Hakuna Matata Evangelism

Acts  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  35:45
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Letter to Hell

Years ago we took the youth kids to an event called “Dare 2 Share” and they put on this small play called “Letter from Hell.” The basic idea was a non-Christian in hell communicating to his Christian friend who didn’t witness to them. It’s all your fault, you didn’t choose to share, you didn’t love me enough you didn’t say the right words in the right way and now I’m in hell because you did it wrong!
The goal, as far as I could tell, was to make the kids so guilty and terrified that they immediately rushed home to tell all their friends… and bear the awful and terrifying burden of all their friends going to hell.
That is a bit much to put on the shoulders of some teenagers. More than a little manipulative. And not theologically sound.

Hakuna Matata Evangelism

Here’s another model of evangelism. Hakuna Matata. What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing phase. It means “no worries for the rest of your days.”
If God is Sovereign and people are predestined to salvation by His hand, then it really doesn’t matter what we do or what we say, they are going to be saved or not saved anyways. Mission trips are foolish, preaching salvation is just annoying and unnecessary.
Just let people believe whatever and God will sort it all out.

Powerless Fatalism vs. Human Determinism

Christians often bounce between these two poles of thought. “It’s all on my shoulders” a Crushing Responsibility. Human Determinism.
Or it’s all in God’s hand and my actions don’t matter, a Powerless Fatalism.

Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey

Then what the heck is this Paul guy doing on his epic missionary journey? He is traveling miles, hundreds of miles, preaching the gospel. And with that level of effort, he must be tending towards the first model, the “Letter from Hell” model of evangelism. It is all on his shoulders and his actions.
We left Paul in Acts 13 where he had just made a convert of Sergius Paullus, the Roman proconsul of Pathos.

Paul Paddles From Pathos to Perga in Pamphylia

Acts 13:13 ESV
Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem,
Perga in Pamphylia
John-Mark turns around and goes home. Maybe stuff came up, maybe the mission trip was too hard, too long, we don’t know. But the young new guy turns around and, as Paul would later describe, kind of bails on Paul and Barnabus… but they press on.
Acts 13:14 ESV
but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Up to Antioch in Pisidia
Where the governor Sergius Paulus was from originally. Likely directed there by his recent convert. From there to hit major cities in Asia Minor. A very Roman city, it had just completed major imperial-style building and would have been like a mini Rome… though not nearly as populous as the Antioch Paul’s home church is in.
and following the pattern of ministering to the Jews first, they find the local gathering, the synagogue and sit down.
Then the leaders, the rulers of the synagogue make a classic mistake: they invite guest speakers to share.
Acts 13:15 ESV
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

First to the Jews

Paul preaches to the Jews. He gives a survey of Jewish history, a message that would speak to them.
Sit in the movie:
How did Paul preach to the Jews? Here we get maybe the best example of his sermon content. He walks through the history of the Jewish people and shows how it all points forward to the Messiah: to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
So imagine you are in that room, and it really would have looked much like this room. A man stands up and for the first time, you hear the gospel.
Acts 13:16–41 The Message
Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, “Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own— a span in all of about 450 years. “Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Ben-jamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: ‘I’ve searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He’s a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.’ “From out of David’s descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised— but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. As John was finishing up his work, he said, ‘Did you think I was the One? No, I’m not the One. But the One you’ve been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I’m about to disappear.’ “Dear brothers and sisters, children of Abraham, and friends of God, this message of salvation has been precisely targeted to you. The citizens and rulers in Jerusalem didn’t recognize who he was and condemned him to death. They couldn’t find a good reason, but demanded that Pilate execute him anyway. They did just what the prophets said they would do, but had no idea they were following to the letter the script of the prophets, even though those same prophets are read every Sabbath in their meeting places. “After they had done everything the prophets said they would do, they took him down from the cross and buried him. And then God raised him from death. There is no disputing that—he appeared over and over again many times and places to those who had known him well in the Galilean years, and these same people continue to give witness that he is alive. “And we’re here today bringing you good news: the Message that what God promised the fathers has come true for the children—for us! He raised Jesus, exactly as described in the second Psalm: My Son! My very own Son! Today I celebrate you! “When he raised him from the dead, he did it for good—no going back to that rot and decay for him. That’s why Isaiah said, ‘I’ll give to all of you David’s guaranteed blessings.’ So also the psalmist’s prayer: ‘You’ll never let your Holy One see death’s rot and decay.’ “David, of course, having completed the work God set out for him, has been in the grave, dust and ashes, a long time now. But the One God raised up—no dust and ashes for him! I want you to know, my very dear friends, that it is on account of this resurrected Jesus that the forgiveness of your sins can be promised. He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on. But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God. “Don’t take this lightly. You don’t want the prophet’s sermon to describe you: Watch out, cynics; Look hard—watch your world fall to pieces. I’m doing something right before your eyes That you won’t believe, though it’s staring you in the face.”

Begging for More

Acts 13:42–43 ESV
As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Great start. Great progress.
Acts 13:44 ESV
The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
Huge amount of traction, word of mouth spreading.
Acts 13:45 ESV
But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.
Then to the Gentiles
Acts 13:46–47 ESV
And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
Acts 13:48 ESV
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 13:49–51 ESV
And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.
Shaking the dust off their feet is a sign: we don’t want to be associated with their unbelief and its consequences. Not even the dust will go with us.
Their mission trip ended with persecution and banishment from the region. With anger and dismissiveness. And, in later centuries, there won’t remain a trace of Christianity in Antioch of Pisidia.
Failure?
We have these two things.
Maximum effort. The persuasive words of Paul. Trying everything, first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. Doing everything he can and that bears fruit.
How much fruit? It uses the word “many” but that isn’t the important word.
Acts 13:48 ESV
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Maybe the clearest expression of predestination in the Bible. “Those who were appointed to eternal life” that’s how many believed. Those who were “supposed to”. Those who were appointed “perfect tense - past action with ongoing and continuing results.” In the past they were appointed, as in the Book of Life, appointed to eternal life, and that appointment continues forward into eternity.
That’s who got saved.
But did Paul show up in town and say, some here will be appointed to be saved, so they are going to get saved auto-magically, let’s phone it in.
He gave everything he had to the Jews. Then, everything he had to the Gentiles. Everything he had until they kicked him out of town.
Maximum effort. Beyond maximum effort.
And what was the result?
Was Paul discouraged at his period of time, at the number of converts, at the state of the church as he left? Nope. Those who were appointed to salvation were saved. Wipe off the feet and move on to the next town.
More than that.
More than an empty powerless fatalism OR the crushing responsibility that it was all on him. What was he filled with, what was the result for him and the disciples in Antioch and the disciples back at home?
Acts 13:52 ESV
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
This is the truest result of working with God. Powerless fatalism, the idea that the machine is just going to grind and the Universe does what it wills without regard for your actions or care… that is awful and terrifying.
So is the idea that it all depends on you and your actions and people live and die eternally based on what you do. Awful and terrifying.
What is it like to work hand in hand with the Creator of the Universe, doing the part he has created you for and called you to, certain that He is drawing people to Himself through you… and that He literally cannot fail?
With God himself in you and working through you - that’s the Holy Spirit - that is JOYFUL!
Filled with JOY AND with the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit and with JOY. Holy Spirit and Joy go together hand in hand. That feeling in your soul when you see the beauty of Christ in His word and in His work. When you see rightness, when you know.

Joy and Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit and Joy.
In evangelism.
Joy and the Holy Spirit. It isn’t a cruel judging God leaving everything in your hands to fail or succeed alone… nor is it an impersonal God grinding the gears of Fate irrespective of your choices and actions. It is God taking up residence in you in the person of the Holy Spirit, leading and empowering you to His Will in His Way and in His timing… and using everything about who you are and how you are created to do it.
And the result? Joy in being part of His plan and purpose, joy in seeing people come to life-saving faith in Jesus, joy of your salvation, joy of seeing the world for once working the way God created it to be. Joy at seeing light in the darkness.
This goes beyond just evangelism.
In your struggle. I had a close friend speak hard words this week into some of our family struggles. “Let go and let God.” That’s always fun to hear… but in this context, it was “You are already giving maximum effort, led by the Holy Spirit, steeped in prayer, giving and doing everything you can… you have to trust God with all the pieces of it you can’t control.”
Where the Holy Spirit is leading and I am both serving and resting in that… there is joy. Not ease, not easy, not even necessarily happy… but joyful.
Where there is my human desire for control or my human desire for passive and easy… there’s no joy in either.
In your family, God is at work, working through your maximum effort… and far beyond your ability to work, or to plan, or to dream. He is in control and He is using you and the best of what you are bringing.
In our church. We are called to serve. You are called to serve. Some of you are called to lead in different ways.
It isn’t all on your shoulders to carry and lead the church… it isn’t even all on my shoulders to carry and lead the church. It is His church, His Kingdom, His “more preferable future” and every victory will be “His victory.”
And yet there is no “Hakuna Matata Church” participation, just as there is no “Hakuna Matata Evangelism”. Maximum effort, slaves to Christ, obedient and faithful as His Holy Spirit calls and empowers us to serve His church and His kingdom with every ounce of the time, talent and treasure He has given you.
And what is the result?
Holy Spirit Joy. Joy and the Holy Spirit. Participation in His Victory.
It will be my Joy to say “Your Will, Your Way.”
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