the most important thing

I feel like sharing the sermon I heard at church this morning. It really spoke volumes to me. It was all based on Acts 1:8...
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

As follower of Christ, the most important thing we are called to do is to make disciples. Matthew 28:19 says "Go therefore and make disciples..."

The first point of the sermon was Ordination. By definition, this term means "to invest with ministerial powers." The first part of verse 8 says "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." This is a power that only God can give. It is a power that cannot be contained. According to the Word, every Christian as been ordained to share the Gospel.
John 15:16 "...I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit.."
Matthew 5:13 says "you are the salt of the Earth" Salt serves many purposes. First of all, it gives flavor to things. Secondly, it preserves things. Most importantly to this message, salt creates a thirst. How many people have acquired a thirst for Christ because of me? Am I doing my job as salt of this Earth?

Point number 2 - Obligation. Middle part of verse 8 says "And you will be my witnesses..." We have obligations to first of all, our Lord and Savior. "..you will be MY witnesses.." Secondly, we have an obligation to the lost. Everywhere we go, there will be lost people...it is our obligation to them to share the love of Christ. How else will they ever know about Him and his wonderful gift?!

The last point is Operation. "in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." We should be making disciples first of all, locally...right where we are...the city we live in, the school we go to, the house we live in..."Jerusalem" Also, we need to reach out regionally (Judea), nationally (Samaria), and internationally (to the ends of the earth).

Acts 17:6 - this verse it talking about Paul and Silas - the people of the city were looking for Paul and Silas. They said "Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world and now they are here disturbing our city, too." Wow...the only thing these people could criticize these two men of is that they turned their world upside down for Jesus and now were trying to do the same to their city.

I pray that I could be such an influence for Christ, such a light to this world, that all that could be held against me is that I have disturbed someone's mundane lifestyle by making disciples out of people. What an honor to have that held against you! I also pray that I will not be dismayed when I encounter troubles and failures. This, so many times, is my downfall. I start letting it get to me when people turn Christ down after I have poured my heart out to them. I pray that God will keep me strong and help me press onward. In Ezekial 3, God appoints Ezekial as the watchman over Israel. He was to relay God's message to the people of Israel. God already knew that Ezekial would face hardships and people who wouldn't listen to what he said...God knows that not everyone we witness to will make the decision to follow Him, but He isn't judging us on how many people choose to listen to us and heed our warnings and how many people don't listen to us....He is simply telling us to do our job and TELL THEM! Ezekial 3:18-19 says "If I warn the wicked, saying, 'you are under the penalty of deah,' but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repend and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me." How powerful these 2 verses are! I am held responsible for all of the lost souls that I encounter and do not reach out to! How many people am I responsible for already? How many people have died/will die lost sinnters because I didn't obey God's commandment to make disciples of them? I pray that each and every day I will keep this verse at the front of my mind so that it will help me to remember just how important these souls are to Christ. I do not want any more blood on my hands when I kneel before Christ's throne on that glorious day.