Acts Sunday, February 15

The Urgency of Evangelism

Jeremy

Matthew 25:14-30

Context: Matthew 24, where JESUS is talking about the signs of the end of the age. Verse 42: you don't know what time the Lord is coming. 

Note: look up the answer to the question of why Yahweh is not used in the New Testament (or just inquire if it is or not) 

Are you living your life in expectation of Christ's return? 

Revelation 22:20, He's coming quickly! How does John respond? Amen. Let it be. Come Lord Jesus. 

In our country we're so comfortable, we think we know the right answers, and we know it so well, that we are just on auto response. But what about our heart? Not the mind answer, but your heart. Proverbs Ch. 4 says guard your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

JESUS says it is not what goes into a man that defiles him- it's what comes out of a man. 

Whatever our heart is truly about, it will be known because it will be seen in how we live our life. 

A tidal wave is coming, and some people have been building a sandcastle on the shore. Instead of preparing for his kingdom, we've been preparing for ours. Our heart will betray us. 

Be watchful and pray, lest you fall into temptation. 

^^^Does "fall into temptation" mean to succumb to it, and sin? Why shouldn't it just say fall into sin? Temptation is not wrong, but giving into it is. I wonder why it uses that diction as opposed to using the term sin. 

Matthew Ch. 25:14 =

Three points to get out of this parable. 

1. We have been entrusted with something, the kingdom of God. 

2 Corinthians 5:18

We are ambassadors for Christ 

What are we doing with what He has entrusted to us? We've been given this commission, and if tomorrow is not guaranteed, how are we spending today? 

We need to start storing up treasures in heaven. 

2. At some point, we'll stand before JESUS and give an account of what we've done. 

Ezekiel 33:8-9

Oh man. 

Well that's intense. 

Are we proclaiming the truth or did we bury it? Beneath football and our house and our car- how could we? Why would we do that? 

We have a responsibility to all who have been entrusted to us. 

3. There is an unequal joy in sharing the Gospel. 

Do you think about standing before JESUS, and Him saying "well done"? 

***well done, well done, im GONNA chase You Lord, im GONNA show the world Your love. I'll run, I'll run, im gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

We live in a world that is broken and hopeless and we have a message of ETERNAL life. We don't have silver and we don't have gold but what we do have we give to you. 

The most lasting thing we could ever do is tell others about JESUS. 

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:17)