What Do You Want To Be, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. That's the way God is emotional or even be thinking these little things.

That's a person you see, I felt compelled to teach. That's just what happened.

When I got the possible felt compelled to preach the gospel – do not see the joining of today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana.

Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word. This vastly. I asked my eight-year-old grandson what you want to be when you grow up and calmly.

He just turned to me and to sink the second artist and I almost responded I want to talk about a lot of things. I decided not to. I mean usually have to be dead before you sell your paintings and things like that but I realized maybe there's nothing to say. I mean, I asked him exactly the same question at Christmas time and he told me he wanted this to be the guy who drives the ice cream truck through the neighborhood so that's what it means to be eight years old when I was eight years old. I want to be a cowboy I missed it by that much what you want to be as a Christian, what you want to be spiritually when you grow up. What is it you want to see in this case, by the way, there is a right answer. You could answer this way to be greatly used of God as an answer to be greatly used of God as a believer in Jesus Christ who went on that and I think that's a viable thing to say. I hope it's something that you think but if you were greatly used by God, what would your life look like we be any different than it is now would be about the same will be the limitations that you face to be used by God.

Your age, your spiritual maturity. How long you been in the Lord your past, your gifts, you see, what would limit you and being greatly used by God. The Lord has given us a wonderful example to give us a great deal of insight into ourselves. When it comes to the question what we want to be. We spiritually grow up is the apostle Paul open your Bible's Galatians chapter 1 the message of the book is you cannot absolutely cannot modify the grace of God that when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is faith and faith alone that saves an individual, there was a group of men called Judaizers to follow Pauling to Galatia and those men decided to discredit the gospel and to discredit the apostle Paul.

They discredit the gospel by saying, in fact, in acts chapter 15 verse one it says it succinctly, that they believe that no, you do need to believe in Jesus Christ and you need to be circumcised, then you're saved and Paul is furious and shock to the Galatians would even listen to such a thing and so Paul said concerning these Judaizers look at is a completely different gospel. If there's one thing you get out of the book of Galatians. You should get that when you try that anything to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross for someone to get saved you are preaching a different gospel. If you're saying no you need to believe in Jesus and you need to do good work. You need to believe in Jesus and you need to be baptized. You need to believe in Jesus and you need to do. The sacrament you mean you believe in Jesus and you need to do something else that's a different gospel and Paul is furious the whole way through, and the second thing you said anyone who does. That should be anathema accursed.

He said if I do it I should be accursed. If angels do it. They should be accursed. If anybody does it.

They should be accursed, but the Judaizers not only discredited Paul. I'm in the gospel, but they also discredited the apostle himself and that's where we pick it up in verse 11.

The apostle Paul first talking about the gospel said for a word he said have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Also, I want to tell you something the gospel that I preach is not like the gospel you are preaching the gospel your preaching Judaizers. This is a gospel that you heard the rabbi's teaching is a gospel where you took a amalgamation of both the grace of God the gift of God in Jesus Christ and Jewish law, and you put it all together I get any of that the gospel that I am preaching. I got directly from Jesus Christ. In fact, notice the word is he says, a revelation that came from Jesus Christ's an amazing term. Just like the book of Revelation pulses. This is the secret that was revealed to me by Christ. Christ sort of pull back the curtain set Paul, this is it is line get that from men. He said, but you want to discredit me.

He says in verse 13 for you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism how I used to persecute.

He says the Church of God beyond measure. I try to destroy the first thing I want you to realize this morning is this your pre-conversion days. Do not limit you serving God.

Think of the apostle Paul.

He said look, if you say you're limited by what happened before you came to Christ.

How about me when you go to the book of acts chapter 7, near the end of the book Stephen is being martyred is being stoned and assist those were witnesses against even came and they put the robes at young man named Saul's feet. That tells me that Saul was the Pharisee was the one who orchestrated this, he is the one that wanted this done. In fact, in chapter 8 verse one about the book of acts. He said he was in total agreement with them for killing Stephen for making him the church's first martyr and then it said he went about doing everything he could to destroy the church. He arrested people incarcerated people. In fact, when he is converted in acts chapter 9 is on the way to Damascus for one reason, he heard their Christians are A's going down is going to arrest them is gonna bring them back to Jerusalem given to the priest and likely incarcerate them again as Paul pulses look you know what kind of man I was that surprise you. It shouldn't government was Peter before he was converted he wasn't a religious zealot like bubblegum intimacy common blue-collar fishermen.

He was an eloquent fact when he spoke those who are more sophisticated made fun of. They thought he really sort of had a hillbilly accent from our point of view and uneducated, unsophisticated men. The Lord using what about Matthew.

If I could use today's analysis of Matthew.

I tell you he was a sociopath is a criminal is greedy is a thief. He steals as a tax gather any stills from his own people.

Being a tax gather for woman did God use Matthew.

What about Mary Magdalene and wall an immoral woman how close was a relationship to Jesus Christ whereby you what your background before you can regress what you like you. That doesn't limit you and all you to be one of two different kinds of people knew could be licentious, licentious people are eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Party people you're the kind of person that enjoys every single weekend of sin that you could get it.

That's just what you live for is love that anything anytime anywhere. That's what you want to do is licentiousness.

You could be legalistic.

In other words, you religious you the kind of person that crossed a religious T's and dotting your religious size.

Any time a door opened and a church you were there you see humor, religious, you could be that person.

That's the way Paul was. Or you could be like a McDonald's menu.

You could be a combo receipt you could have been religious and many of you were so don't laugh religious on Sunday and then licentious Monday through Saturday. It doesn't matter what you were. You see, that's one of the great things about God. The apostle Paul was not proud of what he had done, but he never let his past limit is present in his future. Your pre-conversion days. Do not limit you at all in serving God. Notice Paul says in verse 13. You have heard my former manner of life in Judaism how I used to persecute the church. The Church of God beyond measured. I try to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions but when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles when an interesting thing that Paul was saying there to you and me saying this you know God was aware of your past before you have ever experienced a past due thing that God knew that the apostle Paul would be a Pharisee of Pharisees and persecuted the church. You think I knew that yes then when you think God knew it for you always know it is God.

That's why Paul says this in 15 when God who would set me apart even for my mother's womb, and he called me through his grace that Scott's perspective, but here's a truly I'm a really interesting about it.

That's not just Paul were talking about that you that's me. You see one that God decided he wanted a ministry for you that he wanted you to do something for his glory. When you were in your mother's womb actually even before. In fact another place as the New Testament writers say before the foundation of the world because he God is not bound by time is timeless. He's outside of space and time is a pulses even before I was ever born. That's not unusual. Jeremiah the prophet in the Old Testament God told him I sent you party your mother's will. You see, so there's no accident that you are a believer in Jesus Christ and that God has a ministry for you, he's not asking you to be an apostle, but he certainly is asking you to live for his glory and to do something for his kingdom noticed with Paul's was. He said he revealed a son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles post that I knew exactly what he wanted me to do.

Take the gospel to the Gentiles, while and then he says this he says I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood Norman.

I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me. I want to wait Arabia return once more to Damascus. No Arabia Arabia is east of Damascus all the way down to the Sinai Peninsula was pulsating. He said I went out on my own.

I wasn't alone though Jesus Christ was with me. You see, Paul went into Arabia by himself and Jesus Christ ministered to Paul doing what well back in verse 12 he said, for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Here's what I find fascinating.

The Judaizers said Paul's not really an apostle because the apostles all were with Jesus Christ.

Paul camping apostle. They spent those three years with Jesus Christ and then they became apostles. That's why Paul's illegitimate he's not an apostle. Well, look at the first few words verse 18. Then three years later. How much time to postpone the Jesus Christ and Arabia three years.

How much time did all the other disciples been with Christ means on earth three years pony get shortchanged. In fact, more because Paul that was just him and Jesus and so consequently that's why Paul writes almost all the New Testament epistles.

That's why Paul figured it out. That's why Paul writes a book like Romans or Ephesians because Jesus Christ made it abundantly clear to him with the truth was posted on those second rate apostle. I spent my three years. He says, then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become a don't miss the word acquainted with SEVIS that's Peter didn't say I want to Jerusalem so that Peter would ordain me that Peter would recognize me that Peter would put his hands on me that Peter would give me the blessing.

Not all he said I want to Jerusalem just get acquainted with Peter.

That's all. In fact, notice what he says and I stayed within 15 days is not very long Isa but I wanted to tell Peter what God was doing in my life. So I did, he says, but I did not see any other the apostles except James, the Lord's brother notices that in see anybody else but that he says now in what I am writing to you. I assure you before got on the line. He says then I went into the regions of Syria's Alysia. So Paul says it's really clear to him. He says look on those second rate. Apostle and by the way, I am who I am, through the power of Jesus Christ and the grace of God.

People recognize that people don't make that you not used by God because somebody ordained you. Somebody put their hands on you somebody gave you the blessing someone told no. Used by God because of God. That's what that's and by the way that's the case for all the disciples not just Paul but Paul's make it abundantly clear. I didn't need any of those guys at all. I got it directly from the Lord. You see your pre-conversion days will limit you in serving God and God will prepare you to fulfill his calling. God will prepare you to do whatever it is you have to have done now. The apostle Paul that he have a very big job to do. Yes a big job driver job to do. Yes, not nearly as big job.

Do you have a job to do. Yes, every single one of us to. That's the beauty of all this. That's what Paul was trying to say notice. Then he says I was still unknown buying site in the churches of Judea, which when Christ Jesus, but only the Hearing he who once persecuted us, is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy and they were glorifying God because of me see what was Paul doing.

I think a lot of us think when Saul of Tarsus can't say that the man on the road to Damascus supernaturally say that all of a sudden God said you are an apostle write the book of Romans move around the nothing that happened none of that happened what happened. Just little things. Paul went to the churches of Damascus in the synagogues and in the synagogues, given apologetic for Jesus Christ to befuddle the Jews.

He was preaching right off the bat because it a burden to do it, but almost no one knew anything, the Paul was doing. In fact, in just a moment to notice the first phrase of chapter 2 verse one. Then after an interval 14 years, so how long was Paul in preparation for even got going 17 years 17 years later. So a lot of wasted time.

No, not at all.

Seven. God is never in a hurry never meet. She most spent four years in Egypt and Pharaoh's household. Then he spent 40 years tending sheep in the land media that he was ready using God's never in a hurry in your life. That's not his point but something is happening here with Paul. God want to see something about Paul. Will Paul be faithful in the little things will Paul be faithful in the small things in the beginning because then he can give great things that are. Jesus said if you are faithful in the little things, then I will give the responsibility big things… First of all, if you're faithful little things.

That's what he does know every single one of us.

That's what he did to me when I got saved. I only have one passion Jesus Christ and my only other passion beside Jesus Christ was the know the word and I went kind of crazy for the word of God clearly could not stop reading and studying.

This could not and it never dawned on me. At that time that people would have to get involved. I never really I love the word of God. The people and I just never really thought about that for a much. But what would happen especially to my wife or someone anytime I learned something I had to tell somebody it wasn't enough that I learned that I just had to tell somebody what I learned that eventually led us to a church, a very liberal Protestant church and a pastor asked me to teach a Sunday school class. First, Bible study, eyelid, the gospel of John.

Not everybody in the class was old to me. I was in my early to mid 20s. Everyone was old like I am now a knife. They were there and so I thought how my going to teach the gospel of John, so I went to the store and bought a book by AW Pink called the gospel of John. It is about that thick at the will, there's a guy who spent some time in John so I started reading it and I would read what Pink wrote in the first eight verses of chapter 1 make my notes so to memorize it.

Go in and teach them the first eight verses of chapter 1. Now women women. What about this and in John 640 I don't know. I don't know anything beyond those first aid versus when we get there. Although if you asked me a question of another book in the Bible. My answer was.

I have no idea, but I try to find out it was an interesting little class was a whole set of circumstances and Hodgkin's disease to the pastor. I got an opportunity to preach in the church and when I was preaching in the church and one Sunday never thought that would happen my life. There was a man from another area who said they were without a pastor.

What I preach there I said okay so I started preaching there now. They had a mother church and a daughter church. The mother church had about 110 people hundred 20 people in it that was the mother church. The daughter church, when everybody came was like 25 okay I remember one summer day, no air conditioning. Extremely hot suit and tie. That's the way it works. I went in and one of the worst things a good happen happen to families on the church when a vacation to families. I got to the pulpit and there were two people sitting there two people not there was a choir behind me of two people and the organist. One person so when it came time to preach.

I asked with a choir and the organist move to the front and they did and then I find a little like lectern and I was building I took elected. I'm still in the front and let him have it the best I could. That's small thing, but I never forgot we preach the word of God. The five people in chronic illness in Pennsylvania. Yes, I will see that's the way God is you want to know are you to be faithful in these little things. That's the first thing that ask you see, I felt compelled to teach that this would happen. I got saved. The apostle Paul felt compelled to preach the gospel to the Gentiles number and ask you something. What did you feel when you got saved.

What did you feel the mask this week. What was your burden. Once you experience the grace of God.

What was your burden was your burden. The lost did you begin to think the first time are so many people that I love. It's only people I know the lost metal burned them. I want to share the gospel with them or I know that the people lost over the world and I want to go somewhere that's with the calling of a missionary work. I want to help people to go. I just want to give. I just want to give the people to get out there and get the gospel what was the burden that you felt did you feel that you want to help people using did you fill burden to help like you know I am so blessed by Jesus Christ. Now if I see and I just want to pitch in and help people that your ministry what about encourage you, think yourself, you know, I feel so good about being experiencing the grace of God on encourage people there so many people are so sad for so many people have difficulties in life and I will encourage them. Was that your burden that you felt did you fill burden just to pray for people. I want to pray. I want to pray pray for my parents on a pray for my neighbors on a pray for my call it the question is, what was your burden. You see, what is it because it's so important because it's what God has called you from your mother's womb to be your ministry sees the same for every single one of us.

Your pre-conversion days. Do not limit you serving God and God will prepare you to fulfill his calling in your life and thoroughly got lost in you spiritual people to confirm his calling on your life. Not always, but often then Paul says, then after an interval 14 years three and 14 to 17 I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas.

I took Titus along. They got understand that what's interesting about this is Titus is Gentile is Greek, not Jewish. He said it was because of a revelation that I went up my love that Ms. I guess it was all things are displayed by Paul want to go. I don't think like you want to go to Jerusalem and meet John and James and Peter, not so much. So God can probably need to go to Jerusalem is a direct revelation from God. So is it okay if God wanted go.

I'm going so he goes to Jerusalem reason I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private. To those who were reputation he said otherwise. He said, for fear that I might be running red run in vain. That's a great point, spiritually minded man is my ministry by my doing the right thing. The gospel that I preach is right. You see, you validate what I'm saying is a call last legitimate question is my ministry call use that we all should use that bathroom on the radio ministry of fellowship more if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike the message one more time.

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