Sunday Sermon Starter 4-3-12

The Great Commission…what an urgent plea and sobering responsibility. Take the whole gospel to the whole world? How can it be done? Can it be done? These are all questions that pass through the minds of many Christians when considering the gargantuan task given by Jesus. After all, we are talking about over seven billion souls now and the number of New Testament Christians in the world only number between three and five million. Even assuming the best that is still a pretty daunting ratio to overcome. However, we do know two things. (1) It has been done before (Colossians 1:23) and (2) we have more avenues of communication available to us today than we ever have before and they are only multiplying as time passes. Our sermon starter this week focuses in on a statement Paul made in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 when he told the brethren to pray “that the word of the Lord may have free course…” How can that possibly be done? It will require three things on our behalf:

Title: That the Word May Have Free Course

Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Main Point: I have often heard the statement – “Lies can get around the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on.” That too often has been true in our experiences, but that statement sometimes implies that because error can spread so much quicker than the truth that we should not even attempt to get the truth out. If we are not confident in the results of our work we sometimes use that as an excuse to not even try. But this was the prayer of Paul and the expectation of God Himself – but how can we accomplish it?

Discussion Points:

• It Will Require Preparation – Amidst Paul’s discussion of the Christian armor he mentioned in Ephesians 6:15, “…and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Any soldier must undergo a rigorous period of preparation – including training and tutelage. Similarly, we as Christian soldiers must obtain preparation, particularly in the gospel. How do we go about preparing ourselves? Three key suggestions: (1) We must allow ourselves to be taught the gospel (James 1:21), (2) We must allow ample time for personal study and reflection (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Timothy 4:13), (3) We must saturate our lives with the gospel so that we become people of the book – for the Bible to be shared with others it must first become personal.

• It Will Require Prayer – Specifically in our text, Paul refers to the necessity of prayer for the expansion of the gospel. Paul had demonstrated the power of prayer in his own work and the work of his coworkers (Romans 1:8-9; Philippians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2). For what did he pray? Probably any number of things, but based on his words in our text we are safe in saying that he must have prayed for their evangelistic efforts. Do you trust in the power of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; James 5:!6; 1 Peter 3:12)? WARNING: When we pray for opportunities, we better be ready to take advantage of them!

• It Will Require Participation – Will we accept our role as the answer to our own prayers? If the word is to have free course throughout this world, through whom will it go? God has always expected His children, not the world, to transmit the word to the lost (Acts 2:42; 8:1-4). When the gospel went to the world in the first century (Colossians 1:23) through whom did it go? Saints or sinners? Paul’s admonition to Timothy is particularly of importance (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

Do we truly want the word of God spread abroad this vast world? If so, we must be the ones to take the initiative. If those saved by the gospel will not take the gospel to those who need the gospel, who will?

-Andy Brewer