Good morning.
Praise God for your mission's involvement.
You know, we live far away from here,
but as you pray, you're right there with us.
So, stories I'll be telling today
about the wonderful things God is doing,
even though you live this far away,
as you pray, you give,
and sometimes go directly to the field,
you're right there with those of us who are on the field.
We have now served in Southeast Asia,
myself, and my family.
We're in our 20th year.
You know, and sometimes it's good to come back
and get a checkup.
Notice the title of today's sermon,
Have We Lost Our Minds?
Maybe you've asked yourself that same question.
20 years ago, when we started going to the process
of going overseas,
we were asked, in fact, my wife was asked,
you know, where are you feel led to go,
and she said, anywhere but a Muslim country.
And, of course, that's where God sent us.
And we had no idea how to reach those folks.
In fact, for the early years,
I was in seminary education,
and also helping Baptist churches like yours
open cell groups to reach their neighbors,
and praise God, some came to faith.
But then, in late 2004,
we were asked to engage a large,
unreached Muslim people group.
And so we went from knowing kind of what to do
in the seminary and in a traditional church setting
to not having any idea what to do.
And so we found people to pray,
people like yourselves.
And I personally began praying desperate prayers
to the Lord for our people group.
What seemed to be an impossible task.
God is doing amazing things.
Tens of thousands of Muslims have come to faith
in our people group,
and are reaching others throughout our country of service
and throughout Southeast Asia.
We didn't get any smarter.
In fact, we went back to plan A, Acts.
How was the gospel shared in Acts?
And we began sharing the gospel a lot that way.
When people came to faith and were baptized,
just like in Acts,
they would go home and gather their friends
and their families,
believe the gospel,
and become churches in those areas.
We began calling this approach
anyone, anywhere, anytime, any three.
So we're no smarter than we were.
We're simply trying to abide in Christ
as the Lord taught us,
and simply obey the Great Commission
the way it was obeyed in Acts.
And it's interesting that God's plan
works a lot better than ours.
God truly is doing amazing things.
Next slide, please.
Has anyone ever been to Southeast Asia?
Did you try this fruit while you were there?
We call it the durian.
You tried it.
So you can verify what I'm getting ready to say.
If you watch programs
about the world's worst food,
this one's always on it.
Usually top five.
Called the spiked fruit.
Literal translation,
durian,
means spiked fruit
because of these spikes,
these goads that it has on it.
It's a heavy fruit,
and sometimes it falls off a tree.
And when it hits people,
sometimes they die.
This fruit has been known to kill people
when it falls off and hits them in the head.
It smells terrible.
It smells that bad,
good sign that it's not meant to be eaten.
But somebody tried it and liked it,
and the people that we serve
really enjoy this fruit.
In fact, they'll give a day's wage for it.
Had some volunteers who came over,
and they'd seen on one of these stations
about how bad it was,
and they said it couldn't be that bad.
So I found them one,
and I opened it up and gave it to them,
and their countenance immediately turned.
Said it tastes like dirty socks.
By the way, it smells like dirty socks.
Once again, my kids like this fruit,
and the people we serve like it,
which might be a good sign.
You know, they might need some help, right?
Might need some help.
Of course I'm teasing.
If you enjoy this fruit,
good for you.
My kids do too.
Today's sermon is about
a time when Paul,
the apostle,
was standing before the king
giving an account of why,
even though he was persecuted tremendously,
why did he keep on
proclaiming the gospel?
Thirteen years after Paul came to faith,
he went on three missionary journeys
totaling nine years,
including the time that he was back in Antioch.
God did amazing things.
His presence was there
in real and very sweet ways,
but it wasn't easy.
Most of us had never gotten beaten up
because we shared the gospel.
I've been threatened.
I would have gotten beaten up.
A guy had a baseball bat,
or a version of one,
but praise God,
God delivered me from that situation.
Paul said,
I've been beaten times without number.
You've been beaten a lot
if you can't count many times,
how many times you've been beaten up.
So I was in danger from my countrymen,
friend from the Jews.
He said,
I was in danger
from natural situations,
rivers,
he said,
oceans.
I spent nights out at the sea.
times without number,
he could tell about
the times where people tried to kill it.
So God did great things through Paul
as he proclaimed a simple message.
Jesus Christ died for our sins
and was raised from the dead.
And whoever you are,
if we will repent of our sin
and surrender ourselves to Jesus,
believing this great news,
our sins are forgiven.
The message changed Paul's life
and he was commissioned
to share it with others
and he did that.
So that now,
he is before the king.
Nine years of missionary journeys
and after nine years
of missionary journeys,
he was standing in the temple
in Jerusalem.
He proclaimed
the great news of the gospel
and he said,
he spoke of a time
when Jesus Christ
revealed himself to Paul
and he said,
I'm sending you away,
far away,
to the Gentiles.
The Jews were God's chosen people
and they said,
salvation is for us.
But when they considered
that God might care enough
about people who weren't Jews,
the Gentiles,
everybody else,
to save them too,
a riot broke out.
It led to a two-year imprisonment
for Paul
and now here's Paul once again.
Before the king,
defending the fact that he would
at whatever cost
proclaim the gospel.
And as he's before the king,
he gives a testimony
that we'll read in a moment,
but just like when he was before
in the temple,
he made a similar statement.
If you read verse 23,
Acts 26, verse 23,
he talked about Jesus
saying that the Christ
was to suffer
and by reason of his resurrection
from the dead,
he would be the first
that proclaimed light
both to the Jewish people
and to the Gentiles.
There's that phrase again.
God wants to save everybody
who will receive his gospel.
While Paul was saying this
in his defense,
Festus said in a loud voice,
Paul, you're out of your mind.
You're out of your mind.
Your much learning
is driving you mad.
And Paul said,
I'm not out of my mind,
most excellent Festus,
but I utter words
of sober truth
for the king knows these matters
and I speak to him
with all confidence
since I am persuaded
that none of these things
escape his notice
for this has not been done
in a corner.
King Agrippa,
do you believe the prophets?
I know that you do.
Agrippa replied to Paul
in a short time
will you persuade me
to be a Christian?
And Paul said,
I would wish to God
that whether in a short
or long time
that not only you
but all who hear me this day
might become such as I am
except for these chains.
So essentially,
the accusation against Paul is
you've lost your mind
that having been beaten
times without number,
having been shipwrecked,
having faced all these things
and riots breaking out
wherever you go
because you proclaim
this message,
you've lost your mind
and Paul said,
I've not lost my mind.
Does it make sense?
It does.
And what Paul said is,
why?
What he was answering was,
why does it make sense
to obey the Great Commission
at any cost?
Let's pray.
So Lord Jesus,
we love you.
We praise you
because you've died
for our sins
and you're alive.
You've changed our lives.
We praise you
for your presence,
that you're always with us
and you always will be.
And so Lord,
now in these brief moments
together,
I pray that you'll open
our hearts
and our minds.
Show us
what you're calling us
to sacrifice
to be involved with you
in your Great Commission.
And Lord,
I pray that you'll use
our witness
so that many
will come to know you,
worship you,
and be saved
for all eternity.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
So Paul made his defense
before the king.
And here's how it starts
if you read in Acts chapter 26.
After saying
that he was going
to Damascus
to persecute believers
in verse 11
and verse 12,
he says,
Well,
I was so engaged
as I was journeying
to Damascus
with the authority
and commission
of the chief priests.
At midday,
O King,
I saw on the way
a light from heaven
brighter than the sun
shining all around me
and those who were
journeying with me.
And when we'd all
fall into the ground,
I heard a voice
saying to me
in the Hebrew dialect,
Saul,
why are you persecuting me?
Is it hard for you
to kick against the goads?
And I said,
Who are you, Lord?
And the Lord said,
I'm Jesus whom you are persecuting.
But get up
and stand on your feet
for this purpose
I have appeared to you
to appoint you
as a minister
and a witness
not only to the things
which you've seen
but also to the things
which I will appear to you,
rescuing you
from the Jewish people
and from the Gentiles
to whom I'm sending you
to open their eyes
so they may turn
from darkness to light
and from the dominion
of Satan to God
that they may receive
forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance
among those
who have been sanctified
by faith in me.
So King Agrippa,
I did not prove disobedient
to the heavenly vision
but kept declaring
both to those
of Damascus first
and also to Jerusalem
and then throughout
all the region of Judea
and even to the Gentiles
that they should repent
and turn to God
performing deeds
appropriate to repentance.
For this reason
some Jews seized me
in the temple
and tried to put me to death.
So having obtained
help from God
I stand to this day
testifying both
to small and to great
stating nothing
but what the prophets
and Moses said
was going to take place
that the Christ
was to suffer
and by reason
of his resurrection
that he would be
the first
to proclaim light
both to the Jewish people
and to the Gentiles.
That's when
the governor
Festus
in the presence
of the king
made the accusation
Paul you've lost your mind.
But actually
it made perfect sense
Paul said
first of all
because of God's holiness
when a person
sees the holiness
of God
it makes perfect sense
first of all
to receive the gospel
as a way
to have our sins forgiven
and then
to proclaim the gospel
to others.
For Paul
that's what happened.
Having received this vision
he believed
was baptized
and immediately
the scripture says
began proclaiming
the gospel to others.
It wasn't long ago
we had an eclipse
and everybody
had the warning
don't look at the sun.
Besides me
who else took a look?
Alright
you still see spots.
Praise God
my spots only lasted
a few hours.
But that's what happens
when you look at the sun
and that was only impartial
that was only impartial
glory because it was
covered up right?
Imagine looking
intently to the sun
for a long period
of time.
Paul got a
in some ways
not total
you can't get a total
glimpse
but he got a full glimpse
of the glory of God
and it changed his life
forever.
As I was looking
I was watching
the eclipse on CNN
after I took a look
there was a CNN
reporter
when he saw
the glory
of what was taking place
he said
oh my God
look at that.
Probably didn't
believe in God
but he couldn't
escape the fact
of God's glory
the glory of God
being revealed
and whether or not
God reveals himself
to you
like he did to Paul
the heavens declare
the glory of God.
God is holy
and one day
we will stand
before a holy God.
Not too long ago
I was sitting
with an imam
what's an imam?
Well it's a Muslim
pastor
so imagine
Pastor Fred
with a hat on
you know
little round hat
that's the kind
of person
we're talking about
here's what he said
he said
for more than
40 years
five times a day
I prayed to God
show me the straight
way in the Arabic
language
and I meant it
I really wanted to know
so every day
I would just keep
praying
show me the straight
way
show me the straight
way
after more than
40 years
he said
I was standing
on my back porch
one day
and it was cloudy
outside
a light from heaven
came into me
and I knew
that was Jesus
so I went
and tried to find
a Christian pastor
and I found one
and he was afraid
of me
he didn't want
to talk to me
he said
here's a Bible
that tells you
about Jesus
now go home
so I began
reading in the Bible
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
because of course
those books
were written
a long time
before Jesus
came
they tell clearly
about Jesus
but don't use
his name
but the man
said
we'll call him
Ahmad
Ahmad said
I didn't see
Jesus name there
so I was offended
I thought I'd
been lied to
so I went and
got firewood
and kerosene
I was going
to burn the Bible
but before I did
he said
a voice said
to me
put your finger
in
he said
I did
and opened
to John
chapter 14
verse 6
where Jesus
cried
he said
I am the way
the truth
and the life
no one comes
to the Father
but through me
when this man
saw a glimpse
of God's glory
he knew the gospel
was true
he's one of hundreds
of these imams
who have now
come to faith
they've given
their life to Jesus
and they're reaching
many others
with the gospel
tens of thousands
of ordinary people
who were simply
following the way
of their former religion
in ignorance
like many of us
before we came
to know Jesus
have now turned
to Jesus
and are worshipping
Jesus Christ
as Lord
but we understand
God's holiness
it makes perfect sense
no matter what the cost
that we'll proclaim
the gospel to others
so as Paul
was talking about
this vision
of the Lord Jesus
he had had
at midday
he saw a lot
bright lighter
than the sun
perhaps the governor
said Paul
it was midday
how do you know
you saw a light
no
this is no
ordinary light
we all fell down
and he probably
could still show
show the scars
on his eyes
from that encounter
it makes sense
when we understand
the holiness of God
to proclaim the gospel
now people sometimes
look at me
and say
that's easy for you Mike
because you're an evangelist
if you just knew
how funny that was
you just knew
how funny that was
I laughed out loud
the first time
somebody said that
as a young man
being backward
and shy
introverted
Christ changed my life
and then he called me
to proclaim the gospel
to others
and I would not do it
for about a year
until he spoke
clearly to my heart
saying Mike
are you willing
to be responsible
when you haven't
shared the gospel
with people
if they perish
now I can't save them
I know that
I know that God
draws people to salvation
that's not our job
but
we have a glorious gift
the great salvation
of Jesus
and if we're ashamed
to share it
there will be
a responsibility
involved
my heart melted
and I began
proclaiming the gospel
it was awkward
it was tense
but then the Lord
taught me
and now it's funny
that he uses us
to train people
around the world
to reach Muslims
with the gospel
but God's holiness
made it make sense
and Paul was
as he continued
to talk about
this vision he had
of the Lord Jesus
he referred to
the Gentiles
helplessness
the Lord said
Paul I'm sending you
to the Gentiles
by the way
Gentiles are everyone
who aren't Jews
so that covers
about all of us
the Jews
and the Gentiles
so I'm sending you
to open their eyes
you see they're blind
they're not dumb
they're blind
and when their eyes
are open
they're going to turn
from darkness
to light
they're going to turn
from the enemy
of Satan
to God
they're going to have
forgiveness of sins
and now they're going
to have an inheritance
but for now
they're helpless
missing all of the above
as we serve
in the world's largest
Muslim country
85% of all the population
and far more than
99% of the people
that we serve
they're Muslims
they worship in
mosques
like these
now as we've learned
how to share the gospel
anyone anywhere
anytime
we simply get to know
people
and transition
almost all religions
are alike
now by the way
all religions are not alike
but almost all of them are
we're trying to please God
and get our sins forgiven
and we're all
but we're all
and we're all sinners
and at that point
we'll ask Muslims
so what are you doing
to get your sins forgiven
what are you doing
to get your sins forgiven
and they'll say
well we pray
five times a day
and sometimes
if they're really good
they'll add extra prayers
in there
we pray five times a day
we give alms
and we pay a tithe of sorts
at the mosque
we fast
30 days a year
during Ramadan
from the time the sun comes up
to the time the sun goes down
and the hope is
that they will go
on the pilgrimage
to Mecca
at some time in their life
so we ask them
what are you doing
and many times
they'll proudly tell us
these things
these are our acts of worship
and then we simply ask them
are your sins forgiven yet
no not yet
only God knows
well when
when will your sins
be forgiven
they say
I don't know
well how about
on judgment day
will your sins
be forgiven then
and they say
only God knows
but if God wills it
I hope so
they're blind
and many times though
as we hear them
say this out loud
they hear themselves
say
that I'm
here's all this stuff
that I'm doing
I have no assurance
I do not know
the gospel sounds
really good
so when we say
what I believe is different
I know my sins
are forgiven
not because I'm a good person
although I try
my sins are forgiven
because God himself
made a way for our sins
to be forgiven
now they listen
the gospel sounds
really good
but they're living
in darkness
enslaved to the enemy
even though
they have these strong
religious beliefs
they're still afraid
of the spirits
they live with superstitions
that control their lives
we don't go out at night
because we're afraid
of the spirits
there's a ravine
behind our house
where there's a
tale of a spirit being
a white tiger
that lives back there
they won't cross the bridge
they'll go the long way around
to avoid
to avoid contact
every feature
of their lives
controlled by their superstition
because they're afraid
of the spirit world
by the way
if you and I
could see the spirit world
and we didn't know
Jesus Christ
as our savior
we should be afraid to
I could tell you stories
real stories
of how spiritual manifestations
have taken place
among the people we serve
like a man
he said
I was sleeping
I was sleeping one
no he said
I was in bed one night
and I was raised
out of my bed
several feet
and he said
Michael wasn't dreaming
I wasn't dreaming
I was being choked
but now this guy's a believer
now and he said
I called out to Jesus
like you taught us
you know
submit yourself to God
resist the devil
call out to the savior
and win the victory
he said I went straight
to the mattress
I fell straight down
now when they come
to know Jesus
things change for them
but
they're under the
they're under the fear
of the spirits
and it causes them
to be very superstitious
doing everything possible
to try to appease
the spirits
they have no forgiveness
of sin
and no assurance
of eternal life
the Gentiles are hopeless
apart from Christ
so Paul said
it makes perfect sense
when these folks
are blind
and we have the cure
for their blindness
so that
they will be in the light
instead of darkness
so that they will be
in the savior's
domain
instead of the domain
of the enemy
so they'll have forgiveness
of sin
and so they'll have
eternal life
pardon me king
but it makes perfect sense
for us to share
the gospel with them
it makes perfect sense
and then Paul refers
to the phrase
where Jesus
when he was revealing
himself to him
he said
I'm going to rescue you
both from the Jews
and the Gentiles
I told you earlier
about the dangers
that Paul faced
beatings without number
dangers from rivers
and oceans
and all those things
angry Jews
and angry Gentiles
but God rescued him
from all of those
so here he is
before the king
so we're talking
24 years from his
profession of faith
saying
God did that
he rescued me
from all these things
sometimes we're
in dangerous places
and especially
these new believers
I'll tell you stories
of the dangerous
situations
that they're in
but let's go
to the next slide
God's help
but God has helped us
and he's helped them
flying on some
Asian airlines
is good for your
prayer life
I can tell you stories
I had a situation
just the other day
I was on a plane
flying from
Kuala Lumpur
and the thing
started shaking
like I was on the
inside of a
washing machine
it was just
but by God's grace
the Lord goes with us
I simply raised my hand
and said
Lord Jesus help us
peace
be still
and it calmed down
you say
I would have calmed
down anyway
well you try that
I'm going with
the Lord Jesus
he's helped us
too many times
along the way
to take it for granted
and it gave me a chance
I've been praying
for the Muslim lady
next to me
you know that's kind
of awkward
talking to a Muslim
lady anyway
but because of that
situation I was able
to share the gospel
with her
I've been praying
for her during the
trip
Lord this is kind
of awkward
help me share the gospel
I was able to do that
because of that
experience
but the Lord
does rescue us
now Paul said
by the help of God
all these things
have been accomplished
and now I'm standing
before you
he's talking about
all the things
the Lord had done
through the missionary
journeys
to bring the Gentiles
to himself
so they can believe
and be saved
the formation of churches
multiplying
and the great miracles
of God
by the help of God
I'm standing before you
today
is what Paul
was saying
I told you earlier
about how we
transitioned
from seminary
type work
to reaching
a large
unreached
Muslim people
group
as we sought
the Lord
in desperate
prayer
myself
and my ministry
partner
in many churches
like yourselves
we had a plan
but no believers
mentioned that earlier
and so we decided
to share the gospel
like Jesus did
by the well
but with the content
they used in Acts
it was kind of
that's kind of
the mixture
very relational way
meet somebody
say hi
share the gospel
with them
and then simply
ask them
do you believe
what I've told you
or not
if they're angry
or if they just
simply back out
they weren't angry much
they just backed out
they probably aren't
open yet
but we're looking
for those signs
of openness
and then we'd
simply follow up
using sacrifice
stories from the
Old Testament
Sunday school stories
that many of you
have already learned
so we began this work
in let's say
late 2004
by August
there were no
believers
but
in August 2004
we met a man
named Tom Eder
shared the gospel
with him
he said
this is great news
I've got lots
of friends
that need to hear
this
more than 50
10 days later
he led his good
friend Heidi
to faith
they began
sharing the gospel
wherever they went
now some people
were believing
others were
becoming angry
at times
they would get
called to the
police station
Tom Eder
was called
to the police
station
and threatened
for 15 years
in jail
if he kept
proclaiming the gospel
so he proclaimed
the gospel
in the police
station
and from that
meeting
two policemen
were baptized
Heidi had his
electricity cut off
for two months
and for two months
was having a house
church meeting
in his home
but after a year
300 Muslims
had come to faith
and more than
as 27 or so
house churches
began to form
in 2006
a volunteer team
from North Carolina
came and worked
with us
they shared the gospel
like we did
people of like mind
led a man to faith
we'll call him
Ali
Ali came to faith
our team baptized him
and trained him
and finally resulted
in more than
100 churches
now it wasn't easy
for Ali
when he came to faith
his wife divorced him
he lost his home
because they were
living in a home
that their family owned
but he stood firm
in his faith
and God honored him
in 2007
Jibril
this guy right here
was reading a bible
a very conservative Muslim
he was reading a bible
and coming to faith
and during that time
he met an Indonesian missionary
who didn't share
the gospel with him
he said
I met this guy
and every time we met
he just gave me
a little bit of truth
and a little more
before long
the relationship cut off
and he never shared
the gospel with me
but praise God
this movement was happening
he heard the gospel
was baptized
and we cast vision for him
the gospel for every person
in a house church
in every village
which was our goal
among the 8.5 million people
of our people group
the gospel for every person
in a house church
in every village
he said
I knew God was calling me
to do this
I had to lead somebody
to faith that night
I had to
and so he led
this guy to faith
Sahil
one of the village leaders
10 days later
they led a jihadi
to faith
a jihad soldier
someone who had gone
to faith
against the Christian religion
somebody kind of like Paul
he believed
and was baptized
within a half year
they had led
200 or so
you know
Muslim leaders
community leaders
to faith
and
people who are willing
to die for their faith
Jibril tells of a time
when he and Sahil
were out sharing the gospel
and an angry fanatic
had a knife
to Jibril's throat
and he said
it wasn't just for a short time
it was for a long time
now these people
are bold as a lion
some of the boldest people
I know
finally
Sahil said
you know Jibril
you might want to back off
a little bit
I think he's angry
but
Jibril said
I wasn't finished yet
so I just went ahead
and shared the gospel with him
and at the end
I told him
you know what I've told you
is true
and if you can kill me
go ahead
but see it's just
one of those instances
where God
protected them
while they're doing the work
we do know of one man
who was martyred
you know for his faith
in a movement
that came off of this one
but many who have been
imprisoned
but
through it all
the Lord has
you know
has shown his grace
and has rescued them
I think early
in this movement
when it started happening
regularly
Satan put out attempts
on their lives
I mentioned the jihadi soldier
one day he said
I was driving my motorcycle
across a bridge
and before I knew
he said
I was standing on
on the edge
and my motorcycle
was down in the ravine
I don't know how
I ended up here
but God protected it
by the way
his motorcycle
still worked too
you know
so he just got on
his motorcycle
went about his business
there are thousands
of stories
of God's miraculous
deliverance
I recently
heard another story
of another movement
that's emerging
in another part
of our country
a new believer
was leading others
to faith
they were starting
house churches
he said
one night
I woke up
in the middle of the night
I had to go to the restroom
and so he went outside
of his house
to the bathroom
and he heard
these two men
or three
talking about
how they were going
to tie him up
in a sack
and throw him
in the ocean
but you see
God protected him
woke him up
he and his family
moved to a neighboring city
where they started
churches there
in that place
see God helps us
it would be insane
to leave home
go overseas
to some place
where you know
considered dangerous
with people
who are generally
considered to be
violently opposed
to the gospel
it would be insane
unless the Lord
went with us
but in the great commission
Jesus said
remember this
I'll be with you
always
to the end of the world
and he proves it
time after time
after time
as we go to
what's considered
some of the world's
most dangerous places
he goes with us
we experience
his presence
we worship
you'll never
experience the presence
of the Lord Jesus
more closely
than you will
when you go out
of your comfort zone
to share the gospel
with somebody else
and the promise
we always make
to teams
is
what I promise
is you'll experience
the Lord's presence
and every time
every time
we've had a team work
they say
we experienced
the Lord's presence
let me tell you
what he did
the Lord helps us
that's why it makes sense
God's help
makes it make sense
and finally Paul said
the gospel's hope
makes it make perfect sense
so as he's before
the king
he proclaims the gospel
two times early
in this chapter
in verses 6 and 7
actually three times
Paul refers to the hope
the hope of the gospel
it was a motivating factor
for him
and before the king
here he brings it
to remembrance
this little
lighthouse
outside of the island
where we serve
represents
the hope of the gospel
that's starting to take
take root
within our people group
as tens of thousands
have come to faith
and thousands
of multiplying
house churches
have been formed
within the last month
we've heard of a
20th generation
house church
which means
this church
reached somebody else
who started a church
and that would reach
somebody else
who started a church
to 20 times
20 times
so
when you compare
tens of thousands
to eight and a half million
that's not a whole lot
but praise God
it is a good start
and from this movement
God is sending people
to other areas
and different places
even different countries
and they're having
breakthroughs of the gospel
and the gospel
is changing people's lives
see the little
the guy here
used to be
an imam
a Muslim pastor
in fact he arranged
the funerals
for the entire area
for Muslims who passed away
but God changed his life
and saved him
now he's reached
more than 100 people
who started churches
in their home
now you don't live
where we live
so you can't see
the faces of the people
we serve
let's go to the next
let's go to the next slide
here are a couple
of older guys
who God is using
to change their communities
a fellow on the left
the first time
I ever met him
he said hi
he told me his name
he said I used to gamble
and steal
but Christ changed my life
since that time
he's reached about 15 people
or so
who have started churches
in their homes
he has the wisdom of God
he's kind of like
he's one of these fellas
that when you talk to him
he always has the right answer
even though he's never been to school
just a joy
and there's one of the friends
that if I remember correctly
that he himself
had led to faith
somebody also in his 80s
there's a band
of 80 something year old people now
whose lives
Christ has changed
who are changing
their world
they have a smile
on their face
I think of another
80 something year old guy
his wife got saved later
she was really hard
but now she got saved
and she goes around
singing all the time
the Lord changed her life
so
young and old
those are some
pictures of some
of the older folks
who have come to faith
let's go to the next slide
pictures of a couple
of children
from our
larger people group
recently
some of our friends
teach at the Baptist Seminary
and they were telling me
one of our friends
called one
let me tell you
an exciting story
let me tell you
what I just heard
I was talking to
one of our students
who's now at the Baptist Seminary
and said
we asked the student
where did you go to church
and the student said
I've never been to a church
like this
but somebody shared
the gospel
with my dad
at a park somewhere
he came to faith
he came hold
and told us
and my mom
and my siblings
we came to faith
and we started a church
at our house
and since that time
we've reached other people
they've started churches
in their homes
now in the Indonesian
schools
pardon me
in the school system
of the country
where we serve
they study religion
and it's almost
always Islam
but if by chance
there is a community
of Christians
usually traditional Christians
they've been there
for a long long time
if by chance
that community is there
they'll offer Christianity
for those children
anyway
my friend said
well this student
here's what the student said
I'm here at the seminary
studying
because I want to teach
Christianity
in our school
you see
there's so many kids
who've come to faith
in my community now
they've got to offer
Christianity here as well
praise God
just an example
of the transforming power
of the gospel
to change people's lives
whereas
a few years ago
they wouldn't have heard
now
tens of thousands
of people
are hearing the gospel
many are believing
and when they hear
they proclaim
the gospel
to others
see now the task
becomes doable
we didn't do
anything heroic
the Lord gave us
a little more faith
than we had
and we simply decided
that we're going to
obey what Christ
told us to do
and I've shared briefly
what he himself
is doing
based on a simple
proclamation
of the gospel
and so it brings us
down to this question
notice the final slide
what is God
calling you
to sacrifice
to spread the gospel
locally
and around the world
it makes sense
and Paul made his defense
and God's calling us
all to be involved
for some of us
it might simply mean
don't be ashamed
of the gospel
simply start sharing
it with others
God can use you
to lead them to faith
we all should be
praying every day
for God's kingdom
for what he's doing
around the world
through the spread
of the gospel
so if that's not part
of your daily schedule
schedule it in
I'm going to pray
for missions
I'm going to pray
for these unreached
people groups
and those who are
proclaiming the gospel
to them
some of you
are going to be called
to go on short term trips
and perhaps others
are being called
to leave home
and go overseas
like some of us
have done
you know
to proclaim the gospel
to others
so what is God
calling you
to sacrifice
to spread the gospel
locally and around
the world
let's pray
Lord as we've asked
you to speak to us
clearly
we pray that you have
and trust that you have
what are you calling
us to sacrifice
what are you calling
us to do
all that we have
is yours
we ourselves
belong to you
and Lord Jesus
we're proud of you
we're not ashamed
of the gospel
of Christ
for it's the power
of salvation
to all who believe
to the Jew first
and also to the Greek
in Jesus name
we pray
amen