Christians of influence
Speaker: Debbie Gould
Date: 25th January 2014
Passage: Galatians 1:1-24
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 Well, good morning once again to you.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:07 It was interesting this morning as I was driving up to church
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 and I had Hope 103.2 on.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 Simon Manchester today is preaching on Galatians,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:18 which was somewhat intimidating, I have to say.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 But it was Galatians chapter 3.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 And he has done a couple of other sermons in previous weeks.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 So if you want to hear some more on Galatians,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 I'd commend going to the website of Hope
00:00:31 --> 00:00:35 and listening to Simon's messages also.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 Let me pray for us.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:41 Our Father and our Lord, we thank you that you give us your word.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 We thank you that you give us the privilege
00:00:44 --> 00:00:48 of being able to meet together today
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 and to look at your word.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:54 And so, Father, I ask that you would use the words that I say,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 that by your spirit you would touch each of our hearts
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 that we would be changed people,
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 that we would serve you,
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 that we would be people of influence
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 for your gospel's sake, in Jesus' name.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:07 Amen.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 Well, I've titled this message
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Being a Person of Influence.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 And I'm wondering, is that you?
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 Or is that me?
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 Do you want to be a person of influence?
00:01:21 --> 00:01:25 Do you want to influence how other people think?
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 What their attitudes are?
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 How they act?
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 I looked up who the Times magazine
00:01:32 --> 00:01:37 believe the top 100 most influential people are.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 Now, you'll be pleased to know that Jesus is number one.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 Martin Luther comes in at number 17.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 Albert Einstein is 19.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 Elvis Presley is down at 69.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:57 And way down the list is John Calvin, who is at 99.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 Now, the question for you today is,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 do you want to be a person of influence?
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 With humility, you might answer that question
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 by saying, no, no, no, my goal is not,
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 that is not my goal in life.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 My goal isn't to be egocentric.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 It's not about influence.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 It's about God's influence.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 I don't want to be influential.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 I want to be faithful.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 Which all sounds really quite wonderful.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 And it's a great sentiment.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 But in actual fact, I'm not sure that it's biblical.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 If you are a parent,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 I am quite certain that you would wish
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 to be influential towards your children,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:51 towards their behaviours, their attitudes, their values.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:56 If you are a boss or a leader of any kind,
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 I'm certain you will be wanting to influence
00:03:00 --> 00:03:04 those people under you in a positive way.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 If you have siblings,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 if you have nieces and nephews,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 if you're a godparent,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 hopefully you are wanting to influence in the right way.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 Jesus is the most influential person.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 We know that.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 Even the Times Magazine knows that.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:28 And even those who do not even know Jesus
00:03:28 --> 00:03:32 or follow Jesus have been influenced by him.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:38 And Paul, the writer of this letter to the churches in Galatia,
00:03:39 --> 00:03:44 is certainly the second most influential person
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 in the history of the church.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 Although in the Times list,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 which of course we're not going to place a lot of credence on it,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 but in the Times list,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 Paul comes in at number 39.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 But we know better if we're looking at church history.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 As Christians,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 we are called to influence
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 for the sake of the gospel
00:04:08 --> 00:04:13 and for the grace that is shown in the gospel.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 For some time,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:19 I actually thought Paul was extremely arrogant.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:20 In actual fact,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 when I first became a Christian,
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 I didn't like anything Paul said.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:29 And I based it all on the verse that he had in 1 Corinthians,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 where he said,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 imitate me as I imitate Christ.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:37 I couldn't think of a more arrogant thing
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 that somebody could say.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 But I've learnt over the years, thankfully,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:46 that the emphasis is about imitating Jesus.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 Jesus is the one who is doing the influencing here.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 Further, in 1 Corinthians,
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 in chapter 11,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 we see Paul say,
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 follow my example
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 as I follow the example of Christ.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:02 Christ.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 It's all about Jesus.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 And the Bible says
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 that we are to be the light of the world
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 and the salt of the earth,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 which is just another metaphorical way
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 of speaking about influence.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 We are called to be lights
00:05:19 --> 00:05:23 so that others will move away from the darkness
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 toward the light of Christ.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:29 Now, we're not shining our light
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 so that people will follow us.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 If we're making it all about us,
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 then we are being ungodly
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 and we are being sinful.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 We're letting our light shine,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 we are letting the light shine through us
00:05:47 --> 00:05:51 so that others might know
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 what a great and glorious God
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 that we are serving.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 And if we want to follow,
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 if we want to influence others
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 to follow Christ,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:07 we will be greatly encouraged
00:06:07 --> 00:06:11 and they too will come to a relationship of Jesus.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 Influencing others
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 so that they influence us
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 is not what we're on about.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 But how do we do that?
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 Well, back to our passage,
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 Paul founded the churches in Galatia
00:06:29 --> 00:06:33 during his missionary travels in Asia Minor.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 Most of the converts were Gentile pagans.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 The Galatians had heard
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 Paul's preaching of Jesus Christ crucified.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 They had accepted the message
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 with glad hearts.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 They were baptised
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 and they had experienced
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 dramatic manifestations of the Spirit.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 The churches were running really well
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 when Paul had left that area.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 But time went by
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 and then Paul had heard
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 what was actually happening then, now.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 And at the time of Paul writing this letter,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:11 the churches were experiencing trouble.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 Paul's work was being undermined
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 by a group of converted Jews
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 who were trying to
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 blend the traditions
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 of their Jewish heritage
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 with the Christian gospel.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 And to do so,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 were preaching
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 what Paul calls
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 a different gospel.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 They tried to convince
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 the Galatian churches
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 that they needed to be circumcised
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 to be full or true Christians.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 Now, when Paul heard about this teaching,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 he immediately sent off
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 this letter to the churches.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 And in verse 7,
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 we see that Paul believed
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 that the different gospel
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 that they were hearing
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 was in actual fact
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 a perverted gospel.
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 Pretty strong word.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 He's shocked that they are
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 turning to a different gospel.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 And in verse 7 says,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 which is no gospel at all.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 Evidently, some people
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 are throwing you into confusion
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 and are trying to pervert
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 the gospel of Christ.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 Therefore, he wanted
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 to influence the Galatians
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 toward the gospel of grace.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 And we too
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 need to become people of influence
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 for the sake of the gospel
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 of Jesus Christ
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 and the gospel of grace.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 You might be thinking
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 that you don't wish
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 to be a person
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 of influence at all.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 But let me say very clearly,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 as far as the gospel goes,
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 we have to be
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 a person of influence.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 And whether we like it or not,
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 we are people of influence.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 The difference is,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 we will either be
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 influencing people
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 toward Jesus
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 or we will be
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 influencing people
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 to ignore him
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 and to turn their back
00:09:04 --> 00:09:04 on him.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 There is no middle road
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 for a Christian.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 Let me repeat it.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 It will either be
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 influencing people
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 toward Jesus
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 or we will be
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 influencing people
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 to ignore him
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 or to turn our back
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 on him.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 At the end of chapter 1,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 Paul concludes a defence
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 of his leadership
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 and message
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 in the regions
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 of Syria
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 and Cilicia
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 and Jerusalem
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 by saying,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 and they praised God
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 because of me.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 One of those statements
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 that in years gone by
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 I would have had trouble with.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 Would you like people
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 to say that of you?
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 Would you like people
00:09:47 --> 00:09:47 to say
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 they praised me?
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 Would you like them
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 to say that they praised God
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 because of what you did?
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 Paul wasn't saying
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 that they praised me
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 because of what I did.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 He's saying
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 that they praised God.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 This is an enormous
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 responsibility.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 I want to commend
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 Paul's statement
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 to us here at St. Paul's.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 Chatswood
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 wouldn't it be
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 just terrific
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 if the people
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 in Willoughby
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 in Chatswood
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 were to praise God
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 because of what
00:10:27 --> 00:10:27 the people
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 at St. Paul's Chatswood
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 did and said
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 and were
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 and are.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 Wouldn't that
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 be fantastic?
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 We would be testimony
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 to the gospel of grace
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 and all that God
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 has given us.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 What did Paul do
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 to lead to this
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 praise of God?
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 And consequently
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 what must we do
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 to have a similar influence?
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 Because it's all
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 well and good
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 to know that Paul's
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 done this
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 but we need to
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 actually learn from it.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 So first of all
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 we need to seek
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 God's approval
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 over above
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 all else.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 Listen to Paul's words
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 again from verse 10.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 Am I now trying
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 to win the approval
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 of men
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 or of God?
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 Or am I striving
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 to please men?
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 If I were striving
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 to please men
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 I would not be
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 a servant of Christ.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 Right away
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 we see
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 the beginning point
00:11:27 --> 00:11:27 in becoming
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 a person of influence
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 is grounded
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 in our seeking
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 God's approval
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 rather than
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 man's approval.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 This is the
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 great irony.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 To become a person
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 of influence
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 influence
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 for Jesus Christ
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 you cannot be
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 motivated
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 by pleasing
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 men and women.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 You are being
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 called
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 to have people
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 follow you
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 who aren't
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 necessarily
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 going to be
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 pleased with you.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 Our base
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 instincts
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 tell us
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 that we must
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 please
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 people
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 if we want
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 to influence
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 them.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 They must
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 like us.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 They must agree
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 with us.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 They must
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 think like us.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 Politicians
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 preachers
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 and people
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 in all walks
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 of life
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 make this
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 mistake.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 Every time
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 you are
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 disappointed
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 by another's
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 reaction
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 or a lack
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 of reaction
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 to what you
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 have said
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 or done
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 I want you
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 to ask
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 yourself this
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 who is
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 in my
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 grandstand?
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 That is
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 if we
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 are doing
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 good deeds
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 and saying
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 nice things
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 so that we
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 are applauded
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 by people
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 or applauded
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 by a person
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 then they
00:12:46 --> 00:12:46 are the ones
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 in our
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 grandstand.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 They're the
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 ones we
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 are performing
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 for.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 If we are
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 serving quietly
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 knowing we
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 are serving
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 the Lord
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 and it is
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 only the
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 Lord who
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 we are
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 wanting to
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 please
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 then it is
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 the Lord
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 who is in
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 our grandstand.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 Now
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 don't get me
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 wrong here
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 it is
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 right and
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 proper
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 that we
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 give thanks
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 to people
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 and that
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 people
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 and are
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 given thanks
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 for the
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 things that
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 we have
00:13:19 --> 00:13:19 done.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 The difference
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 is we
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 are not
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 dependent
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 on the
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 thanks from
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 another person
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 to know
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 and to
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 feel
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 whole and
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 secure
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 as a
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 person.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 and the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:33 reason for
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 that is
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 because we
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 are secure
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 in Christ
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 and his
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 love for
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 us in
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 all that
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 we do
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 and say
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 and be.
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 It is
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 that freedom
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 in Christ
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 that you
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 have heard
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 me mention
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 in years
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 gone by.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 Here's the
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 common mistake
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 though.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 There is a
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 difference
00:13:53 --> 00:13:53 between
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 being people
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 of influence
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 and being
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 people
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 who are
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 popular.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 Someone
00:14:02 --> 00:14:02 can be
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 very,
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 very popular
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 with large
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 masses of
00:14:05 --> 00:14:05 people and
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 not exert
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 any influence.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 Someone
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 like Paris
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 Hilton
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 is very
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 popular.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 Maybe not
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 so with
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 this group
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 of people
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 and certainly
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 not with
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 me but
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 she doesn't
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 exert
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 much influence.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 The same
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 goes for
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 many television
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 stars,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 for sports
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 heroes.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 Yes,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 they're all
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 well known
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 and yes,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 the sporting
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 stars might
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 be able to
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 give some
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 very good
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 tips on
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 how to
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 kick that
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 ball or
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 how to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 hit that
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 bat but
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 do they
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 influence for
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 good in
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 an eternal
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 sense?
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 They may be
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 very popular
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 but they
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 are not
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 influential.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 Paul had
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 made his
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 commitment to
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 Jesus Christ
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 known in
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 the churches
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 of Galatia.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 He was a
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 servant to
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 Christ and
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 that was
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 his baseline
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 priority.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 Naturally,
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 he wanted to
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 win the
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 Galatians to
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 his point of
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 view.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 The gospel
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 of grace
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 that he
00:15:08 --> 00:15:08 preached
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 didn't need
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 to be
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 supplemented
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 by a
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 legalistic
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 commitment
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 to the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 Mosaic
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 law.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 He preached
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 Christ
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 crucified
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 and Christ
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 as the
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 only hope
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 of salvation.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 There was
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 nothing else
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 necessary for
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 salvation
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 other than
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 a simple
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 faith in
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 Christ.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 In the
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 end,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 his devotion
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 to the
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 revelation
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 given him
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 increased his
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 influence and
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 today we
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 require no
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 one to be
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 circumcised in
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 order to be
00:15:39 --> 00:15:39 a Christian.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 But we can
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 fall into a
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 similar trap
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 in the Christian
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 church today of
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 adding to the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 gospel in a
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 similar way.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 church.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 When I first
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 became a
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 Christian,
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 there was a
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 huge movement
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 that said to
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 be truly
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 Christian you
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 must speak in
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 tongues.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 That speaking in
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 tongues was the
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 confirmation that
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 you were born
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 again.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:10 Now this of
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 course is wrong,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 we know that
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 now.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 I personally
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 believe that
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 speaking in
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 tongues is a
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 gift of God's.
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 religion.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 But those who
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 speak in tongues
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 are no more
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 saved, they are
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 no more important,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 they are no more
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 spiritual than any
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 person who
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 doesn't.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 That very strict
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 movement has
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 changed over time
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 and it has
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 nearly disappeared
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 but I still know
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 of one church or
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 maybe you'd call it
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 a denomination
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 Christian that
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 still believe it
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 to be true and
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 so any member of
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 their church has
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 to speak in tongues
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 for them to be
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 truly Christian.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 And I would say
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 and I think
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 scripture also
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 says that it is
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 a perverted
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 gospel.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 But even today
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 there are some
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 more subtle ways
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 that we might like
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 to add to the
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 gospel.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 Some might
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 question what
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 version of the
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 Bible you use
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 will determine
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 how spiritual
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 you are.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 I remember a
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 friend of mine
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 many years ago
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 being invited to
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 a church and she
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 took a good news
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 Bible.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 She was told to
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 take a Bible to
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 the church so she
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 took a good news
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 Bible, that
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 version.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 She wasn't allowed
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 to take it into
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 the church.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 She had to leave
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 it at the door.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 So there are some
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 very odd things
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 happening in our
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 world.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 But there are
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 things of what
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 sort of Bible we
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 use.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 Others might
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 think that a
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 true Christian
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 might say set
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 prayers or do
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 church in a
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 particular way and
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 that makes you
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 more spiritual.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 Others might
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 think that the
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 ministries that
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 you are involved
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 in makes you
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 more spiritual and
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 confirms that you
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 are truly saved.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 Now these things
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 in themselves,
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 there's nothing
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 wrong with them.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 The problem is
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 that if you
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 elevate them and
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 believe that they
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 are essential to
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 you being saved
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 or that you
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 are better than
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 others or that
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 Jesus loves you
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 because you are
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 doing these things,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 then dare I say
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 you have perverted
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 the gospel of
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 grace.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 And if you want to
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 be a person of
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 lasting influence in
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 your life, your
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 home, your family,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 your work, your
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 school or university,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 people will need to
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 see a similar
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 unwavering devotion
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 to Jesus Christ as
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 we see here with
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 Paul.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 Even if this means
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 you will be unpopular
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 for a time, in the
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 long run your
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 influence will
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 expand.
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 If people see that
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 you are uncompromising,
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 see your uncompromising
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 devotion to our
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 Lord, that doesn't
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 mean that everybody
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 will necessarily
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 turn and become
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 a Christian, that
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 would be wonderful,
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 but they are more
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 likely to follow the
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 one you call Lord
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 if they see that he
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 truly is your Lord
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 seven days a week
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 and not just at
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 particular times of
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 the week like a
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 Sunday.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 Secondly, to be a
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 person of influence
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 we need to understand
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 God's mission for
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 our lives.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 Now verse 11
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 says,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 I want you to
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 know brothers that
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 the gospel I
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 preached is not
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 something that man
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 made up.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 I did not receive
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 it from any man
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 nor was I taught
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 it, rather I
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 received it by
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 revelation from
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 Jesus Christ.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 Skipping down to
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 verse 15,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 but when God who
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 set me apart from
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 birth called me by
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 his grace was
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 pleased to reveal
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 his son in me so
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 that I might preach
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 him among the
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 Gentiles, I did not
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 consult any man.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 Now Paul here is
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 doing a number of
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 things.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 He's giving his
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 testimony as to how
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 he came to know
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 Jesus.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 He's also pointing
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 out that God spoke
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 to him directly
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 through his grace
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 contrary to what
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 those who were
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 teaching a perverted
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 gospel believed.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 They wanted to say
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 that every revelation
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 had come to,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 every revelation had
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 to come from people
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 in authority like
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 themselves who were
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 saturated in the
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 teachings from
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 Jerusalem.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 Apparently in their
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 view the only place
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 where revelation can
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 come from is from
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 Jerusalem.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 And Paul's testimony
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 is unique.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 I don't know anyone
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 who has had the same
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 type of conversion as
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 Paul has, although
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 over the years I've
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 heard some pretty
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 amazing transformations
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 in people's lives but
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 not the same as
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 Paul.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 But he is also
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 smashing the idea
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 that the gospel of
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 grace is from God
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 alone and does not
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 need additional
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 rituals or behaviours
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 that might come from
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 religious legalists.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 Now don't
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 misunderstand what
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 is being said here.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 We cannot go around
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 declaring whatever we
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 want and say we have a
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 revelation from God
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 alone.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 Absolutely everything
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 needs to align with
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 scripture and the
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 gospel of grace.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 That is, Jesus is the
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 son of God, died and
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 rose from the dead,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 conquering death and
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 opening the way for us
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 to be forgiven of our
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 sins and to live
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 eternally in relationship
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 with him.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 Paul's revelation from
00:21:46 --> 00:21:49 God was from God.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:51 He didn't consult the
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 apostles in Jerusalem.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:55 He went to Arabia and
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 you might like to ask
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 what is in Arabia?
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 Well, we don't know
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 really.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 But we suspect that he
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 spent the three years
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 reading the Hebrew
00:22:07 --> 00:22:10 scriptures through the
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 lens of his experience
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 with Jesus Christ and
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 refining his
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 understanding of Christ's
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 revelation to him
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 through the scriptures.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 After three years in the
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 desert, he finally went up
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 to Jerusalem to get
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 acquainted with Peter.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 Even then, he only
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 stayed 15 days.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 And during that time, he
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 met James, the brother of
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 Jesus, but he didn't
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 speak to any other
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 apostles.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:37 Now, why give all of
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 this tedious detail?
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 Well, Paul wants to make
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 a point very clear.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 Jesus came to him
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 directly and called him
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 to be a missionary to the
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 Gentiles.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:52 No person persuaded him.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 Remember those who were
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 perverting the gospel that I
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 mentioned earlier on?
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 They believed that any
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 revelation had to come
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 through men like
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 themselves.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 So, Paul is making it very
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 clear that his conversion,
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 his revelation, the mission
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 that he is being given, is
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 direct from God.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 Part of being a person of
00:23:14 --> 00:23:17 influence is determining what
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 your mission in life is.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 Now, in our 2020 booklet
00:23:22 --> 00:23:26 here, we have, this helps us
00:23:26 --> 00:23:28 know our mission.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:33 In it, it tells us, in
00:23:33 --> 00:23:36 Romans 12, 2, do not
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 conform any longer to the
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 pattern of this world, but be
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 transformed by the renewing of
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 your mind.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 Then you will be able to test
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 and approve what God's will
00:23:46 --> 00:23:49 is, his good, pleasing and
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 perfect will.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:54 Romans 12, 2 encourages us
00:23:54 --> 00:23:57 to be transformed and in so
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 doing, we will know God's
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 will for us.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 We will be able to discern
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 what is good, what is
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 acceptable and what is
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 perfect.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 This is our mission.
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 Our mission is to be
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 transformed into the likeness
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 of Christ.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 Christ.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:14 We can do that in any type
00:24:14 --> 00:24:17 of work, any hobby, any
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 career.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 We can be transformed.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Sometimes God will direct us
00:24:22 --> 00:24:25 very clearly into a particular
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 mission.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 Other times, our mission may
00:24:29 --> 00:24:32 come through trial and error in
00:24:32 --> 00:24:34 trying to serve God where you
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 are.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:40 But we will never be clear of God
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 leading us if we are half
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 hearted about our commitment to
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 him.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 Let me repeat it.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 We will never be clear of God
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 leading us if we are half
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 hearted about our commitment to
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 him.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:58 For many people, the Christian
00:24:58 --> 00:25:01 faith is just one of many
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 options for them.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 They are committed to God
00:25:04 --> 00:25:07 unless it gets in the way of
00:25:07 --> 00:25:10 making more money or unless
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 there is a better social
00:25:12 --> 00:25:15 invitation or a relationship
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 that is not going to be helpful
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 to their walk with God but that
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 is chosen as a priority.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 Or there are family engagements
00:25:23 --> 00:25:25 that take priority.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:28 Or there is sport becomes a
00:25:28 --> 00:25:30 priority and when the season is
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 over, then they are back in
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 church.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 They are happy to please God
00:25:36 --> 00:25:39 as long as God is willing to
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 take a back seat to their
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 personal agenda that they have
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 worked out all on their own.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 They want to find their purpose in
00:25:47 --> 00:25:50 life but not if it means if they
00:25:50 --> 00:25:53 have to sacrifice or suffer or take
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 some kind of risk.
00:25:55 --> 00:26:00 Too often we want the mission of
00:26:00 --> 00:26:03 God that he gives us to fit
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 comfortably around our chosen
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 lifestyle.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:10 The truth is we will only see God's
00:26:10 --> 00:26:13 purpose for our lives when we are
00:26:13 --> 00:26:16 prepared to give ourselves wholly to
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 him.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:19 Do you want to be a person of
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 influence?
00:26:19 --> 00:26:23 Then get alone with God and allow
00:26:23 --> 00:26:26 him to transform you in every way.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 Which leads me to the third point.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 And that is to become a person of
00:26:32 --> 00:26:36 influence we must invest the time it
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39 takes to establish credibility.
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 It's not something that happens
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 overnight.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 It takes time.
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 In verse 18 we see that Paul spent
00:26:46 --> 00:26:49 three years in Arabia and Damascus
00:26:49 --> 00:26:52 preparing for his life's work and
00:26:52 --> 00:26:55 in the beginning of chapter 2 we see
00:26:55 --> 00:26:58 Paul waited another 14 years before
00:26:58 --> 00:27:00 going to see the leaders of
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 Jerusalem.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:06 He spent 17 years preparing for the
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08 work that God had called him to do.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 He didn't spend the 17 years doing
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 nothing I might add.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 He was preaching the whole time.
00:27:14 --> 00:27:17 But it took that long before he
00:27:17 --> 00:27:20 received the full endorsement from
00:27:20 --> 00:27:22 the church leaders in Jerusalem.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 I find that absolutely staggering.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:28 In other words Paul's message and
00:27:28 --> 00:27:31 ministry were not based on a short
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 term whim.
00:27:33 --> 00:27:35 He stood the test of time and he
00:27:35 --> 00:27:37 proved that he was in it for the
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 long haul.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:42 Are you in it for the long haul?
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 Paul.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 Now we are not Paul.
00:27:45 --> 00:27:48 We most probably, I'm you know sort
00:27:48 --> 00:27:51 of a prophetic word here, not going
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53 to be asked to go to Arabia for three
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 years.
00:27:54 --> 00:27:56 I feel that I'm fairly safe on saying
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 that.
00:27:58 --> 00:28:02 But we can make some plans for the
00:28:02 --> 00:28:05 future under God to set ourself goals
00:28:05 --> 00:28:08 for our devotion time with God.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:11 Maybe have a goal of a specific reading
00:28:11 --> 00:28:14 plan, specific Christian books that are
00:28:14 --> 00:28:17 going to feed our soul so that we grow
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 spiritually.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:23 Maybe we need to address our attendance
00:28:23 --> 00:28:26 at church and be more regular in 2014,
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 2015 and so on.
00:28:30 --> 00:28:33 Maybe it's about our community group and
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 the commitment that we have to our
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 community group.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:42 We need to grow in confidence in sharing
00:28:42 --> 00:28:45 Jesus with those around us, with our
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 friends and our family.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:50 That indeed in our conversation we can
00:28:50 --> 00:28:53 share Jesus in such a non-threatening
00:28:53 --> 00:28:57 way that it is normal and it's not
00:28:57 --> 00:29:00 freaky that we are a follower of Jesus.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:04 And right here and without shame I will
00:29:04 --> 00:29:09 just say to help you do that, just walk
00:29:09 --> 00:29:12 across the room starts next week at 3.30.
00:29:12 --> 00:29:15 I would love to see many of you at it.
00:29:16 --> 00:29:19 This is a simple course that will help
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 you in those conversations that you have
00:29:21 --> 00:29:24 with friends and family about Jesus, how to
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26 start those conversations.
00:29:26 --> 00:29:33 We need to learn and to take opportunity to
00:29:33 --> 00:29:37 learn to be these people of influence.
00:29:38 --> 00:29:40 We can put all opportunities for your
00:29:40 --> 00:29:43 growth in front of you but in the end you
00:29:43 --> 00:29:45 actually have to take them up.
00:29:47 --> 00:29:51 So the Apostle Paul was the last person any
00:29:51 --> 00:29:55 Christian would expect to exercise leadership
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 in the early church.
00:29:57 --> 00:30:00 Remember he was a zealous persecutor of
00:30:00 --> 00:30:02 Christians before God called him.
00:30:03 --> 00:30:06 The impact that he spent the rest of his
00:30:06 --> 00:30:09 life faithful to Jesus and committed to
00:30:09 --> 00:30:11 carrying out the mission set before him.
00:30:12 --> 00:30:15 He invested time and energy.
00:30:15 --> 00:30:18 You may not have a call to be a missionary
00:30:18 --> 00:30:22 or a preacher but God wants you to be a
00:30:22 --> 00:30:26 person of influence for someone, somewhere.
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 It might be your children.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 It might be your grandchildren.
00:30:30 --> 00:30:33 It might be a neighbour, a co-worker,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:36 another person in this church, a family
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 member, a fellow student.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:40 It might be a young person needing a role
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 model.
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44 It might be someone that you have not yet met.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:48 God is preparing you to be a person of
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 influence.
00:30:50 --> 00:30:53 If you will put him first in your life and
00:30:53 --> 00:31:00 seek only his approval, discover and commit
00:31:00 --> 00:31:03 to the mission of being transformed and
00:31:03 --> 00:31:06 invest yourself daily in growing in your
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 relationship with Jesus.
00:31:07 --> 00:31:12 Perhaps it might take years, it might take
00:31:12 --> 00:31:18 decades, but you will exert influence for
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 which you have been called.
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 It won't happen today.
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 It won't happen overnight.
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 But it will happen.
00:31:25 --> 00:31:27 But it takes a long time.
00:31:27 --> 00:31:31 Remember, it is all about Jesus.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 That's who we live for.
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35 That's who we influence for.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 Amen.