Changing our World for Christ

Acts 20:1-3 After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

Pastor Kyle continued our church Sunday Sermon series on the book of “The Acts of the Apostles” - Práxeis tôn Apostólōn in Greek. Kyle explain that transforming the world for Jesus Christ is an emulate and do process. But, transforming the entire world is never achieved on our own. Changing the world is a tall order and a corporate accomplishment. One that we start by transforming our world for Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. And we must always keep in mind and never lose sight of the fact that God is constantly changing our world as we live in Christ and live for Christ. We are doing much, much more than “just passing through”. Know who and what do we live for?

1 Timothy 6:6-8 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Kyle gave us six keys to changing our world for Jesus. (1) Stay where God has us until/unless we receive different instructions. Stay put where the Lord put us and change the little world around us. Each and every one of us have been brought into this world, in this place at this time, for a reason and with a purpose – to make a difference for Christ’s sake in our sphere of influence (or family and friends, our neighbor and acquaintances, our co-workers and those friends that we are making that we haven’t met just yet (aka complete strangers). This side of eternity, doors closes and doors open at transition points. (2) Wake up spiritually, Learn to seek and recognize the spiritual miracles and handiwork going on around us daily. We need to both be alert enough to recognize them and need to ask ourselves: “Where are we spiritually asleep in our lives today?”, then change that. We are never going through the motions.

Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

(3) Care genuinely and engage fully to impact people maximally. People can identify a phony quickly. The old saying is that people don’t care what you know, until they know that you care. Ministering to others is administering Jesus. And if we want to impact others for the Lord with maximum effectiveness, then we need to be who we are and take the time required to do it right. (4) Take one for the team (and don’t expect a “high five” at the end. How rare it is when we don’t ask: “what’s in it for me?” and not expect some receptacle recognition and reward. God’s children deflect praise and take on/own the criticism to shield others. (5) Do what God says – especially when you don’t feel like it. At least try. We will be opposed, so expect it. Run the race and finish the course. Mother Teresa said: “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’, rather he will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?” Never let God down because you didn’t want to let someone else down. Pay your own way and pull your own weight. Something for nothing will cost you dearly.

(6) Live and give generously. We can’t take it with us when we go and we cannot control death, but we can control how many we reach for Christ and touch their lives for the positive. Embody it. We may not be called to be the next Apostle Paul, but transform yourself, the lives of those around you and be a part of the body of Believers transforming the world for Jesus.

In Christ, Brian (from my edited notes on Pastor Kyle’s sermon)