"Never Tell Me The Odds!"
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When you read this passage do you get the sense that Paul gave up? How do we know when
Intro
Intro
Illus: Lone Survivor! Marcus Lutrell
During the ambush of Operation Red Wings the four SEALs were attacked from three sides and took fire from RPK machine guns, AK-47s, RPG-7s, and 82mm mortars. The attack forced the SEALs into the northeast gorge of the Shuryek Valley side of Sawtalo Sar. The SEALs made a number of attempts to contact their combat operations center with a PRC-148 MBITR (Multi Band Inter/Intra Team Radio) and then with an Iridium satellite phone. They could not establish consistent communication, however, other than for a period long enough to indicate that they were under attack. Three of the four team members were killed, and Luttrell, the only survivor, was left unconscious with a number of fractures, a broken back, and numerous shrapnel wounds. Members of SEAL Team 10 attempted a rescue during the firefight, but their helicopter was shot down, and all aboard were killed. Luttrell regained consciousness and evaded the pursuing enemy, . . .Lutrell would find himself alone, hurt and running for his life?
People are leaving the church. Christianity all throughout America is seeing a trend . . . at it is not good . . . people are abandoning the faith.
MEET GENERATION Z:
More troubling is that of the 85 percent of American adults who were raised Christian, nearly a quarter of them no longer identify with Christianity. Former Christians now represent 19.2 percent of the US adult population overall. To put this into perspective, says Allen Cooperman, Pew’s director of religion research, “There are more than four former Christians for every convert to Christianity.”10
- White, James Emery. Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World (p. 23). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
White, James Emery. Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World (p. 23). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Sometimes it appears that our task is greater than we can actually accomplish. We could sit here and feel like Marcus Luttrell, running from the enemy. And, maybe some of us do. We feel beat down as if there is nothing we can do.
Paul appeared to give up and walk away. After three months of what appeared as fruitless ministry, Paul left Ephesus. But, we know that Paul didn’t give up, he moved to a more fertile or fruitful area.
This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
What motivated Paul to continue in what appeared to be insurmountable odds?
He had faith in God!
Doctrine
Doctrine
God equips his people
for the calling of engaging a hostile culture
How do we know right from wrong?
Apologetics
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
διαλέγομαι
Two meanings:
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament δια-λέγομαι
1. to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought (cf. διαλογίζομαι); to ponder, revolve in mind; so in Hom.
Inward reasoning - this is what happen when we become a Christian. We think differently.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament δια-λέγομαι
to converse, discourse with one, argue, discuss:
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament δια-λέγομαι
1. to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought (cf. διαλογίζομαι); to ponder, revolve in mind; so in Hom.
Outward reasoning - “drawing arguments from Scripture.”
things concerning the Kingdom of God
How God’s world works
Reason is weapon
Often we focus on the faith of the believer, yet God gives us the ability to reason
Faith is in the facts - resurrection of Jesus was an actual event
Bible is filled with historical events
Scripture is the tool
God gives us the tool necessary to reason
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
God engages his enemies
God has enemies
- Seed of the serpent and seed of the woman
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
Gen 3:15
We see these two lines throughout the Scriptures
These enemies sometimes attack the mind and reasoning
stubborn and continued in unbelief
speaking evil of the Way
charge against Jesus
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14
The Jewish mindest would of thought of the Way as the way of the Torah - Law
God holds back his enemies
stubborn and continued in unbelief
stubborn - to harden - their hearts were hardened against Jesus
And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
God hardens the hearts of men, which means he is the one who softens them
And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Ezekiel 11:19
Ezekiel
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
A promise for God’s people
We are no longer enemies of God
speaking evil
God is in control of the battle that is being fought
God will ultimately conquer his enemies
Book of Revelation shows us that there will be a final battle that Jesus wins
Rev 19:11
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Rev 14:14
We belong to a victorious God
Paul walks away in victory and not defeat
God elevates his name
God’s Kingdom will be proclaimed in the earth
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
God’s Word will go out and effectively call all of His sheep
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
He uses his people to proclaim his word
And I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you in the shadow of my hand,
establishing the heavens
and laying the foundations of the earth,
and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’ ”
Is
God’s enemy seeks to steel God’s glory for himself
God will receive glory
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
God is glorified when men believe in Jesus. This is the point of our calling.
The Glory of God
Conclusion
Conclusion
App:
We are in a war for men’s souls until Christ returns. We are called into the service of our King. To reason and speak to folks about Scripture.
disputed daily for two years
Our calling takes hard work and dedication to reasoning with people from Scripture
Illus:
Disciples of Jesus after three years witnessed their master being crucified.
betrayed
put on trial
mocked and beaten
nailed to a cross
Everything they had learned and witnessed seemed to be hanging on the cross like a common criminal. Had they wasted three years of their life?
They probably felt like God had abandoned them: There was an earthquake, graves opened up, temple curtain was torn in two . . .
probably felt like the world was ending . . . they were left alone
for 3 days they were - then the most glorious thing happened - the resurrection.
God’s victory was made known to them and to us in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, we do seem to be up against insurmountable odds. Yet, let us remember today that the God we serve is the God who raised Jesus from the dead and has already won the victory. God has not left us nor forsaken us. Things may seem daunting and overwhelming, but we serve an all powerful and victorious King, Jesus.
Be encouraged!