Historical Significance

4.6.8

Begin by telling you the summary of today’s sermon.

      What is the value of our life on the scales of eternity?

            ---- this is not a question of our importance to God…. but our

                                                      value to the Kingdom.

      What significant role will your life play with eternity in mind?

3 people from history who accomplished great things for God.

      William Tyndale

            Believed that we should be able to read the Bible for ourselves.

            Many priest and bishops would fight with him in various places.

            Confided to the king…

            He was betrayed by friends.

            Tried for treason and heresy

            Strangled and then eventually burned

                  As he was being burned hear a cry “Oh Lord, Open the king

                                                      of England’s eyes.”

      Hudson Taylor

            Heart for China.

            He had a saying – “He must move men through God by prayer.”

            He was witnessing to a lady – had a coin in his pocket

that could alleviate her pain – “what a hypocrite… his heart condemned him.”

            In China - wrote back – you have no idea what it means to be

                                                            totally alone.

            He would eventually marry.

            He saw his daughter die in route back to China.

            First wife died in child birth

            Second wife died of cancer

            Taylor was constantly sick and ill.

            Almost killed in the Yang Chow Riot of 1868

                  By 1895 – 641 missionaries in China

      George Whitfield

All three had huge impact upon the earth.

And they all three… in different ways exemplify this point:

Doing something for God that has historical significance often requires a sacrifice that is historically note worthy.

      --- each of these men accomplished great things.

      --- each had a life of sacrifice.

--- None saw a set backs or difficulty as reason to give up, but more so

                                                a reason to go forward.

As a church and individuals that make up the church ----

      I am believing for us to make a significant difference.

Making a difference/ having an impact that is significant is going to require effort on my part.

• everyone wants to make a difference, everyone wants to life a life that has impact
  • but very few people are willing to sacrifice.
  • Therefore very few people are historically noteworthy.

I want to be one of those noteworthy people.

Accomplishing things, building things,

Obvious it requires a vision or a word…. A direction.

As the pastor I have asked a lot of our church.

      Fasting, prayer, giving…..

Wanting our church and individuals to be significant in the scope of eternity.

Big dreams/ big vision – they have to be big enough to sacrifice for.

So as you do here are a few points to keep hold on to.

1. Never see things the same as an unbeliever.

Spies in the Numbers 13:26-33

            The 10 were right

      These were the Nephlim – they were giants.

                  --- if they didn’t have a relationship with God

                  --- they saw things from an unbelieving point of view.

Many times what we believe will limit us or push us forward.

in obtaining our dreams there will be giants if we back down, then we slip into the millions of unnoteworthy and insignificant lives gone on before us.

2. Prepare your minds for action.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Our minds need to be proactive.

      --- knowing the truth and rehearsing it will keep us and

                                    prepare us for difficulty.

Some have a word or a vision/dream.

Many times the only evidence or encouragement is going to be remembering that you had a vision or a dream.

David – anointed king and never again had another hint of his coming

                                                                  kingship

• use the Word and the word to defend your dream and hold on to it when there is no physical evidence of it’s manifestation.

3. Focus – it’s about others.

When you lose this…. You have lost your significance.

We are all important to God.

I want my life to be significant in view of history.

Without going into more details – impact and significance comes with a price.

Ask yourself today are you willing to pay the price?

As a church I am asking us to be the church that believes that fasting and prayer are the backbone of what is going to bring awakening to our community.

      Join in with it.

      What else is God working on you.

The men that gave their lives to serve Jesus did so because they saw it as a privilege.

God is making us a vessel that opposition doesn’t slow us down or discourage us.

      God is doing something. You and I can be a part if we want to.

      History changes – it’s our choice.