Making A Difference
Taking it Personal • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Illustration: The Boy and the beach full of starfish
One day. a man was walking near the ocean shoreline littered with starfish that had been beached on the sand from a recent storm. As the man walked. he came upon a young boy frantically picking up the dying starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. “Son,” the man smiled as he placed his hand on the boy‘s shoulder. “You know what you’re doing is futile, right?”
from a recent storm. As the man walked. he came upon a young boy frantically picking up the dying starfish and throwing them back into
the ocean. “Son,” the man smiled as he placed his hand on the boy‘s
shoulder. “You know what you’re doing is futile, right?”
The boy didn’t reply. He hardly even looked up. He just reached for another starfish and hurled it into the ocean.
The man tried again. “Look,” he pointed along the shore. “There are miles of washed up starfish. Tens of thousands of them.”
of them.”
The boy grunted as he reached for another. “You could be here all day and all the next day and the day after that. . .you could be here all week, and you wouldn’t make a difference in all these starfish.”
after that. . .you could be here all week, and you wouldn’t make a difference in all these starfish.”
For the first time the boy turned to look at the man. He stood as tall as he could with his shoulders back, chin tilted, and starfish in hand. Then he turned and threw the starfish into the ocean. Once again he looked at the man. “Made a difference for that one.”
And then he bent down to pick up another.
We long for significance - to make a difference in our lives
Those who know the Lord long for others to know him as well
There are 7 Billion people in the world - can we really make a difference?
We are not all called to....Pastor, be a foreign Missionary, public teaching....
But we are all called to share the gospel
Transition
Transition
So as we begin this series of lessons on taking the “great commission” personally, lets be reminded of the value of one soul and the fact that impacting just one makes a tremendous difference!
I. The Value of One
I. The Value of One
Why is one soul so valuable?
Jesus shared the value of just one person in
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
We are not all called to....Pastor, be a foreign Missionary, public teaching....
We are not all called to....Pastor, be a foreign Missionary, public teaching....
But we are all called to share the gospel
So as we begin this series of lessons on taking the “great commission” personally, lets be reminded of the value of one soul and the fact that impacting just one makes a tremendous difference!
A. A soul is Eternal
A. A soul is Eternal
The best lived life on earth is meaningless without eternal hope
Mk
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
B. Heaven & Hell are real
B. Heaven & Hell are real
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
C. Jesus is the only way of salvation
C. Jesus is the only way of salvation
Quote: “A man may go to heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, without friends; but he can never go there without Christ.” - John Dyer - The Welsh Poet
We live in a pluralistic society and to claim one way is completely opposed to what people think
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
II. To Seek and To Save
II. To Seek and To Save
If you had fewer than 20 words to give a one-sentence purpose statement for your life, what would you say?
Would you list your roles - husband, father, mother, son.. daughter?
Would you list your goals?
How you hope to be remembered?
Listen to what Jesus says:
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He didnt come to be admired
He didnt come for comfort or enjoyment - He had that in Heaven
He came for lost souls!
He didnt come for
When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
He went out of his way to reach people
The woman at the well
He stopped a procession to heal blind Bartimaeus
He sought out those who could not come to him - the cripple at the pool of Bethesda
He structured his life around reaching people with the gospel
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
His ultimate and final instructions
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
A. We are commanded to “Go”
A. We are commanded to “Go”
“go ye therefore”
because of Christ’s power we are able to go
B. We are commanded to “Win”
B. We are commanded to “Win”
“and teach all nations”
What are we to teach them? notice the parallel passage in Mark
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
First - we are to teach them the gospel
We will look more specifically at this in a later lesson
C. We are commanded to “Baptize”
C. We are commanded to “Baptize”
“baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”
Salvation is just the beginning of our responsibility
The main thing is the whole of the commission not just a segment of it
D. We are commanded to “teach”
D. We are commanded to “teach”
“teaching them to observe all things...”
Here is the second time the word “teach” is used
It is referring to structured discipleship - line upon line
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; Line upon line, line upon line; Here a little, and there a little:
III. Owning the Mission
III. Owning the Mission
A. Make a commitment
A. Make a commitment
B. Set a plan
B. Set a plan
C. Seek God’s help
C. Seek God’s help
D. Prepare a message
D. Prepare a message
Conclusion
Conclusion
Next week we are going to discuss how to present the gospel. You don’t need to be a gifted orator to present the gospel. You simply need a plan and the determination to obey God and look for opportunities.