Message 7: Commissioned to Share

INTRODUCTION: Turn to Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

One thing is for certain – the early church experienced EXPONENTIAL evangelistic explosion. By the end of the first century, the Gospel had spread across from Israel, to all of Judea and Samaria, to Europe, Africa and parts of Asia!

DQ: How did this happen?

Last week we talked about our commission to SERVE the needs of people.

Did you know that…
- The first UNIVERSITY in North America – HARVARD UNIVERSITY – was founded by Christians to train ministers?
- The first HOSPITALS in North America – PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL – was founded by Christians?

BOB ERICKSON: His house churches here in Rancho are sending a team to the African country of LIBERIA to see what they can do for the people of this impoverished country. One of the members of the team is a Physician’s Assistant who is meeting with the head of medicine in Liberia. If they get involved in ministry to Liberia, much of what they will do will be to meet the medical needs of the people.

If we are going to help people come to know Jesus, we have to be willing to SERVE them.

The second thing that the early church did was to SHARE the Gospel message. It isn’t enough to feed, heal, or listen to people – we have to give them the STORY of God’s love that comes through Jesus Christ.

I want everyone to turn to Colossians 1:25 – Here Paul lays out the privilege that we have as Christians to help others discover Christ for themselves:

“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Colossians 1:25-28

Do you want to serve God?
YOU SERVE GOD BY SHARING THE STORY!
“I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” V. 25-26

There is no higher calling than to SHARE THE STORY of God’s love with those around you. God has given us that commission. This task. This privilege. We know something. You know something. You know something that others do not know.

There’s a girl that works at the Coffee Klatch who has never been exposed to the Gospel. She is taking a religion class at Chaffey College and she wants me to explain Christianity to her. I know something that she doesn’t know. And it is my privilege to share the story with her.

Do you want to experience the glory of God?
THE GLORY IS IN YOUR STORY
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” V. 27

As we share our story – the Glory of God is revealed. For as we share our story – people come to see Jesus! And Jesus is the Glory of God! Nothing is greater, nothing is of higher importance, nothing can compare than the glory of helping people meet Jesus! When we share our stories, it really isn’t about us – it is about what Jesus has done for us! He gets the glory! When just get to tell the story!

“All of our theology, must eventually become biography.” Tim Hansel

What we say we believe, must become who we are. What we believe becomes who we are. Our life stories are the proving ground of what we believe. And as we live out our story, the glory of God is revealed!

Think about the people in your life that you know and love. Family. Friends. Neighbors. Coworkers.

Do you want them to know what you know? Do you want them to know Jesus?
PEOPLE COME TO KNOW JESUS AS YOU SHARE YOUR STORY!
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” V. 28

Paul says that as we proclaim Christ – people will become perfect in Christ! That means that they will be rightly fitted with Him. They will come into proper positioning with Him.

When you tell your story, there will be fruit. Listen to these accounts of the fruit of God’s Word:
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:7

“But the word of God continued to increase and spread.” Acts 12:24

“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23, NIV

Who is the Word of God?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” Revelation 19:13

Go back to Acts 2:42-47….
A great many Christians do not share their story because they think somehow that they’ve got to be a PREACHER in order to do so. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you look at Acts 2:42-47 you’ll notice that it does not mention PREACHING.

What it does say is that the believers were ‘devoted to the Apostle’s teaching…” – but that wasn’t preaching, it was teaching. And teaching is done amongst BELIEVERS!

In recent weeks, we discovered what the proper priorities for Christians should be:

ß Communion w/ Christ expressed in devotion to Him in worship.
ß Community w/ Christ’s people expressed in devotion to learning and loving.
ß Commission to Christ’s world expressed in serving and sharing.

Here’s my point: By living out these priorities – you are sharing the Gospel!

Your COMMUNION with Christ is TESTIMONY to His importance!
- Coming together to worship and sing praises with intensity and sincerity of heart is a powerful witness to your love for Him! People notice!
- Coming together and going through the motions, w/o passion and w/o devotion to Christ is also a witness – it is saying: “Christ isn’t that important to me!”

Your COMMITMENT to one another is a TESTIMONY to His presence!
- Together, as we seek to discover and learn and know Christ, we are saying: “Nothing is more important to us than our relationship with Christ! He is what we are all about!
- Together, as we learn how to love one another in words and deeds, we are saying: “Christ changes our relationships! I can love! I can serve! I can give! He empowers me to love!”

Your COMMISSION to sharing the Gospel is a TESTIMONY of how much He has changed your life!
- Serving another person says: “Because I’ve been loved by Christ, I can reach out to you and love you. Because Christ loves me, I want to love you. I want to serve your needs. I want to take action to make your life better!”
- It is risky to open up and share your story with people. They might make fun of you. They might ridicule you. In some places, they might even arrest and imprison you. But the very act of doing so says: “I am not afraid! Christ has changed my life! I’m not who I used to be!”

I want you to see an important progression that occurs in Acts 2…

Communion with Christ (v. 42, 43, 46)
+ Community with Christ’s people (v. 42, 44, 46)
+ Commission to Proclaim Christ’s message (v. 38, 45, 47)
= HARVEST! (v. 47)

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” V. 47

CONCLUSION:
So what do we do with this message?

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
1 Peter 3:15

1. Be properly related to Christ.
2. Be prepared to share your story.
3. Be people sensitive.

Here’s what I want us to do:

Let’s pray:
1. That God would prepare us.
2. That God would prepare those around us who need Him.
3. That God would create ‘divine appointments’
4. That God would bring a Harvest into His Kingdom