THE ROAD BACK
Part 2
Intro
1. If we are to prevent the ministry from vanishing with the next generation, we must
have a plan to perpetuate lifetime ministry.
2. In our last lesson we looked at four areas that need attention:
#1. We need "heritage parents," who love the Lord and their children enough to
give them back to Him. In reality the children are God’s and only
on loan to us.
#2. We need "Barnabas pastors," who seek to impact the lives of church members with an emphasis on full-time Christian work---for all ages.
#3. We need "ministry education," where Christian colleges truly understand and emphasize the ministry to go out and build churches, evangelize at home and on the foreign fields, and teach in Christian dayschools.
#4. We need "aggressive churches," where the members understand the need for personal, sacrificial giving and the need to plant new soul- winning churches.
3. Today we want to look at three more areas where we need to be attentive to developing
a plan to halt the vanishing ministry.
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V. SENSITIVE SEASONS
A. Defining This Term
1. Ecclesiastes 3:1...
To every thing there is a season
and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
2. II Peter 3:18a...
But grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ.
3. There are times in our lives when we are particularly sensitive to the
moving of God upon our lives.
These are the times when the heartbeat of God beats more loudly in our ears.
4. Sensitive seasons are the times when we seem to be on the same frequency as God and our hearts are tender toward His will.
B. A Scriptural Example
#1. Jacob
a) The saint and the sinner---taking advantage of his brother Esau
with a bowl of soup. Fleeing his brother, he found a place
where God was very real to him---a sensitive season.
b) Genesis 28:16...
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep,
and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place;
and I knew it not.
c) Years later as he came home to face Esau, Jacob wrestled all night
with the angel of the Lord.
d) Genesis 32:26b, 30...
And he said, I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me.
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel:
for I have seen God face to face,
and my life is preserved.
C. Two Characteristics of Spiritual Seasons:
#1. Sensitive seasons are not just emotional moments, but moments in which we bare our soul to God.
• Elijah - See I Kings 19:11-12.
• Thief on the cross - See Luke 23:42.
#2. Sensitive seasons, although they occur regularly, do not always bring spiritual success.
• Many times (perhaps most?) there is a rejection of God’s still small voice.
• The rich, young ruler - See Mark 10:17-22.
• Felix - See Acts 24:25.
• King Agrippa - See Acts 26:28.
D. Sensitive Season Times
#1. Post Salvation Discipleship -
The period of time right after a person comes to Christ, when he is very much in-tune and interested in knowing God and His will.
#2. Exercising Spiritual Gifts Through Serving Others
Identifying our spiritual gifts is essential if we are to understand how God can use us.
#3. Mid-Atlantic Youth Conference
This is the time for teenagers and adults to consider doing the
will of God.
#4. Revival Services
When Christians draw closer to the Lord, they are more open to
knowing and doing what He desires for our lives.
#5. Missions Conference
Becoming aware of the need on foreign fields for labourers opens
the heart-doors of those in the local church for full-time ministry.
#6. Retreats
Couple retreats and RCA’s Leadership Retreat help us to get away
from the things that Satan uses to distract us from the will of God.
Campfire services are great for this.
#7. Successes and Failures
There are times we are serving the Lord and we suddenly realize
that this is what He wants us to do in a lifetime way. And there
are times that we suffer loss, like a loved one or a job, and we
realize this is God’s moving in our lives.
#8. Retirement
Retirement should mean something different from the Christian
than it does for the world. It just may be that retirement means you
can now serve the Lord in a full-time way in your senior years.
What can a retired military man do for the Lord in full-time
service? What can a retired CP&L man do when he retires?
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VI. BRIDGE BURNING
A. Taking That First Step of Faith
1. What is the main reason most people who sense God is calling them
into life-time ministry end up not going?
FEAR
a) It’s a fear of the unknown.
b) Fear of stepping out and leaving all behind.
c) Fear of selling homes, leaving friends, leaving family.
2. Once a person knows what God’s wants, it is important that they burn
their bridges behind them immediately.
Luke 9:62...
And Jesus said unto him,
No man, having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
B. Biblical Examples To Follow
1. Abraham’s call from God is a good example for us to take.
2. Genesis 12:1...
Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred,
and from thy father’s home,
unto a land that I will shew thee.
a) No mention of:
• a destination
• a promise of provision
• it being open for discussion
b) Abraham just obeyed God.
3. And be sure to notice that Abraham was greatly blessed by God,
because of his obedience and "burning his bridges behind him."
4. God honors faith that shows "no guarantees, only God."
5. Other examples: Amos, Peter & Andrew, James & John
6. When the call of God comes, there are always a host of reasons not
to respond. I believe most people, young or old, have gone through
that process as they stepped out in faith.
The first step is the hardest.
C. Some Encouragement From God’s Word
1. Isaiah 50:7...
For the Lord God will help me;
therefore shall I not be confounded:
therefore have I set my face like a flint,
and know that I shall not be ashamed.
2. Matthew 10:28-30...
And fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul:
but rather fear him which is able
to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
And one of them shall not fall
on the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
3. Deuteronomy 20:1...
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies,
and seest horses, and chariots
and a people more than thou,
be not afraid of them:
for the Lord thy God is with thee,
which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
The enemy will always have more soldiers than we have.
The enemy will always have more fire power than we have.
The enemy will always have more money than we have.
If we look only at the enemy, we will never burn bridges---cause we will cross back over them at the first sign of trouble.
Take that first step toward your calling---and remember:
No guarantees, only God.
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VII. SPIRITUAL VISION
A. A New Way of Looking At Things
1. Spiritual vision is the ability to see things as God sees them.
a) This requires an alignment of the heart.
b) This requires a new point of focus from our spiritual eyes.
B. The Three Looks:
#1. The INWARD Look
1. This is more than just introspection.
2. This means we APPLY the truths of God’s Word to our lives.
a) This results in having the mind of Christ.
b) This results in being filled with the Spirit.
3. Spiritual vision looks inward and doesn’t see much in us, but it does see
something exciting...
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
(I John 4:4)
...Not by might, nor by power, but my spirit,
saith the Lord of hosts.
(Zech. 4:4)
4. We must remember that the battle is the Lord’s. David understood this
as he faced Goliath. (I Samuel 17:47)
5. It’s not in "the foot-soldiers," but in the awesome Commander-in-Chief.
#2. The OUTWARD Look
1. This look begins by seeing the world’s spiritual need.
a) With 5.5 billion people in the world, 4 billion are lost---without
Christ.
b) We cannot bury our heads in the sands when 50,000 people die
every day.
c) In America 37 million Americans attend church on the average
Sunday, but 205 million do not.
d) This means that 75% of America’s teenagers are not saved...
...only China, Russia, India, and Indonesia have more
unsaved people than we do.
2. Matthew 9:37-38...
Then saith he unto his disciples,
the harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 We would do well to remember that the only recorded person to experience life after death without Jesus Christ did all he could to get a message to his five brothers to keep them from the torment he would have to endure eternally.
4. When we see the reality of lost souls and the reality of Hell, our vision
will begin to change regarding lifetime ministry.
#3. The UPWARD Look
1. Matthew 17:8...
And when they had lifted up their eyes,
they saw no man, save Jesus only.
2. We need to be able to see Jesus clearly, knowing the reality of His
presence and power.
3. Keep in mind that out Savior will one day be our Judge.
4. II Corinthians 5:10...
For we must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad.
I Corinthians 3:13...
Every man’s work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire;
and the fire shall try every man’s work
of what sort it is.
5. When our upward look is 20/20, then we begin to make sure that our
treasure is not on this earth, but in Heaven.
6. How can I tell if I see my treasure being in Heaven?
Look closely at these three things:
#1. Your calendar
#2. Your checkbook
#3. Your estate planning
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Conclusion:
1. Do you recall the old adage we have over the entrance to our cafeteria?
Only one life ‘twill soon be past;
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
2. The challenge today is to take a hard look at your children and your role in encouraging
them to enter lifetime ministry. This should begin about the time they begin school
at four or five-years-old.
3. The challenge today is to make time on your calendar to encourage young people to
give their lives to full-time Christian work... you do have an influence that you
exercise.
4. Finally, the challenge today is to say in your own heart, "Here am I; send me."
5. Indeed, this takes courage and decisive action... but how else will we stop
The Vanishing Ministry?