Check out the link from our recent Banquet. 

It's been edited down to 11 and a half minutes!

https://youtu.be/wuwImAfPBKs

People - Get Ready!

 

Check out this brief challenge from Dr. Billy Graham:   Do you see dead men walking?

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Theme: Focus on Souls, the Real Need

Text: Matthew 9:10-12; Matthew 23:23; John 11: 33-35;

          and John 14:6; Acts 26:18

 

Scripture reading: Please open your bibles and turn to I Corinthians chapter 5. I’ll be reading from verses 17 through 21:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us  the ministry of reconciliation;

 

19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

 

20 Therefore, owe are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

 

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

Play :54 second You Tube clip: ‘I See Dead People’

Opening:  Cole Sear, played by Haley Joel Osment in the movie The Sixth Sense confides to Malcolm Crowe played by Bruce Willis that he sees “ dead people... walking around like regular people.. they don’t know they’re dead.”

Cole Sear: I see dead people.

Malcolm Crowe: In your dreams? [Cole shakes his head no]

Malcolm Crowe: While you're awake? [Cole nods]

Malcolm Crowe: Dead people like, in graves? In coffins?

Cole Sear: Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead.

Malcolm Crowe: How often do you see them?

Cole Sear: All the time. They're everywhere.

As you may know, the movie The Sixth Sense is about a little boy who sees ghosts and is able to help Bruce Willis with some unfinished business in his life. It’s pure fiction.

But, having the ability to see spiritually dead people all around you is very much a fact but it need not be a sad reality if you are a believer. You can do something about it. So, here’s my question

Do you see people ‘dead without Christ’ walking around you?

►  They could be your neighbors, your friends, your family – perhaps even you this morning.

►   They are the ones who may be religious, but haven’t trusted Christ for forgiveness

►   They may be moral, but they don’t have the Holy Spirit within them

►   They may believe in Heaven, but are unsure as to how they will get there.

►   They may be pro-life, pro-family, pro-chastity but without Christ, they don’t have eternal life or even the earthly life intended for them by God.

►   They need transformation, not ‘reformation’, and you, if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, have the message that can change ‘dead people’ into people ‘alive in Christ’.

“ Lost people matter to God (and, I might add, they should matter to us as well.)  He wants them found (and I might add, so should we. )

Our goal at the Gateway and here at Great Shepherd is spiritual transformation, not just lifestyle reformation. Our message is delivered in love and not condemnation.

As believers, we are all commanded to share our faith to reach a lost world, beginning with those around us – our immediate family, our neighbors, our co-workers, in our school.

We are to be ambassadors for Christ, beseeching the world to be reconciled to God.

  In order to biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must understand four key elements of being a faithful ambassador for Jesus Christ.

We see them in three passages from the gospel of Matthew and one powerful verse from the Book of Acts.

I.                 The principle that the local church is a hospital for sick people and not a museum for the display of outward spirituality (Matthew 9:10-12)

 

II.             The problem of being right but not acting righteously?                         

 (Matthew 23:23)

 

III.         The passion for Biblical love that leads to a passion to see dead people made alive  (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:24, John 1:4, John 3:15-18, John 10:7-9; John 11: 25, 33-35 , John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and Romans 5:2)

 

IV.         

 

The purpose - to see eyes opened  (Acts 26:18)

 

 

I.                 The principle that the local church is a hospital for sick people and not a museum for the display of outward spirituality (Matthew 9:10-12)

 

A hospital – cares for people for an extended period of time, often at great cost.

 

The key to a Bible believing church is the uniqueness of the message, transformation through Christ and not reformation through a change of behavior.

 

Although the local church often has many committees that offer various programs (youth, music, fellowship) the key to a vibrant church is an outward focus that seeks the transformation not the reformation of the world we live in.

 

A museum is an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing.

 

●       A museum is often very concerned about lighting, display and appearance. Some churches today are primarily focused on the music, the lighting, the drama and the timing rather than the life-changing message of the Word of God. That, I believe, is an inward focus.

 

●       A museum often allows little ‘hands on’ of what it displays. Some churches today have packed services but little interpersonal contact; perhaps because this is what many believers want, but not what they need.

 

●       A museum often places different values upon its various display items. Some churches today still differentiate between the paid professionals (the preacher, the musician) rather than simply using the various gifts given to the church by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the Body of Christ.

The goal of a believers work is not to show off ones spirituality, but to personally grow spiritually. 

 

There should be an outward focus that desires to see “change in the heart” in others which will lead to a change in their lifestyle, not an inward focus that promotes or perpetuates an unrealistic image of what Christianity should look like.

 

Look, if you would, at Matthew: 9:10-12: ‘While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?

On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice. ‘For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

What’s most important? Am I striving to make my point when I speak with or interact with others or am I using biblical principles to lead others to right action? A good place to take personal inventory may be on our Facebook posts, the focus of our emails, or the subject of our telephone conversations, text messages or tweets.

In these posts and conversations, do I put down the often evident evil around me or do I focus on lifting up the answer to that evil – repentance and obedience to Gods Word which leads to holy living?

We don’t need to complain about the problem, but we may need to focus more our words and our actions on the clear Biblical solution rather than on the problem.

This is our challenge, but if we ‘see dead people all around us’ we have enough motivation to at least try to refocus.

Let’s remember, the local church is a hospital for sick people and not a museum for the display of outward spirituality

                                  
Secondly, to biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must also understand

II.             The problem of being right but not acting righteously?    

(Matthew 23:23)

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,  hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 

These religious leaders had a focus problem – they followed the law but forgot about the need for ‘justice and mercy and faithfulness.’

We need to reflect the ‘heart of God’ and be aware of what I call  ‘angry Christianity’ -- speaking what may be true, but not in love.

Here’s a recent email posted on a conservative church website:

 “ So many evangelical Christians seem to invest an inordinate amount of time ‘defending’ things they consider sacred.

Almost always, ‘defending’ becomes synonymous with ‘bashing the opponent’ or’ picking out their flaws’.  Jesus, as so often was his custom, did not focus his energies on ‘defending’ the reputation of God.

More than anything, Jesus gave his life to Reflecting the heart of God –showing what it was like to live a holy life like His Father. He was incarnational – God in the flesh – and that’s what stunned people.. and made the presence of God known to them.”

Are they hearing our ‘talk’ but not seeing ‘our walk’?

■ I believe homosexuality is a sin, but I also believe that the homosexual is a worthy person, made in God’s image, who is trapped into this sin     (although it is by his or her choosing) and needs to know the power of Christ, who alone can free him or her.

■ I believe abortion for any reason, is child-killing, but I also believe the women who get them and the abortionist who does them are worthy people, made in God’s image, who need to be shown the opportunity to repent.

■ I believe a Christian dating or marrying a non-Christian is a sin against God and the defrauding or ripping off of the unsaved person, but I also believe that those who do this are also worthy people made in God’s image who deserve to have a clear warning from Scripture within the context of a loving approach from me.

■ I believe taking the Bible out of schools, teaching evolution and attacking marriage are examples of some of the evils of the day, but I also believe that how I share my biblical viewpoint is critical to God’s Word getting a hearing on the most important matter – the lostness of the soul without Christ.

It’s not about CNN versus Fox News, republicans or democrats, Clinton or Trump, white or black – it’s about sin, not skin, not politics, not our favorite cable news program.

n Angry Christians rail against sin, but often show a lack of love for those made in His image.

n They paint with a broad brush. They label everything a conspiracy. They attack the person and not the sin.

n They try to legislate morality (which I don’t disagree with) but they often do it with an angry approach which seems soaked in self-righteousness, proclaiming themselves end-time prophets instead of end-time evangelists.

n Angry Christians turn me off because I know from James 1:20 that the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

n ‘Angry Christianity’ is not appealing but revealing. It reveals a reactionary attitude rather than a revolutionary attitude.

I Corinthians 2:15  reminds us that “..we  are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing”. How do you smell today?

1.    We can challenge ‘angry Christians’ to repent and see that ALL men need a Savior, and that Savior has already been provided. 

 

2.    We can pray for angry Christians

 

3.     We can remind angry Christians that Godly fear (reverence) is a God- given deterrent to sinful action. 

4.    We can encourage angry Christians to remember where they came from: I Corinthians 6:8-11 ‘⁹ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate by choice, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

¹¹ And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Let’s remember that leading people to Christ allows them to experience a personal relationship with God, which leads them to right living. Are you seeking to be right, or to act righteously before God.

Have you seen that being right may not necessarily mean that you are acting righteously?

You have to make a choice between the two if you are to serve Him with a reverent heart.

► ‘The fear or reverence of the Lord prolongs life.’ (Proverbs 10:27 )

► ‘In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence. And his children will have refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. That one may avoid the snares of death.’ (Proverbs 14:26-27 )

► ’..let us.. perfect holiness out of reverence for God.’ (2 Corinthians 7:1)

► ‘..worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.’ (Heb. 12:28 )

Johann Christoph Arnold has said this ‘Without reverence, God is pushed aside, and our lower nature comes to the fore, our bitter, cynical self-will. Then we forget that all life is sacred.’

I might add to this.. then we forget to see dead people all around us acting like regular people’ but spiritually dead without Christ.

 

The principle, the problem, thirdly..

To biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must have

 

III.         The passion for Biblical love that leads to a passion to see dead people made alive  (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:24, John 1:4, John 3:15-18, John 10:7-9; John 11: 25, 33-35 , John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and Romans 5:2)

Our Lord Jesus, while walking this earth, revealed a compassionate heart that led Him to passionate responses to human need, the greatest of these being the need of the souls. We too must seek a passion for Biblical love, which expresses itself in the passion to see dead people made alive

Again and again we see the exclusiveness of the message of the Cross in the gospels, the Book of Acts and the Book of Romans. He alone is the Door of Hope and the Gateway to Eternal Life.

► In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus cautions people to “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Exclusive? yes.. yet the only door or gateway that leads to life. At Gateway Pregnancy Center we are mindful that He alone is the gateway to eternal life and to the life that God has planned for those HHHHe created.

►    Luke 13:24 Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I  

        tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

►    John 1:4 – in him was life and the life was the light of men.

►    John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John MacArthur reminds us in his excellent commentary that  “Jesus is the only way to God because Jesus is the truth of God and the life of God.  This exclusive and seemingly intolerant statement is supported again and again in the New Testament.”

► John 3:15 - whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.

Exclusive? Yes. Yet free to all without works – only by Grace. Right after the verse that even unbelievers often know by heart

► John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  we read this in verses 17 and 18:

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Did you get that? People are already dead and destined for hell because of their sin. God, in His love wants that to change.

Billy Graham once said this, ‘You’re a walking dead person under the sentence of death and the only way that you can have that sentence lifted is to come to Christ.’

 

So that means that those who don’t trust Christ for salvation are lost? YES.  It seems so unfair that a loving God would send them to hell. He doesn’t.   Their own rejection of His forgiveness determines their lostness.

Do you see dead people, walking around like regular people, not knowing they're dead?

Will they hear from you that He only asks that man trusts in Him alone?

This is the reason that the central focus of the pregnancy center ministry as well as any biblical local church should be the message of salvation only through the finished work of Christ.. not reformation, not just being sorry, not trying harder – but surrendering the will to the God who made us so that we might have the closest and most intimate relationship with Him while we’re here on earth.

►      In John 10:7-9 Jesus calls Himself the door: ‘So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.’

►     John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live..’           

Exclusive? yes.. yet eternal life only through the resurrection - the only hope for the dead.

►     John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Exclusive? yes.. yet no man can know the way to heaven, know the truth about God or know the life intended for them apart from trusting in the finished work of Christ.

►     Acts 4:12, we are again reminded that Jesus is the ONLY way ‘there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

Exclusive? yes.. yet being the only Name by which we must be saved.

(1) This exclusive message needs to be pre-eminent in our approach to unsaved people, along with seeing them as dead people, walking around like regular people, not knowing they're dead?

a) He reaches down to us because we are unable to reach up to Him

b) He is the only one who has risen from the dead and is alive today

c) He is the only one that offers all this for free, by Grace, and not works 

    (Ephesians 2:8 and 9)

(2) This exclusive message has a purpose, fulfilled only in Jesus

Someone has said: ‘Men send themselves into the world with their own message and are proclaimed gods, but the One true God sent His only Son to lead us to Himself.’

(3) This exclusive message speaks of a plan

Romans 5:2 -  ‘Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.’

Exclusive? yes.. yet the only way through Him we can be connected to God through faith into grace with complete surety – and this should make us rejoice!

Illustration:  Dean’s radical prostate cancer surgery in August 2013.

● Three doctors. All said the same thing. Remove the entire prostate, the vesicles and half of the nerves.

● What if I didn’t like the exclusiveness of the remedy?

● What if I chose another option? I do have choice you know? Yes, I could’ve chosen another option and in a year according to my doctor I wouldn’t be back here at Great Shepherd.  (Now, you folks are really nice, but no offense, heaven will be better).. but perhaps not yet. There’s more work to do.

*  For any of the three doctors to not present radical surgery as the only real option would mean they were unfaithful to their calling as doctors

*  For you and I not to present Christ as the only option to sin when the stakes are so high (eternal separation from God) would make us unfaithful to our calling as His ambassadors.

The principle, the problem, the passion for Biblical love that leads to a passion to see dead people made alive 

Finally, and most importantly, to biblically approach our mission as ambassadors for Christ we absolutely must understand

 

IV.          God’s purpose, which is to see eyes opened 

(Acts 26:18) - - Please turn to this verse

 

In Acts 26:18, the Apostle Paul relates the challenge given to him on the Damascus Road. It’s a challenge for you and I as well, if we are true believers “..to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'

Paul continues in verse 20 to explain how true repentance looks in the life of the believer:

“..that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.’ In other words, acting like what they say they wish to be – holy before God.

Repentance is a change of the heart, the mind and the will. The proof of repentance is (1) turning from sin  (2) turning to God, and (3) performing deeds appropriate to the new life.

The truth is that probably 8-10% of American church goers are truly born-again, This is sad,  but worse yet, women and men, trapped by certain sins (personal or public), often shunned by Christians, or the targets of those trying to reform them, go into a Christ-less eternity.

Attendance, membership or even involvement in the local church doesn’t get us to heaven but trusting Christ can.

Romans 10:13-14: ‘ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?’

Do you see dead people all around you? Are you trying to get them to attend your church service or to trust in your Savior?

Often we focus on certain sins, abortion, homosexuality or racism being a few of them, rather than on man’s key problem, separation from God. These are matters needing repentance not reformation.

Transformation will occur only as people are exposed to the gospel, not to loathing or condemnation of their actions.

Eyes that are opened by the gospel allow for a reconnection to the God who made us and to His truths for living.

Why is it so hard for believers to understand this? Perhaps it’s because satan has blinded us into thinking that our current sin-soaked climate is anything else but what it should be – an opportunity to bring the message of eternal life to people often aware that there’s something missing.

Gateway and the local church have a mission; they are not simply a movement. The mission is transformation, not reformation.

Yes.. 55 million preborn babies have been killed through legalized abortion in the past 40 years

Yes.. America is drowning in a sea filled with choice, tolerance, racism, sexual sin and a lack of true compassion

Yes, our cities are filled with guns and our suburbs with racism and our government with infighting and self-interest.

But, I’m also convinced that thousands of men and women have gone into a Christ-less eternity because our focus has often been on saving the baby, protesting the sinful lifestyle or condemning the obvious evil behavior rather than on sharing the message of salvation which alone frees a man or a woman to be what God intended them to be.

Abortion is not the issue. Homosexuality is not the issue. Racism is not the issue. Sin and our disconnection with God and the truths of His Word is the problem.

One of television’s most popular series today is The Walking Dead. Wikepedia describes it as an American horror/drama television series based on the comic book series of the same name. The series star awakens from a coma to find the world dominated by flesh-eating "walkers", resembling zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way. The title of the series (The Walking Dead ) refers to the survivors, and not the zombies.

Maybe that’s why people (especially the unsaved) are so fascinated by ‘The Walking Dead’ and zombies in general, because they know what it’s like to live in a sin-filled world, survivors, yet without hope.

Have you ever thought of those who haven’t trusted Christ as ‘the walking dead’? They are dead spiritually, yet alive physically on this earth. Do they really matter? Do they really matter to you?

Do you see the open door. Do you recognize the ‘window of opportunity’?

Paul and Barnabas, in Acts 14:27, when they had arrived in Antioch, “..gathered the church together.. reporting ‘all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 16:9 states that “a wide door for effective service has opened to” him.”

We read in Revelation 3:8 that God has “..placed before you an open door that no one can shut. God knows we have little strength, yet He also knows that we can keep His word and not deny His name because He has given us the Holy Spirit.

So, how can we take advantage of this “Open Door”?

By realizing not only that local church is a hospital, not a museum and it’s purpose is to see eyes opened and lives transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, it’s great that often the local pregnancy center has this as it’s missions goal, but we need the local church to have this focus as well.

I’ve thought recently that one reason we have few volunteering and following through with a commitment to Gateway is that many of our local churches do not have as their primary focus the teaching of the Word and sharing of our faith.

If someone asked you how they could come to a saving knowledge of Christ, would you know how to answer them?

If not, how can we possibly be ready to ‘sanctify ( or, set apart) the Lord God in our hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks us  a reason of the hope that is in us ‘ 1 Peter 3:15.

Perhaps if we focus on the last few words of the verse - with meekness and fear- we will then  prepare our hearts to meet this challenge with meekness towards the lost and fear or reverence towards the One that wishes to find them.

Only as we have a healthy respect for the immense responsibility we have as Christ’s ambassadors on earth will we as believers be motivated to reach out to the dead people all around us.

Maybe you and I need to see what God has done in our life, to focus and appreciate it more – then, we’ll be able to see the open doors around us and to take advantage of them.

Two final questions:

Question # 1 – Have YOU trusted Christ for eternal life?

Perhaps this morning, you need to pray a prayer like this..

 

Question # 2 – Are you living for Christ RIGHT NOW?

 

Closing illustration: Sent in the power of the Spirit

Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger writes this:

Jesus sent his followers into the world to replicate his own mission of making disciples. We who follow Jesus are to make more followers of Jesus.

It’s easy to accept our charge to do the ministry of Jesus without really thinking about what we’re doing. “OK,” we might say, “That’s just fine. We’re to do the ministry of Jesus. Great!” But when we stop and think about it, we have accepted an astounding and overwhelming mission, one that is seemingly impossible.

If we take seriously our sending by Jesus to do his work, our hearts should pound and our knees should knock. How, in heaven’s name, are we to do what he did? Given our manifest human limitations, not to mention our sinfulness, how can we do the works of the divine Son of God?

Doing the ministry of Jesus, Dr. Roberts continues, is a bit like climbing Mt. Everest. This mountaineering adventure is so demanding that it almost exceeds human capabilities.

The vast majority of people who attempt to climb Everest never make it to the top.

The physical challenges associated with scaling this peak include miles of strenuous hiking, thousands of feet of climbing, negotiating glaciers and treacherous ice fields, and fighting the most extreme weather conditions on earth.

Perhaps most difficult of all is the lack of oxygen near the summit of the mountain’s 29,028 feet. This region is called “the Death Zone”.

If you and I were flown to the summit of Everest right now, we would pass out in a few minutes, and die shortly thereafter. There simply isn’t enough oxygen there to keep our bodies working.

Most climbers must use bottled oxygen to survive the ordeals of climbing Everest, though an increasing number of people climb without it. How is this possible?

Through the wonder of acclimatization the human body is able to adapt to extreme oxygen deprivation. If you take enough time at high altitude, your body will adjust to the limitations of the air.

So, climbers of Everest hike to base camp at “only” 17,000 feet. There they must wait for several weeks, making only short forays to higher altitudes.

If they wait patiently, eventually their cardiovascular systems will be empowered for the challenge ahead. But waiting is the key. If they rush ahead, the climbers will fail, and most probably die. Even bottled oxygen won’t help them.

In a similar vein, the risen Jesus instructed his first followers to wait before beginning their mission of spreading the good news:

And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven (Luke 24:49).

No matter how enthusiastic the first disciples might have been, no matter that they had spent three years with Jesus and had conversed with him after his resurrection, they were not yet ready for the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical challenges of proclaiming the good news of Christ to all nations. They had to wait in Jerusalem until their preparation for ministry was complete.

Yet, unlike climbers being acclimatized on Mt. Everest, the disciples were not waiting for some natural process to ready them for their assignment. They needed “power from heaven” and nothing less.

Dr. Roberts concludes with two sobering words:

(1)            Without God’s own power, given through the Holy Spirit, no one can successfully do God’s work on earth.

 

(2)            But don’t despair! If you have put your trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, then you have already received the Holy Spirit.

              

Unlike the first disciples in Jerusalem, you do not have to wait for anything.

We have been empowered. We have been sent. We are ready to go.

Let’s focus on the real need – to trust Jesus,  to grow in Him and to go to a world filled with spiritually dead people, walking all around us and not even knowing they are dead.