Opportunities on Purpose

This is a sermon that I preached at Bethel today.  I wanted to post the notes, because as you know, sermons don't always go as planned and there are resources some may find helpful.  Because of the amazing tool called reftagger, provided by logos Bible software, (a tool that turns website Scripture references into hyperlinks that can be change to just about any version of the Bible on the fly!), I've decided to upload these notes so you can search the great passages on the "Mystery of Christ" referenced in the sermon.  May the Lord bless you as you review this text and make the decision to make unselfish praying and evangelistic praying part of your Christian worldview.

Opportunities on Purpose

Colossians 4:2-6

Since Jesus has not come back yet.  We have work to do.  There is a harvest waiting for us.

Next week we will  take up a cash offering for church planting and raise our giving budget for next year.  My concern is that this not be just another item on the church calendar.  God has redeemed us. The Gospel made it this far.  Now we have the privilege of helping get it further.  

God wants to be involved!  God wants to use us!, we have to include Him in the proposition. There is a passage at the end of Colossians that speaks to what we can do...right now.  Turn to Colossians 4:2

LET’S PRAY

1. Believers can Pray with Purpose

Colossians 4:2–4 (ESV)

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 

Delmer Guynes, the former president of SAGU and missionary to China said this about prayer:  “There is no limit to what God can do if you learn to pray unselfishly”

Jesus encouraged his disciples:  Mark 14:38 (ESV)

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 

Colossians 2:2 ² that ^ztheir hearts may be encouraged, being ^aknit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of ^bGod’s mystery, which is Christ, 

Ephesians 1:9 ^9 vmaking known¹ to us the mystery of his will, ⁿaccording to his purpose, which he ^wset forth in Christ 

Ephesians 3:3–4 ^3 show the mystery was made known to me ^tby revelation, ^uas I have written briefly. ^4 vWhen you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^wthe mystery of Christ, 

Ephesians 3:9 ⁹ and ⁱto bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^jhidden for ages in¹ God ^kwho created all things, 

Ephesians 5:32 ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 

Ephesians 6:19 ¹⁹ and ^dalso for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth ^eboldly to proclaim ^fthe mystery of the gospel, 

Romans 12:12 ^12 zRejoice in hope, ^abe patient in tribulation, ^bbe constant in prayer. 

Ephesians 6:18 ¹⁸ praying ^yat all times ^zin the Spirit, ^awith all prayer and supplication. To that end ^bkeep alert with all perseverance, making ^csupplication for all the saints, 

Philippians 4:6 ^6 rdo not be anxious about anything, ^sbut in everything by prayer and supplication ^twith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ^17 wpray without ceasing, 

1. Believers can use Wisdom 

col 4:5

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 

James 1:5 (ESV)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Jesus said He would not leave us comfortless.

The original word here implies walking around, “as you go about”.  It makes the best use of the time.

1. Believers can Know what to Say 

col 4:6

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

The Question of course is.....Will You?

Maybe you need to take the opportunity this morning to come to Jesus.  The door has been opened for you.  The Bible says if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.

DECISION ONE

Are you willing to take this passage this week and use it? I will intentionally pray for God to open doors for lost people.

DECISION TWO

I will pray that God will provide for all of our missionaries and get us along the road to plant churches.

Mormon Resources

So.  The Mormons are in the news!  I've already written one blog about it, but I prepared this information for an adult Sunday School class at Bethel . I wanted to have this resource available all the time so I'm reposting it here.  May the Lord bless you as you develop relationships with Mormon people who are genuinely trying to believe the Christ of the Bible!

Are Mormons a Cult?  How to Witness and How to Pray

Yes.  Mormons are a cult.  The question is, who cares?  There are 2 main distinctions in our culture concerning religion and cults.  

1. Cults are unorthodox (false)
2. Christianity maintains orthodoxy (truth)
3. Christianity claims the Christ of the Bible is the only way to heaven
1. John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

The Assemblies of God, as one of over 200 Christian denominations claims the following about Christ.  These statements are relatively uniform among Christian denominations, including Catholics and Greek Orthodox.

www.ag.org/beliefs

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:

His virgin birth,

• Matthew 1:23 Luke 1:31 Luke 1:35 

His sinless life,

• Hebrews 7:26
• 1 Peter 2:22 
• His miracles,
• Acts 2:22 
• Acts 10:38 

His substitutionary work on the cross,

• 1 Corinthians 15:3 
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 

His bodily resurrection from the dead,

• Matthew 28:6 
• Luke 24:39 
• 1 Corinthians 15:4 

His exaltation to the right hand of God.

• Acts 1:9 
• Acts 1:11 
• Acts 2:33 
• Philippians 2:9-11 
• Hebrews 1:3 

Mormon or LDS, or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints says that Jesus was once only human and became divine.  It also asserts that Jesus and Satan were brothers originally.  

Mormonism is a cult because it denies the reality of the Christ of the Bible.

The good news is Mormons can be saved!  

Keep these things in mind as you pray for and witness to Mormons.

1. There is no geographical record for the lands mentioned in the book of Mormon
2. There is NO archaeological data for the events mentioned in the book of Mormon
3. There is NO textual evidence whatsoever for the book of Mormon texts before 1830 AD

The Bible on the other hand.

1. Has maps, a geographical record for the lands mentioned 
2. Has many archaeological sites for the events mentioned in the Bible
3. Has 40000 manuscripts for the Old and New Testament as early as 500 years BC for the OT, and 100 Ad for the NT

There are many nominal Mormons.  That is, they do not know their doctrine, they don’t go to the temple and they listen to evangelical Christian music.

There are tremendous resources for evangelizing Mormons.

www.sourceflix.com

The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon (youtube)

The Bible vs. Joseph Smith

Lifting the Veil of Polygamy

The Crags of the Wild Goats

and many more.

PRAY 

1. That God will open up the door to the Mormons in our community
2. That God will lead you into conversations with Mormons so they can be saved

Rev. Charles M. Barnes, pastor

The small church that I was saved in, and received my early impressions of the Pentecostal movement in, was Hillcrest Assembly of God in Arlington, TX.  From this small location off Division Street in Arlington, Charles and Geraldine Barnes served as the Pastors of Hillcrest and then Memorial Assembly of God for well over 40 years.  In the early days, Hillcrest was a growing church with an expansive heart for outreach through Bro. Barnes' "Gospel Messenger Broadcast".  I don't know if there are any recordings of that broadcast but I did find this article on the web about Bro. Barnes in 1965.   This article happens to be housed at the Assemblies of God center for Pentecostal history, the  Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center. 

While I won't take the time to comment on the tremendous resource that the IFPHC is, I am thankful that I found this article and I can't imagine how it could have been done otherwise.  Brother Barnes was a treasure.  My family, as one of few families in the church after a split in the late 60s, would help provide the music background to the "Gospel Messenger Broadcast".  I remember one Christmas the church gave Bro. Barnes a "reel to reel" recorder so that he could tape his broadcasts at the church or at home, and then mail them off to the radio stations in Arkansas and other areas around TX.    They would record the introductory to the broadcast on Wednesday evenings. I remember my family helping to sing "Only Trust Him" and "He Could Have Called 10000 angels" as the introductory music to the Gospel Messenger broadcast. 

Brother Barnes died in I think 1981, and his wife Geraldine continued to pastor Memorial until her death some twenty years later. My colleague, Dr. Mary Jackson also preached at Memorial and was a close friend of Geraldine until her death.  I was privileged to receive several books from Bro. Barnes library. His Ironside commentaries are underlined extensively.

I have no idea the breadth of that ministry.  I just remember hearing that "he was a great preacher" and when people who heard the broadcast would come to Arlington, they were disappointed to find he pastored a small church.  Today, many gifted pastors struggle to keep the Church going.  It's not a new problem.

The Langstons left the church when I was ten to go to the big church across town.  My parents were concerned that my older brother and sister needed a youth group.  It was probably the right decision, but I know that many small churches have such a wider impact than they will ever know this side of eternity.

The same year I was born, however, Hillcrest Assembly of God  was a light in the midst of darkness to the growing city of Arlington.  I'm providing this article as tribute to the man who brought the gospel to me, and who knows how many thousands of others.  This article comes from the January 24, 1965 Pentecostal Evangel  available here.  





Hey Governor Perry, Guess What? Mormonism is a Cult

First and foremost, let me provide a disclaimer.  I like watching political news. That's probably why I know about this.  Secondly, I don't ever comment on politics really, unless it involves moral and theological issues.  Third, I am privileged to teach Introduction to Theology at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. So maybe I have a sensitivity to ridiculous theological assertions.  I think its important to point out when error is being propagated, no matter who it is.

This week, Governor Perry was introduced by Dr. Robert Jeffress, the Senior Pastor of First Baptist, Dallas.  I appreciate FBC Dallas for the stand they take for Jesus.  Here is the article that mentions the event I'm referring to.

What concerns me is this comment made by the office of Rick Perry.

"Perry spokesman Robert Black said in a statement after the event, “The governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult."


You can't have it both ways. Let's not affirm the evangelical credentials of ANY candidate that suggests mormonism is not a cult.  


Watch this video about the Bible vs. the Book of Mormon.


Colossians 2:16–23 and Galatians 1:8 make it quite clear that one cannot be a Christian in name only.  Evangelicals and Pentecostals are not ignorant, Governor.  We read our Bibles and and we make our theological decisions based on the authority of Scripture, not the latest poll numbers.  Maybe if you would read your Bible you would discover the difference between truth and error.

Could Mitt Romney be a good president?  Probably.  Is he a Mormon?  Yes.  Are Mormons Christians?  not unless they have denied the jesus of the book of Mormon and accepted the Jesus of the Bible. Is the Gospel available to Mormons?  Absolutely!  Romans 10:9-10 is for everyone.