February 2, 2020

SO MUCH MORE: REACHING BEYOND OUR GRASP
February 02, 2020
Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Have you recently done something that was definitely out of your comfort zone? It’s a very stressful thing, isn’t it? Can anyone share?

Open: Today we are ending our series “So Much More,” and at the same time ending a church-wide twenty-one day fast. We had humbly prayed that God would hear our prayers for a year of ‘so much more than we can ask or think,’ both in our church family and within our own physical family. Now we are seeing what we need to get out of our comfort zone, even when we feel somewhat off-balance, and ask God to use our lives to increase His kingdom here on earth.

Key Verse: Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”

I. The Importance of Reaching

    If we are going to see God do infinitely more in the days ahead, we must be faithful in carrying His message outside of our comfort zone.

It is COMMANDED BY GOD

• Read Mark 16:15-16. What are excuses for us to ignore the command in this passage?
• Is there any room for arguing with God about it? (Think of Moses, when he was called by God to lead Israel out of Egypt; what did he do?)

It is GOD’S PLAN FOR ALL OF US

• Read 2 Peter 3:9. What did Peter mean that God isn’t being slow about returning? When you think of your family, how long do you want God to hold off coming back for His children?
• Who does God not desire to be saved?

His love COMPELS US

• Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. What is our responsibility once we have experienced salvation?
• How can we tell that we have died to our old life?

The world NEEDS JESUS

• Read Ephesians 2:1-3. What is Satan’s strategy?
• What made the difference between our new life and the life we lived before hearing the Gospel?

Time is SHORT

• Read Matt. 24:36. Have you lived through a situation where you should have died? How did you feel? Did it leave a lasting impression?

II. Reasons Why We Don’t Reach

    What keeps us from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ?

We don’t know the GOSPEL OURSELVES

• How many verses do you have confidence you know—and would be able to use—if someone asks you how to be saved?
• Do you feel you would be able to simply tell your own story of salvation? Why or why not?

We don’t care where some people SPEND ETERNITY

• Read Hebrews 9:27. Are there people you passionately care about that are facing an eternity in a very real place called Hell?
• Without naming names or relationships, can you think of some you feel sure are going to Hell, and it doesn’t bother you?

We worry about what PEOPLE MAY THINK

• What is the true, bottom-line reason that we don’t tell others about Jesus?
• Read 1 Tim. 3:6. If your answer was “pride,” what does Paul liken it to? What is the devil’s fate going to be? Is that the same as the person with pride? Read Ezek. 28:17a. What was Satan’s sin?

III. Let’s Remember the Gospel

    A synopsis of sharing our faith

God is our LOVING CREATOR

• Read John 1:1-5. How perfect was creation at the beginning?

His creation is FULL OF SIN

• Read Romans 3:23. Why did sin spread to the world?
• Do we have a choice to sin or to be holy? Explain your answer.

Jesus paid FOR OUR SINS

• Read Rom. 3:24. What has freed us from the penalty due our sin?
• Read 1 John 4:10. Can someone explain the debt of sin against us, and what Jesus did?

We receive this payment THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST                                                               

• Read Rom. 6:23. What is the difference between “wages” earned, and a gift?
• Read John 3:16 and Romans 5:1. What is the only way of salvation?

The result of our faith is ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD

• Read John 10:27-30. What does Jesus promise believers in this passage?
• Why did He willingly go to the Cross?

Close:

What an eye-opening series this has proven to be! One doesn’t realize how far into apathy we can fall until a point in a message shakes us awake. It’s easy to let the trap of a busy life lull us into a habit of distancing ourselves from the world, and a closer examination will expose a life that has become unintentionally withdrawn from people who differ greatly from ourselves.

Many may work in a profession where the number of employees is few and  possibly similar in race and values. Assuming this to be true, by the time they get home from work (40 hours per week on the average—and most of the time more), and sleep, or be home at least ten hours per night, they have possibly 58 hours left in their week. For those, Sunday (or another day off) may be the day when errands have to be run, leaving about 44, or slightly more than 6 per day. Meals (or dine out), and any extra-curricular activities for the children or grandchildren will eat that up, and suddenly the extra time for the social life of a church member, i.e., life groups, week-night classes or prayer meetings, get shoved to the side. In the end, it’s easy to cancel thoughts of any additional nights (soul winning, visitation, house groups, etc.), because there’s no “me time” left. And, without a doubt, it is busy! Satan’s tactic in this day and age is the use of a busy lifestyle. But if we are not in a large workplace we can become sheltered from unbelievers.

What is the answer? Without a doubt it’s going to take an intentional schedule change. When something needs to be added to one’s schedule—like a once a week night of witnessing—something else has to go. As we know, the command to win souls is God’s will for us, and therefore the lack of doing so can become sin in the lives of some believers. We are not speaking of those who are hampered by a season of duties that seems to have no answer. If this is truly the case in your life, perhaps you can arrange your schedule at home at some point so that you can become a true Prayer Warrior, lifting up those who need salvation on a very regular basis. What it boils down to is the defining point: are you concerned enough about God’s business to make adjustments in your own life, or do you perhaps find yourself in a not-too-concerned mindset as people all around you every day are actually dying in their lost condition, and going to Hell for all eternity? It’s definitely a situation that may get us out of that comfort zone!