For over
thirty years the Salvation Army and William Booth in particular were subject to
some of the most vile persecutions Christians suffered in modern times. But
General Booth lived to see the day his army would be honored around the world.
His own King Edward VII invited him to Buckingham Palace in 1904. All the
persecution and trials of the previous decades must have seemed insignificant
to Booth as he heard King Edward say, "You are doing a good work, a great
work, General Booth."
When the King
asked Booth to write in his autograph album, the old man now 75 years of
age bent forward, took the pen,
and summed up his life's work:
Your
Majesty,
Some
men's ambition is art,
Some
men's ambition is fame,
Some
men's ambition is gold,
My
ambition is the souls of men.
1.
How valuable are people?
1.
God
made all things, made lots of creatures, but He made people with a special
purpose and gave them a special gift, His image.
1.
The
more you study God’s creation, the more you'll learn about Him.
John 1:3
"He created everything that exists there is. Nothing exists that He didn't
make."
2.
You
have The Maker, The Creator, and The Designer of all things image upon you, and
within you.
1.
You
were individually, specifically, and uniquely designed by God.
Scripture
declares, Jeremiah 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's
womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to
the nations."
1.
If
you were to count the thoughts that God has about you, they would be more than
the grains of sand on the beach!
2.
The
Bible tells us that God specifically chose each one of us, set us a part for
His purposes and that we were carefully put together by Him.
1.
There
are no accidents, mistakes, or uh-oh's in the Kingdom of God.
Psalm
139:13-14 13 "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit
me together in my mother's womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully
complex!"
3.
God
made your body in such a marvelous and complex way that scientists are always,
discovering new things about how our bodies work.
1.
You
did not evolve from a germ, a monkey, a bang in the atmosphere, or any other
bacteria, nucleus or life form in or out of this universe; you were custom
designed and uniquely created by God.
1.
You
are valuable because you carry God’s image stamp:
Genesis
1:26 Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like
Us."
Genesis
1:27a "So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God
He created them;"
4.
Shortly
after this came the fall, the disobedience and the sin of mankind, then the
curse of sin upon the earth.
1.
Then
came the rescue.
1.
The
rescue of mankind.
2.
Jesus
is God's rescue.
3.
The
Holy Spirit is God's power, God's voice, God's witness of that to the earth!
Luke 19:10
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."
5.
That
is how valuable.
2.
Why did Jesus come to earth?
1.
To
seek out and to save lost people from sin and the hopelessness of this life and
to save them from eternal death.
2.
People
are valued so much Jesus came for them, He came for you and I.
1.
If
your sunglasses are lost, does that mean they are worth less just because they
are under your car seat?
2.
The
10 dollars you lost down the back of the couch, is that worth less because you
can’t find it?
3.
No,
their value is the same as those who aren’t lost.
1.
When
Christians refer to "the lost" they're speaking about the individuals
who are unbelieving, unknowing, or deceived.
1.
Referencing
Luke 15 the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son.
2.
All
of these gaining greater and greater value, yet none greater than mankind.
1.
Jesus
came to save all the lost no matter what their background or previous way of
life.
1.
William
Booth said "Go for souls. Go straight for souls, and go for the
worst."
2.
Through
faith in Jesus Christ, the lost are forgiven and made new.
3.
Do
you see Non-Christians, non believers as valuable?
1.
Do
you see Muslims, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon’s, Gang members, or
Satanists as valuable?
2.
Do
you recognize and realize that Jesus came to seek and to save all people no
matter how they may classify themselves?
1.
All
the Atheists, Athletes, Agnostics, Hollywood stars, racists, homemakers,
murderers and politicians?
2.
God
demonstrated His love toward them in that while they were still sinners Christ
died for them.
1.
Do
you show them, demonstrate unto them the love, the forgiveness, the compassion
that Jesus has shown you?
4.
Our instructions are clear.
John
13:34-35 NLT 34b "Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my
disciples."
1.
I
am a disciple of Christ and my love for others proves that.
1.
We
would not know true love, actual love if it weren't for Jesus Christ, if it
weren't for God.
1.
He
embodies love, He encompasses love, He is enveloped in love.
2.
His
death on the cross is Christ's demonstration of love.
1.
It's
His payment of the debt.
2.
His
rescue of the condemned.
1.
"The
greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender." William Booth
1.
Are
you that surrendered to Christ’s cause?
5.
Love
isn’t just this weak kneed, love song singing, warm, fuzzy, roses, diamonds and
chocolate feeling.
1.
Love
is active.
2.
Love
is seen.
3.
Love
is demonstrated.
1.
Love
is about showing you want the very best for someone, regardless of what that
means, regardless of what it costs.
Illustrate
here: if
someone is drowning, what do you do? You jump in and pull them out. It doesn’t
matter if you don’t want to get wet, it doesn’t matter if it’ll make you late,
it doesn’t matter who may see you. That is what love does.
1.
Love
is reactive.
1.
re-means in regard to.
2.
act-means the doing of a thing, to
take action, something done voluntarily.
3.
ive-means doing something specified.
6.
That
is why Jesus said, the reason I came here was to show all the lost people out
there, I love them.
1.
Pastor
Mike it's impossible to show the world this kind of love.
1.
"God
loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the
impossible." - William Booth
3.
There is nothing like the love of Jesus.
1.
That
is the bottom line when it comes to evangelism.
1.
The
focus of our conversation and our preaching is not hell, sin, good works or
self-effort.
1.
It's
Jesus.
1.
He
is what the Gospel is about, He is the good news!
2.
People
ask me, all the time, what about this, what about that?
1.
My
answer is always, there are so many questions I have as well, but the truest,
most real, and complete answer I do have is in and through Jesus Christ.
1.
Jesus
is the answer to the needs of all of humanity.
2.
He's
the answer to every situation, every circumstance, every problem, or concern.
Galatians
5:14 "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love
your neighbor as yourself."
3.
What
does it look like to biblically love one another?
1 Corinthians
13:4-8 NLT “4Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or
boastful or proud 5or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love
is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 6It
is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love
never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every
circumstance. 8Love never fails.”
1.
Patient/Longsuffering: enduring difficult situations, especially those caused
by others, with an even temper.
1.
When
you get ripped off or get a raw deal – it’s your opportunity to show love by
being patient.
2.
Kind:
considerate, helpful, and friendly, extending good to others.
1.
Want
to see your friend/friends family saved?
1.
“God’s kindness leads us to repentance.” Romans 2:4
3.
Not jealous:
It is never greener on the other side.
1.
Don’t
covet what someone else has going in their life.
2.
I
know people who if their friend, coworker, or even their spouse/sibling gets a
better ________ they freak out, love sincerely says “man that looks good on
you! I’m happy for you!"
4.
Not Boastful:
Showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements,
possessions, or abilities.
5.
Not Proud:
Humility is the lifestyle of a Christ Follower.
1.
Don’t
always seek to elevate yourself, try elevating other people.
6.
Not Rude:
not having or showing concern or respect for the rights and feelings of other
people.
1.
There
is never a moment when this is okay.
2.
God
values everyone equally.
7.
Not self seeking: love isn’t about me, it’s about others.
1.
Love
is always outward.
1.
Some
people think the greatest evidence of God’s presence or work is power,
popularity or passionate feelings.
1.
But
the greatest evidence of God’s presence and work is love.
8.
Not easily angered/irritable: Easily angered = selfish.
1.
Means
that you refuse to see God’s grand design.
9.
Keeps no record of wrongs: Love doesn’t hold grudges or keep a running tab on
disappointments and disagreements.
1.
Love
forgives.
2.
When
Jesus forgave on the cross Colossians 2:15 says it “disarmed and
shamed the powers of Satan.”
10.Doesn’t delight in evil: Love is the opposite of evil.
1.
God
is love, He does not orchestrate evil.
11.Rejoices in the Truth: Your heart will leap for what it
loves.
1.
Love
is real, raw and honest.
2.
Love
is not an undercover agent.
3.
Love
does not take pleasure in other people's failings, but rejoices with the truth
that saves us.
12.Always Protects: Love wants to protect God’s name.
1.
Protect
others from hurting; so you try and keep them from all things hurtful and
destructive.
2.
Love
bears all things without speaking of what it has to bear.
13.Always trusts: love trusts because we know we can trust God.
1.
He
works all things together for our good.
14.Always Hopes: Love hopes that things can and will change.
1.
The
beliefs, thoughts and actions of others will change, circumstances will change
but keep your hope in God.
15.Always Perseveres: love perseveres to see lost people saved.
1.
Goes
with the first one, patience, the two book ends, Christianity defined.
1.
Perseveres
persecutions in a patient and loving spirit.
16.GOD’S love never fails means it
never is to be out of use; it always holds its place.
3.
We
build God’s Kingdom by doing the small things, encouraging people, hearing
people, reaching out to people, and loving people.
1.
You
talk about challenge, William Booth's passion and conviction continues to ring
out to us this day:
1.
"'Not
called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your
ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire
of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and
listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear
the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and
sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in
the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell Him whether you will
join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His
mercy to the world."
4.
What
will you do with the love of God this morning?
1.
Will
you just selfishly hang on to it or will you selflessly give it away?
Make sure to join us December 24th 2017 for one of our Christmas Eve Services 9am or 10:30am
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