Sermon Central
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What's In Your Heart? What's In Your Wallet?
Contributed by Roger Roark on Jul 13, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Do you have a heart for supporting world missions? Will you give of your time and money?
WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART? WHATS IN YOUR WALLET ? By Roger Roark ------------(TITUS 2:11-14 )
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, [12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; [14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
(illustration ) Let me tell you a story of 2 men. One, we will call Jim, and the other we will call Ron
Jim went to church one Sunday morning. He listened to the choir sing, and noticed that the choir sang to loud, so he just made a face and shook his head.
He saw a teenager talking as the pastor was praying , and he just frowned. He felt sure that the ushers were staring at him as they passed the collection plate.
He heard the pastor use incorrect grammar during the sermon.
So as the pastor gave an altar call, Jim slipped out the side door, and shook his head an said " what a waste of time "
Ron went to church also
He heard the choir sang How Great thou art, and felt chills run down his spine. He was glad that the church was taking up a special missions offering.
HE especially enjoyed the sermon. It seemed to really speak to him about an area in his life that he had been struggling with.
On the way out, he shook the preachers hand, and thought " How could anyone not be blessed after this mornings worship?
Both men went to the same church, the same Sunday morning, and heard the same sermon.
They both found what they were looking for.
Jim came looking for faultls, and he found them.
Ron came to worship God, and to praise Him, and learn from His word, and He felt the nearness of God, and felt closer to Him.
It is all in our attitude, and how we approach God.
We should come to church expecting to receive God’s word., and to act on what we have heard.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Today, we will hear God’s word and find out how He feals about spreading the Gospel.
And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Reaching out to the lost is really about life and death. It is eternal, and eternity is a long time.
Many people are searching for something real, something genuine in their lives. They are looking for something to fill the void that is placed in their spirit, and that void can only be filled by God.
Many of the unchurced are unaware that Jesus Christ can fill that void, and it is up to us, the church, to tell them about Jesus.
Most Americans claim to be Christians, and yet during a recent poll, they were asked " what is the great commission?
It was surprising to find out , that 90 percent , didn’t know what the great commission is.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus has commissioned every believer to reach out to their community, and to the world.
What is evangelism, or outreach? It is the bridge we build between our love for God, and our love for people.
I want us to look at 2 things today.
Ask ourselves these 2 questions?
1. Do you have a heart for evangelilsm?
2. Will you help support evangelsim by prayer and giving?
Is it okay to send people to areas of danger for the sake of religion?
Is it okay to send someone to another country , or another culture , to try to convince them that they are wrong in their belief, and that we are right?
We may ask ourselves,, " why don’t we just leave them alone, and let them believe the way they want to believe.
We may ask " why don’t we just mind our own business?
The answer to these questions , comes from the first missionary. The apostle Paul.
Paul is on one of his missionary journeys spreading the gospel, and he meets a man named Titus.
