Striving Together for the Gospel.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Alright, go ahead and have a seat. [0:01] Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] My name’s Steve and I’m thankful to see you. [0:06] I’m thankful to have you here with us this morning. [0:08] If this is your first time here, [0:11] another special welcome to you and happy Father’s Day

[0:14] to all of the fathers who are here. [0:17] And I kinda make a similar plea on Father’s Day [0:19] as I do on Mother’s Day. [0:21] This can be the most joyous of days for you [0:24] and if it is the most joyous of days, [0:26] I tell you to find that joy, to celebrate well

[0:30] the bountiful blessings that God has given you [0:33] in your children and in your marriage. [0:35] But if this is a day marked with pain [0:37] and maybe even regret in your life, [0:40] I tell you that this is not a day for you to dread, [0:44] but rather this is a day for you to have a reminder

[0:46] that your hope is to be in Jesus Christ. [0:49] And that’s really for all men everywhere, [0:52] but specifically on this day, [0:54] I wanna turn all of the fathers [0:56] to finding their hope in the gospel. [0:58] One of the wonderful things about being part

[1:02] of God’s plan in the gospel is that we live [1:06] with these daily reminders in scripture [1:08] of what we are to be as men, what we are to be as fathers. [1:12] And if you’re new here, I want you to understand [1:14] that the culture that we are to bring into our families [1:18] is one in which we really do give our all to Jesus

[1:22] and we find all that Jesus is for us in the scriptures, [1:25] all that he wants us to be in the scriptures. [1:28] And so I just wanna take a moment to plead [1:31] with the fathers to lead your family well. [1:36] The Bible is overwhelmingly clear. [1:39] It’s not an argument, it’s not a discussion

[1:42] here at Village Church, but God has placed the father [1:45] in the home as the leader.

[1:49] Male headship is taught in scriptures. [1:51] That’s also called complementarianism. [1:54] In other words, men and women are equal in value [1:56] but given different giftings and God has gifted men [2:00] with the office of being the head. [2:03] And so I’m a father, I’m a husband,

[2:06] therefore God has ordained that I lead my home [2:09] and I lead it well and I lead it the way [2:12] that he has called me to lead. [2:14] And there’s a great responsibility in that leadership. [2:17] There’s so much pressure on men. [2:21] There’s so much responsibility for men to live

[2:25] and so we live in a tension. [2:27] Let’s not pretend that we don’t. [2:29] We have pressure from outside for us to give our family [2:33] larger houses, for us to give our family better cars, [2:36] for us to always think that the answer for our children [2:39] and the answer for our wives is more and more

[2:41] and more money, which leads typically, not always, [2:46] but typically to less and less and less time [2:49] with your family, which negates your leadership. [2:53] And so the wife then comes in and she is the head [2:57] of the home and you are an innocent bystander oftentimes [3:01] and your voice of reason is usually seen as a voice

[3:04] of neglect in most circumstances. [3:07] And so my plea to the men in this crowd [3:10] is to find your identity first in Jesus Christ, [3:14] then find out what Jesus has told you [3:16] you are responsible for and you find that out [3:19] in the scriptures.

[3:20] You find out who you are as a husband in the scriptures. [3:23] You find out who you are as a father in the scriptures [3:26] and then you do absolutely everything that you can do [3:31] to fight the calling of culture on your life [3:35] to be less than a man. [3:39] And you lead your family well in the name of Jesus

[3:41] under the power of the Holy Spirit [3:43] because you believe the gospel. [3:46] Friends, I tell you that when you do not lead [3:48] your family well, when you do not embrace the tension [3:52] of masculinity, when you accept passivity, [3:56] when you refuse to accept responsibility,

[3:59] when you do not lead courageously [4:01] and you invest solely in those things [4:05] that will die when you die, [4:07] understand that that’s going to happen. [4:10] Our houses probably won’t even be standing in 100 years. [4:13] They don’t build them like they used to.

[4:15] So it’s not worth your eternal investment. [4:19] When you do not accept the calling of God on your life [4:23] as a man, a father, a husband, [4:26] when you simply prolong your adolescence [4:28] as far as you possibly can [4:31] and your only calling card as a man

[4:33] is that you can grow a beard. [4:34] Not as good as I can, but you can grow a beard.

[4:38] When you do that, you understand that your life [4:41] is a living denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [4:45] Lead your family well, man. [4:48] It’s hard. [4:50] You will fail. [4:52] Often.

[4:54] I do every day. [4:56] But that’s where you find your hope in Jesus. [4:58] You realize that because of the grace of God, [5:01] no matter how many mistakes you’ve made, [5:03] and I’m sure you have made many if you’re anything like me, [5:07] but you can get back up and you can begin today

[5:12] to be the man that God has called you to be. [5:16] And lead well. [5:18] Lead your children to faith in Jesus Christ. [5:20] Disciple your wife. [5:22] Disciple your children. [5:24] Be a man of God.

[5:26] Every one of you have that capability. [5:28] I know some of you don’t think that you do, [5:31] but you do. [5:32] And the reason that you have that capability [5:34] and you have that potential [5:35] is because you have the exact same Holy Spirit

[5:37] that every other man has. [5:40] The exact same Holy Spirit as every other father has. [5:43] The exact same Holy Spirit as every other husband has. [5:47] And so what I tell you is, [5:48] is look at the example of Christ. [5:49] Look at the commands of Christ throughout scripture.

[5:53] And that is what you fashion your life after. [5:56] And so I’m pleading for families [5:58] that are brave enough in a culture [6:02] that will vilify us for it. [6:05] Embrace a robust vision of male headship. [6:10] Embrace a robust vision of complementarianism.

[6:14] And be brave enough men to lead your family. [6:19] Because that is what an unbelieving world will question [6:24] because it’s so odd. [6:26] And when they question it, [6:28] you will be able to look to them and say, [6:30] we live this way because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[6:33] That is our calling.

[6:36] This morning, I wanna turn our attention back [6:39] to the book of Romans. [6:40] We have two sermons left in this series. [6:43] I’m mourning that. [6:44] I love the book of Romans. [6:46] It’s a book that oftentimes in the storms of life

[6:50] has served to keep me on the path of God’s truth. [6:55] On the path of saying God is true, [6:59] though every man may be a liar. [7:01] And the truth that we find in the book of Romans [7:04] is the truth that is going to build your life [7:06] to be that which is a life that typifies

[7:09] what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ [7:12] in a culture that so greatly needs the message of hope [7:17] and the good news of Jesus Christ. [7:19] It really answers two questions in this book. [7:21] First, he says, what is the gospel? [7:24] And he spends 11 chapters exhaustively breaking down

[7:27] what is the gospel of Jesus Christ. [7:30] And then the second half of the book, [7:31] he answers the question, how do I live for the gospel? [7:35] Friends, the pages of this letter should be read, reread, [7:39] and memorized by every follower of Jesus [7:43] so that your life can be transformed by it.

[7:46] In this section, Paul begins to give traveling plans. [7:50] And so typically what happens is around chapter 15, [7:53] if you read it in quiet time, you begin to speed read. [7:56] And there’s a lot of names in the end [7:58] that you can’t really read. [7:59] And then you’re like, what do I care

[8:00] where Paul’s about to go? [8:01] But what I wanna do this morning is kind of unpack [8:04] how Paul is using his traveling plans to inform them [8:10] of how specifically they can embrace [8:12] the calling of God on their lives [8:14] so that they can live for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[8:18] And what he’s going to do today in this section [8:20] is tell you that you have a part to play [8:23] in the mission of Jesus. [8:25] You know, as you live your life, [8:26] you will often assume that there’s just [8:29] this daily repetition going on,

[8:31] this insignificant life in the rest of the world. [8:34] But what the gospel does is it kind of impacts us [8:37] and confronts us that lets us know [8:40] that we are to play a part in something [8:45] that is bigger than our lives. [8:48] You are playing a part in the sovereign will of the God

[8:52] who made everything that is and is working everything [8:57] to his ultimate glory. [9:00] And so specifically this morning, [9:01] he wants to answer one question [9:02] that I wanna see in this text. [9:04] How practically do you do that?

[9:06] How do you embrace that for your life? [9:09] Well, there’s really two categories [9:11] that I wanna talk about this morning. [9:12] First is what it means to be a goer, [9:15] and then what it means to be a sender. [9:17] Because that’s really what Paul’s gonna talk about

[9:19] to us today, and he’s going to tell us [9:21] what it is that we do if we are someone [9:24] who does not have the exact same calling on our lives [9:28] that he has. [9:30] And so number one this morning, [9:30] I wanna get to the first point before we read the text.

[9:32] The first point is everyone has a part to play [9:36] in the mission. [9:38] Everyone, every single person that is faithful to Jesus, [9:42] trusts him with their salvation, [9:44] has a part to play in the gospel. [9:46] So look in verse 22.

[9:49] Paul writes, he says, [9:49] This is the reason why I have so often been hindered [9:53] from coming to you. [9:54] But now, since I no longer have any work, [9:57] excuse me, any room for work in these regions, [10:00] and since I have longed for many years to come to you,

[10:04] I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, [10:08] and to be helped on my journey there by you [10:11] once I have enjoyed your company for a while. [10:14] At present, however, I’m going to Jerusalem [10:17] bringing aid to the saints. [10:20] And the apostle, he begins his conclusion here.

[10:23] He begins his end. [10:24] And what he’s doing is he’s saying, [10:26] I want to come see you. [10:28] I want to come spend some time with you. [10:30] I want to come experience what the church at Rome [10:34] is really like, because at this point,

[10:36] Paul has never been there. [10:39] Paul didn’t start the church at Rome. [10:41] It’s one of very few churches [10:42] that he did not personally plant himself. [10:45] And this passage demonstrates the reality [10:49] of what it is first to have a mission from Jesus,

[10:53] because that’s what Paul’s talking about. [10:55] He says, where I currently am, [10:57] there isn’t much room for new work. [11:01] Could you imagine what that must be like?

[11:05] Have any of you ever even thought, [11:07] you know, there’s barely any work to do left where I am [11:10] for the gospel of Jesus Christ?

[11:14] He says, the life that Paul lived. [11:16] He so voraciously saturated his life in the gospel, [11:20] felt the burden and the tension to live the life [11:23] that the father had called him to live, [11:26] that he worked so hardily and so speedily [11:29] that he began to look around where he was oftentimes and say,

[11:33] I’ve worked myself out of a job here. [11:35] I’ve made disciples who are now leading other disciples, [11:39] making other disciples. [11:40] I’ve planted a church that churches help, [11:42] and that church has leaders [11:44] that I can hand that church off to.

[11:47] So he’s telling the church at Rome, [11:49] I’m done here, but nobody’s been to Spain. [11:52] I’ve got to get there. [11:54] I’ve got to get the gospel there [11:55] because there’s work that needs to be done. [11:57] His life was not dictated by anything other

[12:02] than where does the gospel need to get to. [12:06] Do you imagine that type of life? [12:08] Paul was a goer. [12:10] He had a gifting from God where he just could, [12:15] in conversation, naturally take it [12:18] to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[12:20] He would go to a city, never having been there, [12:23] and very quickly identify everything that’s going on [12:26] in this city and immediately say, [12:28] I know how to contextualize the truth of the gospel [12:32] for these people. [12:34] He had a boldness.

[12:36] At one place in scripture, he actually writes, [12:39] there’s so much work to do here for the gospel. [12:41] I’m so excited because so many people are against me.

[12:47] Paul had gifting. [12:49] It was his apostleship. [12:50] He was a pioneer for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[12:55] Not as many people’s giftings. [12:57] That’s not everybody’s gifting. [12:59] Let’s be frank. [13:00] If we think that everybody’s gonna live [13:02] like the apostle Paul, we’re crazy [13:05] because Paul didn’t call the church at Rome

[13:06] to live like him. [13:08] I mean, Paul assumes they’re not going anywhere. [13:11] He’s like, I’m gonna come see you. [13:13] And in that day, he wasn’t gonna get in a car. [13:16] He wasn’t gonna get on a train. [13:18] He wasn’t gonna get on a bus,

[13:19] and he wasn’t gonna get in a plane. [13:21] At best, he could take a boat some places, [13:24] and a lot of times those sank.

[13:28] See, apostle Paul is taking long journeys [13:30] to different places, and so he’s not looking [13:32] to the church at Rome and saying, what’s your problem? [13:35] Why aren’t you in Spain? [13:37] He looks at the church at Rome and he says, [13:40] I’m going to Spain, and on my way there,

[13:43] I want to stop, I want to spend time [13:46] with the church at Rome, I want to see [13:48] what’s going on there, I want to be blessed by you. [13:52] He’s talking financially and materially [13:53] so that he can get on to Spain, [13:55] but then he says, that only happens

[13:58] once I’m done enjoying your company. [14:03] You see, the passage demonstrates two callings [14:07] of living the mission of Jesus. [14:09] Paul had the calling of going constantly [14:12] into new places, into new territories, [14:15] starting new relationships, and boldly proclaiming

[14:18] the gospel of Jesus Christ to people, [14:20] but the second calling that Paul’s dealing with here [14:22] is living as one who sends those like Paul [14:26] on to live the mission of Jesus. [14:30] And Paul looks to this calling [14:31] because it’s different than going.

[14:34] You see, God equips the church with different people [14:36] with different giftings, and what we must have [14:39] the faith to believe, and it takes faith to believe this, [14:42] that all giftings from God are essential [14:45] and useful in accomplishing the mission [14:48] of reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

[14:51] You see, Paul wants to go to Rome, [14:53] so there’s a verse 24 puts it, they can help him do that. [14:58] With much of Paul’s missionary work, [14:59] there was confrontation, there was persecution, [15:02] there was derision, and it must have been uplifting [15:05] for Paul to be in the presence of people

[15:09] who wanted him there. [15:11] I mean, imagine, Paul writes often of his suffering. [15:14] I mean, he’s kicked out of some cities [15:16] because he’s actually changing the economic system [15:18] of those cities with the gospel of Jesus Christ. [15:21] How wonderful must it have been for Paul

[15:23] to show up on somebody’s doorstep, [15:25] and they’re like, oh, we’re so glad you’re here. [15:28] That’s something that Paul rarely experienced in his life. [15:31] And so Paul writes to these people, [15:34] what a gift it is that you can give [15:36] to the gospel of Jesus Christ

[15:39] that I feel welcome in your presence. [15:42] He says, you are encouraging me, [15:44] you are uplifting to me, you are helping me [15:46] actually take the gospel further and further and further. [15:51] So Paul’s giving an example of what it means [15:55] to be a sender for the gospel of Jesus.

[15:59] There’s a gifting of God to be encouraging [16:01] to those who are actually called to push the envelope [16:05] for the sake of the gospel. [16:07] You see, it’s important for us to understand [16:10] that if you are not going with the specific purpose [16:13] of establishing new work for the gospel,

[16:16] then God has called you to look at your spiritual gifts [16:19] and find out how you will aid in sending. [16:24] Friend, if you aren’t going, [16:26] then you necessarily are to live your life to send. [16:31] Because in the church, we have a variety of giftings [16:34] and all of them are useful.

[16:36] And he’s really helping them understand [16:38] what he meant in Romans 12, four and five [16:40] when he told them, as in one body, we have many members [16:43] and the members do not all have the same function. [16:47] So we have different functions. [16:49] And we’re to glory in whatever function

[16:51] God has called us to live. [16:53] And he says, so we, though many, are one body [16:57] and individually members one of another. [17:00] Paul’s saying, we may have different offices, [17:02] we may have different functions, [17:04] we may have different giftings,

[17:06] but we are all on the exact same mission. [17:10] You see, the members of the bodies, [17:11] they live for the purpose to know Christ [17:15] and to make him known to others. [17:18] And the key in that is to find out [17:21] how you are gifted by God to do so.

[17:24] Are you a goer or are you a sender? [17:27] Does your ambition and passion for evangelism reveal [17:30] that you need to start new works? [17:33] I mean, do you have the gifting [17:35] where you could go and plant a church? [17:38] Do you have a gifting where you just find it natural,

[17:42] where when you are moving into a neighborhood, [17:44] you’re just like, I am going to begin relationships [17:47] for the specific purpose of I am going to kick down doors [17:50] and I am going to take names [17:51] and I am going to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ. [17:54] And when I am done here, I am going to go somewhere else

[17:56] and then I am going to go somewhere else [17:57] and then I am going to go somewhere else [17:58] and I am going to do that. [18:00] This is a wonderful gifting. [18:02] God has called many of us to live as goers. [18:06] I mean, the Father very specifically

[18:08] at a time in my life called me and impressed on my heart [18:12] and then through the word of God that I was to go [18:14] and I was to plant. [18:16] I was to start churches. [18:18] I don’t know if you’ve noticed, [18:20] but I have an ability to just say things

[18:22] and not really care where they land.

[18:26] If you don’t like it, whatever.

[18:31] You see, there are certain people with that gifting [18:33] that is a function within the body of Christ, [18:36] but that gifting functions for one specific purpose, [18:40] and that is to know Christ and to make him known to others. [18:44] And so in my giftings, that’s what I am called to do. [18:48] You may not have that gifting.

[18:51] But a problem within the church is [18:53] is that if you don’t have that specific gifting, [18:55] you may either A, try to manufacture it [18:57] to think that you have a purpose, [18:59] or B, you may just go through your life and think, [19:01] I’m worthless.

[19:04] I can’t speak with any type of eloquence, [19:07] nor do I really want to. [19:11] I have a job that I feel like God has called me to. [19:15] I have a family that I’m raising to the best of my ability. [19:17] I’m seeking to disciple my wife, [19:19] I’m seeking to disciple my children, or a wife.

[19:21] I’m seeking to be a disciple of my husband, [19:23] a disciple of the women, to disciple my children. [19:24] I’m seeking to do all these things well, [19:26] but I guess I’m just not the Apostle Paul. [19:29] I guess I have no part to play. [19:30] That’s not true.

[19:32] That’s not the vision of scripture. [19:34] The vision of scripture is for you to see [19:36] what the giftings of your life are for the gospel. [19:41] I mean, can your generosity and gift for encouraging, [19:45] and even praying for others, [19:47] reveal that you need to be more focused

[19:50] on aiding those who are bold with the work? [19:54] I mean, it’s quite possible that the Father [19:56] has given you a gifting that, yes, [19:58] is to be behind the scenes, [20:00] but if it’s behind the scenes, [20:01] that in no way means that it’s less important.

[20:04] It’s extremely significant. [20:05] Look at what Paul is saying about a church [20:07] that will probably be filled with people [20:10] who will never in their lives leave the city of Rome. [20:14] Because like I said, there wasn’t a plane leaving. [20:17] So for them to leave, it would be complicated.

[20:19] They didn’t have vacation time.

[20:22] And he’s saying, you play a vital role [20:26] in the gospel in my life. [20:28] If the Apostle Paul said that to me, [20:30] I’d probably be satisfied the rest of my life. [20:32] Paul said, I play a vital role in the gospel.

[20:36] As Paul is speaking to them to have a robust vision [20:40] as senders for the gospel. [20:43] Look at what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12. [20:45] He says, there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit. [20:48] There are varieties of service, but the same Lord. [20:51] There are varieties of activities,

[20:52] but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. [20:58] Friend, the gospel is to be your purpose. [21:01] And when we combine all of these gifts, [21:04] we accomplish our mission. [21:06] We must take inventory of our lives [21:08] to see how God has equipped and is equipping us

[21:12] and then turn that to see how we should use it. [21:15] Then we must actually do something about it. [21:20] I mean, in this instance, Paul’s refreshment [21:23] is coming together to see how the church [21:25] and the variety of gifts is living Jesus’s mission. [21:30] That was what Paul was saying was going to spur him on

[21:33] to actually have the encouragement to go to Spain. [21:38] Secondly, this morning, I want you to understand [21:40] that everyone has a part to play in helping others. [21:44] Everyone has a part to play in helping others. [21:47] Paul goes on, starting in verse 25. [21:50] He says, at present, I’m going to Jerusalem,

[21:53] bringing aid to the saints. [21:54] Paul’s going again. [21:56] He says, for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased [21:59] to make some contribution for the poor [22:01] among the saints at Jerusalem, [22:03] for they were pleased to do it.

[22:05] And indeed, they owe it to them. [22:07] For if the Gentiles have come to share [22:09] in their spiritual blessings, [22:11] they ought also to be of service to them [22:13] in material blessings. [22:15] When therefore I have completed this

[22:17] and have delivered to them what has been collected, [22:20] I will leave for Spain by way of you. [22:22] I know that when I come to you, [22:24] I will come in fullness of the blessing of Christ. [22:29] You see, friend, we need to form a culture [22:31] with a vision of helping one another.

[22:34] And here, Paul focuses on the practical steps [22:37] of actually engaging in a life of mission. [22:40] You see, people who are not in what’s typically called [22:43] full-time vocational ministry, [22:46] or people who aren’t international missionaries [22:50] often think that they are somehow prevented

[22:52] from this living mission full on. [22:55] This letter, though, is written to an entire group of people [22:58] who were neither of those. [23:00] You see, Paul is telling them [23:01] that their lives are not a hindrance, [23:04] but rather opportunities for mission

[23:07] that can even have a global impact. [23:11] You see, Paul’s text talks about how he’s been in Macedonia. [23:13] He’s been in Achaia, [23:14] and they heard that the church in Jerusalem, [23:16] which is home base, which is where it all started, [23:18] they’re suffering great persecution,

[23:19] specifically because of the gospel. [23:21] And he says, Macedonia and Achaia [23:23] have in great missional effort raised funds, [23:27] given them to Paul. [23:28] And Paul is headed back to Jerusalem, [23:30] headed back really into the belly of the beast at that point.

[23:33] And he is going to actually aid them in feeding their families. [23:39] He’s going to aid them [23:40] with a financial contribution from these places. [23:43] And the way that Paul speaks of it, [23:45] and he says, they owe it to them. [23:47] Why would Paul say something like that?

[23:50] He says that because Jerusalem was the home base of missions. [23:54] And when he speaks of Gentiles, these were people. [23:58] Who actually, those who were in Jerusalem, had gone out, [24:01] actually used their financial contributions in the Book of Acts, [24:04] where people were actually selling land [24:06] so that they could support Barnabas and Paul

[24:08] as they go to places like Antioch and beyond with the gospel of Jesus Christ. [24:12] And he says, you owe it to them [24:13] because they’re the ones that brought the gospel to you. [24:16] So when you hear of their suffering, [24:18] when you hear of their shortcomings, there should be no question. [24:23] You should open your pockets

[24:25] in as much generosity as you possibly can muster. [24:29] He’s not saying the churches in Macedonia and Achaia were wealthy, [24:32] just like in the church at Corinth, he says. [24:34] Some of you are not wealthy, but you’ve given of what you can.

[24:39] As the scriptures tell us, little is much. [24:42] And the father blesses those gifts.

[24:46] When we sow in the name of Jesus, God can use so much. [24:51] Jesus gives us example after example after example [24:53] when he shows that the widows might. [24:57] Just such a small financial contribution, [24:59] she’s ashamed of what she actually has to give. [25:03] Jesus says she gave far more than anyone else because she gave everything.

[25:10] Apostle Paul looks to the church and he says it is about being a cheerful giver. [25:14] It’s about giving of what you can. [25:16] It’s about doing what you can with what God has actually given you. [25:21] And he addresses the mission of forming a culture of helping others. [25:26] And they needed to intentionally do this in Rome. [25:30] I mean, this is an era where people were coming to Christ

[25:32] and their faith was causing them to suffer persecution. [25:35] And when the church worldwide hears about this, they must give. [25:39] And this is a way again, Paul’s actually given them practical ways [25:42] of obeying the call of God. [25:44] Look at Romans 12, 13, he says, contribute to the needs of the saints. [25:49] Seek to show hospitality.

[25:52] I mean, it’s clear. [25:54] But then towards the end of the book, Paul says, let me be clearer. [25:58] This is what that actually looks like when you’re living it. [26:02] We need to create a culture of intentional hospitality [26:07] for one another, as well as those in the community around us. [26:11] But we also need to form a culture of meeting physical needs when they are a parent.

[26:16] This is at times financial, at times. [26:19] At other times, it’s material. [26:21] But friends, don’t limit it to those things. [26:26] Because maybe you aren’t gifted with a gift of generosity. [26:29] It doesn’t mean you don’t give. [26:30] That just means you don’t have much to give.

[26:34] But at other times, it is any number of things [26:38] from education to physically helping, [26:42] to advising people, to working with your hands [26:47] to help someone else. [26:50] She’s so often you kind of excuse yourself from the mission of Jesus. [26:54] And you’re like, well, if I had more money,

[26:59] you don’t. [27:00] And it’s probably not coming.

[27:04] If every way that you can think of to help others with the gospel of Jesus [27:09] is by giving them money, then I’ve got news for you. [27:12] You have an idol problem. [27:15] You don’t want to serve Jesus. [27:17] You want Jesus to make you rich. [27:20] That’s idolatry.

[27:23] Every single one of you have ways in which you can contribute to the needs of others. [27:29] But first, I want to talk about roadblocks, [27:31] because there are roadblocks for caring for one another. [27:34] And we need to deal with the reasons that we either don’t do this [27:38] or have a false view of what it actually means to help people. [27:43] The first roadblock is so often people are afraid of others taking advantage of them.

[27:49] This is this is the panhandler roadblock. [27:53] All right. You’re driving down the road, the guy on the side of the road is asking for money. [27:57] And you’re like, he’s probably got a bigger house than I do. [27:59] That’s probably his car that’s brand new in the parking lot over there. [28:03] I mean, he doesn’t pay taxes. [28:04] He’s an alky.

[28:06] You know, he’s going to use this for false purposes. [28:08] He probably is. [28:09] So maybe you shouldn’t give him money. [28:10] But the reality is, is that there is a fear [28:15] that we live in an entitlement ridden culture, [28:19] that people are just looking for a handout.

[28:22] And here’s what I want to admit. [28:23] That does happen. [28:25] That it’s not a false view necessarily. [28:29] And this is why it takes strategy and wisdom [28:32] to actually do the most helpful thing possible for many people. [28:36] There are times when you need to just give out of your abundance

[28:40] or make sacrifices for specifically the mission of Jesus, as Paul’s told us. [28:45] But there are sometimes when people are struggling and you need to aid them. [28:49] We’ve done this many times as a church. [28:52] There’s a percentage of our budget that we save for when people have real financial needs. [28:57] We help them with those financial needs within your community group. [29:02] There should be a margin in every community group members budget

[29:05] for when someone needs just a little help, [29:09] so the community group can come together and they can help one another with the gospel. [29:12] I mean, Paul specifically talking about helping the Church of Jesus Christ first, [29:16] because that’s the epicenter of where it begins. [29:20] But what do you do?

[29:24] On the fifth time, you think you need to use wisdom, [29:29] but always seek to be generous and the most helpful you can be, [29:33] because there are times when helping hurts. [29:36] When it just builds lack of self-sufficiency in some areas. [29:41] And those times we’re afraid of another roadblock, [29:44] and that is people feeling entitled to what others have.

[29:47] So there are times, number one, [29:49] where you struggle to think that your generosity is actually going to help [29:52] or it’s just going to kick the cane down the road. [29:54] But there’s another problem, and that’s the person that always wants to receive. [29:58] Where you feel entitled to what other people have, [30:00] because sometimes trying to help can hurt.

[30:03] I have sometimes in my experience, [30:06] seen people with less abundance than others falsely quote [30:10] Acts, Chapter two’s pronouncement that they share all things in common, [30:15] and they use that to guilt people into giving them stuff. [30:19] And I’ve also seen these passages misconstrued as a excuse not to work.

[30:28] I want to say two things about that first. [30:31] When someone blows it, I mean, they blow it.

[30:37] They’re struggling.

[30:39] And you have the means you should help them. [30:43] I mean, just that’s the grace of God right there. [30:46] There’s not always the time to make them feel the hurt. [30:50] Now, that time is coming. [30:52] But I wouldn’t if somebody comes to me and they’re like, I blew it. [30:56] I need help. Hey, we need to help them.

[30:59] On the fifth time. They blow it, though.

[31:06] The helping may hurt. [31:08] It may just continue the same problem. [31:11] And they may need to learn what it is to actually be responsible for their lives. [31:16] And that’s a very hard thing. [31:19] But that is actually helping as well. [31:22] Galatians, Chapter six informs us that we need to help those people as well.

[31:25] That doesn’t mean you are abandoning them. [31:27] That means you’re actually helping them. [31:29] It says in verse two of the glacies, Chapter six says, bear one another’s burden [31:32] and so fulfill the law of Christ. [31:34] Just because the answer isn’t financial doesn’t mean there’s no help.

[31:39] You see, sometimes the most helpful thing that you can do is not financial, [31:43] but with wisdom and physical labor. [31:45] Sometimes the most helpful thing that you can do is not always [31:48] just writing a check, because quite frankly, that’s the easiest thing that you can do. [31:53] Sometimes the biggest thing that you can help is say, [31:56] bring your budget to my house.

[31:58] We’re going to figure this out. [32:01] Sometimes the most helpful thing that you can do is get them the phone numbers [32:05] of agencies that exist because of your tax dollars. [32:08] You see, some of you don’t realize you’re already helping people [32:12] by giving to the government. [32:13] And so that’s something that you need to help them do.

[32:16] Sometimes you need to help people grow in responsibility. [32:20] Look at verse four of Galatians, Chapter six. [32:22] He says, let each one test his own work. [32:24] Then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor, [32:28] for each will have to bear his own load. [32:31] And what he’s talking specifically about there is while you’re bearing one another’s burden,

[32:35] there’s a need for you to understand first, as the person that they give her, [32:39] you are not that person’s hope. [32:42] They’re going to stand before God one day, and so are you. [32:45] So let you be prideful. [32:47] First, check your motivations. [32:49] But then secondly, you need to understand that that person is going to have to

[32:53] stand before Jesus, too. [32:55] And so you need to do the most helpful thing possible for that person. [33:01] And that does not involve just turning your back on them. [33:06] Now, if they turn their back on you, there’s nothing you can do about that. [33:08] I’ve had that happen as well. [33:11] But you need to invite them in and actually give them education,

[33:15] give them advising, give them help, give them tools [33:19] so that they can live a good, responsible life in following Jesus. [33:25] That’s what actually changes lives. [33:28] The Bible does not say this, but I think it’s a pretty good piece of advice. [33:32] You teach a man to fish, he’ll eat that night. [33:35] Excuse me, you give a man a fish, he’ll eat that day.

[33:37] Teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime. [33:40] And sometimes that is the gracious thing to do. [33:43] That is the most helpful thing that you can do. [33:45] But sometimes the burden is being there to soften the fall. [33:51] Because remember, Paul specifically teach talking about Jerusalem here. [33:54] And this was something that was going on that was completely out of their hands.

[33:58] They were following Jesus and they were paying the price for it. [34:01] They were suffering financial persecution. [34:03] They were suffering work persecution. [34:04] Some of them were suffering physical persecution. [34:08] But the text clearly says that we are to carry as much of our individual load [34:13] as we can, but then we are also to create margin so that we can carry as much

[34:19] of someone else’s physical load as we can. [34:22] I mean, it point blank says bear one another’s burden. [34:24] There’s a third roadblock.

[34:27] And this is the biggest roadblock I see in our context. [34:31] It’s the roadblock of margin. [34:34] That you’ve not created enough margin in your life to actually help anybody with anything. [34:40] Because you are pushing the limits of time with your commitments. [34:45] You’re pushing the limits of money with your commitments and your bills. [34:50] You’re pushing the limits of sanity with your anxiety and stress.

[34:56] The biggest hindrance I’ve seen to helping others with practical things, [35:00] though, is the issue of time. [35:03] Many of you don’t have any. [35:06] You just point blank, don’t. [35:08] It’s everything you can do just to finish the workday and get in bed to make sure you get enough beds [35:12] so you can go face another workday.

[35:14] Everything that you can do to finish work in time so you can get home [35:18] and say hi before the kids are in bed. [35:22] It’s everything that you can do to actually get your life to a place [35:26] where you can see your kids one day a week. [35:29] And so if you’re ever asked to do anything on Saturday, your Monday through Friday guilt means [35:34] you have to say no to everything anyone ever asks you to do on a Saturday

[35:38] because you feel guilty for how much time you spent away. [35:42] And this is something that you need to deal with. [35:46] You need to point blank, rearrange your life. [35:50] And there’s no easier way for me to say that. [35:53] It’s going to take a complete life change because if you refuse either a because of laziness [36:00] to rearrange your life because you’ve already got this going on and you just don’t feel like

[36:06] changing it because it’s going to be too hard. [36:07] You know what that is? [36:09] And you think because you work really hard at your job, you’re not lazy. [36:12] No, you are lazy with the things of God. [36:16] There’s a second one. [36:18] You simply never have any time to help people in the church.

[36:22] I mean, do anything. [36:25] I mean, we’ve now faced an issue where we have hundreds of people here and members of the church [36:31] will be moving from one house to the other and we can barely get five people. [36:39] Friends, you need to understand that you need to rearrange your life so that you can stop disobeying God.

[36:45] If you have the physical capacity and the gifting to do a specific thing in your job, [36:57] and you say, I do that all week. [36:58] I don’t want to help the church with that. [37:02] Think about what you’re saying. [37:05] You’re saying the giftings that God has given me. [37:09] You didn’t make those giftings.

[37:11] God did. [37:14] The giftings that God gave you exist to make you money.

[37:22] But God doesn’t get any part of them.

[37:29] Friends, that is almost denying faith in Jesus Christ.

[37:34] When you deny the gifts that are from him to go back to him. [37:41] You have a worship problem in that space.

[37:47] Friend, we need to build a culture of helping because that’s what it means to be sent. [37:52] Look at what Philippians 2 says. [37:54] It says, let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

[38:06] The exegesis of that passage is not complicated.

[38:13] I don’t need to go to the Greek. [38:16] I think I understand what he’s saying. [38:19] He’s saying, don’t be self-centered. [38:21] Live for others.

[38:25] How are you doing that? [38:27] How are you doing that?

[38:30] Where in your schedule are you creating margin for that to happen? [38:33] Where in your budget are you creating margin for that to happen? [38:37] Where in your life are you using the gifts that God has given you to help others?

[38:45] That takes margin. [38:48] And it’s your responsibility. [38:51] To make that margin happen.

[38:54] Living as a healthy sender means living the Christian life in order to encourage others to do the exact same thing. [39:01] You see, one issue that you’re going to run into in making disciples is that it actually means that other people need to be able to look at your life and say, you know what? [39:09] I want what that person’s got. [39:11] They’ve got a great life.

[39:15] Do you?

[39:19] If you don’t, who’s going to want it? [39:21] See, that’s evangelism too. [39:23] You see, when you, and we’re going to talk about this in a couple of weeks when we go through our core values as a church. [39:29] But if you’re not kicking doors down and proclaiming the gospel boldly, that means that your life needs to be a living testimony so that people look at you and say, hey, why do you have more hope than I have?

[39:42] Thirdly, this morning, everyone has a responsibility to strive for the gospel. [39:47] Everyone has a responsibility to strive for the gospel. [39:51] Look what he says, starting in verse 30. [39:53] He says, I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the spirit to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the Saints so that by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. [40:18] May the God of peace with you all be with you all.

[40:24] Paul makes some extremely bold statements in this passage. [40:29] He makes some bold assumptions that I pray would be true of village church. [40:36] You see, Paul is calling them first to view life as a united work of God. [40:42] In Philippians 4, 9, the apostle Paul says this to the church of Philippi. [40:45] He says, what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things. [40:51] And the God of peace be with you.

[40:53] So if the question is, should we seek to put into practice everything Paul advocates for?

[40:58] Yeah, absolutely. [40:59] I mean, he could be clearer on that fact. [41:02] As Paul went, he made disciples, planted churches so that people would follow Jesus. [41:05] The process was all about seeing this play out over and over again. [41:11] So when Paul writes for them to strive together with him, he’s first saying, have the same faith in Jesus and affection for Jesus that I have. [41:21] That’s what it means to strive together.

[41:24] You see, those two things can only be displayed through the way that you live. [41:28] Does your life display a united passion for the work of God in your life and the lives of others? [41:34] This is what Paul’s calling him. [41:35] He’s a strive together with me. [41:38] And you can’t get to the prayer part unless you start with the faith part. [41:43] And faith is this thing that builds an affection for Jesus.

[41:49] Suppose he strived together with me in that. [41:51] If you want to live the mission, you’ve got to have faith. [41:54] If you want to live the mission, you’ve got to have affection. [41:57] And when you have those things, it builds faith and affection that create a life of prayer. [42:05] You see, for instance, because faith and affection pour out of a life of living as a sender and it creates a life of prayer. [42:14] How? Why does it do that?

[42:16] Because faith in God creates a life of dependence on the move of God in this world. [42:22] And that is where power comes from. [42:24] That is the power that Paul needed as he lived the mission. [42:27] And that is the power that the church needs and gives by living the mission in the everyday.

[42:36] Because ultimately, if you do not take it to God, then you do not trust God with it.

[42:41] You see, when you are seeking to live a life that is for the mission, for the sake of others, you quickly realize that you are incapable of accomplishing it apart from the power of God to work. [42:54] So when Paul says things like strive and prayer, he’s talking of a unity for the purpose of God. [43:00] And you see, our prayers are often all over the place. [43:04] I mean, they’re everywhere. [43:07] Typically self-absorbed. [43:09] How often, though, are your prayers overcome by the mission of Jesus?

[43:14] That’s what Paul’s talking about here. [43:17] That this church needs to view their lives as existing for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. [43:24] Note the terms that he is. [43:25] I’m all about the terms in a passage. [43:28] He uses the term acceptable service. [43:30] He uses the term God’s will.

[43:32] He says refreshed. [43:34] He uses the term the peace of God. [43:36] Every word is dripping with faith in God’s work and Paul’s life, as well as the lives of others. [43:44] You see, when we view the significance of our lives as defined by God, then it transforms where your peace comes from. [43:53] It transforms where your refreshment is found. [43:56] It transforms those whose will you live for, and it transforms what you serve and what you see as an acceptable life.

[44:07] Friend, the gospel is not a hobby. [44:11] It is not a part of life. [44:14] It is life. [44:16] You see, friend, when Jesus died on the cross, he took every part of my life that existed apart from him, and he killed it. [44:24] He killed it. [44:25] When he rose from the dead,

[44:28] he gave me every part of life that is with him, and he told me to live it. [44:34] You see, that is his mission. [44:36] Go for the gospel. [44:38] Send with the gospel. [44:41] That is life. [44:44] It’s the one you need.

[44:46] As the band comes up, [44:48] we transition into a time of worship.

[44:54] We have a God [44:56] who’s so gracious [44:59] that he came and he lived both things. [45:03] Jesus literally went with the gospel into this world.

[45:09] He kicked down doors of religion. He kicked down doors of sin. [45:11] He kicked down doors of shame. He kicked down doors of guilt. [45:14] He kicked down doors of self-righteousness, and he came and he gave us the good news that he is God, [45:20] and that he has come to pay the penalty for all of our sins.

[45:25] And he also sent. [45:27] He sent us. He said, go make disciples. [45:30] Whatever your function within that is, whatever your gifting and calling within that is, [45:36] friend, embrace it. Trust God with the definition of your life and what you exist for more than you trust yourself.

[45:44] He’s your creator. [45:47] This morning, we are always confronted on Sundays with

[45:52] the truth of the cross. [45:55] The bread is the broken body, the cup is Jesus’s shed blood. [45:59] That’s what he came for. [46:02] That’s what he sends us with. [46:04] So this morning, if you’ve trusted in Jesus, I invite you, come to the table, eat, drink, [46:11] remember the gospel

[46:13] so you can go and live the mission.

[46:18] So that you can send others.

[46:22] Always, always, always, trust Jesus with everything. [46:27] When you’re ready, come.