We are One in Christ with our friends. This is the second week of our stewardship focus on what God has given us. Last week we looked at our family. We walked through Ephesians to see how God lays out a plan for husbands and wives. One of the reasons God gives us friends is so that we can introduce Jesus to them. That’s not the only reason, but as we consider the stewardship of our friendships, that’s a great way that we can honor our God AND make our friends One in Christ.
What could you do to get your friends attention? God gave Moses three signs to show that he was, in fact, send from God. “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” All we hear about is the objection from Moses. They won’t believe me. Alright let’s consider this objection. You are trying to witness to a friend about Jesus. He was born a baby, lived a perfect life, died for your sins on the cross – more than that – was raised to life on the third day. Will people believe you? To the point on this One in Christ Sunday, will your friends believe you?
Maybe they would if I could throw my staff on the ground and make it a snake! That was a real snake. Moses ran from it! Maybe they would if I could make my hand rotten before their eyes and then restore it! Leprosy isn’t a big deal for us, but Ebola, or even skin cancer might be. Maybe they would if I could pour water from Winston Salem tap and it would be blood on the ground! The point of all of these signs isn’t that they would convince people. The convincing still happens by the word of God. The convincing isn’t your problem. God the Holy Spirit is the one who does that work. Our God says, faith comes from… hearing the message. Not from miracles, signs, and wonders, but from the word of God. These three acts that God gave to Moses were just attention getters.
Jesus was making this point to his disciples one day – it is the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus from Luke chapter 16. The account ends with the dead man begging that someone rise from the dead to tell his family about the horrible fate that awaits if they do not repent. Jesus says, If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ Do you know of anyone who has risen from the dead? That would be Jesus. The problem isn’t that there aren’t enough miracles. The problem isn’t a long list of powerful acts of God in his word. The problem is the rejection and unbelieve of God’s word. That isn’t your problem, Christian. God wants you to simple witness to the great things God has done for you, like forgive your sins.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from Exodus 4 – One in Christ – Friends.
Book(s): Exodus
Series: One In Christ
Tag(s): Stewardship
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg