Empowered for Action: Living Out Our Faith
Summary
In this message, we explore the profound truth that as followers of Christ, we are appointed and anointed for action. The essence of Christianity is not just in receiving the miracle of salvation but in actively transmitting the love and power of Jesus to the world. We are reminded that the miracle of Christianity is not just a personal experience but a call to action, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world. The story of Nemi from Papua New Guinea serves as a powerful illustration of this truth. Nemi, upon understanding that Jesus lived in him, took the message of Christ to his village, transforming it into a Christian community. This transformation was possible because Nemi believed that Jesus was alive in him, and he acted on that belief.
The message challenges us to move beyond theological debates and embrace the simplicity of the gospel. It is a call to action, to be doers of the word, not just hearers. We are reminded that the Holy Spirit empowers us to be Jesus' representatives, to heal, to preach, and to bring deliverance to those in need. The emphasis is on practical Christianity, where our creed becomes our deed, and our faith is demonstrated through our actions.
We are encouraged to see ourselves as sent ones, just like the apostles, to go where people are and share the love of Christ. The message highlights the importance of compassion, urging us to be people-focused, just as Jesus was. It calls us to turn our homes into love stations, where we can welcome and minister to those in need. The ultimate goal is to be a blessing, a healer, and a lifter to those around us, embodying the love and compassion of Jesus in our daily lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Miracle of Action: Christianity is a miracle that calls us to action. We are not just recipients of God's love but are tasked with sharing it with the world. Our faith must be active, transforming the lives of those around us. [01:08]
2. Jesus in Us: The story of Nemi illustrates the power of understanding that Jesus lives in us. This realization empowers us to act boldly, knowing that we are His hands and feet in the world. [06:18]
3. Compassionate Ministry: Jesus' ministry was people-focused, driven by compassion. We are called to emulate this by being sensitive to the needs of others and offering them the love and hope found in Christ. [29:16]
4. Empowered by the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses of Christ. We are anointed to heal, preach, and deliver, bringing the kingdom of God to those we encounter. [32:23]
5. Practical Christianity: Our faith must be practical, where our beliefs translate into actions. We are called to be doers of the word, turning our homes into centers of love and ministry. [35:11]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:08] - The Miracle of Christianity
- [03:35] - Action: The Fourth Key
- [06:18] - Jesus in Us: A New Understanding
- [07:46] - Literal vs. Figurative: A Debate
- [08:40] - Revival in Papua New Guinea
- [10:12] - Nemi's Mission
- [29:16] - Compassion for the Multitudes
- [31:31] - Anointed to Preach
- [32:23] - Empowered to Heal
- [33:18] - Good News to the Poor
- [34:13] - Anointing on Good News
- [35:11] - Practical Christianity
- [37:51] - Appointed for Action
- [41:07] - Compassion and Ministry
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 1:1-2 - "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen."
2. Matthew 9:35-36 - "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."
3. Luke 4:18 - "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the sermon suggest is the essence of Christianity beyond personal salvation? [01:08]
2. How did Nemi's understanding of Jesus living in him impact his actions towards his village? [10:12]
3. According to the sermon, what role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering believers? [32:23]
4. How does the sermon describe Jesus' approach to ministry and his interaction with people? [29:16]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Nemi illustrate the concept of being "appointed and anointed for action"? [10:12]
2. In what ways does the sermon challenge believers to move beyond theological debates and embrace practical Christianity? [07:46]
3. How does the sermon interpret the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, particularly in relation to healing and preaching? [32:23]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of compassion in ministry, and how does it relate to Jesus' example? [29:16]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called to take action in your faith. What steps did you take, and what was the outcome? [01:08]
2. How can you actively demonstrate the belief that Jesus lives in you in your daily interactions with others? [10:12]
3. Identify a specific way you can turn your home into a "love station" to minister to those in need. What practical steps can you take to make this happen? [29:16]
4. Consider a situation where you can be a "doer of the word" this week. What action will you take to embody your faith? [35:11]
5. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to empower you in your daily life, especially in moments of doubt or fear? [32:23]
6. Think of someone in your life who is in need of compassion. How can you reach out to them and offer support in a way that reflects Jesus' love? [29:16]
7. What is one area of your life where you can be more people-focused, following Jesus' example of compassion and ministry? [29:16]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith in Action: A Call to Transform Lives
As followers of Christ, we are not merely recipients of His love and grace but are called to actively share and demonstrate this love to the world. Christianity is not a passive faith; it is a dynamic and transformative force that compels us to act. The miracle of Christianity is not just a personal experience but a call to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world that desperately needs His love and healing. This call to action is a reminder that our faith must be alive and active, impacting the lives of those around us. We are appointed and anointed for action, tasked with bringing the love and power of Jesus to those we encounter. [01:08]
"Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who needs to experience the love of Christ. How can you actively demonstrate His love to them today?
Day 2: Christ Within: Empowered to Transform
The story of Nemi from Papua New Guinea illustrates the profound truth that understanding Jesus lives within us empowers us to act boldly. Nemi's realization that Christ was alive in him led to the transformation of his entire village into a Christian community. This transformation was possible because Nemi believed in the power of Christ within him and acted on that belief. As believers, we are called to embrace this truth and allow it to propel us into action, knowing that we are His representatives in the world. [06:18]
"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you feel powerless. How can the understanding that Christ lives in you change your perspective and actions in that situation?
Day 3: Compassionate Ministry: Emulating Christ's Love
Jesus' ministry was characterized by compassion and a focus on people. He was sensitive to the needs of others and offered them love and hope. As His followers, we are called to emulate this compassion, being attentive to the needs of those around us and offering them the love and hope found in Christ. This compassionate ministry is not just about words but about actions that demonstrate the love of Jesus. We are encouraged to turn our homes into love stations, welcoming and ministering to those in need. [29:16]
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your community who is struggling. What practical steps can you take this week to show them compassion and support?
Day 4: Empowered by the Spirit: Anointed for Ministry
The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses of Christ, anointing us to heal, preach, and deliver. This empowerment is not for our benefit but for the advancement of God's kingdom. We are called to be active participants in God's work, bringing healing and deliverance to those we encounter. The Holy Spirit equips us with the power and authority to carry out this mission, ensuring that we are not alone in our efforts. [32:23]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's empowerment to be a more effective witness for Christ? How can you seek His guidance and strength today?
Day 5: Practical Christianity: Living Out Our Faith
Our faith must be practical, where our beliefs translate into actions. We are called to be doers of the word, turning our homes into centers of love and ministry. This practical Christianity is about living out our faith in tangible ways, ensuring that our creed becomes our deed. It is a call to action, challenging us to move beyond theological debates and embrace the simplicity of the gospel. By doing so, we become a blessing, a healer, and a lifter to those around us, embodying the love and compassion of Jesus in our daily lives. [35:11]
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, ESV)
Reflection: What is one belief or value you hold that you have not yet put into practice? What steps can you take this week to live out this aspect of your faith?
Quotes
"We are talking about our miracle contact with Jesus for our miracle impact on our world. And all that we get from Jesus is to be transmitted to our world. We have a theme around here, International Gospel Center, but it's a theme for all Christians, ministering love in a hurting world. Do you believe that?" [00:53:30]
"The fourth great key in miracle to help me make Christ known is A, it stands for action by deeds His feet are sown. Now, Jesus gave Jesus, the part of this verse that we're basing this on tonight, Jesus, through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost gave commandment to the apostles who he had chosen." [00:47:26]
"And they got the idea, and the great revival, as any missionary in New Guinea, the great revival that broke out, that has broken out, all over Papua New Guinea, the fires were lit in that major seminar that Dr. Daisy and I conducted at Garoka, there in the center highlands of Papua New Guinea." [00:53:18]
"And now, since he comes back, it's the same Jesus that lives in me. So logically, he thinks the same way, talks the same way, and does the same things in me as he did in that character that we read about in the Bible. And the Indonesians had never thought of anything like that." [00:56:13]
"It was real to him. Jesus was in him. Overnight, Nimi understood. Oh! Because I'm... I made it very clear. Their hands are big and their feet are big because they're always barefooted. You haven't seen feet until you see a New Guinean foot. They've really got feet." [09:16:07]
"Jesus walks in those feet now. Look at your hands. Big, rough, tough, good, strong hands. Jesus uses those feet. Those hands. I said before, he used the hands of a guy that was a Jew and he was a teacher, a rabbi so he might have been quite nice and I explained he was a carpenter's son." [10:12:73]
"Nemi went back as a Jesus person and won the people now that yeah that's worth clapping about now I tell you that to make the point Jesus is interested in people when Nemi found the Lord Nemi imagined that because he got this clear simple picture this Jesus would still be interested in people." [10:28:00]
"We can catch on to it but what we want to remember is we don't learn until we do if our creed has not become our deed our creed is dead our creed is real when it takes on flesh and becomes our deed God won't to use the people at International Gospel Center but no more than He wants to use any people." [17:53:84]
"I absolutely believe that I am Jesus when He came you know He came with His message follow me they did He went where? He went where people were I've said if you want to follow Him go where He goes He goes where people are as He went along we talked the other night He went to Simon's wife's mother healed her." [19:15:38]
"Jesus was concerned with people the ministry of Jesus was a people ministry he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion because they were scattered and had no one who cared for them and that bothered Jesus because he knows that the human ego needs a friend people kill themselves more because of loneliness." [20:20:80]
"Jesus is a people. People minister. Now look, I mean, should I go again over the verse that LaDonna read this morning? I've read it. Pastor Days has read it. Would you let me read it again? Luke 4, 18. Are we ever going to get over that verse?" [31:12:13]
"Jesus is a people person. He has compassion. We are anointed. We are appointed to lift people. Do you believe that? Hallelujah. Those in need. No wealth. No influence. No position. No honor. No esteem in the human race. No virtue. The poor. I'm anointed. I'm anointed to preach the gospel of the poor." [39:40:17]
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