Turning the World Upside Down (Pt. 1)

If you have your Bibles turn with me to the book of acts acts chapter 17 because in this passage we have the theme of this conference which is turning the world upside down. You have heard that expression before.

And were going to read the context of it. As I read with you.

The first nine verses of acts chapter 17 acts 17 then there's one know when they pass through and be Paulus Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews and Paul Winton as was his custom on the three Sabbath days. He reasoned with them from the Scriptures explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying this Jesus whom I proclaim to you as the Christ. I think of that going into synagogue on the three Sabbath days and preaching the gospel to hostile people to people who had rejected that Jesus was the Messiah who did not believe that he was the promise Christ of the Old Testament Scriptures are now here is the apostle Paul owing an unreasoning with them know that from their own Scriptures themselves, and it is summarized by Luke that he's explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and that this Jesus, the one that they rejected was in fact the Christ with it was the response. Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas as it a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous and taking some wicked men of the novel. They farm the mob is set to sit in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason seeking to bring them out to the crowd and Wendy could not find them. They dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities showed a punitives these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them and they're all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another came. Jesus amazing story.

Paul is preaching the gospel to the Jews. Some of the Jews believe more of the Gentiles believe some of the leading women but there are a number of the rabble and that some of the Jews exploit the rabble and they attack verbally and I'm sure physically Jason and some of the believers and the accusation is hurled at them and they said this is an accusation. These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also. So we have taken that expression here for my chapter 7 as the theme of the conference, turning in the world upside down. Now I wonder if I could be said of you or me in terms of your world, your situation that whatever you are in your home. Your work in the Bank of America in Uganda whenever you are the purposes of God that you're tightening your world upside down and we would say were tightening the world the right way because it is the way of Christ or are you playing it safe play. Get comfortable so if there's any opposition to the gospel any criticism, any hardship you shrink from it. These men didn't and they're accused of turning the world upside down that I want to remind you very basically of our mission and of the power of God which will turn the world upside down. What is it that's going to turn the world upside down well. Our mission given by our Savior is to turn the world upside down low back with me to the familiar verses of Matthew chapter 28. Which of already been referred to this morning. I want to give the biblical basis very quickly.

The biblical basis for missions at Calvary, because at Calvary. This mission essential to everything we do is not just on the periphery is not just a program, but essential to our very existence as a church and our mission is to turn the world upside down. The words of our Savior in Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 Jesus came and said to them, of the 11 disciples all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son of the of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I'm with you always, to the end of the age not know this very very important in late that the command is to make disciples of all nations.

This is what we call the great commission is another great suggestion is not just an option is not just for some of you this is given by Jesus to his church go and make disciples of all the nations, and that Matthew records the words of our Lord before he gives a great commission where Jesus reminds us that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him, the one who was about to ascend to the father, the one who has died for our sins, was buried, who is risen from the dead. Now he says this is what I want you to do and he prefaces his remarks by reminding us that there is no greater authority that is no higher name.

There is no powerful name in heaven.

And the whole universe that our Lord Jesus Christ. No appeal against him. No higher court. No one to overrule him and say that's not right. This is not highest authority. This is God himself, commanding us to go and make disciples of all of the nations. This is the Lord of the universe is saying go and make disciples of all the nations. This therefore is God's plan not just the plan of Calvary church, not just the program. This is our agenda.

This is mission. The great commission recorded in Luke 14 states that repentance and the strange that so many churches we forgotten repentance repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. Why is that because forgiveness of sins is our greatest need that all kinds of needs in the world all kinds of problems all kinds of things that need to be remedied by the greatest need of mankind of men and women and boys and girls is a relationship with God and to have a relationship with God means that our sins must be forgiven that we must repent of our sins and we must place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why because were held in bondage by renovate were held in bondage by our own sinful choices and decisions on the only one who can set us free. The only one who can forgive our sins as our Lord Jesus Christ who paid the price for our sins on the cross and is alive forevermore and that's why the early apostles in the early Christians were very very clear that this is the only way of salvation. So when Paul is in a Jewish synagogue is dialoguing with them. Yes, but is making it clear that Jesus is the Christ, and he's proving it from the Old Testament Scriptures was a point-to-point business but God's love goes for the whole world make disciples of all the nations, yes, including nations and people who are hostile to the gospel that no one is to be excluded that we as a church can say this individual this person, this people group. This country is too difficult for the gospel that we are commanded, yes, commanded to go to all of the nations and this is why I Calvary church.

We are so blessed with privilege to be able to partner with these missionaries that you've seen this morning, and many more who are on the field who are and many of them in the remote parts of the world. Why because our mission is to be make authentic followers of Jesus Christ.

You've heard me say that before and our mission is not just to proclaim the gospel. Jesus says it is to make disciples not receiving Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, is the most important thing that happens to us but is only the beginning were born again we become a new creation in Christ. But now were to grow that were to mature network to become more like Jesus. Now we are to love and to serve them and all of that is involved in being and making authentic followers, disciples of Jesus Christ. I recently Challenger from Romans 12 when into to accept the challenge of total commitment. This is what it means totally committed to Christ totally committed to this commission that we take it personally and say what is my part in obeying the command of Jesus to go and make disciples of all of the nations we take that very seriously at Calvary church a lot of resources, a lot of time, a lot of money goes into missions both here and overseas and that this church, Calvary church is not a center for political action status center for social justice.

It's not a social club or an entertainment center or an educational center. Our primary mission as a primary we are concerned with social justice. We are concerned with education. We are concerned with meeting people and their physical needs, but our primary mission taken from the word of God is a spiritual one. It is to display and proclaim Jesus to all of the nations leading to what happened the deadly disciples take this command seriously just the date from that small group in the then known world, they went out with great boldness and with great authority proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ that they took that message all over the known world, and in doing so attacked the forces of darkness. The forces of unbelief, the forces of false religion, the forces of the devil himself and so are accused of telling the world upside down, tightening it the right way up now. How is this done. While the power of the gospel turns the world upside down that Jesus as he commissions us, tells us that he will give us his supernatural power. So Luke says as he gives the great commission Jesus says stay in the city, Jerusalem, until you're called with power from on high. The famous verse in acts one verse eight Jesus again to his disciples as to them here in acts one verse eight but you will receive what power you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the and enacts to the spirit of God is poured out on the disciples at Pentecost 50 days have passed since the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross perfect Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world offering us know forgiveness over sins through him and now the promised spirit, the Holy Spirit comes with great power is received and accepted to undress and is in the disciples so that as they go. They live the message and they preach the message in the parlor and the fullness and the anointment of the Holy Spirit with is that mean for us what it means for us that our mission of making disciples of all the nations is not going to be accomplishing our own strength, not because were a large church, not in our expertise, order, money order, giftedness, or acknowledge our strength. It is going to be accomplished only in the power of the Holy Spirit and is not wonderful to know that as God calls us for a task, he gives us the power to do it. We had from the testing. These the day before mission raised even go to a place God has already prepared the people to receive the message as his supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. You can program that you can work out that you can't strategize that this is the supernatural power of the holy spirit in our study of Romans, we learned that the Spirit of God dwells in every single believer and the only power which can turn your world upside down is the power of God to experience the power of God in your life doing the thing about the power of God cursing because it worked in your life. I trust you've experienced the power of God through the forgiveness of your sins. That's power by Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel puts the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes in that the miracle of salvation that once we were in darkness but no, we are delighted that we are saved on the part of God has forgiven us. And now as God calls us as God gives us as God sends aside whatever that may be into the streets and communities of North inside Carolina into the schools on the banks on the hospital's of this wonderful city. He gives you and gives me all of the power we need to accomplish is task. Otherwise, how do you explain a small group of men and women tightening the world upside down in the first century.

Can you explain that by Shuman methods know this was the power of God himself and it worked in spite of the opposition.

What gave these early believers such boldness. They knew that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and they knew that the spirit of Jesus resided in them and that's why the world ashamed of the gospel. That is why they had boldness. That's why they didn't retreats when they were persecuted.

That's why they wouldn't overcome with self-pity.

That's why they didn't give up. They knew that God was with them and they were not ashamed of the gospel. Your been ashamed of the gospel, I say to her children and their students and to all of us never never never be ashamed of the gospel thing about crazy world of people's time than it social media say all kinds of thing in the depravity is portraying for everyone to see that there's no shame. Why is it the church of Jesus Christ is often so we can do so apologetic and seems to accomplish so little and their voices are quiet. Is it because that will ashamed of the gospel is the power of God in us the trust as a church increasingly we will see the power of God at work. As we accomplish the mission with divine power. Nothing will be done for eternity. Nothing will have lasting spiritual impact the world will not be turned upside down unless we accomplish this in the power of God. Apart from him.

You can do nothing was accorded Paul's great worsen in second Corinthians chapter 4 we have this treasure that is the treasurer of the gospel in jars of clay so that the surpassing greatness of the parlor may be of God and not of yourselves, you can do than I can do it. You may be well trained.

You may know your Bible, you may be able to explain the gospel nothing will be accomplished apart from the power of God and the wonderful thing is this that as we are obedient to the great commission and as we go, whatever that is in your circumstance. I can guarantee there will be opposition and I guarantee there will be discouragements, but we are confident of this that the mission will be fulfilled. All of us have started endeavors in life and failed. This endeavor will not fail. Jesus says I will build my church, and the very gates of hell will not prevail against my dear brother and sister that when you're standing cries when there is in that classroom, but at UNC Charlotte over this among your unbelieving friends or whether it is by skeptical family members or whatever the circumstances, the opposition is against you. Remember this that we are on the victory site and John in the book of Revelation and the Bruce refer to this he gives gives us a look into heaven, I will look into the future. What do we see these as I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation.

Yes, the great commission is going to be successful, it will be fulfilled. A great mounted shirts from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages think that we see a little bit of it here in Charlotte people, most of the world coming here. I just think in heaven.

Samuel Rutherford, the great Scottish creature through the line and said that his heaven route would be to have Vince and Emmanuel's land. One person, one soul came to Christ through his ministry. Just think of that as we stand with that glorious multitudes and sheltering salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. There will be boys and girls in men and women there from places like Mozambique and Uganda and during the and Keswick stand and throughout the world that have come to Christ through our ministry here at 12 just think that is Rutherford Cesar heaven will be to heaven in Emmanuel's land but encourage to take a stand for God to listen to what God is saying to during this missions conference that many of us here will be graciously used by the great God and turning the world upside down. Father, help us to do that we sometimes confess that we have been ashamed of the gospel were sometimes fearful or sometimes hesitant or sometimes lazy were sometimes more concerned with her bank balance in the bank in heaven. As we been already challenge this morning. Forgive his father, help us as a church. I pray for admissions counselor pray for our leaders as they help us in the endeavor of the missions program here at Calvary that you will graciously use us in more and more young men than women and older men in the older woman will stand up and say I'm not ashamed of the gospel and go in the prelude of the spirit throughout this world bless us that we ask in Christ name a man