OceanSide church of Christ




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WE WILL GO…I WILL GO!

 

The Results of Going (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Our theme for the OceanSide congregation this year is:  “We Will Go…I Will Go.”

1.        It is tied to the Great Commission set forth by our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16).

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

 

2.       The theme contains two statements.

a.       We will go. 

1)       These words refer to the church as a whole. 

2)      The commission is not limited to a select group of individuals in the church.

3)      All of us are included in the words:  “Go ye.”

b.      I will go.

1)       Not every member of the church will go and take the gospel to the lost.

2)      Yet, even if nobody else goes, I will go.  I will be obedient to the Lord.  I will seek to save the lost.

 

B.      Every month, I have presented a lesson connected to our theme.

1.        This lesson is connected to our theme.

2.       It is entitled:  “The Results of Going.”

 

I.             GOD IS OBEYED

 

A.    We speak of obeying God so much that in our minds it might seem trite or trivial.

1.        Definitions:

a.       Trite:  rubbed or worn by use

b.      Trivial:  of little importance, value, or significance

2.       Yet, from the beginning of the Creation, God has stressed the need for man’s obedience (Gen. 2:16-17).

 

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:  for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

3.       We all know the end of the story. 

a.       Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Gen. 2:11b).

 

…Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

 

b.      Horrible consequences were brought upon them and upon all men (Gen. 3:14-19).

 

B.      Obedience to God is not trite or trivial. 

1.        It is serious and significant.

2.       Our obedience will ultimately determine our eternal destiny (Rev. 22:14).

 

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

C.     Every time we speak the truth to the lost, hand them a tract, give them a CD or DVD, or bring them to our services, we are obeying God’s commands.  To God, that is a big deal.

II.           CHRIST IS MAGNIFIED

 

A.    Taking the gospel to the world involves the magnification of Jesus Christ.

1.        I Corinthians 2:1-2

 

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

 

a.       Christ is the reason for our preaching.

b.      Christ is the subject of our preaching.

2.       Galatians 3:1

 

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

 

B.      Christ is the only way.

1.        The lost can come to the Father (John 14:6).

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

2.       Salvation is found in Christ, and in Him alone (Acts 4:12).

 

Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

C.     When we evangelize, we should always speak of the Christ.

1.        Christ came to the earth in the form of a human being.

2.       Christ shed His blood.

3.       Christ died for us.

4.       Christ purchased the church with His blood.

5.       Christ rose the third day.

6.       Christ built His church on Pentecost Day following His ascension to the Father.

7.       Christ is calling men by the gospel.

8.       Christ commands all men to obey the truth of the gospel.

9.       Christ is coming again.

10.    Christ will judge the world in righteousness on the Last Day.

 

D.    Doesn’t this make evangelism more exciting?

1.        It is not just about explaining to others the gospel plan of salvation.

2.       It is not just about winning an argument.

3.       It is about magnifying Jesus Christ unto the world.

 

III.         SEED IS SOWN

 

A.    Jesus compared the Word of God to seed (Luke 8:11).

 

Now the parable is this:  The seed if the word of God.

 

B.      A seed is a wonderful thing because it can produce an abundant harvest.

1.        Last spring farmers all over the United States were out planting seeds in the ground (corn rice, beans, wheat, cotton, tomatoes, etc.).

2.       Right now, they are preparing for their harvest from the seeds that were planted.

 

C.     When we speak to another about the good news of salvation in Christ, a seed is planted into a heart.  That seed just might bear fruit in time to come (Matt. 13:8, 23).

But he that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

 

IV.        HEARTS ARE WON

 

A.    Every action of man originates in the heart.

 

B.      The actions of evil people begin in their hearts (Matt. 12:35).

 

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things:  and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

 

C.     The gospel is designed to penetrate into the hearts of the lost.

1.        If the heart is good and honest, the seed will germinate.

2.       This heart will be purified by means of an active faith that is ignited within the individual (Acts 15:9).

 

And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

 

a.       Their hearts are purified by faith.

b.      That faith came by hearing the Word of God.

c.       They hear the Word of God when someone takes it to them (Rom. 10:13-17).

 

V.          SOULS ARE SAVED

 

A.    This statement also seems to have grown trite among us.

1.        We talk about saving souls all of the time.

2.       Do we manifest an urgency in getting to those souls?

Do we speak to those we know are lost about salvation?

 

B.      When you and I teach a person the gospel of Christ, and he receives the truth, and obeys the Word, his soul is saved.

1.        It is no longer evil.  It is pure.

It is no longer lost.  It is saved.

It no longer is in Satan’s possession.  It belongs to Jesus Christ.

It no longer has no hope.  It now has abundant hope.

2.       James 5:20

 

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

 

C.     How do we, the church, come to understand the real value of the soul?

1.        Jesus valued it above all things (Matt. 16:26).

 

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

2.       This is true, but we only know that we have a soul through faith.

a.       We know it rationally.

b.      How do we truly internalize this fact so the thought of saving souls is something we MUST do?

3.       Again, how do we really come to realize how important the soul, ours and the souls of others are?

4.       If we save a soul, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, greater than we can do on the face of the earth.

a.       Stopping all wars would not compare to saving souls.

b.      Curing cancer would not compare to saving souls.

c.       Stopping all abortions would not compare to saving souls

 

VI.        LIVES ARE CHANGED

 

A.    Prior to obeying the gospel, individuals are under the influence of “the man of sin.”

1.        This old man of sin practices sin.

2.       This old man of sin loves his sin.

3.       This old man of sin enjoys his sin.

4.       This old man of sin never thinks about the effects of sin.

5.       This old man of sin participates in sin with others of like mind.

 

B.      The call of the gospel demands the death of the old man of sin (Rom. 6:6).

 

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

 

1.        Sin is put to death.

2.       The practice of sin is put away.

3.       The sin that was enjoyed is now grievous.

 

C.     In addition to the death of the old man, there is the birth of a new man (II Cor. 5:17).

 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 

1.        Instead of being involved in sinful activities, the person engages in righteous actions.

2.       Instead of yielding to the flesh, he lives in the Spirit.

3.       Two verses:

a.       Titus 2:11-12

 

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

 

b.      I Peter 4:2

 

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

 

D.    Changed lives in the first century.

1.        From Jews to Christians

a.       Law of Moses to the New Testament of Jesus Christ

b.      Jerusalem as the place of worship to worship anywhere local congregations met

c.       Levitical priesthood to priesthood of believers.

d.      Aaronic priesthood to Mechizedec priesthood

e.       Many animal sacrifices to the one sacrifice of Christ

f.        Sabbath to the Lord’s Day

g.       Circumcision to circumcision not binding

2.       From Gentiles to Christians

a.       Many gods and goddesses to one true God

b.      Idol worship to worship of invisible God

c.       Fleshly and lustful activities to a life of holiness

d.      Speaking lies to speaking the truth

e.       Stealing and theft to working with their hands

f.        Drunkenness to soberness

g.       Adultery and fornication to marital fidelity

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Going, that is, taking the gospel to the lost of the world is our primary mission.

 

B.      When we go, the results are many and marvelous.

1.        God is obeyed.

2.       Jesus is magnified.

3.       The seed of the Word is scattered.

4.       Hearts are won to Christ.

5.       Souls are saved.

6.       And, lives are changed.

 

C.     This is only the first set of results that we will consider.  There are several others that we will study in an upcoming lesson.