yes, it is number 92. 322 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,080 Let's sing about being channels only. 323 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:34,800 And the first and the last verses are the ones I'd like for us to sing tonight. 324 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:50,400 Would you stand with me please as we sing about our being channels of God. 325 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:51,880 Verse one. 326 00:22:51,880 --> 00:23:01,280 How I praise thee, precious Savior, that thy love laid hold of me. 327 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:11,440 Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me, that I might thy channel be. 328 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:20,040 Channels only, blessed Master, but with all thy wondrous power. 329 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:33,440 Flowing through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. 330 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,800 Just before we sing the last verse, would the Tomaszewski slip out and that way you'll 331 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,520 be in the lobby area when folks come out. 332 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,960 You feel free to go ahead and slip out right now. 333 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,560 Be sure to greet them, won't you, after the service. 334 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,920 Now let's sing together the fourth verse. 335 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:57,680 Jesus, fill now with thy Spirit hearts that full surrender know 336 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:07,360 that the streams of living water from our inner man may flow. 337 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:17,120 Channels only, blessed Master, but with all thy wondrous power. 338 00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:31,440 Flowing through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. 339 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:37,800 Did you know that half of the people who've ever lived in recorded history and who've 340 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:45,920 lived until the age of five are alive today in the world? 341 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:51,000 What a tremendous opportunity we have to serve Jesus Christ in this generation. 342 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,160 Let's be determined to go out and be his channels. 343 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:58,240 And now, Lord, I pray that you will fill us with those character qualities that will make 344 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,680 us successful servants. 345 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,440 We know that all of these qualities come by the work of your Spirit in our lives, and 346 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:12,520 so we pray that you will fill us and dominate and control our lives, that we might be obedient 347 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:20,200 and filled with joy and determination, that we might be stirrable in our hearts by the 348 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:23,560 circumstances of those who live around us. 349 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:35,080 Oh God, we pray, make us fruitful channels in this generation and to this place. 350 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:45,520 We pray in Jesus' name, amen.