SundaySermon - Ajith - Reach Beyond

 Reach Beyond

We are asked to reach beyond, going out of our normal circumstances.... What is the motivation?

Jonah 4:11

11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

It is the God's compassion that should spur us on to go beyond... What should we do to go beyond what is expected. .... What is expected?

Verse: Matthew 28:19

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Great Commission is what we are asked to do. What do we do to reach beyond our expections? How do we define Reach Beyond? ..... It is when you undertake something that you cannot achieve.

What are the standards for Reaching Beyond? Let us look at some examples

  • David Livingstone
  • CT Studd

David Livingston - I have sometimes seen int he morning sun in the smoke of a 1000 villages where no missionary has ever seen.

 This burden helped him reach people, travelling across continents. The impact was so great that the people whom he served insisted that his heart be buried in Africa

CT Studd - A well known cricketer. Cannibals want missionaries.... He responded to this call and went to Africa. He lost his wife and son..... But he kept going. Excerpts from his poem .... "Only one life, yes, soon its fleeting life will be done ..... Only whats done for Christ will last"

While the standards they have set may be too high. But let us take our little step to go beyond.

Here are some small steps..... Try talking the people we meet everyday..... like our security people at the office.... or our colleagues .... or our boss.

These steps might be too high.... atleast make this prayer..... enlarge my territory

Verse: 1 Chronicles 4:10

10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request

Here is an example from right here in our time - Pastor Rajkumar Ramchandran 

Pastor Rajkumar -  He was heading a company All it took was one Bible given to him by a colleague..... We don't know  the name of this person.....  That transformed his life and today he is a Pastor

Remember the small things can bring a great harvest

Verse: 1 Corinthians 3:5‭-‬7

5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 

6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 

7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

While God brings growth, it is important that we be the nurturers. Hence we need to be a a Church that is a Sending Church (nurturing church)

Verse: Romans 10:15

And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

5 Roles of the Sending Church

  1. Church evangelizes locally: Reach out to people in our immediate circle
  2. Church thinks cross culturally: Paul reached out to gentile people. We need to reach to people who are different from us.
  3. Church trains vigorously: Barnabas brought in Paul when no one was willing to take him in because of his reputation as prosecutor. 
  4. Sending Church gives sacrificially: Feed the hungry
  5. Worship passionately: Worship of our God is our strength. And this passion drives us on. 

Conclusion

Let us work and fulfil our roles and God will bring in the results. Let God's compassion be our motivation to Reach Beyond

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