Why Should I Support Missions?, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ were sent across the but we simply think about. That's a very big responsibility that we have as a church now, the question I want to answer this morning is this what is the right perspective for us as a church.

When we support missionaries in joining us today on this additional fellowship in the world.

Pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work is unparalleled when it comes to this pandemic. I hope you caught some of the ideas that he said it and he had told me how many people in their church already.

They know family members not die there. No hospital rooms.

There is no oxygen in the country. There are mass cremations of people being done in India and then mass graves where supported my sheet for the past 10 years. Hey, I hope you know him. Somebody's been here a couple times is one of the most gifted men that I've ever met an extraordinary man in the thing I always notice most about my sheet was he always has had the joy of the Lord on his face always became United States got his masters degree in engineering from Auburn and then decided he wanted on the ministry and I his brother came in from India and he's in Atlanta and his parents that that's Varanasi Woodland, but Reggie went to Dallas seminary and then back to Delhi how to plant a church in that particular area. Insulin, when the I think about at the kind of things that are happening there there lockdown which means you don't go out of the house. This doesn't mean that you know you have to socially distance when you're out there you're not allowed to be out there and so what's happening there. It is kind of an amazing thing, but a reminder that but run sheet is doing.

My sheet is giving the gospel to people in the other side of the world that you and I can't but were part of the process. Jesus gave when he called the great commission to his church. Matthew he says you need to make disciples of all the nations F. Noss means nations all the people groups you need to make disciples in the mall and in Mark Mark going all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. That's what were to do here Fellowship Bible church. We have believed that in our past. We believe it now, and I pray that we believe it into the future. This is what's most important receipt. One of the things I think that we have to understand and I've said this in the past, but everything we do as a church we will do exponentially better when we get to heaven.

Everything except one thing. And we won't win the lost. See the stakes are that high. We won't win people to Christ. Once were there. This is our opportunity and this is our responsibility to do both of these things and so is our job to take the gospel across the street and it's also our job to help others take the gospel around the world. This is extremely important to God and needs to be important to us so much. Open your Bibles first the Romans chapter 10 Romans chapter 10 and verse 11 Romans chapter 10 in verse 11.

The apostle Paul writing. He says in verse 11. For the Scripture says whoever believes in him will not be disappointed at as kind of an understatement. Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed when we say the other way he would doesn't believe in him is really going to be disappointed.

That's is going to happen. Billions of people are going to be really disappointed and they pretend now that they're not going to be anger to be fine.

I will live in a culture that pretty much is except for a few exceptional people all everybody's going to be in heaven together, but these people to be disappointed in the culture in which we live. When you often hear if you said your person. You know, you think you going to go to heaven when you die they'll say yes I do and you would say why do you think that they would say because I'm a good person and that and I think that'll work.

I think God will grade on the curve and Gotto say I get to go because I'm not a bad person and that's a sad and tragic mistake. Religious people all over the world to say I practice my religion and my religion means that I'll be able to get there but here Paul says whoever believes in him will not be disappointed Jesus that I am the way the truth and the life and no one to come to the father but through me. That's the heart of what we believe.

He says that in verse 12 for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord over all abounding in riches for all and all who call on him when he says there's this is for everybody from a point of view of a Jew in the first century. There's only two kinds of people in the world choose an Greeks or Gentiles. Everybody falls in one of those categories.

You're either a Jew or you're not a jury or Gentiles. He said what I'm saying is this implies that everybody not just Jewish people. This applies all the Gentile people as well.

It's for everybody and then he goes on, he says for whoever will call in the name of the Lord will be saved their lives. It's about as simple as could be a straightforward whoever will call on the name of the Lord be saved but then he goes on explains that each one of these 4C goes. How then will they call on him if they have not believed. So now you know what it means the call the Lord you have to believe.

See you have to believe who Christ is and what Christ is done. That's when you call on the Lord.

That's when he will save you then it says after he says that he says how will they believe in him whom they have not heard you see if you never hear the gospel, you will never believe in Christ thing will never call in God never happened. So someone has to tell someone I remember when I heard you by. Remember when you heard I heard many many times before I finally believe that, but I did hear then he says and how will they hear without a preacher that were preacher doesn't mean me okay means you is a proclaimer. The word means the proclaim someone has to tell someone the gospel for them.

The believe it so that they can call on the Lord, he said, how will they preach unless they are sent just it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news and good things. How will they believe unless they are sent.

That's were we coming to see that's where we commit. That's a responsibility of the church. You seem to take the gospel to all creation is to make disciples of all people groups people are sent all around the world and more senders. Now we take the gospel across the street, but we send people to take the gospel around this world.

That's a very big responsibility that we have is a church now, the question I want to answer this morning is this one. What is the right perspective for us as a church. When we support missionaries around the world. What is the right perspective that we should have, collectively, and you should have individually when it comes to this idea and I found that in Philippians chapter 4 Philippians chapter 4 in verse 10. I've been through this section of Philippians. Many times in the past, preaching it and teaching it and every time I've ever done it. I never looked at it from this perspective. I always looked at it from a different perspective. This is the section where Paul deals with the subject of contentment and so you wind up talking about Paul and his contentment, but there's something else in this section is a whole different way of looking at this section and it has to do with the idea of supporting missionaries to take the gospel. Now the first thing you menacingly at a verse 10 is this are giving the missions often needs to be revived are giving to missions often needs to be revived.

Notice what he says but I rejoice in the Lord greatly than now, at last, you have revived your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

Paul says that the Philippians need to be revived and are thinking the word revived is Anna follow Anna means again follow means to flourish for it to again flourish. It's a horticultural term that hollow take dead plants and you nurture him in a come back to life. They flourish. He said that's what you have to do calls under house arrest in Rome at this time.

He doesn't know if he's going to live or not. This time he does live he gets out. This is his first imprisonment, but that's where he's at.

It's been 11 years since Paul was in Philippi so it's 11 years later and he's writing to them. They had supported him earlier quite a bit and then something happened to them with interesting of what happened to them in second Corinthians chapter 8 verse one Paul describes of the churches in Macedonia were generous even though they were in deep poverty of these churches were extremely poor and rogue want to really difficult times because of the poverty that he's writing it to sort a shame the Corinthians, because the Caribbean said they would give a lot of money for Paul and they never did their mother. Suburbanites. But the Philippians in the Thessalonians report and so maybe one of the reasons they didn't give is because of their poverty. Although I doubt that it also could simply be the great distance away lacked opportunity.

But there's something else of Paul says here he says right in beginning of the verse. I rejoice in the Lord greatly. He rejoiced in the Lord, that you might be thinking while he rejoiced in the Lord because of Philippians game when he needed not true he's not rejoicing for himself at all will look at that in just a moment he's rejoicing in the Lord that they are engaged in spreading the gospel around the world. That's what they are engaged in. It's interesting to me that that that such an important thing to Paul, one of the things we've gone over all the years here at the church is our missions and outreach budget is always been established by the congregation. It's never been established by the leadership will never say I were going to take 10% of our giving in and give it to missions not you need to decide what you want to give to the spreading of the gospel it's from each and every one of us. She's not a church policy tightening effect. This kind giving has nothing to do with general fund giving has nothing doing regular giving. This is in Sunday morning giving. This is giving for the idea of the spread of the gospel and that's why Paul city. He had so much joy in this and that's the second point I giving the mission should produce a tremendous amount of joy while why he so joyful, notice verse 11 not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Paul's not joyful because he really needed stuff he said I don't even I'm content see him already. Content don't think I'm joyful because you gave me things that I needed. I'm joyful because you gave me things. My joy is for you and for me, my joy is not for me. My joy is for you.

It's interesting that he goes on, then in in verse 12 and he says I know how to get along with humble means. I also know how to live in prosperity in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need while Paul is saying he learned the secret. Apparently it is a secret is still sick because I find so many people that are not content and I find so many Christians are not.

If there's one thing that should Marcus his people, which should be we are the content people. Paul says I don't care if I was in the penthouse or the outhouse. I'm content. I don't care for him in prison or a palace. I'm content.

If I have a lot or I don't have anything.

I'm content. What's Paul saying what is contentment an inside job.

See that the policy and contentment is an inside job, and it marks him as a believer.

What we often think contentment is an outside job. I may just take change of circumstances, you think of very many people or even yourself a bit. A little discontent in the last year yeah well I've because the economy suffering makes me discontent of the covens here and makes me more discontent is it's an interesting thing because what we lack is contentment. What we should always have is contentment. If you just think about it from this point of view. If the whole world around you is discontent and panicking and fearful because of what we've gone through and you are completely content. What kind of witness would that be to them know they might think you're deluded but that's a how can you do this, how can you possibly be content. Don't you realize how everything suffering policy sure I understand. That is nothing do with contentment. That's not what how you measure contentment using that's what he is saying Paul was trying to let them know that there's a tremendous amount of contentment that he has and it's a secret from by the way, when I think of Paul I think that he was as shipwrecked, beaten, beaten with rods stone and left for dead, imprisoned in snake. There's a picture of contentment figure this so is in his mid to late 60s and is probably walk somewhere between 4000 and 6000 miles in his ministry walked. I can imagine that we be very content walking through Turkey Greece pauses him content.

All these things that have happened because I learned the secret he says of all of it.

You see, it marks a certain spirituality holder place here and go with me to first Timothy first Timothy chapter 6 and verse six.

Paul says this, but godliness actually is a means of great gain notice. Then when it's accompanied by contentment.

In other words, he saying you want to know what the mark of spiritual maturity is godliness. Contentment is a great game to be content that should Marcus if you think your spiritually mature believer and you're not content you're not a spiritually mature believer. It is think you are using. You just think you're pauses. Now I said but if you can do that it'll make it make it to know what verse seven for we brought nothing into the world so we can take anything out of it either.

Just a reminder, Paul realizes something. What makes you really content stuff you just love stuff. The more stuff you have the more content will be pauses in her that's kinda shortsighted because the point will be when you leave your not taken any stuff with you and I are actually people who are really upset as their approaching death because they can't take their stuff with them.

You get to take her stuff. I'm eager to take some have suited the funeral home, put on the front of you yet to take that with you. You'll get stuff brought nothing into the world leaving with nothing but Paul saying when I leave a meeting with contentment and by the way we write second Timothy, that's what he says I have fought the good fight.

See I may. I'm content. They let them and to behead me and probably just a few weeks or months, but I'm okay see him content. He said if we have food and covering with these we would be content. He said the stop doesn't mean much to me. Jesus approach that on the sermon on the mountain said why do you worry about what you're going to wear what you going to eat waiting why your father knows what you need to see why.

Seek first his kingdom and guess what Nelly we added to because what you will be content. So you have to ask yourself and by the way when you see since the covert is begun, the amount the amount of pharmaceuticals are being sold to Americans because of their anxiety, stress, worry and fears is unbelievable. What does it tell you, not content were not content. I need something else.

The soda make me content pulses well there is something else. Now back to Philippian passage that when you see this. It's interesting to me that he said I know how to get along with humble means and also and I live in prosperity in any and every circumstance. I wonder secret of being filled going hungry and having an abundance and suffering need that word contentment is interesting. It's a Greek word means a certain city or town in Greece they call certain towns. This word recall contentment. It means a town that doesn't need any imports into it self sustain itself. It doesn't need anything from the outside to sustain itself as a town or city and pulsing.

That's what you and I can be these knots, and I denied Paul never said I don't want anything I don't want to prosper because when he did I was. He said I was content. He said, but if I don't prosper them still content it has nothing to do with my contentment. It's kind of an interesting thing now. What's interesting about it too is that as he goes on here and he says he says this particular thing he said verse 13. The key to it all I can do all things through him.

He said he strengthens me secret.

That's a secret. What's your secret Jesus wider content of Jesus you mean, under any circumstances. Yes with her going to behead you. I'm content. See that's what Christ offers you and I contentment think about him this point of view. If you have the Lord what could you have any more than that at all.

You have everything and by the way, for those you are materially inclined, I would some of you probably are when you die, absent the body present the Lord what are you going to inherit everything and I don't mean you know a little farm on the North Shore and have it done. I mean everything that's in the created universe joint heir with Christ in us all pastoral giver on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike of the sum of the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio program is at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is of the sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember, you can do all this absolutely free of charge.

Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastoral Bill card. I'm Jason Denhardt thanking you for listening to fellowship in order