Pouring Out

1 THE MASTER WAS SEARCHING FOR A VESSEL TO USE • ON THE SHELF THERE WERE MANY—WHICH ONE WOULD HE CHOOSE? • TAKE ME, CRIED THE GOLD ONE, I’M SHINY AND BRIGHT, • I’M OF GREAT VALUE AND I DO THINGS JUST RIGHT. • MY BEAUTY AND LUSTER WILL OUTSHINE THE REST • AND FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU, MASTER, GOLD WOULD BE THE BEST! • UNHEEDING, THE MASTER PASSED ON TO THE BRASS, • IT WAS WIDE MOUTHED AND SHALLOW, AND POLISHED LIKE GLASS. • HERE! HERE! CRIED THE VESSEL, I KNOW I WILL DO, • PLACE ME ON YOUR TABLE FOR ALL MEN TO VIEW. • LOOK AT ME, CALLED THE GOBLET OF CRYSTAL SO CLEAR, • MY TRANSPARENCY SHOWS MY CONTENTS SO DEAR, • THOUGH FRAGILE AM I, I WILL SERVE YOU WITH PRIDE, • AND I’M SURE I’LL BE HAPPY YOUR HOUSE TO ABIDE. • THE MASTER CAME NEXT TO A VESSEL OF WOOD, • POLISHED AND CARVED, IT SOLIDLY STOOD. • YOU MAY USE ME, DEAR MASTER, THE WOODEN BOWL SAID, • BUT I’D RATHER YOU USED ME FOR FRUIT, NOT FOR BREAD! • AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE • IS SERVING GOD…. SERVING THE MASTER • WE DO THIS WHEN WE TELL OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST • WE DO THIS WHEN WE HELP FOLKS IN NEED • WE DO THIS WHEN LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF US ARE CALLED TO WORK FOR GOD • BUT SOMETIMES GOD CALLS SPECIFIC PEOPLE • TO SPECIFIC PLACES TO DO SPECIFIC WORK… • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT GOD • CALLING SAUL AND BARNABAS TO DO A SPECIFIC WORK • TURN TO ACTS 13:1 • AT THE END OF CHAPTER 12 • RIGHT AFTER HEROD HAD DIED • WE WERE TOLD THAT BARNABAS AND SAUL • HAD RETURNED TO ANTIOCH FROM JERUSALEM • WHERE THEY HAD TAKEN AN OFFERING FOR FAMINE RELIEF ACTS 13:1–3 NOW THERE WERE AT ANTIOCH, IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS THERE, PROPHETS AND TEACHERS: BARNABAS, AND SIMEON WHO WAS CALLED NIGER, AND LUCIUS OF CYRENE, AND MANAEN WHO HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH HEROD THE TETRARCH, AND SAUL. • WHILE THEY WERE MINISTERING TO THE LORD AND FASTING, THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID, “SET APART FOR ME BARNABAS AND SAUL FOR THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM.” THEN, WHEN THEY HAD FASTED AND PRAYED AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM, THEY SENT THEM AWAY. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE TO WORK FOR GOD • THIS IS A MAJOR MOMENT IN THE BOOK OF ACTS • THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THE BOOK CHANGES IN THESE NEXT FEW VERSES • THE BOOK HAS CENTERED, MOSTLY, ON JUDEA • BUT ALL THIS IS ABOUT TO CHANGE • LUKE LISTS SOME PROPHETS AND TEACHERS IN ANTIOCH • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND • THAT WHEN THEY SAY PROPHETS, THEY ARE NOT SAYING • THESE MEN TALKED ABOUT WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE • IT MEANS SOMEONE HE BRINGS FOR GOD’S MESSAGE, GOD’S WORD • LUKE GIVE THE NAMES OF THESE MEN • BARNABAS, AND SIMEON WHO WAS CALLED NIGER, AND LUCIUS OF CYRENE, AND MANAEN WHO HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH HEROD THE TETRARCH, AND SAUL. • LUKE HAD ALREADY TOLD US SAUL IS FROM TARSUS • AND BARNABAS IS FROM CYPRUS • HERE HE SAYS SIMEON WAS CALLED NIGER • THIS IMPLIES HE MAY BE FROM NORTH AFRICA • AND LUCIUS IS OF CYRENE WHICH IS IN LYBIA • MANAEN IS DESCRIBED AS HAVING BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH • HEROD THE TETRARCH, THAT’S THE GUY THAT BEHEADED JOHN THE BAPTIST • NONE OF THESE FELLAS IS FROM JUDEA • THEY ARE FROM ALL OVER THE MAP • UP TO THIS POINT LUKE HAS FOCUSED ON JUDEANS DOING GOD’S WORK • NOW HE BRINGS UP ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FROM JUDEA • AND SAYS THEY ARE “PROPHETS AND TEACHERS” OF THE CHURCH • GOD’S PLAN FOR THE CHURCH IS FOR EVERYONE TO WORK • NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE FROM • NO MATTER WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND • ONE OF THESE GUYS WAS RAISED WITH THE FELLA • THAT BEHEADED JOHN THE BAPTIST • ONE OF THEM WAS A MAJOR PERSECUTOR OF CHRISTIANS • AND YET WE SEE THEM SERVING GOD • GROWING THE CHURCH, PREACHING AND TEACHING GOD’S WORD GOD CAN USE EVERY CHRISTIAN • SOME MIGHT TEACH AND PREACH • OTHERS MIGHT SING, OR KEEP THE BOOKS, OR MOW THE LAWN • ALL OF US HAVE SOME SERVICE WE CAN DO FOR GOD • WE CAN WORRY ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO • OR WE CAN GET TO WORK DOING SOMETHING FOR GOD…. SOMETIMES GOD HAS SPECIFIC WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE • THESE FELLAS DID NOT WAIT FOR GOD TO CALL THEM TO A SPECIFIC WORK… • THEY WERE BUSY WORKING FOR GOD • WHILE THEY WERE MINISTERING TO THE LORD AND FASTING, • THE WAY THIS IS WORDED MEANS THEY WERE ACTUALLY • WORKING FOR GOD AND FASTING AT THE SAME TIME • THEY WERE NOT SITTING AROUND WAITING… • AND IN THE MIDDLE OF WORKING FOR GOD • THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID, “SET APART FOR ME BARNABAS AND SAUL FOR THE WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM.” • NOW, LUKE DOES NOT SAY HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID THIS • IT IS POSSIBLE IT WAS A VERBAL COMMUNICATION • PETER HEARD THE SPIRIT SPEAK BACK IN CHAPTER 10 • IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VISION, THE SPIRIT DIRECTS VISIONS • IT DOES NOT REALLY MATTER “HOW” • THE HOLY SPIRIT COMMUNICATED THIS • THE POINT IS THEY HEARD DIRECTLY FROM GOD • THAT TWO OF THEM HAD BEEN SET APART BY GOD FOR A SPECIFIC TASK • THE SPIRIT DOES NOT SAY • EXACTLY WHAT WORK THEY ARE TO BE SET APART FOR • SAUL KNOWS WHAT WORK HE WAS SET APART FOR ACTS 9:15 BUT THE LORD SAID TO HIM, “GO, FOR HE IS A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS AND THE SONS OF ISRAEL; • BARNABAS MAY RECEIVED A SIMILAR CONFIRMATION OF HIS CALLING • THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT IT WAS GOD, • THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO SELECTED THESE MEN • FOR THE TASK THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE SENT OUT TO DO… • AND THEY WERE SENT OUT TO IT RIGHT AWAY • THEN, WHEN THEY HAD FASTED AND PRAYED AND LAID THEIR HANDS ON THEM, THEY SENT THEM AWAY. • WHEN LUKE SAYS THEN, HE MEANS • THIS IS THE VERY NEXT THING THAT HAPPENED • THEY DID NOT DO SOME RESEARCH OR FORM A COMMITTEE • RIGHT AWAY THESE MEN FASTED AND PRAYED • AND THEN LAID HANDS ON THEM AND RELEASED THEM TO GO • IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT OUR TRANSLATION SAYS • THEY SENT THEM AWAY • LUKE DOES NOT USE THE WORD THAT MEANS SENT • THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ONE DOING THE SENDING • THESE MEN RELEASED, OR LET GO, MAYBE EVEN SET FREE • THE CHURCH DID NOT SEND THEM, BUT IT DID RELEASE THEM • FROM THEIR CURRENT OBLIGATION • GOD IS THE ONE WHO CHOSE THEM • GOD IS THE ONE WHO CALLED THEM • GOD IS THE ONE WHO SENDS THEM….. • THEN THE MASTER LOOKED DOWN AND SAW A VESSEL OF CLAY. • EMPTY AND BROKEN IT HELPLESSLY LAY. • NO HOPE HAD THE VESSEL THAT THE MASTER MIGHT CHOOSE, • TO CLEANSE AND MAKE WHOLE, TO FILL AND TO USE. • AH! THIS IS THE VESSEL I’VE BEEN HOPING TO FIND, • I WILL MEND AND USE IT AND MAKE IT ALL MINE. • EVERY CHRISTIAN IS CALLED TO WORK • SOME ARE CALLED AT A SPECIFIC TIME • TO A SPECIFIC PLACE TO DO SPECIFIC WORK • BUT ALL ARE CALLED TO WORK • LUKE MENTIONED FIVE MEN • TWO ARE CALLED OUT OF THIS FIVE • THE OTHER THREE DON’T JUST STOP WORKING • BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT CALLED • IF WE ARE CALLED TO A SPECIFIC WORK FOR GOD, AWESOME! • BUT IF WE ARE NOT THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING EPHESIANS 2:10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM. • THAT WE MEANS ALL OF US • AND GOD HAS PREPARED WORKS FOR ALL OF US • SOME ARE CALLED TO SPECIFIC WORKS • ALL ARE CALLED TO WALK IN THE WORKS • GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US ACTS 13:4–5 SO, BEING SENT OUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEY WENT DOWN TO SELEUCIA AND FROM THERE THEY SAILED TO CYPRUS. WHEN THEY REACHED SALAMIS, THEY BEGAN TO PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF THE JEWS; AND THEY ALSO HAD JOHN AS THEIR HELPER. • SOMETIMES GOD SENDS SPECIFIC PEOPLE TO SPECIFIC PLACES • NOTICE WHO SENT THESE MEN OUT • SO, BEING SENT OUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, • NOT THE CHURCH, NOT THE APOSTLES • GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT SENT THEM OUT.. AND • THEY WENT DOWN TO SELEUCIA AND FROM THERE THEY SAILED TO CYPRUS. • SELEUCIA WAS THE NEAREST SEAPORT, ONLY ABOUT 16 MILES • AND BARNABAS IS FROM CYPRUS • MAYBE GOD SENT BARNABAS TO CYPRUS • BECAUSE BARNABAS KNEW THE PLACE, KNEW THE PEOPLE • GOD KNOWS THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT PLACE • NOW, DOES THIS MEAN WE SIT AROUND AND TWIDDLE OUR THUMBS • UNTIL GOD SENDS US SOMEPLACE? • NO… BUT IT DOES MEAN WHEN GOD SENDS US SOMEPLACE, WE GO • OF COURSE, WE WORK WHEREVER WE ARE • AND EVEN IF HE NEVER SENDS US SOMEPLACE SPECIFIC • WE KNOW WE ARE CALLED TO WORK RIGHT WHERE WE ARE • NOT BEING SENT IS NO EXCUSE FOR NOT WORKING SOMETIMES GOD HAS SPECIFIC WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE • GOD NOT ONLY KNOWS THE RIGHT PLACE • HE KNOWS THE RIGHT WORK • THERE WERE 5 FELLAS TEACHING IN ANTIOCH • BUT GOD ONLY SENT 2, ONE OF THOSE WAS SAUL OF TARSUS • SAUL WAS HIGHLY TRAINED IN JEWISH FAITH • WHEN THEY REACHED SALAMIS, THEY BEGAN TO PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF THE JEWS; • GOD PICKED THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE RIGHT JOB • SAUL WOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW • THE PEOPLE IN THESE SYNAGOGUES • FROM THE SCRIPTURES HOW JESUS IS THE MESSIAH • SOMETIMES GOD HAS SPECIFIC WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE • SOMETIMES THAT IS THE WORK OF PREACHING AND TEACHING • SOMETIMES THAT SPECIFIC WORK IS LIFTING AND CARRYING • LUKE SAYS • AND THEY ALSO HAD JOHN AS THEIR HELPER. • THIS WORD HELPER MEANS UNDERLING, OR ATTENDANT • THIS IS JOHN WHO WAS ALSO CALLED MARK • HE WILL LATER WRITE THE BOOK OF MARK • BUT FOR THIS TRIP HE WAS LIFTING AND CARRYING • SOMETIMES THE SPECIFIC WORK GOD CALLS US TO US EXCITING • IT IS FULFILLING AND REWARDING • GOING ON MISSION TO MONGOLIA LAST YEAR WAS THAT KINDA WORK • SOMETIMES THE SPECIFIC WORK GOD CALLS US TO IS NOT SO EXCITING • I SPENT 100S OF HOURS SORTING USED CLOTHES • AND STACKING CANNED GOODS AT SECOND MILE MISSION • I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID I “ENJOYED” IT…. IT WAS NOT EXCITING • BUT I KNEW GOD PUT ME • IN THAT PLACE AT THAT TIME TO DO THAT WORK • THAT WAS THE SPECIFIC WORK HE CALLED ME TO • NOW, IF GOD HAS NOT CALLED YOU TO A SPECIFIC WORK • DOES THAT MEAN YOU ARE OFF THE HOOK AND CAN JUST SIT AROUND? • NO…. THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF STUFF TO GET DONE • IF YOU DON’T FEEL CALLED TO A SPECIFIC WORK • DO SOME GENERAL WORK… GET SOME STUFF DONE FOR GOD • SOMETIMES GOD HAS SPECIFIC WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE • BUT HE ALWAYS HAS ENOUGH WORK FOR ALL OF US TO KEEP WORKING THE MASTER NEEDS NOT THE VESSEL WITH PRIDE OF ITSELF; • NOR THE ONE WHO IS NARROW TO SIT ON THE SHELF; • NOR THE ONE WHO IS BIGMOUTHED AND SHALLOW AND LOUD; • NOR ONE WHO DISPLAYS HIS CONTENTS SO PROUD; • NOT THE ONE WHO THINKS HE CAN DO ALL THINGS JUST RIGHT; • BUT THIS PLAIN EARTHY VESSEL FILLED WITH HIS POWER AND MIGHT. ACTS 13:6–12 WHEN THEY HAD GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE ISLAND AS FAR AS PAPHOS, THEY FOUND A MAGICIAN, A JEWISH FALSE PROPHET WHOSE NAME WAS BAR-JESUS, WHO WAS WITH THE PROCONSUL, SERGIUS PAULUS, A MAN OF INTELLIGENCE. THIS MAN SUMMONED BARNABAS AND SAUL AND SOUGHT TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD. BUT ELYMAS THE MAGICIAN (FOR SO HIS NAME IS TRANSLATED) WAS OPPOSING THEM, SEEKING TO TURN THE PROCONSUL AWAY FROM THE FAITH. BUT SAUL, WHO WAS ALSO KNOWN AS PAUL, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, FIXED HIS GAZE ON HIM, AND SAID, “YOU WHO ARE FULL OF ALL DECEIT AND FRAUD, YOU SON OF THE DEVIL, YOU ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILL YOU NOT CEASE TO MAKE CROOKED THE STRAIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD? “NOW, BEHOLD, THE HAND OF THE LORD IS UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE BLIND AND NOT SEE THE SUN FOR A TIME.” AND IMMEDIATELY A MIST AND A DARKNESS FELL UPON HIM, AND HE WENT ABOUT SEEKING THOSE WHO WOULD LEAD HIM BY THE HAND. THEN THE PROCONSUL BELIEVED WHEN HE SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, BEING AMAZED AT THE TEACHING OF THE LORD. SOME SITUATIONS ARE BEST HANDLED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE • LUKE DOES NOT MENTION THE RESULTS OF SAUL AND BARNABAS • GOING TO THE SYNAGOGUES HE JUST INDICATES THEY DID THIS • THROUGH THE WHOLE ISLAND AS FAR AS PAPHOS • THAT IS ABOUT 100 MILES • WHEN THEY GOT TO PAHOS, • THEY FOUND A MAGICIAN, A JEWISH FALSE PROPHET WHOSE NAME WAS BAR-JESUS, • THIS FELLA MIGHT BE A SORCERER, • OR THAT WORD MAGI CAN MEAN COUNSELOR, WISE MAN • EITHER WAY HE WAS A FALSEPROPHET, • HE PRETENDED HE KNEW THE FUTURE, HE LIED • HE WORKED FOR THE PROCONSUL, SERGIUS PAULUS • THIS IS THE ROMAN RULER FOR THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS • HE IS DESCRIBED AS A MAN OF INTELLIGENCE • THE WORD LUKE USES FOR INTELLIGENCE • IS NOT TALKING ABOUT INTELLECTUAL BOOK SMARTS • THIS FELLA WAS PRUDENT, DISCERNING, HE HAD UNDERSTANDING… • SO, THE PROCONSUL WANTED TO HEAR • WHAT SAUL AND BARNABAS WERE TEACHING • SO HE SUMMONED THEM SO HE COULD HEAR THE WORD OF GOD • IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE HAD SOME INTEREST IN GOD • BUT IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE FOR ROMAN RULERS • TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING THAT WAS BEING TAUGHT • IN THE AREA THEY RULED OVER… • THE FALSE TEACHER WHOSE NICKNAME WAS ELYMAS • WHICH MAY MEAN “THE EXPERT” • IS NOT TO HAPPY ABOUT HIS BOSS HEARING THE GOSPEL • SO HE OPPOSES SAUL AND BARNABAS • AND TRIES TO TURN THE PROCONSUL AGAINST THE FAITH • AND THEN FOR THE FIRST TIME • WE SEE SAUL REFERRED TO AS PAUL • I THINK LUKE CHOOSES THIS PARTICULAR TIME • TO START CALLING SAUL PAUL FOR A REASON • PAUL IS ABOUT TO COME INTO HIS OWN • HE IS ABOUT TO TAKE THE LEAD IN TAKING • THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES • AND IN DOING SO HE IS GOING TO CHANGE FROM SAUL TO PAUL… • SO THIS FALSE-PROPHET WAS OPPOSING THE GOSPEL • AND IN RESPONSE TO THIS PAUL WAS • FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, FIXED HIS GAZE ON HIM, • THIS IS A PRETTY INTENSE DESCRIPTION • JUST TRY TO PICTURE WHAT THIS WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE • PAUL AND BARNABAS ARE TELLING THE PROCONSUL THE GOSPEL • AND THIS FELLA STARTS TRYING • TO TURN THE PROCONSUL AGAINST THE GOSPEL • AND PAUL GETS VERY INTENSE… • YOU CAN SEE IT IN HIS EYES.. • HE STARES THIS FELLA DOWN… • LIKE IN AN OLD WESTERN • RIGHT BEFORE THE GUN FIGHT.. • AND THEN PAUL SAYS • “YOU WHO ARE FULL OF ALL DECEIT AND FRAUD, YOU SON OF THE DEVIL, YOU ENEMY OF ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, WILL YOU NOT CEASE TO MAKE CROOKED THE STRAIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD? • PAUL JUST CALLED THIS FELLA OUT… • HIS NAME WAS BAR-JESUS THAT MEANS SON OF SALVATION IN GOD • BUT PAUL CALLS HIM SON OF THE DEVIL • HE SAYS THIS GUY PERVERTS THE WAYS OF THE LORD • HE IS FULL OF TRICKERY AND MISCHIEF • AND THEN PAUL PRONOUNCES GOD’S JUDGMENT ON THIS MAN • “NOW, BEHOLD, THE HAND OF THE LORD IS UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE BLIND AND NOT SEE THE SUN FOR A TIME.” • I BELIEVE THAT GOD PUT PAUL IN THIS PLACE • AT THIS TIME FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE • REMEMBER SAUL HAD OPPOSED THE GOSPEL JUST THIS FALSE PROPHET • HE HAD PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS… • AND ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS HE HAD BEEN STRUCK BLIND… • JUST LIKE THIS FELLA • AT THE POINT THAT PAUL PROCLAIMS THE LORDS JUDGMENT • HIS NAME IS CHANGED FROM SAUL TO PAUL • FROM THIS POINT ON IN THE BOOK OF ACTS • HE LEADS THE MINISTRY TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES • AND NOTICE THE EFFECT THIS HAS ON THE PROCONSUL • THEN THE PROCONSUL BELIEVED WHEN HE SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, BEING AMAZED AT THE TEACHING OF THE LORD. GOD WILL USE THE WORK OF THOSE HE SENDS TO ACHIEVE HIS RESULTS • REMEMBER THAT THIS PROCONSUL’S NAME IS SERGIUS PAULUS • NOTICE THAT A JEWISH MAN… THE FALSE PROPHET • REJECTED AND OPPOSED THE GOSPEL • AND A GENTILE MAN NAMED PAUL TRUSTED IN THE GOSPEL • AND FROM THIS POINT ON IT WILL BE A MAN NAMED PAUL • WHO TAKES THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES • IT IS INTERESTING THAT LUKE DOES NOT SAY • THAT THIS MAN BELIEVED BECAUSE THE FALSE PROPHET WAS BLINDED • THE WAY LUKE WORDS IT THE MAN’S BELIEF IS A RESULT • OF HIM BEING AMAZED AT THE TEACHING OF THE LORD • THIS HAPPENS TO OCCUR WHEN THE MAN IS BLINDED • BUT IT IS NOT THE JUDGEMENT ON THE FALSE PROPHET • THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE BELIEF IT IS THE TEACHING OF THE LORD • YES, GOD HAD A VERY GOOD REASON TO SEND SAUL AND BARNABAS • SAUL WHO BECOMES PAUL WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE • AT THE RIGHT TIME AND SPOKE THE RIGHT WORDS • TO THE RIGHT MAN • GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING • WHEN HE SENDS FOLKS OUT TO DO HIS WORK THE MASTER GENTLY LIFTED THE VESSEL OF CLAY • MENDED AND CLEANSED IT AND FILLED IT THAT DAY. • SPOKE TO IT KINDLY. “THERE’S WORK YOU MUST DO, • JUST POUR OUT TO OTHERS AS I POUR INTO YOU. ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE WORK TO DO FOR GOD • SOMETIMES GOD HAS SPECIFIC WORK FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE • SOMETIMES HE CALL MEN AND WOMEN • AT A SPECIFIC TIME TO A SPECIFIC PLACE FOR A SPECIFIC TASK • HE DOES NOT DO THIS BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE SPECIAL • OR THESE TASKS ARE MORE IMPORTANT • IT IS JUST THAT.. GOD IN IN INFINITE WISDOM • KNOW THAT SOME SITUATIONS ARE BEST HANDLED BY CERTAIN PEOPLE • THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE WHO ARE NOT CALLED • TO A SPECIFIC PLACE, WORK, MINISTRY • GET TO SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING • IF YOU ARE CALLED GO AND WORK • IF YOU ARE NOT… THEN GET TO WORK WHERE YOU ARE. • POURING OUT WHAT GOD HAS POURED INTO YOU… • GOD LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO COME AND DIE FOR YOU • OUT OF THANKS AND GRATITUDE • OUT OF RESPECT FOR HIM • TO GIVE HIM THE HONOR AND THE GLORY • DO THE WORK OF THIS GOD WHO LOVED YOU • AND DIED TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS • • IF YOU HAVE TRUSTED IN HIS WORK ON THE CROSS • YOU HAVE WORK TO DO • NOT TO EARN HEAVEN, BUT TO HONOR GOD! • IF YOU HAVE NOT TRUSTED IN HIS WORK… 97