What Will It Take
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Acts 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke
out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea
and Samaria.
Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Here is what impresses me. These people put their faith in Jesus and they began to serve him.
Our concern today is usually, "What can God and the church do for me?" We are more interested
in receiving than serving.
These believers were so convinced of the gospel that they were willing to suffer for it. And they
were willing to spread it everywhere they went.
The problem is that they were content to stay in Jerusalem with the message instead of taking it to
the world. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” But they stayed in Jerusalem.
Persecution pushed them out.
I watched a mother bird forcing her baby bird out of the nest. It was a struggle, for the little bird did
not want to go. It was safe in the nest. Flying was scary. It seemed so cruel to see this parent
push its baby out into the cold sky. But it was the only way to get this baby to fly. And its future
survival depended on this act.
They stayed in Jerusalem. We stay in the church! What will it take to get us into the streets with
the gospel? Persecution? I hope not.
I believe if we would just get a sense of mission, vision, and passion, we could get the job done.
A Mission
What we need here is a mission - a purpose - something to aim for.
Let's see . . .
2 Corinthians 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made
manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us
the ministry of reconciliation:
2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins
against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
It looks like we may be onto something. Look at this:
Mt 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mr 16:15 . . . Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 14:23 . . . Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house
may be filled.
John 20:21 . . . as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Mr 13:10 And the gospel must first be preached among all nations.
Ps 96:3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
Guess what! I believe have a mission! That means we are all missionaries!
Do you know what your mission is? Do you know why you are here?
The church of today reminds me of people sitting on the beach soaking up the sun. We look good,
but it's only skin deep.
So much of our church work today is like rearranging chairs on a sinking ship.
Are you satisfied with your Christian walk? If not, it's time to do something about it.
It is our mission to persuade men. Men are persuaded every day. They are persuaded by
advertisements, by salesmen, by cult members. It is time that the church took back the primary
position of persuasion. We have the truth!
If we truly have Jesus in us, then the love of Christ should compel us to win the lost. His love must
work through us. We are his hands . . . his feet . . . his voice in this world of men.
It's time to stop living for ourselves and live unto Him. There is too much self-consumption in the
church. We are here for a purpose. Have you found your purpose? If not, keep looking. If you
have, then get busy.
We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We are to reconcile men to God - to show them
the way to peace - to relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Do you know what you are? You are an ambassador! An ambassador for Christ. You are God's
representative in this world.
Are you representing Him? Are your interests His interests? Are you making a good representation
for Him?
You represent all that is good - forgiveness, holiness, wholeness, healing, power. These are all
qualities of God which should manifest in us.
Let me say this emphatically - You have a mission in this world. GET TO WORK!
A Vision
We have a mission. Now what we need is a vision.
Close your eyes! Now envision with me:
Every seat in this church filled - standing room only
Sinners crowded around these altars crying out for mercy
Sunday school classes filled to capacity and volunteers waiting in the wings to teach
Finances to cover every need - offering plates spilling over with cash
People lining the streets to get into the building
Outreach teams going out every week with the gospel
The Club overflowing with teens on fire for God
Picture yourself witnessing and leading others to Christ
Can you see those things? I want you to get these things firmly embedded in your minds. I want you
to remember these mental pictures every day until they start happening.
Medical researchers tell us that what we can see in our minds we can do. If you get a firm vision of
something, you subconscious mind will work to make it happen. Baseball players have found that
seeing the ball hit the bat and envisioning that ball going over the fence will help to make it happen
more often.
Our problem is that we are short sighted. Years ago, I pastored a church in a small town. The
second year I was there, I decided we needed to set a projected budget to aim for in the coming
year. So I figured up what we had spent the previous year and set a goal. I proposed the exact
amount we had spent the year before. When I shared this goal with the congregation, they
panicked.
They had no idea that they could raise and spend that much money, although they had already
done it. Finally, I convinced them that they had spent that much the previous year, and so they
were able to “see it happening”. Our budget that year far exceeded our goal. In fact, it was easy
once people had gotten a vision of what could be done.
Get a vision! See it happening! Stop looking at the waves and start looking at the Lord. Look
forward! Make it happen! We believe we can do great things for God. I believe we can change our
community and our world. But the key is, do you believe it? Can you see it. If not, it'll never happen.
A Passion
Now, once you have a vision, you need the passion to get it done. I am so tired of limp and lifeless
attempts by the church of Jesus Christ. If you believe it, if you really believe it, then give it all you've
got. Don't give God your leftovers anymore. God deserves your best.
Jesus was passionate about souls and he proved it on a cross. Paul was passionate about souls
and he showed it by his lifestyle.
He pressed on in spite of opposition; he preached in the face of persecution; he forsook all the
world for Christ and for souls.
He even said:
Ro 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh:
Moses said:
Ex 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book
which thou hast written.
Paul advised all believers:
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God and the Father by him.
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
People are leaving the church and leaving the faith because they don't see any passion. They
don't see others sold out for the gospel. They see a lot of pampered saints self-satisfied with their
blessing and giving little or nothing for the cause of Christ. And they look and see Communists, and
Muslims, and Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons sacrificing for the cause.
Aren't you tired of coming to church and watching the show? I am not satisfied with hearing reports
about great revivals taking place in other parts of the world. I want to write the reports! I want to
live the reports!
We have a mission! It’s on the bulletin board.
We can get a vision! Just start envisioning these things happening.
We need passion! How serious are you? I will be honest with you. Some people have left us, and
others will leave us, because not everybody wants to go where we are going. But we are going
where God is leading us.
The same thing happened with Moses. Not everybody wanted to go to the Promised Land. They
would rather suffer in Egypt. Me? I’d rather go to the Promised Land – no matter what it costs.
How many will go with me?
out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea
and Samaria.
Acts 8:4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Here is what impresses me. These people put their faith in Jesus and they began to serve him.
Our concern today is usually, "What can God and the church do for me?" We are more interested
in receiving than serving.
These believers were so convinced of the gospel that they were willing to suffer for it. And they
were willing to spread it everywhere they went.
The problem is that they were content to stay in Jerusalem with the message instead of taking it to
the world. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” But they stayed in Jerusalem.
Persecution pushed them out.
I watched a mother bird forcing her baby bird out of the nest. It was a struggle, for the little bird did
not want to go. It was safe in the nest. Flying was scary. It seemed so cruel to see this parent
push its baby out into the cold sky. But it was the only way to get this baby to fly. And its future
survival depended on this act.
They stayed in Jerusalem. We stay in the church! What will it take to get us into the streets with
the gospel? Persecution? I hope not.
I believe if we would just get a sense of mission, vision, and passion, we could get the job done.
A Mission
What we need here is a mission - a purpose - something to aim for.
Let's see . . .
2 Corinthians 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made
manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us
the ministry of reconciliation:
2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins
against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
It looks like we may be onto something. Look at this:
Mt 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mr 16:15 . . . Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 14:23 . . . Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house
may be filled.
John 20:21 . . . as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Mr 13:10 And the gospel must first be preached among all nations.
Ps 96:3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
Guess what! I believe have a mission! That means we are all missionaries!
Do you know what your mission is? Do you know why you are here?
The church of today reminds me of people sitting on the beach soaking up the sun. We look good,
but it's only skin deep.
So much of our church work today is like rearranging chairs on a sinking ship.
Are you satisfied with your Christian walk? If not, it's time to do something about it.
It is our mission to persuade men. Men are persuaded every day. They are persuaded by
advertisements, by salesmen, by cult members. It is time that the church took back the primary
position of persuasion. We have the truth!
If we truly have Jesus in us, then the love of Christ should compel us to win the lost. His love must
work through us. We are his hands . . . his feet . . . his voice in this world of men.
It's time to stop living for ourselves and live unto Him. There is too much self-consumption in the
church. We are here for a purpose. Have you found your purpose? If not, keep looking. If you
have, then get busy.
We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We are to reconcile men to God - to show them
the way to peace - to relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Do you know what you are? You are an ambassador! An ambassador for Christ. You are God's
representative in this world.
Are you representing Him? Are your interests His interests? Are you making a good representation
for Him?
You represent all that is good - forgiveness, holiness, wholeness, healing, power. These are all
qualities of God which should manifest in us.
Let me say this emphatically - You have a mission in this world. GET TO WORK!
A Vision
We have a mission. Now what we need is a vision.
Close your eyes! Now envision with me:
Every seat in this church filled - standing room only
Sinners crowded around these altars crying out for mercy
Sunday school classes filled to capacity and volunteers waiting in the wings to teach
Finances to cover every need - offering plates spilling over with cash
People lining the streets to get into the building
Outreach teams going out every week with the gospel
The Club overflowing with teens on fire for God
Picture yourself witnessing and leading others to Christ
Can you see those things? I want you to get these things firmly embedded in your minds. I want you
to remember these mental pictures every day until they start happening.
Medical researchers tell us that what we can see in our minds we can do. If you get a firm vision of
something, you subconscious mind will work to make it happen. Baseball players have found that
seeing the ball hit the bat and envisioning that ball going over the fence will help to make it happen
more often.
Our problem is that we are short sighted. Years ago, I pastored a church in a small town. The
second year I was there, I decided we needed to set a projected budget to aim for in the coming
year. So I figured up what we had spent the previous year and set a goal. I proposed the exact
amount we had spent the year before. When I shared this goal with the congregation, they
panicked.
They had no idea that they could raise and spend that much money, although they had already
done it. Finally, I convinced them that they had spent that much the previous year, and so they
were able to “see it happening”. Our budget that year far exceeded our goal. In fact, it was easy
once people had gotten a vision of what could be done.
Get a vision! See it happening! Stop looking at the waves and start looking at the Lord. Look
forward! Make it happen! We believe we can do great things for God. I believe we can change our
community and our world. But the key is, do you believe it? Can you see it. If not, it'll never happen.
A Passion
Now, once you have a vision, you need the passion to get it done. I am so tired of limp and lifeless
attempts by the church of Jesus Christ. If you believe it, if you really believe it, then give it all you've
got. Don't give God your leftovers anymore. God deserves your best.
Jesus was passionate about souls and he proved it on a cross. Paul was passionate about souls
and he showed it by his lifestyle.
He pressed on in spite of opposition; he preached in the face of persecution; he forsook all the
world for Christ and for souls.
He even said:
Ro 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh:
Moses said:
Ex 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book
which thou hast written.
Paul advised all believers:
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God and the Father by him.
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
People are leaving the church and leaving the faith because they don't see any passion. They
don't see others sold out for the gospel. They see a lot of pampered saints self-satisfied with their
blessing and giving little or nothing for the cause of Christ. And they look and see Communists, and
Muslims, and Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons sacrificing for the cause.
Aren't you tired of coming to church and watching the show? I am not satisfied with hearing reports
about great revivals taking place in other parts of the world. I want to write the reports! I want to
live the reports!
We have a mission! It’s on the bulletin board.
- A MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- COMMUNITY MINISTRY
- DEVELOP LEADERS
- FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
We can get a vision! Just start envisioning these things happening.
We need passion! How serious are you? I will be honest with you. Some people have left us, and
others will leave us, because not everybody wants to go where we are going. But we are going
where God is leading us.
The same thing happened with Moses. Not everybody wanted to go to the Promised Land. They
would rather suffer in Egypt. Me? I’d rather go to the Promised Land – no matter what it costs.
How many will go with me?