God’s Phone Number and the 411
Do you know God’s phone number? Missionary to America, Zac Lyons, challenged us this Sunday to know God’s 411. There was a time before google that if we didn’t know the phone number for someone or a place of business that we called 411 information, and they would tell us what we needed to know. We’ll this Sunday God answered our prayers with His 411, as Zach challenged us to frame Jesus’ Commission with His Authority and His Love. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18 “All authority has been given to me…” “All” in the Greek means “All” – and “All authority has been given to Jesus”….in Heaven and Earth. If Jesus has all the authority what can satan or this world do to Him, His Gospel or Kingdom? The other book end to the frame of Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, is Love. Jesus concluded the Great Commission by stating, “and I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”
What is God’s phone number? Easy. Jeremiah 33:3 “CALL to ME…and I will answer you and tell you great an unsearchable things you do not know.” We were left with the challenge to share our 15 second testimony (have you been sharpening and practicing it?) and the “3 Circles.” Our church has been CALLING God, praying, asking the Lord to help our church grow. He has been answering. God’s 411 is part of that answer – the rest is up to us. Have you stepped out in faith in prayer, sharing, and training? Remember your who, when, and where? This Sunday night we will report on our experiences in sharing, and who knows we might get the chance to go out and practice it. Are you ready? Do you have a vision for “No Place Left” that hasn’t heard the True Gospel of Jesus Christ? Remember Paul and the boys in Ephesus? They reached the entire estimated population of Asia – 2-2.5 million people – in 2 years – with the Gospel. (If you don’t believe it. Look it up in Acts 19:8-10).
Why do we need to be baptized in the Spirit and live our daily lives seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Because He needs us to be His ministers and witnesses. Why haven’t we been living these lives? Because we’ve been leaving that job up to other people – me included. Would you join me in repenting – changing the way you think – of our attitude towards sharing our faith with the lost? My personal opinion is that we would be seeking to be baptized in the Spirit, and filled daily, if we knew that we were going to be expected to witness, and minister to people on a daily basis. The analogy that comes to mind is a military one. If you knew that at the end of the week you were going to be called to fight in a battle on the front lines wouldn’t you learn how to load, shoot, and clean the gun that they gave you? That gun would be your best friend. The Body of Christ doesn’t see the necessity for the Baptism, nor the daily infilling, because we’ve gone “awol” regarding Christ’s commands. Call Jesus and ask Him.