Learning
and engaging our target goal this month: I am asking specific people to sit with me at church
because God has positioned me to play a role in bringing them to Jesus.
Continually
throughout scripture Jesus gives us three invitations.
1.
Jesus
invites us, sit with Me and find rest.
Matthew
11:28 "Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and
carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
1.
Since
the dawn of mankind’s history, when our Eden of euphoria became a desert of dysfunction,
we have been creatures of restlessness.
1.
When
we are deeply deprived of the peace that comes from God through the saving
grace of Christ, we become fish out of water.
1.
All
sin is disobedience to the will, purpose and law of God.
2.
Disobedience,
immorality and rebellion are direct results of the restlessness of sin.
2.
This
diabolical unrest has permeated the globe like a contagious disease and has
become the underlying cause of domestic, community and social problems.
1.
Psychologists,
schooled in the intricate workings of the mind, are confessing that psychology
is helpless to solve all of the mental and nervous disturbances of people
today.
2.
Sociologists,
admitting that sociology cannot cope with the tremendous problems in human
relationships.
3.
Political
leaders point out the moral ills of the world, but none of them seem to have an
answer to the desperate need for a new moral integrity that would reverse the
ethical plunge that we are taking.
1.
This
changeable, unsettled, transient, and fidgety spirit is due primarily to the
restlessness of the human heart and its separation from Jesus Christ
who is love and
peace.
1.
People
could find spiritual peace and physical rest by surrendering their lives to Jesus
Christ.
The Bible
says, in Isaiah 57:20 "But those who still reject Me are like the
restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt. 21
There is no peace for the wicked," says my God."
3.
The
only peace we can ever experience in this life and the eternity to come is in
and through Jesus Christ, nothing else will pacify, nothing else will satisfy.
1.
Every
day I come in contact with utterly mixed-up, tragically confused people: rich
people who are held in the grip of insecurity; intellectual people who have
lost their way; strong people who live in fear of weakness and defeat.
1.
I
long to take every one of them by the hand and lead them into the presence of
Jesus who said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
1.
Why
die of thirst when you stand on the brink of a life giving, undrainable ocean?
2.
Why
starve to death when you are within arm’s length of the never ending Bread
of life?
3.
Why
live in a cardboard shack of spiritual misery when Christ has provided a
mansion of divine peace?
1.
Hear
and accept the divine invitation today: “Come unto Me, and I will give you
rest!”
2.
Jesus
invites us, sit with Me and be discipled.
Mark 1:17
"Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how
to fish for people!"
1.
We
are saved to serve; we are redeemed to reproduce spiritually; we are rescued
out of the foolishness, frustrations, and fear so that we will become rescuers
ourselves.
1.
People
want something to believe in, a cause to give themselves to, a flag to follow.
1.
The
only cause big enough is the cause of Jesus Christ; and its flag is the blood
stained body that was lifted up on to the cross of Golgotha for the redemption
of the world.
1.
Partnered
with God in the rescuing of the world!
Jesus
challenged, John 12:26 "Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow
Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone
who serves Me."
2.
Discipleship
gives us the privilege of being associated with Christ intimately.
3.
And
the faithful discharging of these
responsibilities invokes the approval and favor of God Himself.
2.
If
we want to make an eternal difference then we have to take off our pious
indifference, roll up our sleeves and get to work in the unrelenting mission
field of people.
1.
Opportunities
lie all around us.
2.
Our
neighbors are without Christ, some of our children unsaved, uncommitted, and our colleagues still waiting to see Jesus in us.
1.
I
challenge you to become an effective, efficient, evangelist.
1.
Announcing
Christ's virgin birth, His perfect life, His sacrificial death and His
miraculous resurrection!
Luke 9:23
"Then He said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My
follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and
follow Me."
3.
Before
you can follow Jesus in discipleship, the selfish, sinful “self” must be
crucified, so that Christ surpasses all others in your heart and life.
John 8:31
"Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are truly My
disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings."
1.
Disciple
literally means “a learner, a student, a follower.”
1.
Salvation
may be instantaneous, but discipleship must be learned from Christ Himself.
1.
We
must know the Word before we can teach the Word.
2.
A
true disciple of Christ will bear the fruits of the Spirit, “love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.”
Galatians 5:22-23
4.
People
who have contact with us daily will take note that we have been with Jesus.
1.
We
will radiate Christ.
1.
The
secret of the Christian life is Christ in us.
3.
Jesus
invites us, sit with Me in the Kingdom, domain and realm of God.
1.
Christianity
is not just a hobby; it is a lifelong, eternity-long vocation.
Psalm 91:1
"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the
shadow of the Almighty."
2.
In
Him we have a permanent residence, and that all of the peace, security and
affection that the human heart craves is found in Him.
1.
Modern
psychiatrists say that one of the basic needs of mankind is security.
Psalm 91:9
"If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For He will
order His angels to protect you wherever you go."
1.
In
the midst of a thousand dangers you can sense the all-protecting presence of
God Himself.
2.
Another
basic need is affection.
1.
Those
who “abide in Him” are the objects of God’s affection and love.
Psalm 91:14
"The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect
those who trust in My Name."
2.
No
greater demonstration of love has ever been witnessed by the world than God’s love given through His Son,
Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:8
"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners."
3.
He
loved you enough to lay down His life for you.
1.
By
Christ's sacrifice upon the cross He purchased the favor of God on your behalf,
now through Him you are the recipient of the grace, mercy and love of God
without measure.
3.
Another
basic need that will be fulfilled by our dwelling and abiding in God is the
need to belong.
1.
In
all three invitations we find God inviting sinful men and women to be identified with Him
in His great redemptive and creative work.
3.
To
the multitudes of distressed, troubled and weary He beckons, “Come unto Me …
and I will give you rest.”
1.
It’s simple. It’s personal. It’s inspiring.
2.
Our
church has been issued a charge to offer these three words to anyone who needs
what God has to offer them.
1.
Who
are you asking, believing to sit with you at church?
4.
An
invitation can change someone's destination.
1.
A
guy I know was going to the church where we pastored and was going through a
terribly difficult time. His wife had left him, took their daughter with her
and disappeared.
2.
Refused
to connect with him, refused to call him, refused to sit with him and have
conversation about what was going on. He lost 3 jobs was on the verge of losing
another and landed in desperation one morning at the church. I made connection
with him that day not realizing all that was transpiring.
3.
We
exchanged phone numbers because he wanted to get a coffee, told me that this
was his second time at the church and said I need to talk to some one, any one.
I had no idea of the importance of the days to come.
4.
We
got together to connect over lunch, he explained all that he was dealing with
and going through and I assured him that I was committed to help.
1.
One
evening the Spirit of God prompted me to drop by and see him. Before we did I
called him, he answered but little did I realize what was going on. He was
panicked, frantic and intensely emotional, I told him I was right around the
corner of being at his place I told him that we could talk it out. He let me
know he had a loaded gun in his hand and was getting ready to use it on himself
when I called.
2.
He
was asking God a thousand questions when the phone rang. To my horror he
explained what was happening, I asked him to put the gun down, allow me to come
in so we could talk, I'm now in your driveway.
3.
I
stayed with him, I sat with him, I cried with him, I encouraged him, I
ministered to him, I prayed with him, he committed his life to Christ and God
began to perform miracles in his life. He started attending church regularly,
his wife finally after 2 years called and connected and he was able to see his
daughter again, even getting weekend visits which she started coming to church
with him and as she "sat with him" God began to minister to her life.
1.
I'm
trying to explain to you that when you'll commit to sit with someone, commit to
pray for someone, commit to be available and present in some ones life, God
will use you to do the miraculous and you'll experience the impossible.
5.
Jesus
loves to run to people that take one step towards Him.
1.
God
uses imperfect people in an imperfect situation to accomplish His perfect will.
1.
Bring
your burdens to God and leave them there, heaven will take care of the rest!
John 1:40
"Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who heard what John
said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and
told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means
"Christ"). 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking
intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John—but you
will be called Cephas" (or Peter which means "stone"). 43 The
next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him,
"Come, follow me." 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's
hometown. 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have
found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus,
the son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 "Nazareth!" exclaimed
Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" "Come and see
for yourself," Philip replied."
6.
Come
and see for your self.
1.
Jesus
works in us to work through us.
1.
Andrew
brought Peter, Phillip brought Nathanael.
1.
We
magnify the message, because we have experienced Christ for our selves.
1.
You
may be one invite away from sparking a movement.
2.
You
may be one invite away from sparking a revival!
3.
You
may be one invite away from saving someones life.
2.
Sit
with me, Christ's presence changes everything.
1.
His
resurrection changed everything.
7.
The
Bible is a book of invitations from God to mankind, urging us to become His
partners in redeeming the world.
1.
I
invite you to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God's Son; that He came to earth
to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so
that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve.
2.
I
invite you to confess your past life of sin, living for ourselves and not
obeying God.
3.
I
invite you to admit that you are ready to trust Jesus Christ to save you.
4.
Invite
Him to come into your heart, take up residence, and begin living through you.
1.
Come
see for your self, Christ will give you rest, peace, forgiveness and strength.
What do you hear the Holy Spirit saying to you?
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