Paul’s Tombstone, Part 2

JD Greer human clear with your friends and your family about God's word mean that you make them all believe all Paul said was shrink from declaring you the whole counsel of God, and persuade them all. He was leaving a lot of them unconverted, but he had been clear that is the question. Have you been clear what the people that God is putting your life. The Bible there and theologian JD Greer. I'm your host Molly, but abets okay. Have you ever left a sermon at church feeling like the weight of the world was on your shoulders like the whole saving the world from sending with your job well. This is partly true. We do have a responsibility to tell the world about Jesus explained today that only one person is truly responsible for saving the world. Guess what, it's not will be learning five things that we should focus our attention on instead part of her teaching series titled safe if you miss any of the previous messages in this series, you can listen to them online, free of charge.

Visit JD Greer.com. Now let's get started today. I'm going to give you the five things I apostle Paul would have wanted written on his tombstone. These are the five things that I want said about my life to this is the outline with your taking notes for my funeral sermon you called on the preach my funeral sermon.

This is what I want said number one.

I have been faithful to do what Jesus told me to do first thing Paul wanted on his tombstone. Probably the most important thing. Verse 24 my single focus has been and is to do what God is told me to do.

That's why none of these threats are dangers that I know are ahead of me.

Don't move me because my one great ambition in life is to hear from him well done good and faithful servant. See the end of the day that's all any of us really responsible for so my very simple question is what is Jesus called you to do your not responsible save the world responsible to fulfill the assignments or the assignments that God is given to you write this down success and failure are master words. Faithfulness is a concern of stewards to those of you who tend to carry around the weight of too much responsibility what God requires of stored all that he requires is that we be faithful with what he assigned to us because listening. God is a major God can do more with one act of faithfulness than you could accomplish in 10,000 lifetimes on your own a Mac separate silt, builders in Samaria. Those preaching God choosing them hundreds thousands of people are getting sated.

Samaria and then the most unexpected thing happens. The spirit of God says to Philip, I want to leave Samaria were hundreds of people getting say, and I want you to go stand by yourself on the side a little dusty road leading down to Africa, and Philip was like honey have a big impact here, but you will stand on the dusty road with no traffic, so you Philip stands there, but sure enough, soon comes this single chariot and it is a guy that we now refer to as the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip leads him to Christ.

This God was on scholar Saito found the church in Africa and what you see is that God does more than one act of faithfulness than Philip could accomplish in 10,000 lifetimes on the road to the credit question for you is what has God told you to do a friend right now is making a very difficult decision about whether he should transition in ministry somewhere and he told me he said you know most for most my life. I've always asked myself the question, where can I have the biggest impact where you know what, where, where is the best investment of my of my talents is that after studying the book of acts.

I realize the only question I need to ask is where does God want me because God doesn't need me.

He doesn't need me to have an impact. Doesn't he might have just wants me to be faithful because he can do more with one act of faithfulness and I could accomplish in 10,000 lifetimes. It's not your ability that God needs. It is your availability because the point is not what you can do for him. But what he can either you when you get to heaven I think you're going to be blown away at how God used small acts of faithfulness to do the greatest things every once in a while Gotto give you a glimpse of it now. I think when you get to heaven you would be blown away at how much that kind of stuff happens when God takes the smallest I could. Faithfulness college student you feel like you lost the argument in my classroom is like you got humiliated like your commitment to purities not making any difference when you get to heaven. Did you realize that God used your courageous stand as a catalyst for somebody else to actually come to faith. I was like any college you feel like you got the sum like you want to football game and there's like a sea of people all where one culture for their team. You've always got a one or two guys like right in the middle there were the quality of the team and is chair in their heads off and you will walk you doing I know what you hear. You is making everybody mad not make any difference at all. The game right that's what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and many of these environments he's like I'm chair of the other team. Nobody is paying attention. I just irritate everybody. God uses that kind of faithfulness, for his spirit to do things for you that will blow you away mothers and fathers.

I can tell you that what God uses in your kids life is consistent faithfulness, not some big dramatic conversation has a God who is deeply impacted by his mom and dad. I can tell you the biggest impact didn't go back to a conversation I had with me so much as it is the ordinary faithfulness I observed in their lives over a lifetime. Write this down.

Success in life is identifying what God is called you to be completely faithful when it first servant success in life is now finally got called to do and be good with the faithful and what you like to look at the face of Jesus world proceeds behind you and all the applause there is gone and the opinions of a bunch of no account earthlings are fading. In the distance have the creator of the universe who loved you spoke the end from the beginning who care for you and died for you.

Who is your inheritance, who is the Alpha and the Omega look you in the eyes and say well done good and faithful servant.

You are the mother I told you to be with her father. I told you to be you did for me. What I told you to do that is accessible without you want that what you want to hear we start living that way now number two. I told the truth, but also not told the truth. Verse 20 I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable. He says again for 27 at industry from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Paul saw himself first Timothy 27 is a Harold of truth.

Paul saw himself as the watchman listen for the group of people I got had decided to because the gospel is an announcement listen that the human race stands underneath the judgment of God because of our rebellion and because of that we are dead in our sin we are hopeless we are helpless. There is nothing that we can do about our condemnation, but God so loved the world that he gave his only son who would come and do for us.

We couldn't do for ourselves. Namely, he would live the life that we were supposed to live and he would die the death we were condemned to die in our place so that whosoever would humble themselves to admit that there are rebel deserving only of judgment and would receive that gift of grace as their only hope of salvation to all them, they could be say I am not responsible for how you respond to that message.

I am responsible to make sure that you understand and so when people react to me a mental like the message MEI bothers me. On one level one another it done. I'm responsible to tell you that you underneath the condemnation of God and your hope is not potential yourself grace and God's heart and if you will humble yourself enough to believe that you can be safe, but is not question your friends do they understand that because I'm trying to faithfully execute my role in your life you've been given a community to watch over you been clear with your friends and your family about God's word to them that I mean that you made them all believe me that you grind them into the ground that every time you talk to them. You know it's all you talk about always got your finger in her face. When you better turn a barn is not what this means all Paul said was hiding shrink from declaring you the whole counsel of God, and persuade them all.

He was leaving a lot of them unconverted, but he had been clear that is the question.

Have you been clear what the people that God is putting your life notice.

By the way, to what characterized Paul's attitude was tears, not anger. See verse 19 house with you and tears were 31. I didn't cease to admonish you night and day with tears for many of us are attitude toward friends and family who don't know Jesus toggles between apathy and anger is your presentation of the truth doesn't flow with tears was in the Charles Spurgeon's sinners be damned, at least make them leave the hell over our dead bodies and if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped around their knees, imploring them to stay is held must be filled.

Let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one to one warned or on prayed for some a church of this not be true in our city that not one in our city went to hell if they had to go they didn't go on warned her on prayed for should not be true in your circle of friends and got helpless or someone in our family would go to hell on warned and on prayed for surely they will die their iniquity, but God's will require their blood in your hand. What makes you weak. You weep over lost friends and family dolma Jesus know that you weep. You weep over entire nations and villages.

The loss of the good news of Jesus we hear about what's going on Libby Afghanistan and Iraq. In all the numerous places your heartbreak and say it's not a political solution they need. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. You got a friend you had a family you get on the phone you need to have a conversation with them and you need to say I can call myself your friend and not have told you. Told the truth, I'm free from your blood. Number three I directed people's attention toward Jesus and not toward me.

I directed people's attention toward Jesus and not toward me. Verse 19 she revolves as a circle with humility and with tears and trials. That's not typically how we would describe a great leader right must be that so why listen, why doesn't insult outside of the gospel become a virtue inside of the gospel is what because Christian ministry is not about extraordinary men and women of great character worthy to be praised Christian ministry is about a great Savior who can save the weakest and most broken and most guilty of sinners. So Paul does not want to leave them with the memory of his example that they should emulate wants to leave them with news of a Savior that they could trust and because see he might impress them with his example, but he can only save them with the message about Jesus Christ think Ellis is a humble and weak person can show a crucified Savior better than a polished pull together expert why because that's how it happened for us to admit we weren't saved by pulling ourselves together. We were saved by admitting that we were sinners and calling on the one was pulled apart for us. I realize the greatest help I can be to you is not to say and appear and pretend that I'm awesome why because it's not true.

And even if you thought that I might inspire you me like I want to be a husband like him on one of you know live a Christian life like him. That's not to get you very far. How would much rather stand up here and tell you about my weakness and tell you about how Jesus is been a great Savior to me and show you the same Savior who saved my soul and helps me triggers me as a Savior that can help you and strengthen you. I was thinking about how much different today's religious leaders are presented right me today great religious leaders are people of power and try out the positivity and happiness.

Is it possible the ones that God beings to be great leaders and the ones that we deem to be great leaders may not be the same as God said my leaders are people who don't put on an impressive show they put on an immaculate Savior number four finish strong finish strong. After explaining that the Holy Spirit told him that the only beating that only beating the imprisonments are going to wait in the future. Paul says I want that none of these things move me or dissuade me, but if only I may finish my course in the ministry that I received the Lord Jesus made people start well in the Christian life, but they don't finish well. I was home one hit Christian wonders. The Milli Vanilli of Christian experience, knowledge breaks my heart to the, you're all excited when she said that her in the front rows. No offense to you guys but am super excited to take notes start well but they don't finish three things that I noticed over the years the key people from finishing strong job is down is one of the main your weakness, pain pain. The people that your ministry to don't appreciate it. You're not rewarded with gratefulness. It's easy to quit when the people that you're trying to minister to.

Don't appreciate it may take advantage of you and abuse you would talk badly about you that's a bald-faced inexperienced betrayal, he was forgotten about it was abused and ripped off pain as a side when fatigue since this is not working nobody's listening. By the way Paul experience that you noticed in the book of acts that a good sermon for Paul is to people coming at the other began asking him to have coffee later. That was like all success in a sermon, Peter is the one who breaches every thousand people get saved Paul.

Good sermon to do don't have coffee later on the week. A bad sermon for Paul is a dragon of this city and they stoned him. So Paul knew it was like to be fatigue and say it's not working. Nobody is listening, but in both of those things. Paul kept going. Why because Paul understood how the gospel work. Jesus ministry had not ended and try out Jesus ministry had ended in sorrow and death and God brought a resurrection out of his sorrow and death. So Paul would tell his congregation prescribing 50 steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not obeying the Lord looks at you like it's not working because the same God that brought the dead body. Jesus of the grave is to bring life out of what looks like after you. So you keep going to be unmovable and you keep doing it because we serve the God of the resurrection to God, the resurrection means that the death you when I experience or ministry is never the end is our God raises the dead is the main reason the people have trouble finishing C divided hearts you want to complete the assignment that Jesus gave to you, but other things start pulling at your heart how I want to follow Jesus. I really do. But I love comfort and so I'm not going to that amount will go there. It's these divided laws that keep us from finishing. I told you think of as few weeks ago, but I was sitting with these four planters for the year and is there telling me about reader to take out of our church.

Some of them were to be named someone. The guy got guys awesome.

He's a great leader. He gives the people you sit there all the time you have any member don't they got guy I told you how to put my hands underneath the table and open them up and say God's church belongs to you and God. I want to follow you and got my own heart. Didn't want Sue Molnar was laying on what's best for me. But, here is a verse quote.

I pray all the time and I would give it to you to pray Psalm 8611 give me an undivided heart that I might fear your name is not problem as part of my heart wants to serve you apart. My heart what to do its own thing.

That's why Paul would say none of these things move me, not because he doesn't he's okay with paying he would say none of these things move me because my heart is united in its hope that one day if you look Jesus in the face and hear well done good and faithful servant. So I don't need your approval. Why because I live for an audience of one.

And if God is for me who can be against me greater than Christ in anything that you could offer to me that's how you finish strong as it Jesus's approval becomes greater that all things are trying to divide your heart fully wanted to start.

Well he want to finish well I am out like this one of the biggest problems we have in then is for my kids is like the biggest lesson run teach them just start like we do so much better for you just finished your carrots start) teacher carrots and it tears in her right in front finish what you start from.org rebels most need to different ones.

You were different chapters and you want to quit making some electronically or you know how here's a little thing politics directly, but I think you see played out in his life.

You want to ways that you can finish it by focusing only on the thing that got it right in front of you and not what you're supposed to do tomorrow.

Martin Luther said that there were only two days on his calendar that made any difference to him this day and that day that they means the day that he sees Jesus this day. These ladies right in front of me because God will give him the strength to get through this day what he saying in the spiritual realm is 100% true this day that day. That's how you finish strong. Got you the strength to finish the stay well number five last one.

Paul says I gave more than I took a coveted no one silver or gold or apparel.

I worked hard and made tenses for myself. People around me. I taught you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus who taught us that we gotta help a week. He himself said it's more blessed to give than to receive. Paul thought of a successful blessed life is one which you gave more than you took why because that's what Jesus had said and done for him. So Paul said Jesus live like that for me then doesn't it make sense in every relationship that I'm in that I should always give more than I take.

So that's a good question for you to ask any relationship that you're in right now. You give more than you take in your marriage.

Do you serve your spouse more than you expect them to serve you guys whose preferences. Do you think more about yours or hers ladies whose comfort and happiness. Are you more devoted to what you do with your career and your money making potential for is about taking all you can or you asking how can I leverage my career my money to advance the mission of God not take this all the time but there's a misconception that there's a few of us were supposed to give our lives to advance the mission of God. The rest of you as well develop a career make much money, live for yourselves all by the way, make sure you tie the tip.

God now.

Every career is given for the advancement of the great commission and you have got to ask yourself how can I leverage this career not to take, but to give the money you make from that career.

The followers of Jesus.

We don't work so that the end of the day we can have more money in our pockets.

We work so we can get more greater financial capacity should increase our standard of giving not just our standard of living in your friendships. You give more than you take, how you relate to your parents. You give more than you take the guy recently told a sense of that indoor church that is want you to know, including you, and are in my will is the largest gift I've ever given to the kingdom of God. I'm good to be able to give at my death. Hey, so what's awesome about that as he says it affects how I live my retirement now yes I'm enjoying myself. He said, but it's not spending all my money on me because I am even living frugally in my retirement because I want the greatest gift that I give to be when I die.

Why did Paul think this way. Why did Paul want to give to others more than he took his why listen because it was one relationship in which Paul would always take more than he could ever give five things on your tombstone and faithful to do what Jesus told me to do.

I told the truth.

I directed people's attention toward Jesus.

Not for me. I finish strong.

I gave more than I took. That's an awesome funeral sermon you want that to be the sermon we preach at your funeral and start writing it right now.

Psalm 90 verse 12. Lord, teach me to think about death. So from that perspective I can figure out now how to live our lives so we can live more fully and with purpose today is a much healthier perspective. As we grow and mature in Christ.

You're listening to Senate night after Janie Greer at her home church in the Senate in Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina. We are thinking about that proverbial tombstone every day. With that in mind we've committed to planting 1000 new churches within our generation talk about lofty prayer goals.

Janie, can you explain why it's so important to assess what certainly not about extending the name of the summa church that these thousand churches are independent churches. We we just believe that God has called us to multiply for the last century in America.

It's been the age of the mega church where churches get bigger and bigger and bigger one the most sobering statistics Molly is that as churches have gotten bigger in the United States than they've ever been in history in any country. At the same time, the percentage of Americans going to church on a weekly basis has gone down not up. What we see is that it's not you know a handful of congregations growing growing really big.

That's the answer it's it's multiplication and so we have taken on our church. The mission of planting the thousand churches. Hey you know this was some of life is a part of that mission because were able to to be in the new areas, new cities and you will see what the response of the word is like. We've often set church planters from our church gathered teams from the local city, and from our congregation and and move their and and started a new work. We would love to see you be a part of this if you want to find out more about that strategy that you can go to JD Greer.com you can also reserve their your copy of scent, which is volume 2 of our study through acts that take you a little deeper into the stories and the promises that were covering volunteers on cover chapters 9 to 28. If you miss volume 1 cover chapters 1 to 8 are still time to get that when you give today to support this many will express our gratitude as well as the gratitude of your fellow listeners by sending you the work, but after Janie mentioned that to interactive study guide created exclusively for you and it might in its doors with your donation of $25 or more. Request your copy by calling 335-5220 866-335-5224.

Give online Molly benefits and all the be sure to come back tomorrow after Janie turned 28.

Explain mission all while sitting in here this powerful message Janie