It doesn’t matter how many times you go, you are never the same on this side of a mission trip.
But you’ve also heard me say this many times, “You are never not on mission.”
As a follower of Jesus, you are never not on mission.
When you leave this place
When you’re away from this place
On your way to this place and
While you’re in this place
You are never not on mission.
Theme for this morning: A CONSUMING FIRE
How I came to this place
1. Seeking the Lord through prayer.
2. Teaching Bible Study in the book of Hebrews.
3. Reading a book- I EXALT YOU O GOD, encountering His greatness in your private worship by Jerry Bridges.
4. Reading through chapter 12 again while I was in London.
Then the thought - GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE
Questions:
How has that impacted me?
Is my life evidence of the fact that God is a consuming fire?
Not - Have I made Him my consuming fire.
That’s the wrong question – He already is a consuming fire.
I would like to accomplish 3 things this morning
1. Introduce you to some folks I met in London.
2. Share three things that all of these individuals have in common (End of chapter 12).
3. Pursue this idea of a Consuming Fire Witness (earlier portions).
Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
I am grateful for Helen and Richard Matzke, Mara, Oso, and Daniel Shockey, Hannah, Pastor Ryan and Julie, Conrado and Bernardo for serving in London.
They are amazing people who also have compelling stories.
Warren - Former Jehovah’s Witness
1. Disillusioned by religion.
2. Was caught up in a false belief system.
3. Now feels like he can determine his own destiny.
4. How many friends do we have maybe disillusioned by what someone told them was Christianity?
Michael - Seeker
1. Living in an ungodly relationship.
2. Seemed kind of board with life.
3. Interested in pursuing different faiths.
4. Needs someone to care about him.
5. How many people do we know that just need someone to care about them?
Sam and Sujee – Buddhist (I had thoughts of VANCOUVER)
1. Good conversation about the differences between Christianity and Buddhism.
2. They shared the basic tenets.
3. They also heard a clear presentation of the gospel perhaps for the very first time.
4. This will probably be the situation when you share with one of your lost Friends.
5. They allowed me to pray for them and follow up.
You might ask how do we approach people?
HOUSES
IN THE STREET
We simply say, Hi my name is ____________ and I am a follower of Jesus. We are out praying for the community and I was wondering what I can pray for you about today? This question often leads to Gospel conversations.
Clara - Atheist and former Muslim
1. Very little knowledge of faith.
2. Her father rejected Islam.
3. They did not turn to Christianity.
4. Who do you know that has walked away from a belief system?
Karen - Agnostic
1. Not a good perception of Christians.
2. People had said some cruel and unkind things to.
3. I have seen numerous broken relationships in the church over the years.
4. How do we speak the truth in love? We must be intentional.
5. How do we communicate the heart of God?
Dyron - Strong believer
1. The joy of the Lord was evident.
2. I thought about this when we met Dyron. Our friends who know we attend here at FBC… do they see us as members of First Baptist Bloomfield or do they know us as passionate Christ Followers.
3. Fans or followers.
Unknown woman - Skeptic
1. At first, she seemed friendly.
2. And then she had a very negative vibe when we asked if we could pray for her.
3. I can pray for my own self was her statement.
4. I am still curious about this attitude.
5. Why would someone be offended if asked to pray for them. Most people who don’t want to engage just say “I’m good!”
6. Do you know some skeptics?
Mo - basketball player
1. I played basketball on the hottest day in London.
2. Young man (Mo) was driven.
3. He had goals.
4. Planning to go to college and hopes to play in the NBA.
5. Daniel and Oso were able to have a Gospel conversation.
6. There are people that just need you to intersect their lives?
Marcio - Security guard
1. We paid attention to Him.
2. Just like the woman in the que.
3. The entire demeanor changes.
4. Open to further conversation.
5. Who do you need to pay attention to?
The RING doorbell guy
1. His name was Jerry, and he just needed a friend, someone to talk to.
Solomon - from Liberia
1. This is still so amazing to me and really speaks to the providence of God. What might have initially seemed like a random encounter turned into meeting someone who was related to a person I knew in Pittsburgh.
Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Three things all of these people have in common.
1. They are in desperate need of an unshakeable Kingdom!!
What God has given to us (as followers of Jesus) is an unshakable kingdom, a spiritual kingdom that cannot be taken from us!
The writer of Hebrews wants us to understand that our confidence must be in God and Him alone!
What does it mean when you put the letters UN before a word? It means not
Often use it in the negative
Unkind – not kind
Unworthy – not worthy
Unconcerned – not concerned
For the kingdom it means that it is…
unbeatable - Not able to be defeated.
unmovable - Greater is he who is in me.
unstoppable - Gods plan will not be thwarted.
unconquerable - Many have tried – Share about the martyrdom of Wm. Tyndale
unshakable - Because he removes those things that are shaken.
and CHURCH this has been given to us!!!!
The second thing all of these individuals have in common is
The need to come before the Lord with reverence and awe. They need to experience true & acceptable worship
More than likely, they have not considered this question, “What is acceptable worship to God?”
Remember the woman at the well passage
Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Acceptable worship then is two fold -
1. it must be in spirit or with the proper condition of the heart.
2. It must be in truth or in accordance with the way God prescribed.
Does God receive the highest place of esteem in my life?
1. That is what all of these individuals are lacking!
2. Who or what has the place of highest esteem in your life? Is there evidence?
· Church -- He found us, He saved us, He set us free, He gave us a new identity!
· THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WE SPOKE WITH THIS WEEK NEED A NEW IDENTITY.
One author writes, “When we praise and honor and show God reverence, we actually join with the realm of heaven in worship.”
I love Revelation 4:1
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev. 4:1
The third things these individuals have in in common is
The need to experience God as a consuming fire.
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Deut. 4:24
1. God as a consuming fire means many things. It means you can conquer the enemies that you think are greater than you.
- fear
- Lust
- jealousy
- pride
- doubt
- hopelessness
- sorrow
2. The fire of God judges between right and wrong.
3. It purifies that which is not worthy and destroys imperfections.
4. It challenges, compels, and produces mighty men and women of God.
5. The fire of God is the difference between dead religion and a living relationship with Christ.
6. It is the ultimately the defining characteristic of the passionate follower of Christ.
The fire of God empowers people with His power and truth. It burns away sinful thoughts, motives, and desires, and leaves behind a renewed mind.
The fire of God is the sign that true revival has finally come. The fire of God calls sinners to repentance and inspires people to live a life of holiness.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A CONSUMING FIRE WITNESS!
Hebrews 12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
· Stand clean before the Lord – cast off sin.
· Don’t get tangled in ungodliness.
· Stay strong in the Lord so that you may endure.
· Make sure it is the race that God has set before you.
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
· This is a daily practice.
· In all things looks to Jesus.
· The theme of Hebrews is that Jesus is better.
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
· It is because of what Jesus has done that enables you not to grow wary or faint.
· Jesus endured the cross and paid the ultimate price for your sins.
· Jesus endured so that we might endure.
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
· Acknowledge and receive discipline from the Lord.
· A consuming fire witness is cleaned and made holy.
· Don’t mistake discipline for persecution.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
· Live as a person of faith in the strength of the Lord.
· Be strengthened by his purifying fire.
· Walk in a path of righteousness.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
· Heed the warnings of the Lord.
for our God is a consuming fire.
I would like to challenge you with two things this morning.
1. To pray for those individuals that I mentioned in the message that we met in London.
2. To present this statement and question to someone this week, either a friend or stranger. Hi my name is ____________ and I am a follower of Jesus. Our church is praying for our community. I was wondering what I can pray for you about today?
