Participants:
Series Code: IIWSS
Program Code: IIWSS023045S
|
00:00 [music]
00:13 [music ends] 00:16 >>Eric Flickinger: Welcome to "Sabbath School," 00:17 brought to you by It Is Written. 00:19 We're glad that you could join us again this week. 00:22 This week, we're looking at lesson number 6, 00:24 "Motivation and Preparation for Mission." 00:27 What can we do to get motivated, 00:29 and what can we do to get prepared? 00:31 That's what we're looking at this week. 00:33 Let's begin with prayer. 00:34 Father, we thank You for being with us today, 00:36 as You inspire and encourage us to be involved in the sharing 00:41 of Your message of hope and love with the world, 00:43 and we ask that today You would help us to learn 00:46 how we can get ready to do that very thing. 00:49 We thank You, in Jesus' name, amen. 00:52 Well, we're grateful to be able to welcome back 00:55 on the program again Greg Whitsett. 00:57 He is the planning director at Adventist Mission. 01:00 Greg, welcome back again. 01:01 >>Greg Whitsett: Thank you. 01:02 >>Eric: So we're looking at something that is, 01:04 I know, near and dear to your heart, 01:05 "Motivation and Preparation for Mission." 01:07 And there are many different ways that we could go, 01:11 many different directions that we could take 01:13 to look at this subject, 01:15 but we want to kind of narrow it down. 01:17 So, get us headed 01:18 in the right direction, if you would. 01:21 >>Greg: Oh, absolutely. Again, I start with story, 01:24 because there's so much in a story, 01:26 and I love that exegetical digging out of a story. 01:30 What's the message for us? 01:31 So, we're going to be looking at Luke 24 and Acts 1 and 2 01:35 as the main passages for this lesson. 01:39 >>Eric: All right, get us started. 01:40 >>Greg: Yeah, what we have here is very interesting. 01:42 You know, why is it that God needs us, right? 01:47 He's much more eloquent than we are. 01:50 He could do it much better than we do. 01:53 But and yet God does call us. 01:55 You know, even the rocks can cry out, 01:57 right, to do this work. 01:58 Balaam's donkey even kind of had instructions for Balaam, 02:01 to warn him of his potential rebellion from God's will. 02:05 So, why does He need us? 02:07 Well, the reality is, is that we are transformed 02:11 when we allow God to use us in mission. 02:13 And so if we're interested in our own salvation, 02:17 if we're interested in being transformed 02:19 into Christ's character, 02:21 then we'd better be also interested in mission 02:23 because that's God's heart. 02:25 Jesus came to seek and save the lost. 02:27 That's His whole focus. 02:28 You know, the whole heaven erupts 02:30 in praises and celebration 02:32 when one soul turns to Christ. 02:34 So, this is the whole focus of heaven, 02:36 so I would hope that it would be our focus, too. 02:41 And what's interesting is at the beginning of this lesson, 02:44 there's a passage in Philippians, chapter 1, 02:47 and it probably wouldn't hurt us to take a quick look at that. 02:51 Philippians, chapter 1, which we remember is a letter 02:56 that Paul wrote while he was in chains, he was in prison, 03:02 but in verses 15 to 18, Paul points out 03:07 that "Some indeed preach Christ"--how?-- 03:10 "even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 03:15 "the former preach Christ from selfish ambition, 03:17 "not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 03:21 "but the latter out of love, 03:23 "knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 03:26 "What then? 03:28 "Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, 03:31 "Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, 03:33 yes, and [I] will rejoice." 03:35 We often are motivated by numbers, 03:38 or we're motivated by this and by that and everything else. 03:40 Well, Paul's making it very clear: 03:43 the most important thing is that Christ is preached. 03:45 But motivation does matter. 03:46 We obviously want to be preaching in sincerity, 03:49 to serving and blessing people out of a sense of love 03:52 because that's where Christ and where God is working from. 03:55 But there's actually six things that I want to look at 03:57 in Luke 24 and Acts 1 and 2. 04:01 I just want to say it up front because it's not explicit 04:03 in the way the lesson is written, but it's there. 04:06 And these are key elements 04:08 for our motivation and preparation. 04:10 The first one is it all begins 04:12 with what our experience is with Jesus Himself. 04:14 We have to have a personal experience 04:16 for it to be a genuine love that we are motivated by. 04:19 Second is the grounding in the prophecy 04:22 and in the Word of God. Mission starts from there. 04:25 The third one is united prayer with the body of faith, 04:30 the body of Christ. 04:32 Third is the organization and readiness for mission. 04:34 Then, of course, the outpouring, 04:36 the infilling of the Holy Spirit. 04:37 And last is our relationship with the unbelievers, 04:40 with the community. So, these are the six things 04:42 we're going to take a quick look at. 04:43 >>Eric: All right, so let's go to Luke, chapter 24 now. 04:47 And as we take a look at this story, 04:49 you're focusing on discouragement 04:52 and doubts that turn into joy and belief. 04:55 How does this transformation take place? 04:57 What do we see happening here in Luke 24? 05:00 >>Greg: you know, the physician Luke, 05:01 who wrote Luke/Acts, his whole theme is joy 05:05 and how people's lives are turned upside down 05:08 by who Jesus is and what He is doing. 05:11 Luke 24 starts with the darkest of moments, 05:13 you know, just despair, everything, all hope, 05:17 all plans, everything has ended, 05:19 and Jesus is in the tomb. 05:20 The women go out to embalm Jesus' body 05:23 because they couldn't finish before the Sabbath had begun. 05:25 So they're going back to finish up that work. 05:28 And as they come to the tomb, of course, 05:32 Jesus is not there. 05:34 And instead, there's an angel who speaks to them: 05:36 "Who are you looking for?" 05:38 And he reminds them of Jesus' words, 05:41 that He would rise on the third day, 05:43 and the women remembered. 05:45 A very powerful verse, verse 8 of Luke 24: 05:49 "And they remembered His words," Jesus' words. 05:53 Remembering is another theme in Scripture 05:54 that when we forget, it gets us in trouble. 05:56 So, they remember His words, 05:58 but then they do what anyone would do. 06:00 They go and share good news, right? 06:03 So you see that missionary task already beginning, 06:05 but their audience, the rest of the disciples, 06:08 the men who weren't a part of this embalming process, 06:11 they hear, and their response is very interesting as well. 06:16 And, in fact, let's look at it in verse 11: 06:19 "And their words seemed to them like idle tales, 06:23 and they did not believe them." 06:25 The phrase "idle tales," I think of, you know, 06:27 old wives' tales that are, you know, just gossip. 06:30 But, you know, these people, they're thinking these women, 06:33 they're just, you know, 06:35 emotionally overwhelmed by everything, 06:38 and they're starting to see apparitions that aren't real, 06:40 you know, figments of their imagination. 06:43 But Peter runs to see, and when he looks, 06:47 he just--the text says there in verse 12, 06:50 he marvels "to himself... what had happened," 06:53 which is the word "he wonders." 06:56 He's, like, he's perplexed, because he, at this point, 06:59 did not remember what had happened. 07:01 What's interesting is that he does not have 07:04 that remembrance experience. 07:06 And so everybody's upset. 07:08 So then we go on, and there's, of course, 07:09 the road to Emmaus, 07:11 and the disciples's eyes are opened, 07:13 but I want to skip ahead to verse 36. 07:16 Could you read verse 36 and 37? 07:18 >>Eric: Sure, it says, "Now as they said these things, 07:20 "Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, 07:23 "and said to them, 'Peace to you.' 07:25 "But they were terrified and frightened, 07:28 and supposed they had seen a spirit." 07:30 >>Greg: Okay, they've seen a ghost. 07:32 What in the world happened? 07:33 But, you know, "shalom aleichem," 07:35 you know, Jesus gives that traditional greeting, 07:38 and they are terrified. 07:40 And we remember, you know, most of us, 07:42 we've read this many times. 07:43 We understand how the story unfolds. 07:45 He says, okay, you know, "Why are you afraid? 07:48 Don't be afraid. Give me something to eat." 07:53 You know, and so they, of course, 07:54 give Him something to eat. 07:56 But look at--read verse 41. What is the response? 07:59 Well, first of all, actually, I misspoke. 08:03 He shows them the wounds. 08:06 Then their response is verse 41. 08:08 Read that. 08:10 >>Eric: "But while they still did not believe for joy, 08:12 and marveled, He said to them, 'Have you any food here?'" 08:15 Okay, so, but that response there 08:18 is that they're so filled with joy, 08:20 but they still wondered. 08:22 They're still perplexed. They're still marveling. 08:24 So, it's like it's too good to believe their own eyes. 08:26 So, they don't believe the women first, 08:28 and then they don't believe themselves. 08:30 I mean, even the men on the road to Emmaus 08:31 has already given them reports. 08:33 So, they've had reports from women and men 08:35 who've had these experiences, they don't believe, 08:37 and then He asks for the food, He eats it, 08:40 and then, I guess, they just want to understand. 08:42 "What's going on? 08:43 We don't understand. Great news, but what's going on?" 08:46 And that's where we see the next thing happening 08:50 that's unfolding here. 08:52 In verse 44, Jesus says to them, 08:55 "'These are the words which I spoke to you 08:56 "'while I was still with you, 08:58 "'that all things must be fulfilled 09:00 "'which [are] written in the Law of Moses 09:02 "'and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me. 09:06 "And He opened their understanding, 09:07 that they might comprehend the Scriptures." 09:10 What's interesting here is that Jesus is talking 09:14 about the Old Testament; 09:16 the Hebrews call it the Tanakh. 09:18 So, they have the Torah, the Nevi'im, 09:22 and the Ketuvim: the Law of Moses, 09:25 the Prophets, and the Psalms, which includes all the writings, 09:29 not just the Psalms, you know, Ruth and Esther and Proverbs, 09:32 Ecclesiastes; all these are here. 09:34 So, He opens to their understanding 09:36 all of these Scriptures. 09:38 So, this is the underlying motivation, 09:42 where it all has to begin for mission for all of us. 09:45 If we're going to get involved in mission, 09:46 there's two things we need. 09:47 One, we need a personal experience. 09:50 And second, we need to understand that experience 09:53 through the light of Scripture. 09:55 What is God doing, and what is my experience 09:57 based on what He is doing, in terms of the whole world, 10:02 right, and how I fall into that? 10:03 But let's go a little bit further. 10:05 Let's go ahead and read verse 46, 47, and 48. 10:09 >>Eric: "Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, 10:11 "'and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer 10:14 "'and to rise from the dead the third day, 10:16 "'and that repentance and remission of sins 10:19 "'should be preached in His name to all nations, 10:22 "'beginning at Jerusalem. 10:23 And you are witnesses of these things." 10:26 >>Greg: That's the key. You know, to be a witness 10:29 means that we have an experience. 10:31 We have seen it with our own eyes. 10:33 You would never ask it 10:34 for a testimony of someone to verify truth 10:37 who had not ever been there, 10:38 and all they had done is, you know, 10:40 looked at social media, and, "Oh yeah, I know 10:41 something about what I saw here." 10:45 But it's their own experience. 10:47 So, it's that combination of my experience 10:49 explained through Scripture. 10:51 All of us have assumptions about how the world works. 10:55 We all have assumptions about what is real. 10:58 Where did we come from? 11:00 You know, God created the world in six days, 11:02 and He rested on the seventh. 11:03 What is God's plan for the future? 11:07 Why do bad things happen to us? And all of these things. 11:11 So, these are worldview assumptions. 11:14 The way worldviews are formed 11:17 are through a combination of life experience, 11:20 living in a society where there are explanations 11:24 about why things happen and how they happen, 11:27 so that I interpret the world 11:29 based on that definition of what I get, 11:30 and we get it from mom and dad. 11:32 We're in our family, right? 11:33 The way worldviews shift, 11:36 which is exactly what the disciples needed 11:38 because they thought Christ was coming for a purpose, 11:41 which was to set up an earthly kingdom, 11:43 a political nation that would be great again, 11:46 bring back like the days of Solomon. 11:49 But when Christ died, their worldview, 11:51 everything fell apart. It was a complete loss. 11:54 Meanwhile, it was the greatest victory ever. 11:57 And so God had to actually help them go through an experience, 12:01 have new explanations to go with those experiences 12:05 so that their worldview could be shifted, and then there, 12:07 of course, it says in verse 52, "They worshiped Him, 12:12 and returned to Jerusalem with great joy." 12:14 This is at His ascension. 12:15 So, we see that great joy has returned 12:17 to replace that great discouragement. 12:19 >>Eric: So, a huge shift from discouragement to joy, 12:23 from misunderstanding or lack of understanding 12:26 to an understanding that brought that passion 12:30 and the desire to share it with others. 12:32 We're looking this week at 12:33 "Motivation and Preparation for Mission," 12:36 and we're going to continue looking at that, 12:38 but I want to remind you of a wonderful resource 12:41 that you have that you can use 12:43 to help motivate you and prepare you for mission, 12:46 and that is the companion book 12:47 to this quarter's Sabbath school study. 12:49 It's called "God's Mission My Mission." 12:52 Pick it up at itiswritten.shop, and it will add 12:56 a great deal more to your study, 12:59 itiswritten.shop. 13:00 Look for "God's Mission My Mission." 13:03 I'm going to come back here with Greg in just a moment, 13:05 as we continue looking at 13:07 "Motivation and Preparation for Mission." 13:09 We'll be right back. 13:11 [music] 13:16 >>John Bradshaw: The Bible is filled with stories 13:18 of flawed human beings 13:20 God called to serve Him in incredible ways. 13:23 He took a violent, impulsive, racist fisherman 13:27 and transformed him into one of Jesus' closest disciples 13:31 and one of the most influential leaders 13:32 of the early church. 13:34 Join me for another episode of our series 13:36 "Great Characters of the Bible" as we look at the life of Peter. 13:41 Peter was far from perfect. 13:43 He was overly confident, he made promises he didn't keep, 13:47 but his experience is an encouragement 13:49 to anyone who knows the feeling of messing up 13:52 as a follower of Jesus, of falling short, 13:55 and wondering if you'll ever get it right. 13:58 God stuck with Peter and helped him grow. 14:01 And if you'll let Him, He'll do the same for you. 14:05 "Great Characters of the Bible: Peter," 14:09 brought to you by It Is Written TV. 14:12 [music] 14:16 >>John: You know that at It Is Written, 14:17 we are serious about studying the Word of God, 14:19 and we encourage you to be serious as well. 14:22 Well, here's what you do 14:23 if you want to dig deeper into God's Word. 14:25 Go to itiswritten.study 14:28 for the It Is Written Bible study guides online, 14:30 25 in-depth Bible studies that will take you through 14:33 the major teachings of the Bible. 14:35 You'll be blessed, 14:36 and it's something you'll want to tell others about as well: 14:39 itiswritten.study. 14:41 Go further: itiswritten.study. 14:45 [music] 14:50 >>Eric: Welcome back to "Sabbath School," 14:52 brought to you by It Is Written. 14:54 We're here talking with Greg Whitsett. 14:56 And, Greg, we're looking at 14:57 "Motivation and Preparation for Mission." 14:59 After looking at Luke 24, we go to Acts, chapter 1, 15:03 and in Acts, chapter 1, 15:05 you emphasize this element of waiting. 15:08 What's the significance of waiting? 15:10 We don't usually think of, 15:12 "Oh, I'm supposed to be a missionary. 15:13 I'm supposed to share my faith but wait." 15:15 How do we reconcile this, 15:17 and what's the significance of that? 15:19 >>Greg: Well, it's interesting. Let's just go right to it. 15:21 Jesus is actually telling them in verse 5, 15:25 "For John truly baptized with water, 15:27 "but you shall...[baptize] with the Holy Spirit 15:29 not many days from now." 15:30 And they say, "Well, okay, when will the restoration 15:32 of the kingdom of Israel come?" 15:34 They're still thinking this earth, 15:36 and He says, okay, "It is not for you to know 15:38 [the] times and seasons," and all this, but, verse 8: 15:40 "But you shall receive power 15:42 "when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; 15:43 "and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, 15:46 ...in all Judea...Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 15:49 And, actually, in Luke, it talks about waiting there as well, 15:51 but the whole idea of waiting, 15:53 you have to think about it this way: 15:55 any time you see God saying something, 15:57 the question is, well, why? 15:59 Not a rebellious why, but an inquisitive why. 16:02 Why is this important? 16:04 And if you look at any person who has first received 16:09 God's abundant blessing, experienced His love for them, 16:13 the experience that you want to have, 16:15 that naturally bubbles up from inside, 16:18 is that you want to tell people, you want to go, 16:20 and think of all the times that Jesus said, 16:22 "Don't tell anyone," you know, when He healed somebody. 16:24 And here they're now excited, they're ready to preach, 16:26 and Jesus says, "Don't go. Wait. 16:31 You will go, but wait." 16:32 And so, He tells us the things 16:35 that we're not prone to do naturally, 16:38 because a lot of times I think we think 16:40 that when it comes to mission, I just need to go. 16:44 And going is important, 16:46 but the waiting is also important 16:49 because of the need to receive power from the Holy Spirit. 16:53 There's a couple of things here 16:55 I'd like to take a look at in this section, 16:58 and that is actually in Acts, chapter 1. 17:02 We find a little bit further down that they're praying. 17:06 Of course, we know that this is an important thing 17:08 that they're praying together in a united way, 17:10 but then something happens. 17:12 Peter gets up and starts to talk about the fact 17:15 that "We're missing a disciple"--Judas, 17:19 in his great offense of betraying the Messiah, 17:24 his friend and rabbi, Jesus, Christ, right? 17:29 He ends up committing suicide over his despair. 17:32 And so they realize, "We need someone to take his place." 17:35 If we could, let's look at verse 21 and 22 there. 17:39 >>Eric: "Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us 17:41 "all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 17:45 "beginning from the baptism of John 17:47 "to that day when He was taken up from us, 17:49 "one of these must become 17:51 a witness with us of His resurrection." 17:54 >>Greg: Okay, so Peter has this idea 17:56 that we need to replace this. Interesting idea. 18:00 There was no explicit instructions from Jesus. 18:02 It was just, "Wait." 18:04 But while they're praying, this idea comes to mind, 18:06 which must've been 18:08 the influence of the Holy Spirit: 18:11 "We need to be doing this." And then how did they-- 18:15 you know, they're actually going through the process, 18:17 but there's more goes on. 18:19 You know, in verse 23, they come up 18:20 with the names of Joseph and Matthias, 18:23 and then they pray in verse 24, 18:26 and then in verse 26, it says that they cast their lots. 18:30 Now, I don't know about you, but that's an unusual way 18:33 to make a really important decision: to cast lots. 18:36 And I think that there's several things 18:38 that we need to think about, because should I just, you know, 18:41 eenie, meenie, miny, mo, and then that's God's will? 18:45 How is it that they can get to this point 18:48 where they were casting lots and made the decision, 18:50 okay, well, then this is God's will? 18:53 Was it presumption? Was it superstition? 18:56 Is it something we should do today? 18:57 Is that how we should elect our leaders? 18:59 You know, these are really troubling questions 19:01 that I'm sure, as you discuss this 19:04 in your own Bible study groups, 19:06 that that could be a very interesting thing to pursue, 19:08 but I'd like to point out three suggestions here 19:12 as we look at this. 19:13 The first one is, if you back up a little bit before verse 21, 19:19 Peter is talking, and he actually quotes in verse 20, 19:23 it says, "For it is written in the Book of Psalms: 19:27 "'Let his dwelling place be desolate, 19:29 and let no one live in it.'" 19:31 And then he quotes another passage from Psalms: 19:35 "Let another take his office." 19:37 What he's actually referring to, 19:39 it's a song of David, Psalm 109, 19:42 where there is this betrayal, this great betrayal, 19:46 which is partially David's experience with Saul, 19:50 because he's done so much to help the kingdom 19:52 and serve Saul as a faithful soldier, a servant. 19:57 And then, of course, Saul is pursuing him. 20:01 But then on the other hand, 20:03 not only is this a psalm or a song of David's experience. 20:06 It's also prophetic, and here Peter is applying it, 20:10 through the Holy Spirit, to say, 20:12 "This is our experience with what's happened with Judas. 20:15 We need to replace Judas with someone else." 20:20 So, he's basing this on Scripture. 20:22 Now, that's a good principle, right? 20:23 Any decision we make 20:25 should be based on Scripture. 20:26 >>Eric: Right. 20:27 >>Greg: But then the second thing, which we read, 20:29 was in verses 21 to 23, 20:32 where they said, "Okay, how should we choose someone?" 20:34 And they discussed this, 20:35 and they agreed that they would select somebody 20:38 who had been faithful, who had been present, 20:41 who had been a part of their experience all along. 20:44 It wasn't one of the 12, but it was one 20:45 that was a part of them 20:47 from the baptism of Christ with John, 20:50 you know, all the way through everything, 20:52 and they came up with two names that they felt were qualified, 20:56 that had been a part of that whole thing. 20:58 So, again, first, they went to Scripture 21:01 and felt like this was what Scripture would have them to do. 21:04 Then, two, they thought through and came to unity in discussion 21:07 that these were two names, 21:10 but they decided not to choose someone. 21:12 They decided, "Let's pray, and then let's cast lots," 21:16 which was an actual process of a couple of-- 21:19 maybe it could be a couple of pieces of pottery 21:21 or chips of wood or stones, 21:22 but then the one that was to be for Matthias 21:25 and the one that was supposed to be for Joseph, 21:26 whichever one fell out when they shook it, 21:28 then that must be God's blessing. 21:30 The reality is either of these two men 21:32 could've done a great job 21:34 because they had done the work beforehand, 21:35 but they didn't want to choose themselves, 21:37 perhaps because they didn't want to make 21:40 the one they didn't choose feel badly. 21:41 "Let's let God decide the one." 21:43 And so that's how that came about. 21:44 Is that the best explanation? 21:46 I don't know, but I think that this is an important process 21:49 that we see in the preparation for mission; they're praying, 21:54 which we often focus on that part, 21:55 but the second part is, how do we make decisions to organize? 21:59 As a planning director for Adventist Mission, 22:01 I do a lot of work with strategy, 22:03 and sometimes people feel like, 22:05 "Oh, maybe just let the Holy Spirit lead. 22:07 "We don't need to organize; we don't need to plan; 22:08 "we don't need to have strategies or goals 22:10 or these types of things." 22:11 But, clearly, we see that happening 22:14 at the very beginning of the Christian mission, 22:16 where there was a lot of organization 22:18 and strategy happening. 22:20 >>Eric: So, a lot less what we might call "chance" 22:23 going on right there-- >>Greg: Right. 22:24 >>Eric: ...and a whole lot more behind it. 22:26 Those three observations, I think, are very helpful 22:29 in understanding what's going on there. 22:31 In the study, you next take us to Acts, chapter 2, 22:35 and Acts, chapter 2 is one that is frequently looked at 22:38 as the moving of the Holy Spirit, and powerfully. 22:42 What are some things that we can learn about motivation 22:44 and preparation for mission from Acts, chapter 2? 22:48 >>Greg: Well, I'd just like to point out two things, 22:51 one before Peter's sermon 22:53 and then the other one at the very end of chapter 2. 22:55 And I'd like us to actually read verse 4. 23:01 Would you read that? 23:02 >>Eric: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit 23:04 "and began to speak with other tongues, 23:06 as the Spirit gave them utterance." 23:09 >>Greg: I think that there's a lot of theology 23:10 in that smallest word "as." 23:13 They "began to speak with other tongues, 23:15 as the Spirit gave them utterance." 23:18 And I think there's two important things here. 23:19 This is a little preposition, which a prepositional phrase 23:22 is going to modify the meaning of something else, 23:25 and in this case it's acting like an adverb to modify 23:28 how that they spoke in tongues. 23:30 They did it, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. 23:35 On the one hand, it's talking about time, I believe. 23:38 When the Holy Spirit empowered them, 23:40 they immediately began to use that gift. 23:43 It wasn't like, "Okay, well, I have this gift. 23:45 "Maybe next week, I could use that gift 23:50 at a certain opportune moment." 23:52 And a lot of times, we see that we have gifts, 23:54 but we're hesitant to actually go and use it, 23:56 and I think this is important, understanding here 23:58 that as soon as they received the power of the Holy Spirit, 24:01 this gift to speak in other tongues, 24:02 they went out and used it. 24:04 But the other meaning that this word "as" 24:06 could be focusing on is the manner. 24:10 They spoke in the language 24:12 that the Holy Spirit gave them to speak in. 24:14 It wasn't that they were coveting-- 24:16 "Oh, man, you got Egyptian? Ah! I got Syrian." 24:20 You know, "Oh, you got Italian? 24:22 I got Phoenician," or whatever it was, 24:24 the languages that were going on. 24:25 They weren't bickering over which language, 24:27 or they weren't saying, "Oh, I need to add 24:29 another language or a third language." 24:30 They just used the gifts that God had given them. 24:33 I think that's an important lesson for us. 24:35 Moses was told, 24:37 "What is it you have in your hand, Moses?" Right? 24:39 And he said, "Well, it's a staff." 24:41 And God used what he had to help with the deliverance of Israel, 24:47 and I think that's exactly our focus. 24:49 >>Eric: Greg, let me ask you this 24:51 in the moments that we have left. 24:52 How does chapter 2 end, 24:54 and what kind of a challenge does that give us 24:56 in our motivation and mission for sharing Jesus with others? 25:00 >>Greg: Well, it ends beautifully. 25:02 Of course, we have to, for the sake of time, we're focusing in 25:05 on some of the passages maybe that we wouldn't. 25:07 You know, there's a sermon, and there's a baptism, 25:09 but let's focus down 25:10 at verse 46 and 47, specifically. 25:15 It says, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, 25:18 "and breaking bread from house to house, 25:20 "they ate their food with gladness 25:24 "and simplicity of heart, 25:25 "praising God and having favor with all the people. 25:28 "And the Lord added to the church daily 25:31 those who were being saved." 25:33 Part of our preparation for mission 25:35 is how we live as missionaries, right? 25:39 So what we see is that there was gladness. 25:42 That theme of great joy is continuing with Luke in Acts, 25:46 but with "simplicity of heart," 25:48 which I understand that to mean there weren't cliques. 25:52 There weren't politics. There was just a mutuality, 25:55 a community that was not stratified, 25:58 according to those in leadership and those who are not. 26:02 There's a unity there, but they were praising God 26:06 and having favor with other people. 26:07 So, like, Jesus grew up "in wisdom and stature" 26:11 and "favor of God and man," this idea of having favor 26:14 is one where people are drawn in. 26:18 A lot of times in mission, we go chasing after. 26:20 We focus on the going, 26:21 forgetting that we need to be winsome and be a magnet. 26:24 If we lift Christ up, He said, "If [you lift me up], 26:27 [I] will draw all men unto me." 26:29 So, this lifestyle is so important. 26:33 I'd like to also share a powerful quote here 26:39 from "Christ's Object Lessons." 26:41 It says there, "There can be no growth or fruitfulness 26:45 "in the life that is centered in self. 26:48 "If you have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, 26:50 "you are to forget yourself and try to help others. 26:52 "Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness. 26:55 "Do every duty that presents itself. 26:57 "Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, 26:59 "and by every means in your power 27:01 seek to save the lost." 27:03 And then it ends with this thought: 27:05 "As you receive the Spirit of Christ-- 27:08 "the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others-- 27:11 "you will grow and bring forth fruit. 27:14 "The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. 27:16 "Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, 27:20 and your love be made perfect." 27:22 That's the motivation. 27:23 We started with Philippians, chapter 1. 27:25 Some are proclaiming Christ out of their own vainglory. 27:30 You know, they're trying to build themselves up, 27:31 but others out of love, and it's actually participating 27:34 in that missionary experience, 27:36 of sharing God's love with others, 27:38 that love is perfected in my heart, 27:40 and that's what God wants to do in us. 27:42 >>Eric: I think, as He does that, 27:43 we become more effective missionaries 27:46 and brighter lights to shine for Him. 27:48 >>Greg: Exactly. 27:49 >>Eric: Greg, thank you for joining us this week. 27:51 And thank you for joining us. 27:53 We're going to be back again next week 27:54 as we continue our journey through understanding 27:57 God's mission and my mission. 28:00 God bless you, we'll see you next week 28:01 here on "Sabbath School," brought to you by It Is Written. 28:04 [music] 28:25 [music ends] 28:27 [Captions provided by Aberdeen Broadcast Services] |
Revised 2023-11-01