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I’m going to invite you this morning to Acts chapter eight, where we’re going to be together today, Acts chapter eight. And I really appreciate the the nature of this chapter. And I think what it represents for the church as a whole, and particularly for us here at Alpine Bible Church, because I believe, and I’ll let you determine on your own here if you agree with me on this. But I believe that this chapter very much represents the heart of what ABC is about. And when I look at a chapter like this, I don’t look at a chapter like this and saying we need correction here, Lord. But rather I look at a chapter like this and I say, and how can we keep turning the dial up and what God has for us? Acts chapter eight is one of those chapters that really helps us begin to understand how the church spread beyond Jerusalem. Remember, the birth of the early church takes place in the city of Jerusalem. And but but here we are in the 21st century in Utah, of all places, talking about the significance of Jesus and the message of the gospel, which brings deliverance to our soul and the privilege it is to walk in light of that, having a relationship now in Christ. Like, how does that happen that we not only see that as individuals, but a community as birthed, united together in Christ moving forward? I mean, how did the church go from Jerusalem to where we are today? And you start to see how that unfolds in the book of Acts.
And remember that the thesis of Acts is Acts, chapter one, verse eight, a portion of that, it’s up here on the on the banners that we have on the side of the stage. But it tells us in Acts one eight, you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth, that that what, what matters to the Lord is people. And the reason for that is because God created us in his image, and he gave us gave his life for us. There’s no greater value placed on anything in this world than you as a human being, and what it means to be made in the image of God and being able to have the opportunity to be remade at the cross. And so the mission of the church is all about people and what God has called us to, for the glory of God to the benefit of others. And so what does that look like for us to live that out? Acts chapter one, verse eight. And how did the early church have this take place, where they were even willing to go from Jerusalem and beyond? Or how did the the church expand in such a global way? I mean, we’ll study a little bit about the expansion of of Christianity and represented in, in different continents around the world next week.
But but in looking at this, what what took place. And when you read Acts chapter eight, it almost seems disingenuous to talk about this in light of what happens in chapter eight. And I think this is what makes the idea of of looking at the movement of the church so profound, because when you read Acts chapter eight, the first, the first three verses, what you discover is the church is in incredible hardship, right? Acts chapter eight, verse one, it says, And Saul approved of his Steven’s execution. If you remember, we read chapter six and seven together. There became an incredible growth in the church. The church decides to appoint some new leaders to help better care for the church. One of those individuals was named Stephen. In chapter seven. Stephen preaches the only message that we have from Stephen in the Bible, and he’s martyred through that and in the martyrdom of Stephen. Stephen, this unlocks in tremendous persecution against the church. And it tells you that that persecution starts on the approval of Saul, who was a leader in Jerusalem among the Jewish people. And he’s the one that gives the okay for for Stephen’s martyrdom. And so the Saul here eventually will become the apostle Paul, which is another incredible story, how someone with such a a hard heart becomes a figure that is, is transforming in this world.
Like there’s probably no greater Christian that has made a difference in this world than the Apostle Paul, other than Jesus. Right? But Saul approved of Stephen’s execution, and there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church and entering house after house. He dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now when you read a few verses like that, and then you look at what we’re titling this chapter today, we’re going to be talking about how does a godly movement grow, right? And when you read these first three verses, you’re like, do you not? Do you not care about what’s happening to these people? How can you even be talking about growing at a time like this? I mean, when you’re using words like ravaging the church, this is an incredibly desperate moment. Could you imagine if we were to go back in the first century, it would seem we’d be very calloused of heart to look at the early church and be like, hey, how’s your movement going now? Right. Like, do you guys feel like the future is bright today? This is one of those kind of moments where you’re like, I’m not even thinking about my future.
I’m just trying to survive right now. But this chapter becomes a pinnacle chapter in the growth of Christianity, not only in Jerusalem, but around the world. And God does. He works in incredibly incredible ways. And in fact, he does it in some of the most desperate times that we might discover as people. There are moments where we go through in life are like, man, I don’t even want to get up today. I know what yesterday had in it, and I’ve got to move through the mess of that today. And like, I just want to just fast forward. Is there a button for this? And I don’t even know how this can turn around. But yet when you when you read about how God moves in Scripture, look, it’s a beautiful reminder to say to you, it’s not about you. But about the power of God made known through you. And so how do we see God move in such an incredible way, where the church spreads from Jerusalem throughout the world? But but even so, how does God do that in an incredibly difficult moment? This is what we see with the the early church is they’re they’re helping us understand and how Acts chapter one, verse eight is, is fulfilled through the church despite the circumstance. And maybe we even say through the circumstance where we might think it’s the end of an opportunity, but God has a far greater plan.
Maybe even you this morning in your own family. Maybe you’re you’re the only Christian in your family and walking that way it can oftentimes be discouraging. Or maybe where you work or maybe your friends circle. You’re like, I’m I’m unique in this, and it sometimes makes me feel isolated. But when you look at a story like this and just think, man, if God can work in such a profound way. In Acts chapter eight, and we follow that same God today, how? How can we discover in this chapter how God moves in incredible ways through through any circumstance of life? What does that look like? Let me give you point number one. Number one is this take responsibility. Take responsibility. Don’t ignore the fact that God has you in a place. He’s got you in in different relationships, in this world, connected with people for a reason, and it becomes an opportunity to see how the grace of God wants to move. But but being able to do that starts with you understanding the responsibility of what it means to be a follower of Jesus where you are. That’s one of the things about I love about living in Utah is there are days, I think, nearly every day, I think since I’ve been here, I wake up and just think, man, I might be the only person that gets to represent the biblical Jesus that others might get to interact with today.
What an opportunity and a gift it is, right? To walk in that. Now, when we talk about responsibility, sometimes there’s there’s the weight of that. But when you realize what you have in Jesus is a joy and a privilege to even have an opportunity to know him, to walk with him, and to share him with others, it’s it is a beautiful place to to represent the Lord and and knowing just how God can work and how God can move. And even despite the the circumstance of the early church, this is exactly what they did. Because look at this at the end of verse one. One of the interesting things it tells you about the early church, when they’re when they’re scattering throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The very last few words of this verse tells you everyone. Everyone was running away from Jerusalem because of the persecution except the who. The apostles and the apostles were the leaders of the early church. So here it is now that the the regular people within the body of Christ pick up the mantle and move forward. And so what you’re seeing is rather than sit on their hands and saying, well, you know, that’s the leader’s job. We’re just here to cheer that person on. They’re saying, no, no, no. God has done this work in all of us so that we can all participate in this collectively.
And so we step into the responsibility of what it means to live in light of who I am, because I’ve been found in Jesus with this incredible gifting and privilege and identity that I didn’t receive in my own doing. But Christ has lavished on me. And so I get to walk in light of that. And so owning this together becomes incredibly important for all of us if we want to see better days in our future. It’s about walking in light of this as a community, participating in this together. Now, sometimes, sometimes I might have a formal ministry in life where, you know, maybe in the church there’s a place that I show up to serve and, and do things and that’s that’s fantastic to do that. I think that’s wonderful. But then there’s also a lot of places where I just do this organically that I recognize that I’m the incarnational ministry of Jesus everywhere I go. And so as I as I interact in relationship, there’s always potential for for new life to be discovered in Christ. And so therefore I live in light of that. And this is what you see in the early church. They they walk in this. In fact, if you going further in verse four, it says, and maybe if I can, there we are now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ and the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did for unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
So that was much joy in that city. I love the the beauty of this and the way that it represents how the the church is, is carrying themselves in the midst of these relationships with people that really, they weren’t a part of up until this movement made them move on. That that in the city there is such joy because of the genuine care of the people around them. I even think with with our church or churches in general, that the blessing of a church in a community should be such that for us. And what is happening? Okay, let’s, let’s let’s put it right here. There we go. Okay. All right. So so when you think about the the blessing of a church in a in a community, like if all of a sudden tomorrow ABC did not exist, the community should ache because of the lack of your presence. You, more than anybody, should be able to appreciate the gift of life, because you understand in Scripture where the value of every human being comes from, your value is not merited to you based on your performance.
Your value is given to you intrinsically by your creator being made in his image. Which means every interaction that we have in this world, in that sense, is divine, because every human being is a gift from God. I find my my mom, when I was born, I was I had I’m getting sidetracked here, but it reminds me that I was I was born Incredible. Mom. I have a very strong, tough mom. I love my mom, but she had me at a very young age, at a difficult time, and she was a teenager. And it didn’t dawn on me till I got into my later years. There was a doctor I met that said a man that was loved the Lord, and it was a friend of mine, and he was in his 80s and I was in my in my early 20s. I just remember being able to meet with this man and he said, you know, it’s incredible that you even exist because because of the way you came into this world, the peer pressure would have been to abort you. But here you are in existence. And what a gift. What a gift that is. And no one should know better the value of a human being than God’s own people. Because not only do you understand how everyone’s been made in the image of God, but also we’re recreated at the cross and God has given us an incredible gift in him.
Which means the message that you carry is a powerful message because in this world, people are broken looking for something to help them understand why they matter and why they exist. And that makes you a profound figure in a culture and wanting to see change take place. But it doesn’t happen. It doesn’t happen until you’re willing to take the responsibility. Now, why would you do that? And the only reason you want to put that that that extra added to your life more responsibility. That’s the last thing I want, right? But the only reason you’re going to you’re going to want to do that is because you truly understand what it means to be found by Jesus. And to be honest, it’s not a weight, it’s a gift. And nothing in this world can even relate to it. And so this is this is what the early church is doing now. Those who were scattered abroad went about preaching and Philip going down to this area and he’s proclaiming it. And look at this. The catalyst for him to have a platform to even begin to share this message is seen through the way that he loves on people around them. Right? Like sometimes we walk in life and we realize as we’re moving through life, oh, these people are living their life away. That’s opposed to God’s kingdom. And sometimes in seeing that, we might begin to treat them like an enemy.
We should not do that. But can I tell you, when you start to perceive people like an enemy, you will never reach them. Because what we end up doing is just arguing with people. And look, nobody is won in arguing with them. No one’s ever like, oh, thank you so much for making me feel like trash, right? Like, oh, this. I’m so I’m so better off because of this. Let’s let’s move forward together. Right? Nobody wants that. What they want to know is they matter. What they want to know is you care. And so doing it, it provides for us an opportunity to begin to share the the richness of of who God is with others. And so taking responsibility is significant for all of us to understand our place in and what God has for us as we move forward in him. Jim Elliott said it like this wherever you are, be all there. Wherever you are, be all there. God has you in a place for a reason. God’s desire is for you to not only see your life made different in him, transformed in him, but as you’re nurtured in that relationship that the Lord would use you to bless others too. One of the most beautiful ways you have to love God is seen in the way that you care for his creatures, because people matter to the Lord and because they matter to the Lord, they should matter to us.
And if I love the Lord, it’s seen in the way that I care for those around us. And so the the truth of who God is matters. Don’t compromise in the truth. Right. But your compassion for others matters and and give you an opportunity to share the richness of who Christ is with them. And so taking responsibility matters now. Now, let me just say it like this then. So. So what does that look like? Right? What does it look like for you and for me to take responsibility? Because we we could just step into a room and be like, I’m taking responsibility. I’m in charge now, right? Like, I know that that does not work. If you have to tell people that you’re the one in control, can I just tell you you’re not in control, right? That’s that’s not even how Jesus worked in Philippians chapter two, it tells you, have this mind in you, which is also in Christ Jesus, who, though in the form of God, became a servant willing to die on the cross. And so Philippians two is always telling you, look, every time Jesus walked in a room, he was always the most important person to walk in the room. But he didn’t walk in the room and say, hey everybody, I’m the most important person to walk in this room.
He demonstrated it. And so for us to make a difference, it’s about understanding your position of influence in this world. Not to say you’re in control, but to step into the position that you’ve already been given in Christ, and therefore minister for the cause of Christ in this world. So. So how do we do that? Well, let me give you point number two, be inconvenienced for the gospel. Be inconvenienced for the gospel. And guys, again, that’s not an easy thing to do. That takes a supernatural ability to love people that way. And get this, you’re never going to do that until your heart is first settled and the richness that you truly have in Jesus. God thank you. I mean, it’s a heart of rejoicing that gives that opportunity to then reflect God in this world. God, thank you for the gift of your grace. God, thank you for the privilege of life. God, thank you for the richness that I have in you. The position not only rescuing me from a past of sin, but giving me a glorious future in you, because there’s no greater worth that can be placed in my life than what you’ve done to be willing to be inconvenienced for the gospel that is. That is the only way that things move forward is in the midst of adversity. That someone else is willing to take the position of a servant for the well-being of those around them.
I mean, this is what Jesus did for you and you being a follower of Christ. That’s how you most mimic Jesus in your life. And this is what the early church did. And we’ve we read a little bit about it here, but I want us to see how this story continues to unfold. So in verse 12, but when they believe Philip, as he preached good news about the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip and and seeing signs and great miracles performed. He was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent him to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now I want you to know this is a rather unique happening in this passage. In fact, this happens only one other time in Scripture where there’s a delay in receiving the gospel of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit. So why don’t you notice this is not a prescribed instance where you believe in Jesus, and later you get the Holy Spirit.
And the Bible tells you in first Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13, if you belong to the Lord, if you receive the gospel, the Spirit of God dwells all of us. But there’s uniqueness to how the spirit unfolds here. And this is because God wants us to understand the power of his message in this world. And so in this narrative story, it’s it’s talking about the uniqueness that we can recognize it. And what I mean by this is when, when the the Christians in Jerusalem traveled beyond Jerusalem, as they looked among the people groups, you could ask the Jews, well, if God’s calling you to the world to see people saved, who might you think would be the last to be saved? Right? Or or who might you think God’s like? Well, yeah, do it for everybody. But those guys ignore those guys. Like their hearts are too hard. In fact, I can save nearly anyone, but not them, right? And the Jews would answer like this. Oh, that’s easy. It’s the Samaritans. The Samaritans, we hate them. They hate us. Like, if there’s a place God’s not going to work, it’s definitely in Samaria. That’s. That’s how they would respond based on their relationship with those people. Can I can I just tell you in a, in a personal story, if you were to line up 100 people and you were to put me among that group in your in Pre-jesus days and say, out of these 100 people, who do you think would be the last one to come to Christ, if at all? I would bet money that you would put me among the last, if not the very last.
And it’s to it’s to speak to the power of how God truly moves. And when you think about the the history of Israel, there’s a reason the Jewish people hated the Samaritans. Now, I’m not saying it’s a good reason to hate anybody, but there is a history to the relationship of the Samaritans to the Jewish people. If you study Israel’s history, you discover that in in 722, Assyria came down into Israel, and they conquered the ten northern tribes of Israel. And once they conquered the ten northern tribes of Israel, they carried them into captivity, and they were never to be heard from again. And once they carried them into captivity, a serious sent their own people back into the land. Now, there were still a few people that remained that were of Jewish descent, but a serious sense, their own people back into the land to really get rid of Jewish culture and intermarry among them. So they they become identified with the Assyrians. And so this this particular people group came to be known as the Samaritans. The Jews referred to them as half breeds because they were half Jewish, half Assyrians. And and they treated this region with disdain.
And so because of that, the Jews, even when they had to travel from Jerusalem to to the Sea of Galilee, rather than go through Samaria, which was the direct route, they would walk all the way around it because they had a hatred for this region. And so when the persecution is breaking out among the church and the church is now on the run, one of the ways that the church is thinking about preservation of life, they’re thinking, we need to hide. And where’s the best place to hide in the place? No Jews going to go. Let’s go to the region of Samaria, and then they travel into Samaria. And when they get in there, they begin to share the gospel. And here’s what they discover. The Samaritans are receiving Jesus, but they’re left to wonder can God really save a Samaritan? And the way they find this indicated is through the Spirit of God coming upon them. And so the apostles coming to this land, just to verify that they are receiving the true gospel, and once they verify that tells the Spirit of God comes into them. And this is saying to us that Jesus has the ability to save anyone, anywhere, even your enemy. In fact, I would say it like this guys, one of the true markers of knowing am I willing to be inconvenienced, is seeing in your ability to love your enemies, even when they may treat you as such.
Now you think about the end of Jesus’s life as he hangs on the cross. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Jesus washing the feet of Judas, the one who was going to betray them. Your your ability to love. Those who may disagree with you, may even dislike you as an opportunity to reflect the goodness of who Christ is. I mean, it just it gets at the heart of people when all they want to do is spew hatred at you. But the way that you respond is genuine care towards them. It brings sensitivity to that heart. It’s hard to hate when all that someone does is love and response. And so the early church and and going into Samaria, this is what happens. I mean, I don’t know this morning who who your enemy may or may not be, but but I know our culture loves to pit people against one another, like whatever political position you have. How do you treat the person on the other side? It doesn’t mean that you have to agree with them, but you are to value the image of God in everyone. I saw a kid. One of the things that I’ve always wondered about is in 1980s 90s watching action movies, I always thought to myself, man, in America, I would hate to be Russian. Right? Like it’s like every enemy we fight against.
There goes Rocky Balboa again, crushing the Russian. Right. It’s like you just think about how they characterize certain people groups, and and it has this way of building up this image in our mind of seeing those guys. And there’s us versus them. And truth be told, if you just meet a regular Russian, you know what they want. The same thing we want. Just leave me alone. I don’t want to be someone’s toy in a political game. Right. It’s like people are just people. Wherever you go now, it doesn’t mean we’re necessarily always great, but you’re never going to reach someone if you see them as an enemy. And so your ability to to love people well becomes important for us. And and you see how this is being nurtured in the way that they’re caring for them physically, and that becomes the the catalyst and the the opportunity for for them to to love people well to, to, to, to to be able to speak into their lives. You know, there’s a when you think about the, the Assyrian people, one of the one of the prophets that really highlights this, I think, is the prophet of Jonah. When you look at the Assyrians, the history tells us that when the southern tribes that were left after the captivity, it was Benjamin and and Judah, they were eventually taken into captivity by the Babylonians. But they return after 70 years and they rebuild the temple.
And it tells us why they’re trying to rebuild the temple. It’s the Samaritans that give them a difficult time and just trying to rebuild. And so there was this tension that built and even the the prophet Jonah highlights this and that. God called him to go to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, to preach the gospel. And Jonah, reluctant, was like, I’d rather take the belly of a fish. Right. That’s what he experiences. And finally he reluctantly goes to Nineveh. And in a hatred, he preaches a terrible message to the people. Like God wants to rescue his people, he knows it. So he goes and preaches a terrible message. I mean, if you ever read the story of Jonah, he basically says, turn or burn. That’s really that’s all he really says is like, I don’t like him. I hope God’s wrath comes on him, turn or burn, and he moves away. And then they repent. They come to the Lord and thousands of them come to know Christ. And then in in Jonah chapter four, verse two, Jonah tells you why. Why are you so reluctant, Jonah, to go? And he says it like this I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. I love that about the Lord. I mean, it’s what gives me hope every morning, knowing some days I mess up and and but, but each day I get the opportunity to walk in the gracious presence of God.
His mercies are new every morning and some people read the Old Testament. And it’s funny when I interact with people that some people read the Old Testament and they’ll say, well, God is a judgmental, wrathful God. And there is there’s truth in that. God is holy and God has a standard because he’s holy and he wants a holy people dedicated to him. That’s true. God is holy. But some people that just walk away with that conclusion I find really interesting because Jonah, who is from the Old Testament, says the opposite of that. Jonah is acknowledging that God is a compassionate God, and he’s he’s slow to anger, abounding in his steadfast love. Like he’s not changing in that, right. He’s that’s who he is. That’s his nature. This is why he created you. Because he wanted to lavish his love on you in relationship. This is why he he pursued us through the cross, that even when we’re sinful, he still wants to give his life for us. This is what gives us hope for everybody. This is why it becomes important not to see people as enemies, but rather as we like to say here at ABC is prisoners of war. We’re all held captive by an enemy until Jesus frees us. And it’s the gift of taking that deliverance message to them that gives them the opportunity to walk in that life transformed by him.
Because the Bible says it like this, that we’re all enemies of God. Until we come to the cross of Christ, we’re all opposed to him. And so therefore, we get the privilege of knowing, just as I’ve been rescued, others can be rescued too. And to deliver that message for for their well-being. Theodore Theodore Roosevelt said it like this. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. For those that don’t know history, that are more into like, let’s say, TikTok, the kid president says it like this. He says, be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. Body. Nobody likes to feel like they don’t belong. Nobody likes to feel like. Like an outsider. In fact, there’s another quote that says this attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity. When we talk about being inconvenienced for the sake of the gospel, let’s let’s be real. And just saying in Jesus, it’s really never an inconvenience when you know what you have in Christ. Being asked to give up anything in this world pales in comparison to the richness that you’ve received in Jesus, and therefore it really can’t even be labeled as sacrifice. It’s a joy. It’s a joy to walk in the freedom of what I have in Christ. It’s a joy to know that even when I walk in this world and people may not receive what I have in Jesus, that’s okay, because get this people aren’t a project.
No one wants to feel like that. And people aren’t. People aren’t a project like, I’m not here to be someone else’s Holy Spirit to try to force them to something. I just become a conduit of opportunity for what God wants to do in them. We’re terrible holy spirits, and it’s not your power that changes people. It’s his power at work in them. But I get to be the conduit to to see the change. That’s one of the things, even in living in Utah over these last couple of decades, I love to be here in general, but these last couple of decades to see or excuse me the last couple of years to see how how people are growing and hunger for Christ to know the true grace that only can be received in Jesus. I mean, it’s incredible. You get a front row seat to being a conduit to the transforming power of what God can do, even in difficult moments. And that’s why Acts chapter eight exists to say in a moment where the church couldn’t even think about the hope that is to come because they’re just trying to survive. And this is exactly the catalyst to birth the movement throughout the world. You think about the challenges of walking with Jesus where we are.
It pales in comparison to this. But even still, it doesn’t doesn’t deny the fact that sometimes hearts are hardened. But I get to see the beauty of God working, not because I’m trying to force anybody to any anything, but rather I just share the richness of Christ and he does the work. Being inconvenienced for the sake of the gospel is a willingness to give up anything, resources, time, whatever. I just understand God’s got me in a place to make a difference in this world, and as I own that responsibility, I’ll surrender my life, even for my enemy. And then he gives us another idea. Not not just in the idea of enemy, but but, but in terms of people that I stand nothing to gain from. I mean, when they’re going into Samaria, it’s not like they want things from specifically Samaritans. They’re just trying to survive. And it’s the same for us. It’s like when we look at relationships, we often as people just want to treat them in a, in a in an earthly sense and a fleshly sense, like it’s a commodity. I love you in order to get what I want, which is not real love. But when you think about what the biblical representation is, it says it like this in the book of Deuteronomy and Zechariah. It’s peppered throughout Scripture. I just put two verses up here, but it talks about different people in society that are marginalized, and saying the evidence of your true relationship with the Lord is really seen in how you love people, regardless of what you might get from them.
And in order to teach us that, it talks about the most marginalized people in society the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, the widow, the orphan and the foreigner. In fact, if I just read Deuteronomy, I’ll skip Zechariah for time’s sake. But he says he defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. Love those who are foreigners. For you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Here’s what he’s saying to Israel. To us in this verse is like, you know what it’s like to not belong. Like even on a Sunday morning, we get new people walking in. And I’m glad if you’re new and you’re here, I’m not going to call you out directly, but I’m going to use you as an illustration for a second. So give me some grace. But but when you come into a new group, like you just kind of think to yourself, like, who are these people? Are they weird? Will I fit in? Like, I don’t know, you kind of just you kind of scope things out. Give us the sniff test. You know, you want to know what kind of people that we are, and that’s completely normal.
And then if you feel like, you know, I think I can, I can belong here, then you gotta you gotta deal with. Okay. What does that look like? Because I don’t want to feel like an outsider within a community. I want to be a part. And so he’s helping us think. Think through this. Especially with people that might find it difficult. And especially during this time period when the scriptures are written like, it’s never easy to be someone that feels like an outsider in general. But during this particular time period, like, you know, if you think about moving today, you might move somewhere like relocate completely and you’re like, I am willing to do that. If you just pay me the right dollar, I’ll go anywhere. You pay me, you pay me, and you can send me to Antarctica. I don’t care if as long as I make the right kind of money, I am willing to consider the move right. And so in our culture today, we move like that. But during this time period, that’s not how things worked for you to go to a completely different culture. It was it was a a falling apart from the region in which you were from. Something catastrophic tended to happen because when you went to that new culture, you were very vulnerable, especially if the people didn’t receive you. There’s not necessarily governing laws in that land to to help protect you.
The people were the protectors and outsiders. They often would kick out or be ill intended towards them. And he’s saying to God’s people, that’s not your way because everyone matters to the Lord. And so for you, it becomes this place of reflecting the gospel and your willingness to surrender your life to the benefit of others. In fact, even in revelation chapter seven, verse nine, it tells us that we’re of every tribe, tongue and language before the throne of God called to worship him. God made everyone, every ethnic group unique for his purposes and to his glory. And so my willingness to be inconvenienced is also my opportunity to show the beauty of who Christ is and why he matters to me. Not because I’m trying to change people, but because I want to represent the beauty of who Christ is and see how God desires to change them. Now, for some of us, let’s just acknowledge and I got to do this quick, but this is not this is not easy work, because sometimes it feels like I’m doing a lot, and some days it just doesn’t go far. And it reminds me of of the Chinese bamboo tree. Did you ever study the Chinese bamboo? If you know anything about it. It actually takes five years for the bamboo to sprout. Well, initially, what you’ll see in the first couple years is a Chinese farmer. Will, will, he’ll he’ll nurture the ground and there’ll be nothing there.
He’ll be like, is this guy crazy? Like, it’s been two years. He keeps watering this spot. And finally, about year 3 or 4, something pops up. It looks like a piece of grass. But then suddenly year five happens. And the. That Chinese bamboo will grow up to 90ft in six weeks. And it’s like there seems to be nothing. But all of a sudden, this explosion. I feel like we’re like. We’re like in year four, week 51, in Utah. It feels that way. And what the way God, God’s people here are beginning to respond to who Christ is. What a beautiful opportunity. If God’s people just nurture that what he can do. And so let me give you this last point. Because we got to end, we have to pursue gospel renewal. You got to pursue gospel renewal. And you see this battle with this guy named Simon. I got to just read The Beginning for time, but it says now when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered the money, saying, give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. If we’re not careful. The world has the tendency to rob us of our joy in the Lord, and we need that gospel renewal to remind us again and again of the richness that I have in Christ to let my life be saturated in, in, in that position, because life wants to rip it away.
And Simon becomes the antithesis to that right. The joy of the Lord and the way he describes it here is, is Simon’s interested in power, not God’s presence. And Simon’s not so much wanting the the Messiah in his life, but the methods that he sees here employed. And I want us to know we have the tendency sometimes to fall into that danger that I don’t necessarily want Jesus, but the things I get from Jesus. But Jesus is the prize of the Christian life. And that gospel renewal reminds us of this, that we would come back to this again, again, to be willing to be inconvenienced and take responsibility for the sake of what God has called us to in him, because it’s worth it. People are worth it. That’s why Jesus gave his life. So let me close with this last little story here. You probably know this guy Yep. I I know half of you want to break out in song right now. We’re not going to do that. But I’m going to confess something. You can throw stones at me later. Wait till I’m off the stage. But when I was a kid, I did not. I did not value this guy. And the reason I didn’t, I could find really little ability to connect with him.
This is like I grew up. Poor kid in West Virginia. I could not connect with suburbia. Sweater wearing guy who got paid to play with dolls on TV that just that was not getting it done for me. Right? And I connected to Mr. T better than Mr. R, that’s how my upbringing was. But but I will say this. I know Mr. Rogers was a professing Christian, and I think part of his faith led into how he carried himself in his television program. And one time someone asked him, how were you able to influence so many people? And Mr. Rogers responded this way. He said, I take care of the relationship first and everything else follows. Can I tell you guys that’s a beautiful way to live your Christian life when it comes to your walk with Jesus. You take care of that relationship first. Everything else follows when it comes to you making a difference in this world, even in the most difficult of circumstances, where you may feel like the early church in Acts eight where you’re just trying to survive, if you just keep loving in that relationship, being the hands and feet of Christ. The Lord takes care of the rest. How do you how do you create a movement? We all take responsibility and the willingness to be inconvenienced because of the gospel renewal that happens in our heart daily through Jesus.