Are You Ready?

By: M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

98035

Subject: attitudes

Preached Originally: 06/28/98 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.    Acts gives us details surrounding the FC church.  The details of Paul's ministry especially noted.

1.    2nd half of Acts deals w/Paul's journeys with Barnabas & Silas.

2.    His constant battle against persecutors

3.    Great faith/determination to do the will of God.

B.    Text = Acts 21:10-15.  Agabus prophecies that Paul is going to suffer at hands of Gentiles if he goes to Jerusalem.

1.    Read text.

2.    What courage.  What determination!  What great sense of duty/devotion to God!

3.    What an example for us to follow!

C.   Question we need to ask ourselves: Am I ready to stand up for the Lord in this manner?  Am I prepared to do whatever it takes to serve God?

1.    readiness is something we see everywhere.

2.    Ready defined: "prepared or available for service or action."

a.    "mentally disposed: willing"

b.    "prompt in understanding or reacting"

3.    We depend on the RCFD to be "prompt in reacting" if a fire in our home.

4.    We depend of the RCPD to be available for "service or action" if intruder breaks into our home.

5.    We listen to weather report to be "ready" for tornado or blizzard.

D.   Are we ready to stand up and fulfill the requirements/expectations of Christians?

1.    God depending on each individual to do his part.

2.    Sickening feeling: being unprepared when you know you should have been.

a.    homework in college

b.    botched task at work

3.    give a check-up to your life today and see if you are really ready.  If not, make the appropriate steps to get prepared!

4.    If you aren't prepared for the Lord, you may get caught where it is impossible to "catch up."

 

II.  Are You Ready to Accept the Will of God?

A.    Think of Paul b/f a Christian.  Committed to doing whatever it took to persecute Christians & to stomp out Christianity.

1.    Acts 8:1,3; 9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11 - don't you think he believed in what he was doing?

2.    Acts 9:1-9 - conversion of Saul. His conversion a little different than ours today…

a.    notice: 9:6 - Lord what do you want me to do?

b.    Get picture of a broken, contrite, humble heart solely interested in pleasing God!

c.     No arguing!  Wish more like that today…If anyone could have argued it was Paul!

3.    Accepted Christianity even though it meant giving up high position, friends, tradition.  He wanted above all else to do the will of God.

B.    Talk about being ready to accept the will of God - ultimate example - Jesus Christ.

1.    Mt. 26:39…while praying in garden of Gethsemane.

a.    notice earnest prayer of Christ who in less than 24 hrs. crucified on the cross.

b.    No doubt He was thinking of tremendous pain/agony/suffering He would have to endure!

c.     26:53 - didn't have to do it!  Could have wiped out those who sought to destroy Him!

2.    Why did He accept the will of God?  Even though this meant terrible pain/suffering?  Jhn. 3:16; 1 Jhn. 3:16

C.   Above two examples worthy of our consideration.  Gave all to serve the will of God.  What about us today?

1.    Rom. 6:17-18 - It is God's will that we obey Him in all things!  Are you ready?

a.    to obey God means putting away sin - ALL sin!

b.    Some sin easy to sacrifice.  Others not.  Other sin we wish to hold onto a little longer!

c.     Must strive to do my best to serve Him all of the time!

2.    Brethren:  it God's will that we spread the gospel!

a.    Mt. 28:19-20 - go into all the world!

b.    Another individual responsibility.  Not just the preacher's/teachers/elders.

c.     Easy to dismiss.  Might cause us to be rejected, etc.  If we neglect this responsibility are we ready to do His will?

D.   Acts 21:14 - Paul prepared to teach gospel no matter what!

1.    meant leaving friends, close acquaintances.

2.    Meant suffering/falsely accused.

3.    Not only he, but those around him accepted this.  They put their trust in the Lord.

 

III.  Are you Ready to Make Spirituality Priority One?

A.    looking at text it certainly proves that Paul put spiritual things on highest elevation in his life.

1.    Throughout NT - Christians encouraged to do just that - Col. 3:1-2

a.    are we ready to set our minds on things above?

b.    Are we willing to rearrange priorities/hobbies/etc. to increase the emphasis on God's Word?

1.    turn off TV and have a study w/family.

2.    Take one night/wk & visit fellow Christian/friend?

3.    Make a habit out of prayer?

2.    in eternal scheme of things:  only spiritual matters really matter!  3 seconds; 3 minutes; 3 hours; or 3 years after we die it won't matter how much money we made/car we drive/etc.

B.    To place worldly above spiritual (to be carnally minded) is death according to NT.  No eternal hope with things of world!

1.    Rom. 8:5-8 - words of Paul.

2.    Recent survey in GOT.  Asked if one thing the majority of wealthy Americans could buy.  Overwhelming answer: heaven.

a.    want to have their fun/frolic/life w/o serving God.

3.    commitment we make to Almighty God must be complete, total, and not be 2nd to anything else!

C.   Lk. 9:57-62 - The cost of discipleship.

1.    first person:  made rash vow.  Christ knew his heart.  Probably didn't understand the commitment involved and the sacrifices that were necessary.

2.    2nd & 3rd persons:  wanted to follow Christ but had other priorities which they thought more important.  Christ important but not important enough!

3.    Don't many do the same today?

a.    Christ important.  But not important enough.  He's not priority one!

1.    work; sports; travel; forsaking assembling…

2.    forsake Biblical learning; evangelism; helping others. 

b.    Are we ready to do these things?

4.  Notice 9:62 again.  How many of us have eyes gazing off toward the world & not focusing upon spiritual matters straight ahead of us.

5.  many like Martha in Lk. 10:38-42.

a.    Don't be like Martha - be like Mary - choose the good part!

 

IV.  Are you Ready to Contend for the Truth?

A.    Phil. 1:12-18 - notice the example of Paul once more.

1.    1:17 - Paul appointed to the defense of the gospel.  At any notice Paul ready to stand up & tell that he a Christian.

a.    1:13 - all who knew Paul knew he was a Christian.

1.    in prison under circumstances of duress.

2.    Would you/I be able to do the same?

b.    while in prison for preaching Christianity, he's preaching Christianity!

2.  Rom. 1:16 - Paul affirms that he not ashamed of the gospel!  Why?  It is the power of salvation.

a.    no wonder he so motivated.

b.    Same principle that motivated him - should motivate us.

B.    Do we realize that those who do not obey gospel will be lost?

1.    answer:  yes.  We talk about this often.

2.    Do we believe 2 Thess. 1:7-9 enough to tell everyone we know?

3.    Is there a sense of urgency in this area?  Matter urgent b/c souls at stake and time marches on.  Everyone us a day closer to death.

C.   1 Pet. 3:13-17 - Peter talks about suffering for doing right.

1.    v. 13 - brethren in persecution.

2.    Very lives at stake.  Instructions of Peter?  Do the very thing that might put them into prison or take their life.

3.    Why? V. 17.

D.   Are we ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us?

 

V.  Are you Ready to Die in the Lord?

A.    Christianity a lifelong commitment. Often compared to marriage b/t husband/wife.

1.    make vows of wife - love her, provide for, remain faithful to for rest of life.

2.    Bible compares our relationship with Christ as a marriage.  Christians married to Christ.

a.    Eph. 5:24-31

b.    Must understand this!  We are to be in a long term relationship with Christ.

B.    This lifelong commitment involves sacrificing ourselves/wants to Christ.

1.    Acts 21:13 - it could mean giving up your life for Him!

a.    if it came down to it - do you love Christ/want to go to heaven enough to give up your life for Him?

b.    A question we must all ask ourselves.

2.    Imagine Paul's state of mind.  Facing something he knew wouldn't be pleasant.

a.    tremendous heartache - but he knew what he had to do.

b.    No excuses.  No plans to go to another city - like Jonah - just prepared himself for it.

C.   Phil. 1:20-21 - Paul in Rome awaiting to stand b/f Caesar…

1.    notice his comments.  Prepared to die - even if it not pleasant.

2.    Only a man who solely devoted to God and spirituality could say this.

3.    I hope/I pray that I live my life where I am/will be able to say the same thing.

D.   2 Tim. 4:6-8 - Paul near death.  Lonely, forsaken, cold, but still remaining with hope.

1.    how could a man utter such words?

2.    Only a man who had submitted his will to God's

3.    Only a man who made spirituality priority one.

4.    Only a man who was ready/able to contend for the truth.

5.    Only a man who was ready to die in the Lord.

6.    If you on your deathbed. OR if you knew you were about to die - could you utter the words that Paul did here?

a.    could you die confident of your salvation today?

b.    Rev. 14:13 - this should be a word of encouragement to us!

c.     Are you prepared?

 

VI.  Conclusion.

A.    Are you ready?  Are you prepared?

B.    Remember we depend upon various people around us to be prepared to help us/come to our aid when necessary.

1.    only you can prepare yourself for eternity.

2.    Jhn. 8:24…

3.    Have you given your life to Jesus Christ?

C.   Become a Christian today - if you haven't.  Do so now!

D.   I N V I T A T I O N