A Call to Action

Sermon by Nathan Wagnon.................

A Call to Action                       Matthew 28:19 

Some Grammar . . .

Attendant Circumstance Participle

A participle used to communicate the action of a finite verb.  Its mood is determined by the verb it modifies.

Some OT Examples . . .

Gen 27:13 – His mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall on me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me.”

Gen 37:14 – So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.”

Some Examples from Matthew . . .

Matt 2:13 – When they had gone, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Matt 9:13 – But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice (Hos 6:6).” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matt 28:7 – Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.”

Matt 28:19 – Therefore go and join a social club . . .

Matt 28:19 – Therefore go and do just enough to keep the status quo so you can feel good about your religious obligation . . .

Matt 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples . . .

 

Causes of Inaction                                Mark 4:19

1. Feeling ill-equipped / not good enough (worries of this life).
2. No time / consumed with work (deceitfulness of wealth).
3. Priorities are out of order (desire for other things).

Action Steps

1. Get into community (Ecc 4:12).
2. Stay accountable (Prov 27:17).
3. Always have someone upstream / downstream (Matt 28:19-20).

A Spiritual Challenge

Today I have been studying - 2 different things. First, I started the morning working some more on my sermon for Sunday. It is important because we will be explaining 100 for 100 and brithing an exciting new plan for FBC. Then I spent the morning working on a new communications plan for church. I am trying to elarn more about using social media more efectively to connect directly with our church family. Then I had one of thoses experieinces that takes disparate things and puts them together.

In reading a manual on social media, I was given an encouragement and a challenge that sounded like it was written in God's voice. "Avoid laziness. If something is hard, doing it right will immediately distinguish you from your peers. Always do the hard part first. Procrastinate later."

What a powerful word for believers. While I did not read that in scripture, it certainly is an application of scripture. I hate technology and I am NOT a gadget freak. I find this modern stuff to be hard. Yet there is more need for connection between believers than ever before. We live in a world more broken and out of touch with our bibical worldview. This creates the need for believers to connect. And we have more tools with which to connect than ever before - thus "do it right."

It is also the impetus behind 100 for 100. We are engaging a new vision because it is the right thing to do.

The connection: CHristians daily make choices of faith. By definition, that means we make hard choices and do hard things. That is why they are choices of faith. But do them right. They aer worth doing. It is what sets us apart from the world and encourages other believers by giving them something to follow. WHen you do "the hard part first" - the choice fo faith God has asked you to do - God will bless you.

Affirming the Authority of Scripture

Affirming the Authority of Scripture -1 Peter 1:22 – 2:3

scripture is the sole authority for truth because its nature is uniquely

•         Eternal

•         Powerful

•         Beautiful

scripture is eternal due to its Author

"the living and enduring word of God". 

scripture is eternal due to its Authenticity

•         14,000 Old Testament manuscripts/fragments

•         1 variation every 1,580 words, 99% are spelling

scripture is eternal due to its Authenticity

•         24,000 copies of the New Testament

•         5,300 Greek

•         10,000 Latin

•         9,300 in others such as Aramaic

•         Less than 1 variation per 1000 words.

Scripture is powerful. It is the power that

•         Births us

•         Purifies us

•         Grows us

Scripture is beautiful in its

•         Creation

•         Eloquence

Its Creation is miraculous. Consider:

•         1,500 years

•         3 continents

•         16 countries

•         40 authors

•         1 clear and consistent message

Its Eloquence touches

•         every heart

•         in every culture

•         in every era. 

THEREFORE….We must choose to embrace it. We must “set aside” and “desire.”

Breaking a Fast

At some point, you will have to break your fast. It is important to do it properly. This is a spiritual exercise and that must be taken into account. It is also is a physical exercise and we must take that into account as well.

1) Say a final prayer before eating. Thank God for whatever He has said to you. Thank Him for answering prayer. THank Him for His physical sustenance during the fast.

2) Plan to eat at home if at all possible.

3) Eat something that will not tax your system. Eat small portions and slowly. This is more true the longer your fast has lasted.

4) Your digestive system is put under stress when you break a fast. The longer you have been without food, the more "dormant" everything has become. Eat small portions and gently so you give your system time to readjust to digesting food once again.

5) Write yourself a journal entry or letter. Find a way to memorialize what you have learned. God will share with you when you truly seek. What He has to share is valuable and life changing. You do not want to lose what He tells you.

Helpful Hints on Fasting

Here are some helpful hints and encouragements for you as join together in this fast.

1) This is not a success of fail exercise. This is about seeking God - not accomplishing a goal. Jesus said, "everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."  Matthew 7:8   Focus on Jesus. Seek Him. Do what you can do. Step out in faith and try. If you cannot go 3 days, you still stepped out to seek God and He will answer your prayers. He will meet you when you seek Him.

2) Be healthy. We have said this over and over but do NOT risk your health. If you cannot do this for medical reasons, then DON"T. Do something else.

3) Drink plenty of water. Whether one or three days, you must drink lots of water.

4) Ask a friend you serve with or in your Lifegroup to do it with you. Meet together for prayer instead of breakfast. Hold each other up as you do it together.

5) Share an encouraging word with someone you are close to about met you. Do not make anyone feel guilty about not fasting. We only want to encourage and build up - not tear down.

6) If you go more than one day, please consider drinking something more substantive than water. That is especially true if this is new for you. The point is seeking God, not gutting it out as if you are dieting. Milk, fruit juice, etc. has nutrients and vitamins that will keep you going and strengthen you.

7) Find a verse over the next day that will be a promise and an anchor. Use it when you get hungry to anchor your thoughts to prayer. You can use one on the prayer card or find one from your quiet time.

8) It is often helpful to have a focal point, especially as the hours move on. Use the prayer focus from the prayer card to start. When you are hungry, then focsu on that prayer. As you go along, especially in a multi-day fast God, will lay something else on your heart. The important thing is to get started. Once you get started God will guide you. Just focus and seek.  

Esther - An Invitation to God's Plan

P.R.A.Y

Week of August 19

1 prayer focus each day

1, 2, and 3 day fasts

Jesus prayed - Mark 1: 35-39

Jesus taught us to pray - Matthew 6:5-18

Jesus gave the promise of answered prayer - John 14: 9-18

How to P.R.A.Y. this week - Praise

Praise Jesus for the evidence of His answered promise

Greater works He has done through FBC

Since January 2007, we have seen 332 baptisms.

Of those, 264 were under 18.

Guatemala - 3 trips w 24 people

Alaska - 2 trips w 15 people

Kansas - 1 trip w 17 people

Bulgaria - 1 trip w 5 people

Uruguay   1 trip w 10 people

Since January, 2007, we have given to the Cooperative Program $977,275 through regular tithes plus Five “March to the Manger” offerings, totaling $437,139.71 plus

Mission scholarships

4,292 people made professions of faith through ABSC Missions Ministries.

57 new church planters have been trained and 35 new churches started right here in our own state.

297 kids have found a home   through the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and over 1,778 counseling sessions have been offered to at-risk families.

Baptist Collegiate Ministries across Arkansas led 44 spring break mission trips from 16    different campuses to 18 states and 9 countries.

And your Arkansas CPO Missionaries have had 18,954 consultations with Arkansas Baptists, made over 1,929 church visits, reported 2,753 evangelistic contacts with lost people, and seen 650 people come to know the Lord.

How to P.R.A.Y. this week - Repent

Let God speak to you about any issue He wants to deal with such as,

•         Lack of involvement in light of His promise

•         Lack of faith

•         Lack of prayer

•         Any hindrance, distraction, wrong priority

How to P.R.A.Y. this week - Ask

Do I pray for souls, opportunities, mission teams, my "Love List“?

How to P.R.A.Y. this week - Yield

Am I disobedient in participating in FBC's Great Commission work?

Has God placed a burden on my heart for a person? A ministry?

"Where Did you Get That"

I led a conference Thursday evening at Abbott Baptist Church in Mansfield, Arkansas for the Convention where I spoke to Pastors on the topic was "Where Did You Get That." 

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?

Illustrate - Illustrate means to make clear or to tell a story using drawings, pictures, examples or comparisons. (verb)

 An example of illustrate is to give an example. yourdictionary.com

Creativity - Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.

(page 396, Human Motivation, 3rd ed., by Robert E. Franken) 

Creativity in illustrations…

·        Reflects the character of God as Creator

·        Models the kind of powerful teaching Jesus used

·        Engages the heart and mind together

·        Connects

·        Enhances retention

BIG IDEA: Creativity in illustrating a message is NOT a skill or character trait – but a discipline. 

“Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”  Oscar Wilde

Simple forms of creativity:

·        Change your typical outline format (expositive to topical, use an acrostic, do not alliterate) 

·        Change your delivery method (do not use the pulpit or use one, sit down, change clothes)

·        Use a simple prop

·        Give a take home

·        Place an image or prop on stage to create mood or illustrate a theme (mannequin dressed in the armor of God)

·        Create templates   i.e. LEAD, PRAY, LIFE

·        Use repeated “logos”, i.e. “Adrianisms”

Discipline for “Creating” Illustrations

1. You must have “lead time” for creativity so you must have messages outlined in advance (not necessarily a manuscript).

2. Schedule time to be creative. It must be a scheduled discipline or you will not do it. It does NOT have to be hours or steal all of your time.

·        Set aside the time

·        Have a place

·        Keep a “crock pot” – do not lose ideas, keeps the creative “flow”

  

3. Focus on creating:

·        Create environment

·        Reading list that stirs creativity

·        Tools, i.e. inductive Bible Study method (repetitive concepts)

  

4. Set a goal to hold yourself accountable:

·        Illustrate 1 point in a message

·        Change sermon presentation in the next 3 weeks

·        Do a 4 week series with a theme 

Elements You can Illustrate:

·        Theme for a series

·        Theme for a message – Jesus tree, It all goes back in the box

·        A key point in the message

·        Use to show the big idea

·        Provide a “take home”

·        Cause action as a step of faith – come forward, nail it to the cross, write praises on the wall

Where Do I find Creative Illustrations? 

·        Things you know about – sports, hunting/fishing, World War 2, sailing

·        Various readings selected for creativity – Biblical Archaeology, Answers in Genesis, Popular Mechanics, World Magazine

·        Take advantage of things going on – Olympics, iPods, iPads, GPS, world series, Christmas, opening of deer/duck season, super hero movies 

·        Take advantage of a published series – Bible App (allows time to work on the illustration since substance provided)

·        PLAGIARIZE!

·        Watch churches online

·        Share with other pastors – tonight even!

·        Authors you enjoy, Lucado, Ortberg

·        Creative people in your church

Some Books:

The Power of Multi-sensory Preaching and Teaching  by Rick Blackwood

The Creative Leader  by Ed Young, Jr.

Color Outside the Lines  by Howard Hendricks

Made to Stick (Why some ideas survive and others die)  Chip Heath & Dan Heath