mp3 (click here)
Listeners: Joe and Sharon Patterson
SundayMessage | Paul's epistle to the Romans chapter 1 verse 8-17 first, I thank my God throug Jesus Christ because your faith is being reported all over the world God whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times and I pray that now at last the way may be opened for me to come to you I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong that is that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith I do not want you to be unaware from do so until now harvest among you just as I have had among the other gentiles I am obligated that is why I am may the Lord add a blessing to the reading of his word Paul writing to the romans Title of our message today is From Faith to Faith if you had the KJV that's the way it read from faith to faith this righteousness that is by faith it starts at the beginning all the way to the end and today I am in faith year 2007 but my faith is built upon the faith of my mother who was a christian who passed her faith on down it was important ot her that her whole household was in church I dont know who inspired her to first hear God's word but I trust that it was faith passed down from generation to generation I step over here and I think about Theopholus reading the letter aloud to that first century church two or more are gathered in the name of Jesus Acts 1: Theophelus is reading a letter to a group of people it's the beginning of faith for some faith is being built by hearing the word of God the word of God that Luke has an orderly account telling him this is the sequel to that first letter I wrote to you verse 5 we read along with Theophelus, we read along with the first century church Luke 1:5-13 may the Lord add a blessing to the reading of his Word our faith is built upon that Word their names might as well have been Gill and Madeline they were beyond the years of childbearing some of us show up because it's our turn we show up at the door with the buletins in our hands to greet people at the door because we're on the list our time has come up and we're spotless we're blameless in our duty our responsibility our sense of obligation because we're living for the Lord and our names on the list we're in a rotation and it's time for us to show up it was time for Zechariah to show up that day and the lot fell on him to be the one priviledged to burn the incense and as he was going about his obligation his religious duty that thing that he wanted to do because he wanted to serve God something happened that was unexpected an angel Gabriel appeared to him afraid Fear not your prayers have been heard we didnt know what exactly it was that Zechariah was praying at that stage of his life the narrator tells us the writer Luke tells us Zechariah and Elizabeth were well beyond the years of bearing children and their household was empty no one to pass on Godliness into the next generation through no offspring the man's prayers were heard Elizabeth would be with child and he was to name him John our faith is built upon the story of John the Baptist who preaches repentance in his generation and yet at the hight of his popularity he points to Jesus and says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Acts 1:4-5 that Jesus has been participating in a spiritual season of emphasis 40 Days of Resurrection he's been with them 40 days as the resurrected Christ nail prints in his hands and feet he has eaten with them we read in that an old man and an old woman who've been given an answer to prayer maybe even a prayer that was unspoken angel says your prayer has been heard all these years later we read in Theophelus second letter John has already come and he's baptized with water but in a few days Jesus tells his disciples you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit so when they met together ... Acts 1:6-8 everybody say POWER now this word in the Greek is dunimis it's the same word that Paul was using I am not ashamed ... Romans 1:16 power of God Jesus said to his disciples who have walked with him during this 40 days of resurrection I want you to wait you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will Acts 1:8 Matthew 28:18 All authority some translations say All power has been given a different greek word exucia authority we have been given the authority from Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them by the authority of the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and to teach them everything that Jesus has commanded same authority go before us follow up after us authority presence of Jesus himself Matthew 28:19 that authority is accompanied for us in 2007 by Power dunimus of the holy spirit we need more than just words in the name of Jesus we need power in which to proclaim that name we need more Sunday School Team Kids more than to just go through the motions know that there is nothing to be ashamed of what we proclaim is the power of God to save souls there was a season a moment a time when Jesus said you're gonna have to wait on me wait until the Holy Spirit comes to dwell the very spirit of Christ to fulfill I will be with you always Matthew 28:19 I love the Bible the book has no power in and of itself the book has to be made living word through a believer speaking that word living that word there's a superstition that book under their pillow at night lay their head down on that Bible that they're safe there's a form of godliness that denies the power of God the power comes through receiving the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Jesus Christ Acts 1:8-9 everybody look up can't see very far can ya Acts 1:9-11 but he was taken up before their very eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight ... we watch him our faith is built upon faith upon faith upon faith from generations past from first to last we're here in the present but we're still looking ahead in the future BECAUSE we have been called to be his witnesses empowered not only to auburn not only to the foothills out through CA through the USA in the year 2007 supposed to go to the very ends of the earth not only to the very ends but to the very ends of the human spectrum senior citizen home bound institutionalized nursing home prisons and jails mental institutions we are to take the Gospel to the uttermost ends of the earth people groups 7 year old 6 year old 3 year old what can a 3 year old possibly know about the love of God? [Jeremiah Patterson John 1:1] what can the preborn baby .. the 3 month after conception 3 month old little baby what could she possibly know about the love of God well, if the church is the church .... that little child will be exalted as sacred as made in the very image of God one to be protected one to be cherished likewise the senior citizen 87 years old homebound is not to be forgotten by the ambassador of Jesus Christ wow, what an assignment we have, huh? its faith built upon faith built upon faith Zechariah had no idea what was happening that day the lot fell upon him to burn the incense but he was foreordained to have a heavenly visitation its a rainy day today look around see some empty seats couple weeks ago it was packed, wasnt it? today there's some empty seats, what does it matter? the lot has fallen upon you today you're here righteous in right standing with God at least looking toward God rather than running away from God but there's a righteousness that comes from God that no amount of our human effort showing up with verse in hand or work out or work in Romans 1:17 for in the gospel Gospel- good news in the good news now what is the good news message? that although all have sinned Romans 3:23 there is no one righteous in God's eyes no one righteous no not one though all have sinned Jesus has paid the price [John 3:16] that our sins may be forgiven and that when the sins are forgiven fellowship can be restored one mediator between God and man and he is Christ Jesus the one {1 Timothy 2:5} in this good news a righteousness from God is revealed its a righteousness that is from faith to faith to faith just as it is written in [Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17] Life what is life? [John 14:6] for us the life of the good news is everlasting life its not just biological life not just the beat of a heart the pulse felt through the blood being pumped not just brainwave activity the life is talked of in the covenant with Jesus Christ everlasting life [John 3:16] very life of God when you ask Jesus Christ grafted into an eternal vine vine of Jesus Christ {John 15:1} if you are found in him a branch attached to the True Vine you have everlasting life pumping through your veins without beginning without end very life of Christ born in Him born again [John 3] he died on the cross because you're in him you died on the cross with him {Galatians 2:20 "Crucified with Christ pastorob"] his sacrifice made upon your behalf he died and you died when he rose you also rose from the dead the wonderful glorious good news and we dont always understand it when we're 3 years old 4 years old but our faith is built from faith to faith to faith its important for us today that those who gathered understand as much as we can today and hold on to it we have a visitor with us today I met him beforehand maybe there's on I didnt meet maybe nobody came and greeted I'd say to you that God has brought you here today that you might hear this message that your faith might be built up you shall be Acts 1:8 this is where we find ourselves we are the church this is our commission for those who have asked Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior we dont just speak the words we have to have the power behind the words we have to be led of the spirit filled with the Spirit because we leak, dont we? I come in and I dont feel like singing the songs that have been chosen today sometimes that's the only way that I'm gonna get filled with the spirit to forget about every care and concern of this world choking out the Word {Matthew 13:3-9} and just take that song in breath in that word open the bible and read it out loud for myself say amen to that which I know is true regardless of my feelings my faith is not built on feelings faith is built on faith faith that's been delivered to me from a faithful generation I'm considering where are we gonna go as God's people? we're gonna go to Jerusalem to our Jerusalem to outlying areas Judea we are gonna go to the ends of the earth Mission Committee last tuesday night about an hour and a half we laid out a strategy for tying in every mission that there is so that nobody'd be isolated no little mission endeavor would be alienated congruency to it all somebody say we dont have an international mission I know we already do already been written forecast for us somebody in this room's gonna go to Africa Liberia otherwise I'm brought here in vain I dont think it's just to sit on the back burner the work that God started in me in this country Liberia this west african nation of Liberia 15 years of Civil War children weren't educated many parents killed school orphanage sanctuary built another school in an inner-city neighborhood that's gonna go up I really think that I've been brought here to cast a vision to empower with vision and with resource somebody that will go there maybe for a year somewhere in my heart my passion for Cathy and me would be that we would go and teach a generation who want to learn to learn how to read to hear God's word so these are building days for us I've got a vision for that country as well there's a pastor in Pakistan who has 27 other pastors who are looking to him for leadership regularly begging for a baptist church in America to offer guidance havent had time yet to pass that vision to you guys writing about it vision's been written down and we have just a couple of us gathered enough resource for that pastor Shamas Pervais to go to the Asian Baptist Congress in May it's not much connection with other brothers in the world just like the New Testament who was paul writing to? a church at Rome name renown around the world already heard about your faith your faith is heard about all around the world the world as paul knew it and I ask myself who knows about Bell Road in Auburn? well frontpage coverage couple weeks ago some people heard about us that front page coverage carried on with a so called Prophetic Voice [hyperlink to newspaper article/photo] looking me straight in the eyes and saying shame on you Shame ...on ... you and that front page coverage went on to say case closed Bell Road Baptist church is dead as are all the institutional churches housed in buildings in Auburn when someone looks you in the eyes and says Shame ...on ... you how does that make you feel? it might make you feel guilty because Romans 3:23, right but I come to God's house today I'm gonna be told there is therefore now no condemnation {Romans 8:1} and the Apostle Paul we just read it today Romans 1:16 good news there has throughout history been those who want to pound on people hammer on people and yet even the way the gospel is translated connotes joy a good report something good to share with people you know in this world you will have trouble {John 16:33} tribulation experience evil just as Paul in that first century world would experience evil everywhere he went society tends towards the flesh but good news is sprouting up and we're to take good news to the prostitute drug dealer gangster adulterer sexually immoral homosexual offender pervert prisoner sweet little old lady rambunctious boys and girls we're to be witnesses locally nationally to the ends of the earth and in that Great Commission Acts 1:8 that forecast of being witnesses he also says you'll be my witnesses in Samaria today's the day happened upon this passage today we've gotta talk about Samaria often time ... we just draw a bunch of concentric circles that's samaria-- North America etc annie Armstrong easter offering that's our samaria then the ends of the earth Lottie Moon Christmas offering foreign missions nice tidy little package every time samaria's mentioned it has to do with our prejudice that place we dont wanna go that people group we look down on samaria is different for every people group my samaria might look and smell different than you're samaria jesus walked straight through when everybody else wanted to walk around that's why it's so ironic the samaritan would be the one person who treated someone as a neighbor should [Luke 10:30-37} the story of the good samaritan is ironic just the idea that you'd have a good samaritan it'd be like saying a good, good-for-nothing we always have to ask ourself am I willing to go to that place I dont wanna go? most likely Jesus is gonna walk us straight through that place where we dont wanna go we gotta be willing to go there maybe the mission trip to mexico to the deaf school is so fun because the people are so loving, so welcoming the trip to Africa is so fun music is joyous people are struck with poverty and so much want they're so glad maybe the skatepark in Auburn might be somebody's samaria maybe the nursing home not the top notch nursing home but the nursing home struggling along to make ends meet smells of the nursing home you'd just soon walk right past challenges that come with working with rambunctious boys and girls on a wednesday night maybe that's samaria maybe you're not ready quite yet to sit down at the well and talk with a samaritan woman [John 4] but Jesus wants to ... and he wants us to learn about this this food that he has to eat this everlasting food that food that when you eat it it stirrs you up on the inside reminds you who you are whose you are {1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23} so I ask what is our samaria? and I ask ... like paul... what are we known for? Paul said that the faith of the Romans is known the world over. What are we known for? are we known for faith? are we known for forgetting about what's behind {Philippians 3:13-14} forgetting about the feelings and building our mission on faith that this is what Christ has said he wants us to do and this is the power that he has extended for us to do it this is the step we're gonna take by faith here's the next step that we're gonna take by faith and that somewhere in the world somebody's gonna write to Bell Road and say I've heard about the faith and I wanna stop at Bell Road and impart to you some spiritual gift I'm not ashamed Romans 1:16 you aren't either now what about the senior citizens they were in our message today, weren't they? names might as well ahve been gill and madeline fay clyde cathy and rob what ministry is to be born next? what is that thing that you wouldnt even expect because you're faithfully following the footsteps of faith messenger of heaven leaving this temple transformed vision even have a name to call him his name's gonna be John he's gonna point others towards Jesus God's word does not go forth without {Isaiah 55:10,11} goes through one ear and out the other might just be like a pipe cleaner I dont want that to be what God's word is doing I want God's word to work a wonder in me work in me today as I chew on why these 3 passages are chosen for us today who is it that has been entrusted to you in years past? do you have a John in your life? do you have somebody, a daughter in the faith ? a son in the faith somebody who you had vision for somebody God put on your heart as I consider that I think about candles I lit before Easter praying for certain people and I've gotta revive that again today it's not easy raising John he's the child of promise I've got a great hope for him raise him in a certain way there's his free will it's not easy raising up the person God has entrusted to you might be your biological kindred might just be a spiritual son, daughter going from faith to faith Zechariah Elizabeth john's just about 14 years old yet a ways to go before he's going to be pointing people to Jesus vision that that's what God wants the very best that can happen for him might look different than any kind of ministry that we've seen before height of John's popularity do you think mom and dad are just pleased as punch? well, if he got a haircut maybe put on a robe think about John does he look anything like maybe mom and pop thought he would turn out to look like but he had the message God wanted him to speak spoke with passion the two went together perfectly John was faithful even to the point of giving his head to speak out prophetic voice again this shame .. I'm not ashamed Romans 1:16 as long as its the gospel out of my heart and my mind if I'm preaching anything else maybe shame is all over me but if it's good news for lost sinners strayed souls no matter how many steps away from the Lord one step back I've got nothing to be ashamed of |