At this time of the year looking forward to the year to come our minds are most often considering what resolutions we would like to make hoping to improve our lives. Sadly, too often we set these goals with no real expectation of keeping them. However, resolutions are not just good they are essential to growth – that is no more true than in our Christian lives. If we do not always have goals for which we are striving we are not growing whether it be in knowledge or our relationship with God. Last December I preached a four week series leading up to the new year titled “iResolve.” Each week I highlighted an essential area that every Christian need to concentrate on in order to personally grow and to build up the church. The next four weeks our sermon starters will be taken from that series, the first of which is:
Title: I Resolve to Prepare for Open Doors
Text: Ephesians 6:13-15
Main Point: As New Testament Christians our utmost desire must to learn how to make people thirst for the gospel – the source of living water (John 4). Thus we often emphasize the need to pray for open doors, but all the while we look for them with hesitation because we are insecure in our ability to effectively help. Yet people each day are dying lost – what can be done? Jesus commanded that laborers be sent forth (Matthew 9:35-38) and those laborers, in the words of Paul, need their “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:13-15). In his book, “Let’s Go Fishing for Men,” Homer Hailey pointed out 3 very simple facts by which we must prepare ourselves to take advantage of doors opened unto us.
Discussion Points:
1. The Person Who Has Not Obeyed the Gospel is Lost – Hell is real. Its existence was originally intended for Satan and his followers, but now waits in reserve for all unrighteous souls (Matthew 25:41-46). It is by no means glorified, but defined by all of its gruesome, torturous characteristics (Revelation 21:8). Among all others John said that unbelievers will have their place in that fiery lake, but James also indicates that disbelief equals disobedience (James 2:17-26). Those not found obedient will be lost and the more we are convinced of this fact the more prepared we will be to sieve opportunity.
2. The Gospel is God’s Power Unto Salvation – Romans 1:14-17 – the gospel is the avenue by which God will save man. This means that outside of the gospel man has no hope. Because the gospel is God’s means of salvation we have certain responsibilities pertaining to it: (1) we must not handle it deceitfully (2 Corinthians 4:1-2), (2) we must handle it aright (2 Timothy 2:15), (3) we must not add to it nor take away from it (Proverbs 30:5-6). Then we must hold forth the word of life to prove that our lives have not been lived in vain (Philippians 2:16).
3. The Christian is God’s Vessel of the Gospel – 2 Corinthians 4:5-7 – the apostles were literally the gospel in the flesh as they spoke by inspiration, but such symbolically represents each of us as evangelists on Jesus’ behalf. Some try to cast away responsibility by declaring we are no longer subject to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), but we are not to go who will (Romans 10:14)? 2 Timothy 2:2 sets the pattern that is to be ongoing until time is no more.
The future of the church on earth is largely dependent on our willingness to take advantage of open doors. However in order to do so we must be prepared. Will you resolve to prepared for open doors?