Flee Spiritual Apathy & Be Resolved to Stay On-Mission
Read with me & deeply ponder the Apostle Paul’s encouragement given to “the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi.”
“For I am confident of this very thing,
(The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 1: 6 NASB)
that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it
until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Every summer of my adult life, I have been given the opportunity to work in VBS—Vacation Bible School. Maybe you too can identify with that statement, and maybe you are working this week too or will work in your own VBS this summer.
If so, then you will fully understand this next point. The ‘vacation’ part of the title does not mean we vacate our minds or our bodies because there are many children who descend upon our church campus for one purpose: Bible School.
TRULY, AS MUCH AS IT IS fulfilling, amazing, exhilarating WORK, the task is also arduous, tiring, exhausting. WORK!
Nonetheless, here we sit at the final day of VBS 2024.
- To say the volunteers are happy we have been blessed with many children—VERY TRUE!
- To say the volunteers are sad we have reached the final day—ALSO TRUE!
- Finally, to say we are excited to share the Gospel as Jesus commanded with the children was our main goal—100% TRUE!
Yesterday morning, I was feeling the effects of a long week of going, of doing, of working VBS. My newly repaired back was hurting, the nightly sleep I had been enjoying was now being interrupted by uncomfortable pain, and my strength was almost spent. However, if one only looked at the single class of students. However, if one only looked at the single class of students Suzanne allowed me to help in this year, then without a doubt, a child of God would stand and proclaim: “A little pain, a small amount of hurting, and depleted strength is all worth the opportunity for ONE CHILD TO BE SAVED, TO COME TO KNOW JESUS AS HIS SAVIOR!”
The most infamous persecutor of the early Christians, Saul, became a believer. After his salvation, as a changed man, the Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s Truth!
In writing to those believers living in Corinth, we read—
“Are they Hebrews?
(The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 11: 22-28 NASB)
So am I.
Are they Israelites?
So am I.
Are they descendants of Abraham?
So am I.
Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so;
in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
[40 lashes would often take one’s life]
Three times I was beaten with rods,
once I was stoned,
three times I was shipwrecked,
a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
I have been in labor and hardship,
through many sleepless nights,
in hunger and thirst,
often without food,
in cold and exposure.
Apart from such external things,
there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.”
We must Flee Spiritual Apathy & Be Resolved to Stay On-Mission!
- Souls are in Danger of the fires of hell.
- Souls are in Danger of staying lost forever.
We are to share Jesus—DESPITE ANY COST!
Just as the Apostle Paul was determined & resolved to remain steadfast, despite his near-death situation, despite his pain, & despite the situation where he found himself, WE ARE TO REMAIN ON-MISSION AS JESUS COMMANDED US!
There is a beautiful melody by Britt Nicole & Lecrae reminding us of our task.
Children need Jesus!
Adults need Jesus!
Please listen to “Ready or Not” and be encouraged—Flee Spiritual Apathy & Be Resolved to Stay On-Mission!
As I said, today is Thursday, the last day of VBS 2024, and our eleven young third graders have not made an open proclamation of salvation, but they have focused on the Bible lessons, they have asked questions, and they have lifted prayer concerns that would make any parent cry to hear their children’s prayer requests.
Even though we may not see immediate results of each Gospel encounter, we must, as the Scripture tells us—Trust that God’s Word will not return void.
All of the children attending VBS across our world may not become saved during the week of days they attend VBS, but GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!
HIS HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE, TO SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN’S HEARTS, EVEN AFTER THE WEEK OF VBS ENDS.
His Word will remain in their hearts as they leave VBS and return to their summer activities.
The Bible reminds us that without the struggles, the near-death experience, the beatings, the stoning, the times of being shipwrecked that the Apostle Paul endured from the hands of his kinsman and even from the Gentiles—IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU & ME TO BE SAVED, TO BECOME GOD’S CHILD.
That’s right. As I said, Saul (the Apostle Paul) was a former persecutor of the early Christians, dragging many to prison, torturing men, & even standing by as those who believed God were stoned to death. BUT GOD CHANGED SAUL’S HEART & GOD MADE SAUL HIS CHILD:
THROUGH SAUL’S ADMISSION OF SIN,
THROUGH SAUL’S BELIEF IN JESUS &
THROUGH SAUL’S CONFESSION OF JESUS AS HIS LORD!
Through the simplicity of the A—B—C (Admit you are a sinner—Believe in Jesus as the Son of God—&—Confess Jesus as Savior) persecutor Saul became a changed man—a child of God—the Apostle Paul. The Gospel message has not changed! After His resurrection from the grave, Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to indwell within the early believers (as recorded in The Acts of the Apostles). In the Bible, we find how the early Christians we find they were persecuted for their faith, much like Paul.
Should we expect anything less? !!!
- May we reason with others about what is written in the Scriptures.
- May this be our regular, daily custom.
- May we not complain when we must suffer for the cause of CHRIST!
- May we proclaim Jesus to anyone who will listen.
- May we be on-mission as we should.
- May we upset the world with the TRUTH of JESUS!
- May we act contrary to the way of this world where we live.
- May we proclaim JESUS IS KING!
“And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them,
(The Acts of the Apostles 17: 2-3 & 6-7 NASB)
and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead,
and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
. . .
When they did not find them,
[when the Jews & Greeks & the mob who were in uproar over the Gospel being proclaimed]
they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities,
shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;
and Jason has welcomed them,
and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar,
saying that there is another king, Jesus.”