Anonymous Facebooking

That’s not anonymous living.
That’s a bold --- powerful way of faith.

In another passage, Paul puts it this way:
“I AM NOT ASHAMED of the gospel of Christ: for it is the POWER of God unto salvation for every one that believes; to the Jew first, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16

We have hold of the power of God.
We have NOTHING to be ashamed of.
We have something to offer the world that no one else, and nothing else, can offer.
Why on God’s green earth would we want to be shy about it?
Why would we want to be “anonymous”?

Now, for the most part – I’m preaching to the choir here.
Most of you are involved in some form of ministry for Christ.
Most of you couldn’t be anonymous in your faith if you put on a false beard and mustache.

I’ve heard people in other churches talk about the fact that 90% of the work is done by 10% of people, but that’s not true here.
Well over 50% of you do some form of ministry.
And maybe 70% contribute in other ways.

But there are a few - even here - that just sit and watch.
Some of you here frankly don’t do… anything.

If you’re sitting here this morning and all you do is show up on Sundays you gotta ask yourself the question: WHY is that all you’re doing? If you’re not doing anything for Jesus… why?

Now, unlike Facebook I’m not into guilting you into doing stuff for Jesus.
I’m not into shaming you into it.
In fact, I’m deliberately not focusing my eyes on ANYBODY here.

The way I figure it - you are either sold out enough for Jesus that you ARE doing something or at least you’ll feel guilty about it and you’re giving it serious thought.
SO… I’m not going to belabor this.

ILLUS: One church I know of has a Bible Studies where they ask three basic questions. (If you’re part of a midweek Bible Study I’d strongly suggest that each of you make it a practice to ask yourselves this each week)
1. What have you done for Jesus this past week?
2. Who have you talked to about Jesus this past week?
3. What opportunities did you miss to serve God that you didn’t take this week?

EVERY WEEK they ask each other the same questions:
What have you done?
Who have you talked to?
What opportunities did you miss?

Now the beauty of that - is that they do this over and over and over again.
So every week – they’re reminded that this is important.
And it’s not that it’s important to me or the Elders…
It’s important to Jesus.

Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:5-8

IF we are His disciples… we WILL bear fruit.
IF we bear fruit… people will KNOW who we belong to.
And WHEN we bear fruit… that will give glory to your Father in heaven.

Jesus said “Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good deeds and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

So, bearing fruit is important to Jesus?
Do you all agree?
Good.

So, how do we go about doing that?
Well, Hebrews 10 goes on to say:
“And let us