Summary: We are called to witness; to disciple; to give others what we received and tell about the One who has redeemed us. With this knowledge, Christians need to consider the answer to one crucial question in their life: "God, can I be obedient to you?"
Introduction
- If the church is faithful to obey, souls would always be impacted for Him
- Today, we will look at our role in church growth (impact of outreach)
- Centering on our witness for Christ and how our lives must reflect Him
- Everything we do should be a mirror image of who Christ is in our life
- Read Galatians 6:7-10
- Pray
- Before we can honestly serve the Lord, we must understand …
Point 1 – God cannot be mocked (we reap what we sow)
- Before we can truly witness with our lives, we must understand that God is
paying attention to what we do.
paying attention to what we do.
- Our witness really must be consistent in who we are in Him
- Re: God cannot be mocked; which means His ways cannot be fake
- When we mock something, we are acting with a complete lack of respect
- We are saying that this or that really isn’t important
- Example: when we say we will pray for someone, and we don’t – we are mocking God’s
thing … Prayer! God created prayer for us to use … not vice versa.
thing … Prayer! God created prayer for us to use … not vice versa.
- Another example: When we make a commitment to do something – in the name of the Lord
– to not do that thing is mocking God.
– to not do that thing is mocking God.
- Consider for a moment a garden that you want to plant.
- All year long you are thinking about that garden – all the crops you want to plant, the harvest
that is going to come from it – and when it comes time to plant the garden you never lift a
finger.
that is going to come from it – and when it comes time to plant the garden you never lift a
finger.
- Result: Months later … do you think you will have a successful garden?
- The same applies to how we work for the Lord.
- If we sit and consider all the things we would like to do, but never get out of the pew to do
them, we won’t be very successful either.
them, we won’t be very successful either.
- When I read verse 7 I see two things to consider.
- First, I see that God commands that we work for Him in everything that we do – from our
personal to our visible life – we are to be working constantly for the Lord.
personal to our visible life – we are to be working constantly for the Lord.
- Second, I see that we obviously reap what we sow.
- Consider that old garden again … if we never work in it, it will be a pile of weeds that we will
never see a harvest from.
never see a harvest from.
- Many Christians are walking around telling people that they have these beautiful lives of
worship and service to God, when in all actuality, they have nothing more than a pile of weeds.
worship and service to God, when in all actuality, they have nothing more than a pile of weeds.
- Therefore, if we are acting like we are doing all these wonderful things – but are doing
nothing – we are mocking the very principles that God established for His believers.
nothing – we are mocking the very principles that God established for His believers.
- We must always be willing to understand the effect of reaping and sowing
- If we do nothing, we get nothing.
- If we work for the Lord, we see results from the Lord.
- It really is that simple – we reap what we sow
- No work produces no results of God in our life
- But, when we do work for the Lord, there are ALWAYS godly results!
Point 2 – What is the result of sowing?
-Verse 8 shows us that no matter what we do, there will be results.
- When we sow into our sinful nature, we get the world’s results
- It is what the world has producing for thousands of years … sin
- Consider this: As Christians, we allowed the removal of prayer from schools for one reason
– we were too lazy to take a stand – and because of that schools have deteriorated to the
point where police officers are in attendance every single day.
– we were too lazy to take a stand – and because of that schools have deteriorated to the
point where police officers are in attendance every single day.
- This is not my opinion – but a fact of life we are now seeing every day!
- We conformed to this world to not hurt feelings, and now we have results.
- Consider what else we are allowing today in the name of not making any waves? Marriage
issues? Abortion? Sinful desires? Greed?
issues? Abortion? Sinful desires? Greed?
- APP: Where do you stand church?
- We need to stand on the Word of the Lord.
- When we do things to please the Spirit of God, we bring eternal life not only to ourselves
but to others around us!
but to others around us!
- When we press forward to deliver the Word of the Lord in our witness – we are preparing
to see a harvest from the Lord Himself.
to see a harvest from the Lord Himself.
- But, if we say nothing no one around us will know there is a better way!
- No one around us will ever come to repentance!
- Why are we so silent? Where are we in affecting the world around us?
- Are we prepared to move forward with the Lord?
- Are we prepared to work more than an hour a week?
Point 3 – We must witness at all costs
- No matter what, we must continue witnessing!
-Verse 9 encourages us to NOT get weary – which means even when we are tired we need
to press on with witnessing and getting the gospel out!
to press on with witnessing and getting the gospel out!
- If we do not give up, at the proper time we shall see a harvest!
- What is the proper time?
- Acts 2:47b, “… and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
- TODAY IS THE PROPER TIME!
- We need to press forward with witnessing for Jesus Christ always
- When we do, we will see the results of God working in lives around us
- Be honest with yourself, how many you have personally led to the Lord?
- If the number is zero, it is never too late to start!
- If we are faithful to not be weary, to continue working for God, we will see the harvest of
souls that God will deliver to us to bring to Him!
souls that God will deliver to us to bring to Him!
- Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father unless the Spirit draws them”
- God’s Spirit works in lives so people are ready to hear; to respond
- And then it is our job to tell them; to show others the way; to introduce
- Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written,
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written,
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Big Idea
- How do we tie this all together? Look at verse 10
- Verse 10: (KJV) “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially
unto them who are of the household of faith.”
unto them who are of the household of faith.”
- We are called to always do good! Especially to those who are believers
- But most importantly to those who are not yet part of the family of God
- IMP: There are so many people in this world that are lost, do you care?
- Do you care that your own family members will spend eternity in hell?
- Do you care that your friends, co-workers, and neighbors will perish?
- We are called to witness; to disciple; to give others what we received
- So, the challenge is: When will we understand this command?
- Today? I hope so – because tomorrow may be too late.
- Proverbs 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring
forth.”
forth.”
- Tomorrow may be too late to tell someone about Jesus.
- In the coming weeks, we will discuss this further (outreach ministries)
- Marinate for now; ask God: “How can I be obedient to You and minister?”
- Pray
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