Sunday, February 15, 2015

My sermon from today at NRN - ACT


 
 
Opening:   In 1988 a new advertising slogan was adopted by Nike shoe Company. The slogan was coined in 1988 at an advertising agency meeting. The inspiration for the Nike slogan to the last words of a serial killer just before his 1977 execution in Utah.  The new slogan allowed Nike to further increase its share of the North American domestic sport-shoe business from 18% to 43%, (from $877 million to $9.2 billion in worldwide sales) from 1988 to 1998. You have heard the slogan – you have said the slogan –    JUST DO IT!

On September 11, 2001 at 9:28am EST four hijackers took control of United Airlines Flight 93 shortly after it’s departure from Newark, NJ on route to San Francisco CA. Passengers and crew sat huddled in the rear of the aircraft and began attempting to call using their cell phones and air phone. One passenger, Tom Burnett called his wife, Deena, after hijackers took control of the plane. During his second call to her, she relayed to him that the Towers of the World Trade Center had collapsed.  Upon learning of the situation, Deena, a former flight attendant, recalled her training and urged Burnett to sit quietly and not draw attention to himself. However, Burnett told his wife not to worry and that he and three other passengers, Mark Bingham, Todd Beamer and Jeremy Glick, were forming a plan to do something – they were going to attempt to take the plane back from the hijackers, and leading other passengers in this effort. Several of the passengers made phone calls to loved ones, who informed them about the two planes that had crashed into the World Trade Center. Todd Beamer placed a credit card call through a phone located on the back of a plane seat, but was routed to a customer-service representative, who passed him on to GTE airphone supervisor Lisa Jefferson. With FBI agents listening in on their call, Beamer recited the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm with Jefferson, prompting others to join in. Beamer requested of Jefferson,"If I don't make it, please call my family and let them know how much I love them." After this, Jefferson heard muffled voices and Beamer clearly answering, "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll!”

Maybe you do not know Daniel Lawrence Whitney – born February 17, 1963. He has become an American Icon as a comedian, author, musician and former radio personality. You may not know him as Daniel Lawrence Whitney – but you probably know him by his stage name - Larry, The Cable Guy – and the catch phrase he uses is also the title of his book:                                                 "Git-R-Done!"

 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts,  and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”                                              1 Chronicles 28:9-10

Can’t you hear David say to his son Solomon – you the foundations – Know God, Serve God (worship him with your life), Seek him with your whole heart – and consider these things ( think about it – ponder – study – process) Now – Be courageous – and get r done, let’s roll, just do it!  Put the petal to the metal – Knock it out – Bring it – its go time – get down to business – drop the hammer – step up – get busy – let’s go ACT!   Son, make it happen – Don’t be a man of just good intentions – be a man of action.

Information without application is a waste.  Overcome your fear – it is time to act. 

 Someplace in your life that God has told you to do – but have you done it.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Cor. 13:11

No, I train my body and bring it under control. Then after I have preached to others, I myself will not break the rules. If I did break them, I would fail to win the  prize.        1 Cor. 9:27

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.              2 Cor. 11:3 (NASV)

Why we fail to act:

Good Intentions:

The NC born songwriter theologian Randy Travis sang: “And I hear tell the road to hell is paved with good intentions”

Maybe you suffer from the paralysis of analysis: A condition when people know there is something they should do – but they get caught up in the process of how to do it correctly, perfectly and they get stuck and do nothing.

Disobedience……

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.  You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?    James 2:19-20

Steps to move into action:

1.  Recognition  what God is doing in your life

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.                               Matthew 7:21

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”                                                                                                        Luke 6: 48-49 (NASB)

2.  Confession

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.                                                                                       James 4:17(NASB)

 

3.  Decision

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.             James 1: 22-25 (NASB)

“We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”                              -  Martin Luther  

(Faith is followed by transformation to act upon our faith!)

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