A Bold Gospel

[0:00] 1 Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 this morning.! 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 as we get ready here for missions month.

[0:30] Do you recognize some of them? We're going to talk about you and me. Because ultimately, we ought to be a missionary where we are.

[0:44] And the importance of it, we're going to talk about a bold gospel this morning. And so we're going to be, your featured missionary today is you and I. To be talking about, be encouraged about what God would have for us in sharing the gospel with others.

[1:00] You know, have you stopped to consider, when was the last time that you spoke to somebody about spiritual things? When was the last time you spoke any portion of the gospel?

[1:14] Because we're going to talk this morning, giving the gospel doesn't necessarily mean you give everything completely all at one time. Sometimes, you know, the Bible talks about planting seeds or allowing the Holy Spirit to work.

[1:28] You know, the one thing to always keep in mind is it's not our responsibility to convert somebody to Christ. That's the Holy Spirit's job.

[1:40] You cannot convert somebody. You cannot change somebody. But God's Word and the Spirit of God definitely can. It's what makes a difference, you know. And when was the last time you spoke directly to somebody about the gospel?

[1:54] The good news, if you're saved, it's the good news of your salvation. It's not just something that you come and on Sunday and think about. It ought to be something that impacts us throughout the week.

[2:08] Impacts us day by day as we think about what Christ has done for us. Because this same good news that you have been heard and that hopefully you've applied the reality of the gospel to your life is something others need to know also.

[2:26] Your co-worker at work or the neighbor across the street or just somebody that you come in contact with. And we see here this morning, we're going to be looking here at the church at Thessalonica.

[2:37] It's a great reminder of a church that sounded out the Word of the Lord declaring their faith to those around them. And so if you found 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 this morning, let's stand together in honor of reading of the Word of God here today.

[2:53] And we'll pick up in verse 3 here this morning. We'll pick up here. It says, We are bound to thank God always for you, brother, as it is meet because that your faith grows exceedingly, and that the charity of every one of you, every one of you all toward each other aboundeth, so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith and all your...

[3:21] No wonder I'm on the wrong one. I'm on 2 Thessalonians. I'm in trouble. I'm like, that did not sound right. That's what happens when you get a new Bible and the pages stick together. Trying to get this one all sorted out.

[3:33] There we go. Man, that looks even better. I wonder where you all give me a strange look. At least I know you're following along.

[3:44] Amen? Let's go over to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians. And it says, We give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope of our Lord Jesus in the sight of God and our Father.

[4:01] Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes.

[4:14] And you became followers of us and of the Lord, and having received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were as samples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

[4:25] For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything.

[4:38] For they themselves show you what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

[4:54] For yourselves, brethren, know your entrance into you, that it was not in vain, but even after that you have suffered before, that you were shamefully entreated. As ye know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel, which with much contention.

[5:11] Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we come before you today. Lord, we just thank you for the encouragement, the reality of who you are and what you've done. Lord, we pray just have your hand upon each heart, each life here today, Lord, as we look at the reality and the necessity of being one that will share the truth of your word with others.

[5:33] Lord, it should happen organically, even in our lives, Lord. And we look at these individuals at Thessalonica, this church here that had a membership, that touched lives around them.

[5:46] And Lord, we pray just would work in a mighty way, even here today, Lord, and we just ask it all in your precious name. Amen. You may be seated. You know, we see here that they did, they impacted the world around them.

[5:58] That's what Paul's commending them for. We're going to look at these elements here about a bold gospel and what is entailed in it, because there's some things and there's some effects of a bold gospel, a gospel that impacts lives, a gospel that changes people, not just outwardly, but inwardly.

[6:18] That changes how they think, how they process, how they view life, how they view others. You know, the gospel impacts everything in our life.

[6:30] And this was not just something special. These people weren't something special. They didn't have extraordinary talents or resources, but the Bible says that they shared what they had.

[6:42] They shared what God had given to them, what had been delivered unto them, and the news that God had made a way for them there, those that had rebelled and rejected.

[6:55] You know, the Bible talks about they turned from idols unto the living God. They made a difference, the gospel made a difference in their life. And their rebellion and their rejection of God turned to favor with him through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[7:13] You know, I want you to understand, it didn't arrive from an angel from heaven. You know, it didn't arrive from special revelation. You know, it didn't get written in the sky. It didn't show up.

[7:23] It showed up because somebody took time to share. That somebody took time to do. And it's the one that shared it with them was Paul. And those that were working alongside him came to tell them what had taken place.

[7:40] And sometimes we forget the reality of missions because sometimes we make missions in the gospel a lot more complicated than it is. You know, we can complicate.

[7:51] As people, we can make things very complicated sometimes. You know, we try to make more out of it or worry about details sometimes that are not our details to worry about.

[8:03] You know, because there are certain things in life that are just going to happen. You know, you deal with it as it comes. When we understand that these here, sometimes we get caught up in the function instead of focusing on the substance.

[8:16] You know, we can get busy doing and forget why we're doing. We don't want either one. You need to make sure we're paying attention because those here at Thessalonica were first introduced to the work that had been accomplished in them when they accepted Christ.

[8:34] And this work was the work of God that in Jesus Christ came to take on himself the sin that separated his creation from him. You know, consider what Jesus said in John 17 and verse 4.

[8:49] He says, I have glorified thee on the earth. He's speaking to the Father. And he says, I have finished the work thou gavest to me to do. What was the work that Jesus came to do? Very simply, 2 Corinthians 5.21 tells us this.

[9:04] For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. That was the work of God.

[9:15] Now, I want you to understand, for in order for you to be saved, there is a work happen, but it's not yours. The work was already accomplished in Christ. Everything that was done, Christ accomplished.

[9:29] It was his work to do. We cannot do enough to get to heaven. You cannot do enough to be right with God. You cannot do anything to earn your salvation.

[9:44] Because Christ has already paid it all. When you understand the reality, why can't you work for salvation? Very simply, Christ said, I already covered it. It's taken care of.

[9:55] I did everything. I did all the work that was required for somebody to be saved. Our responsibility is to react or respond or to grab a hold of, to be changed by the truth of the gospel, to realize that we have to believe the work that Jesus did.

[10:20] That he is the one that accomplished it. The work of salvation, redemption, and justification has already been accomplished. You cannot work or perform anything to be saved or to remain secure in Christ.

[10:34] All those things are already done. Those things have already been accomplished. It's already been accomplished for everyone and is being accomplished completely in anyone who has called upon the name of the Lord that is believed that Jesus is the Savior for them.

[10:53] You know, when we understand that what was accomplished in us does require a few things from us because one, we have to recognize that we're a sinner. Let me give you a little clue.

[11:04] If somebody doesn't realize they're a sinner, they'll never be saved. Because you know what? Salvation makes no sense if you don't understand what sin is. It'd be like throwing somebody a life jacket in the auditorium today.

[11:19] They will look at you, why are you throwing me a life jacket? I have absolutely no need of it. You throw a life jacket to somebody struggling in the water or one of them big pool circles or whatever you want to toss out there, you know what?

[11:30] They don't look at you strange. Why do they not look at you strange? Because they realize they need it. They realize they have a need for it. They didn't do anything to get it.

[11:43] But they know they need it. They realize it's the same way with sin. And we find here that the Bible tells us that every person has broken his commands.

[11:56] We have gone our own way. We stand guilty before him, trusting in his gift of salvation by faith. When you believe this bold gospel, there's some things that are involved for you to be a witness to others about what God has done for you.

[12:12] You know, that's really what we're talking about this morning. It's just telling others, sharing with others what God's already done for you. That's as simple as it gets. It's not complex. Because the reality is, if you're saved, you ought to be able to explain salvation to somebody else.

[12:27] Especially as an adult, you should be able to explain. If you're saved, you should be able to explain the basics of salvation to somebody else. Because how can you explain to somebody something that you don't have?

[12:39] If you don't have it, you're going to have a hard time explaining it to somebody else. It needs to be yours. You need to understand the importance of salvation.

[12:49] You know, I want you to understand that if we're going to be a witness, it's not gaining favor with God. It's just doing what God has asked. It's what ought to naturally come out.

[13:00] When somebody's done something for you, you have a natural tendency to tell others. It's a natural outflow because I want you to understand that no place in the Bible does it say you can come to God by works.

[13:13] But you come by faith. A faith that's living, that will make itself manifest in the life that is lived. Because we're going to look here at the examples here today.

[13:25] You know, the reality of that. The example that we have. Look at verse 7 here in our text. It says, So that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

[13:37] You were examples. That's just an example. You're a picture of what should have happened. You're on display of what should have happened there. But I want you to see some things about a bold gospel that takes place.

[13:51] Look here in verse 3. He says this, Remembering without ceasing your work of faith. Now, that's the reason I want you to understand. You don't get saved by works.

[14:02] But after you're saved, there is some motion, there's some action involved. It ought to stir us to action. Because notice, what did Paul make note of of those that had been saved as he's writing back to them years later and he's talking about this?

[14:20] He says, Remembering without ceasing your work of faith. Your work of faith. The first motion is a work of faith. You know, those actions that are there.

[14:30] You know, they had continued in the lives of those who had trusted in the gospel of their salvation. It's based upon their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the sight of God.

[14:42] I want you to understand that God expects something to impact us. If something impacts you, you have a response. Your work of faith.

[14:53] This first motion, you might say, is a work of faith. These individuals believed what God had done for them and it moved them to action. Not to get saved, but because of.

[15:05] A because of reality. It's not actions or works to be accepted, but as a result of what has already been done for us.

[15:17] The work of salvation has already been accomplished. You know, Titus chapter 3 and verse 5 says, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior.

[15:36] I want you to understand salvation cannot be earned. You cannot merit it. Now notice here in verse 7 it says, That being justified by His grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

[15:53] That this faith, this is a faithful saying, and these things which I will thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to, notice this, to maintain good works.

[16:04] These things are good and profitable unto men. You know, I want you to understand the action that takes place after we have the gospel impacts other people. There's an action, there's some things that ought to be stirred in us because true faith stirs a response.

[16:22] It moves us to action. True faith is not static. It's not just a matter of sitting. It results in motion. I want you to see here, turn to the book of James because James lines up here as he's talking here, the context of James, he's talking to believers, he's telling them this very simple thing.

[16:42] He says this in chapter 2 in verse 17, he says, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. What's he talking about? He's not talking about saving faith here. He's talking about the results of faith.

[16:53] If you say you believe Jesus that Christ has saved you, he says there ought to be some results from it. It ought to be something that's visible. James isn't talking here. He's already in the context of James.

[17:04] He's talking to believers. He's not talking to lost people. He's saying this. He says, Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works.

[17:18] In other words, what James is saying, he says, I want you to know it's going to be evident in my life. If you don't have any evidence, there's a problem. Your faith in Christ ought to have some evidences that show forth.

[17:29] What kind of evidences? Well, one, in the things that you do. It ought to change priorities. It ought to change what you desire to do. You know, look over to Acts 26 in verse 20.

[17:42] You know, here Paul is describing his ministry. At the end of his ministry, we find here, it says in verse 20 in chapter 26, he says, it showed first unto them of Damascus and Jerusalem throughout the coast of all Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should, what, repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance.

[18:01] What's Paul talking about? He says, hey, it ought to be a response. True faith ought to reveal itself in what you do. True faith, our works do not save us, but if you're saved, there ought to be a result.

[18:14] There ought to be something displayed. You know, the Bible talks about this too, also about fruit. You know, how do you identify a tree? You identify it by what it produces.

[18:24] A tree that doesn't produce anything is what? Dead. You know, when you walk through a bunch of trees and you see one with no leaves or nothing on it and all the rest of them are all green, what's your assumption about that tree?

[18:40] It's dead. Why? It's not producing anything. That's what they're talking about. here. If faith has taken root in your life and you've accepted Christ as your Savior, there ought to be some things that spring forth.

[18:55] If not, there's a problem. That's what James is saying. That's what Peter tells us. That's what Paul tells us. That's what John tells us. It's what the Gospels proclaim.

[19:05] Jesus takes us through. And we see here that we find here faith, belief, and trust in the Gospel will stir us to a course of action, to a course of work and action, a motion forward.

[19:21] But notice what he says next here. He says, your work of faith and your labor of love. You know, this work can be tiresome. You know, it takes effort, it takes intention.

[19:34] When you're going to serve the Lord, it takes, it requires some motivation that's not just so out of obligation. You know, sometimes we do things out of obligation.

[19:45] It's what's required. Or out of duty. We'll do things for all sorts of reasons, sometimes out of necessity. Sometimes we'll make a choice of necessity.

[19:56] Well, I have to do this or I'm going to go hungry. Some of you might show up for work because of that. You know, I want a roof over my head, I want food on the table, I go to work because of necessity.

[20:08] Some people go because of duty. Some try to get gain. But the love that's stirred by faith, or the work and actions by faith is a little different. He says the labor of love.

[20:20] A labor of love implies by its very nature that it's tiresome. You want an example of a labor of love?

[20:31] Watch a mom with a little baby. They can be exhausted and the baby cries and they'll get themselves out of bed. What is that? That's a labor of what? Love.

[20:43] It's not motivated by any gain for themselves. It's not motivated just out of necessity. Well, I guess for the, sometimes guys will get up and do it out of necessity. Comfort that kid so they're quiet.

[20:56] All right, get some sleep. Okay, now I'm meddling, right? But I want you to understand that's the difference. When he's talking about their labor of love, that word labor involves intense toil.

[21:11] In other words, it will get wearisome. You're going to get tired. You're going to get exhausted. Sometimes frustrated. But a labor of love changes things.

[21:24] When you call upon Christ as your Savior, it's there because he first loved you. Think for a moment. Go back over to the book of 1 John.

[21:37] Chapter 4 and verse 19. John reveals this. He says, we love him because he's a good guy. Is that what it says?

[21:47] I love him because of his benefits. That's what, I love him because he what? First loved us. The reality of the gospel is that he loved you.

[22:01] Christ came because he loved you and our labor of love is because we love him. To stir that reality. You know, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 14 says this, for the love of Christ does what?

[22:14] Constraineth us because we thus judge that one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all and they which live should not henceforth! live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again.

[22:28] It's a love for the Lord a sincere love for others that must motivate the effort behind it. You know? But why don't you see here also there's a patience of hope.

[22:40] A patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you see here this patience of hope is an enduring hope. You know, we talked about a bold hope last week.

[22:53] The hope we have because of what Jesus Christ did. We have a hope an enduring hope. Hope is what we look forward to like as we saw last week. The necessity of hope.

[23:04] A hope based upon the promises and God's fulfillment of those promises. Just as your salvation is built upon his promise to fulfill what he has said.

[23:15] When we live in a patient hope it's revealed in our lives because it's shown in the spirit in which we continue. This is a cheerful endurance. The word here patience here is a little different.

[23:27] In English it kind of gets tied up here a little bit but the context here pushes it to have an attitude attached to it because you can be patient many ways.

[23:40] You know, sometimes you can patiently wait and be talking under your breath grumpingly. That's not what it's talking about. It's being patient and waiting and understanding to wait is for a purpose and that the waiting time is not in your control.

[23:57] And in that waiting time you keep your eyes on the Lord. Look over to Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 2 says, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith for who the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and it sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

[24:16] For consider him that endureth since contradiction of sinners against himself lest he be wearied and faint in your minds. Think about what he's talking about there. He's talking about the very reality that if we don't keep our eyes on the right things your patience is not going to be operating in the right way.

[24:36] Our patience is there because of our love. It's an attitude. It's a direction. It's focused upon the Savior to keep our eyes on the right things. Because you know what? If you keep your eyes on people I'll give you a little clue you'll be disappointed.

[24:49] No matter how much you look up to somebody or somebody gets built up sooner or later they're going to let you down. That's just the reality. When we look at one another we're going to let each other down sometimes.

[25:00] But you know we have a Savior that will never let you down. He's always there. He is the author and finisher of our faith. That word finisher is important because it's the hope.

[25:16] He didn't just author it he says I'm going to finish it. I'm going to complete everything I promised. You know we talked about this last week we don't have all the promise to us yet.

[25:29] We're sealed. if you've called upon the Lord as Savior the Bible says that you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The power and the penalty of sin has been overcome.

[25:44] But you know we still live in a fallen world. Part of the promise of salvation is one day we're going to live in a world without sin. We're going to be removed from the very presence of sin. That's yet to come.

[25:57] That's important to keep in mind because you know when the world and people don't do what you think what do they do that for? Well we're still in a sinful world. We're in a fallen world. But Christ says keep your eyes on the right things.

[26:09] Have the right to continue on. Do what you ought to do. Because the bold gospel here I want you to see here as we continue looking here this gospel involves a means that it's going to be accomplished.

[26:21] Notice in verse five it says for our gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and with much assurance as you have known what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

[26:34] A bold gospel a bold witness has the means to accomplish it. You know the means of the gospel is very simply this it's the word of God and God adds the power of him self the Holy Spirit to his word.

[26:53] God is the one it's the power of God unto salvation. You know the word of God is used by the Holy Spirit to empower God's work in the life of an individual.

[27:04] The means of the gospel that was given unto you had to involve the word of God a work of the Holy Spirit of God and a belief and trust in the truth of God. It means that if we have the word of God your message is the word of God and what and how it changed you.

[27:22] Because to be saved the Bible tells us that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by what? The word of God. People cannot be saved without the word of God.

[27:35] Why? Because the word of God explains why we need a Savior. It explains the work that God did in order to save us. It explains how we're supposed to move forward with that the hope that we have.

[27:48] He tells us the reality of what is to come. It's the means of the word of God. It's that which is words that are the means by which the gospel is given. You know, when we think about words we think about communication.

[28:02] Communication is essential for the message to go forth. It must be mixed though with the power of the Holy Spirit. Our job is to give the word of God. You cannot control the Spirit of God.

[28:14] God promises to do His part. The Spirit of God is there. You know, look over to John 16 for a moment. John 16 in verse 8 tells us this. Jesus, when He's talking about the Holy Spirit He says, when He has come He will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not on me and of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more of judgment because the prince of this world is judged.

[28:40] Then look down in verse 13 and says, howbeit when He the Spirit of truth has come He will guide you into all truth for He shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear that shall He speak and He will show you things to come and He shall glorify me for He shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.

[29:01] I want you to understand when you give the gospel to somebody by the word of God you're just giving them the word of God. You know what reveals in their heart the Holy Spirit comes and convicts the conscience of an individual saying, this is true.

[29:14] This is where truth is. This is what is true. Because you know you cannot convince somebody what's true and false. We have a lot of people running around today we have a phrase that people have well that's my truth.

[29:28] Well we can say well that doesn't matter what you think about it this is true but you know what there has to be something in order for that to change there has to be something happen inside. When it comes to salvation what happens inside the Spirit of God convicts an individual.

[29:42] Where does they convict them? They convict them in the reality of their conscience. So as we spread the gospel as this bold gospel went forth just as it did in Thessalonica I want you to understand they were not relying on their own power they were doing what they were supposed to do and relying upon the conviction of the Holy Spirit which results in having confidence in God's truth God's promise.

[30:09] Psalm 138 says the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me thy mercy O Lord endureth forever forsake not the works of thine own hands I want you to understand God says I'm going to do those things that I promised you to do and when somebody and when somebody gets saved that's what they're trusting in that God is going to accomplish what he said he's going to do their faith is in the work of what God has done the gospel will move you to motion rely upon the means the word of God and the power of God but it also is to know a bold message is going to be declared the message of the gospel is a Christ centered message I want you to understand as we look through this passage notice what it says in verse 8 for you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad so they did not speak anything I want you to see here there was a message they proclaimed the word of God the message today is the same message that was herald by the church at

[31:16] Thessalonica it's very simply believe the Lord Jesus Christ it's the same message that they had we have nothing new you know people like to try to say I have something new as a believer we have nothing new to give God's already said it you don't discover something new you might discover something God's already revealed it may be new to you but it's not new it's what he has done the gospel is only tied to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ there's only one way to God that's reason Jesus said in John 14 6 he says I am the way the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the father but by me what are we to believe that Jesus came because he loved you to take upon himself the penalty of our sin that we might be justified before God no longer under the wrath of God declared righteous because of Christ's righteousness and secure until the day of Jesus Christ that message changes a person it turns a person notice what it tells us here as you read on down here in verse 9 it says for they themselves show unto us what manner of entering in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true

[32:35] God salvation is all centered around Christ it declares the reality of who Christ is it changes who and what you serve you no longer serve sin and self or the false gods that we make up to benefit ourselves you know people today still worship idols they just look a little different because we get creative on how we mask them if you don't think people worship an idol just go back and look at the news for the last 30 days when the stock market goes up and down money's going to come and go God says we should be responsible there's the things attached to it we understand financially that God tells us how we ought to do some things but I want you to understand if your whole life revolves about whether that market goes up or down you know what you're worshiping you're worshiping the money because your trust is what am I going to do if that goes down well that goes down God's still the same that goes up guess what

[33:36] God's still the same God hasn't lost anything and God doesn't need to gain anything he already has everything but we make idols out of all sorts of things you know there's people who worship the little electronic piece in their pocket you know if you don't think that you're attached to over attached to that put it down for a day just walk away from it if you find yourself being fidgety and anxious something you might want to consider sometimes it's good to just sit still and know and to think on God no music there's people who worship music they have something on all the time that's a modern phenomenon you know that music constant noise is a modern phenomenon used to be the biggest thing you had noise was chickens and pigs and cattle and horse you know or some banging from building something or modifying something or a saw

[34:37] I mean those were the noises of history but turn people's music off and what happens we're relying upon those things you know what an idol is is when we turn our attention away from God onto something else that has more merit than what God has it changed them they turned they repented that's the meaning of repent is to turn to change your mind change direction change what you're doing because of what Christ has done you have to have a different attitude about sin in order to be saved do you know what some people when you talk to them they really see no problem with what they're doing their sin doesn't bother them but when somebody understands the truth of the gospel you know what your sin has a changed perspective because in order to be saved you need to realize that what you're doing has violated God's law you have to have a different perspective about it it says they turn from idols unto the living and true God and they didn't just turn to sit they turn to serve the living and true

[35:45] God because an idol is something that we serve we find here we find here that the fact is that a life that we serve needs to be focused on the one that saved us you know Acts 4 verse 12 says this it says neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men where we must be saved now notice this now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant in him they marveled and they took knowledge of them because they had been with Jesus you know even for you and I today the difference in our testimony is the fact of what we've done with Jesus what Christ has done for you because Christ ought to change an individual if there's no change I guarantee you there's a problem with what they believe they're not believing the right thing they're not looking under the author and finisher of our faith they're looking under the things that they want to make out of it but I want you to see here a bold gospel here also involves a method you know a method involved the message must be sounded out just as you heard the gospels others must hear it also you know when we talk about missions that's what we're talking about is those that go and declare it someplace that we're not they're there and just as the Thessalonians

[37:15] Thessalonians or whatever word you need to put there they witnessed where they were they were involved in just speaking to others they need to hear it they must hear it spoken also by a changed life you know I want you to understand we'll look in Sunday school we're going to talk about communication a little bit and the importance of communication we're going to look at Jesus' communication communication in things here when it comes to this but when these things and these in Thessalonica heard the truth about their sin the consequences for sin it turned to Christ it changed them and they sounded out that there was something different it was followed up with their testimony because you know what what you do and what you say tie together you know we talk about this reality of communication your body language and the things you choose to do speak and put emphasis on the words that you say because how you say it is just as important as what you say because you can say the right thing without a loving spirit and have a problem and it lands on deaf ears because they look at it and say there's a problem with that that's hard sometimes you know their life sounded out though they were eyewitness testimony of what Christ had done for them when it talks the

[38:37] Bible talks about us sharing our faith really it boils down to this it's telling others about what Christ did for you that's the simple reality of it you don't have to have a theology degree for that if you understand salvation it's just telling somebody else what's already happened to you what Christ did for you and how he did it what was accomplished you know that's the reason Jesus said let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven we need to have action attached to it there has to be action that people can see how can you sound out the gospel how can we get the gospel out well it starts with you starts with me that interaction that we have because but I want you to understand you cannot share something that you first don't possess that's the way the government works that's not the way reality works government says I can keep giving you giving you giving you and I don't own it you know what that leads to devastation you can give the gospel because you have the gospel you can give what you have you cannot give what you don't have it starts at the reality of asking do you have the gospel do you believe the good news that Jesus died for your sin according to the scripture was buried and rose again and accomplished all that is needed for your salvation you know this week I was if you've been paying any attention at all to the news you had a guy in a funny hat die you can connect the dots

[40:11] I was thumbing through the radio this week and came across one of our local radio stations and the question came up so I stopped because the question that was asked of the person was is the Pope in heaven now this was their Pope's radio station you might say you know what their comment was we can't be sure of that that's what the response was we cannot be sure of that you know what that's a pretty sad place to be that there's millions of people who believe in a belief system that they can't have confidence in the gospel has assurance the reality that we know the scripture tells us that we are sealed that we will one day be with him matter of fact the Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord it's a you either have it or you don't you don't get it in between now I want you to understand

[41:15] I'd use that as an illustration for a reason because we have something that gives hope that gives assurance that gets confidence because our confidence isn't what we can do how many prayers we can pray or how much money we can give our confidence in what's already been accomplished what's been accomplished is what Jesus Christ did for us our confidence is in him you need to know that if you're not for sure where you are with God I encourage you to come this morning here just a little bit and you I'll have somebody show you from God's word how you can know what God has said how you can be sure not trusting what the preacher said I tell you what don't don't take my word for it take this word for it this is the only word that matters you know sometimes we put more trust in what somebody on the internet said or somebody else said someplace else or wrote in a book this is the only book that matters everything else filters through here secondly this morning can you allow

[42:20] God to work through you to others you can share with them what Christ has done for you you can match it with a life that displays the reality of your love for God you know this morning can others see and hear what Christ has done for you heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning I want you to think on that reality for a moment where are you with the Lord what I want you to think on is two things one is your faith and trust solely in Jesus Christ and his finished work if not why not trust him today but if you know Christ is your savior what have you sounded out about it between you and the Lord you need to answer that question heavenly fathers we come before you this morning Lord we just love you and thank you for your word and Lord we're thankful for the reality the confidence we have and what you've done for us Lord I pray just have your hand upon each heart each life here today

[43:21] Lord you know each one we cannot hide from you Lord your spirit is working upon hearts and lives today Lord I pray you just would work in a mighty way to consider that reality because those here either need it or need to share what they have that others might have it Lord we just ask you to work in a mighty way in hearts and lives today we just ask it all in your precious name amen as piano plays what about you today