Sermon Central
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Faith Without Borders
Contributed by John Hardwick on Aug 25, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: Faith without Borders is the physical act of pulling out all stops that limits our trust in Jesus.
IlL. Faith without Borders is the physical act of pulling out all stops that limits our trust in Jesus.
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
C.S. Lewis
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Where does the borders in our own lives start and end? Where does our trust in God lie?
Is it beyond the borders that we have staked down around us in our own lives that we are afraid to cross?That cross gives us the power to lift those borders that keep the Gospel limited to a confined area The whole world is full of sinners and unbelievers,so we need to draw from that power the Lord gives us and overcome and pull up all these stakes that keep us from taking a leap of Faith and stepping out on the water where Jesus is,thats waiting on us with open arms and saying;Utilize that Power by Faith I have given you,Let me lead you and guide you through the things not seen or understood.
God calls on us to go beyond our borders! It’d be nice if we realized that our power and purpose do not lie solely within these walls! The church building is a funny building because its contradictory! All other buildings exist to keep out the bad elements! The church building oughta be trying to attract the bad element! What right do we have to vote somebody into the body of Christ? Jesus said “whosoever will…” That does not give me the right to pic and choose as a follower of Christ! Doctors make housecalls. We have access to programs where you can take classes at home. Restaurants have takeout! Its time for the church to do takeout!
Morning service is only the beginning! The service is contiued in what we take out to the rest of the world!It's not confined to these walls! Service is going out into the streets praying for some folk! Service is going to the jails! Service is visiting the sick and shut-in! Service is mentoring that boy or girl who doesn’t have the greatest parental role models!
Yes God wants a church without borders! And he means that literally as in going outside of the building but he also means that figuratively. Some of us put borders around our worship! We just flat out declared how far we’d go when worshipping God! The problem with that is those are physical limitations and worship isn’t supposed to be physical in the first place! We don’t worship in the flesh but rather in spirit and in truth!
It is a Spiritual contradiction for me to confine the spirit and keep him in borders cause where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty! I’m free! Free to let go and let God have his way in me! When the spirit of the Lord comes upon my heart I’ll feel free to dance like David danced! When the spirit of the Lord comes upon my heart I’ll feel free to pray like David prayed! When the spirit of the Lord comes upon my heart I’ll feel free to shout like David shouted!… You sit and stare like bib lettuce if you want but I’ve made up in my mind to give my limitless God, limitless worship!
Paul had it right! He was on time! The faithful believer worshipped with believers wherever he was. He was in Troas on the oceanfront for seven days, which means he was there on Sunday. No doubt he was tired, exhausted, apparently having had no break for years. Instead of taking Sunday off and strolling on the beach, collecting seashells, he was in worship with other believers! Paul was faithful in worshipping on the first day of the week! He was faithful in observing the day the Lord arose! He was faithful in observing the Lord’s Supper! He was faithful in having fellowship with other believers no matter who they were or where they were nor how poor their facilities!
The faithful minister preached long and fervently. He grabbed every opportunity he could to preach despite fatigue and the need for rest! It says Paul preached until midnight! Do we put borders on our worship? Physical borders? Time borders? I ain’t supposed to just keep it holy from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Sundays? I’m not just on business for my Lord and savior Jesus Christ starting at 10:45 AM and ending around 1PM? He never sleeps; he never slumbers! I owe it to him to bless and exalt the Lord at all times…
In verse nine, we are introduced to a certain young man. I love how God uses these “certain young men.” Its not always about the Noahs, the Joshuas, the Davids but God uses ordinary people! He’s God! He could call on only the best but no! I’m glad he’s a God without borders! So there was this certain young man named Eutychus. Through him, we’re exposed to two critical issues facing believers. In the first place, he fell asleep in church! Eutychus was a hardworking slave! He worked day in and day out, just like Paul! But unlike Paul, when he got to the worship center, instead of getting into it, he feel into a deep sleep! They both had the same physical situation-they were both tired beyond belief! They both came to the same place, at the same time! But the anchor of the story comes from the choice that one of them made! Eutychus chose to fall into sleep!
