Lord, What Shall I Do? — Jim Cymbala

Sharing Your Personal Testimony

So here's the one sentence that is the missing sentence in most people's Christianity, and it's just one sentence and It tells everything. Whenever Paul got arrested or had a hearing he would almost always tell his story about his conversion and His actual conversion is told in the earlier chapters of the book of Acts in Chapter 9 and then he retells the story in A couple other places in the book because that's and it reminds us that that's a good way to talk to people.

Donna's Testimony and the Love of the Church

Don't try to be dr. Billy Graham. Just tell him your testimony. Tell him what Christ did in your life. Tell him how you got converted Donna. Tell him you were up on the top of the building ready to jump off and commit suicide she was outside on a ledge ready to take her life and The cops let me up to try to talk her off the ledge you held me you told me you've heard me repeat this but for those of you don't know and The cops couldn't talk her off the ledge and they warned me not to try to be brave because they said she'll grab you and Pull you out with her.

I Went up and talked to her in the minute. They were in the other facility other building and they said I said to her what's your name? Donna said Don you got to come off. Don't come near me. Don't come near me or I'll jump.

She was out of the window ready to go down Die. I Said I'm a minister. I Pastored the Brooklyn Tabernacle next door here because she had gone to see her therapist. Obviously the therapist did not do a good job.

Because that lady was ready to jump and She said oh you're from that church. That's the only place where people love me. That's the oh listen no listen the only place where people love me that's what got me access to talk to her.

Right and now she has a testimony. You have a testimony. Hers is different. Okay, she was out there and And very disturbed in her mind and trouble and now she's sitting here in a Tuesday night prayer meeting here.

Paul's Conversion Story in Jerusalem

Here here was Paul's story. Listen, here was Paul's story. This is he speaks to the crowd. They're about to kill him in Jerusalem and he speaks to the crowd then Paul said I'm a Jew. When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic or Hebrew they became very quiet.

Then Paul said I'm a Jew born in Tarsus of Cilicia. But was brought up in this city Jerusalem under Gamaliel. I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers the Jewish tradition and was just as zealous for God as any of you are Today the ones who are trying to kill him.

I persecuted the followers of this way. I was trying to kill Christians and he did kill Christians to the death. He says in another place. I Persecuted the followers of this way to their death arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison.

This is his testimony. I was persecuting the church. You're after me and you want to kill me? But I'm telling you I was as much as one of you as you could imagine. I was persecuting the people who were called Christians throwing them in prison as.

Also the high priest and the council can testify. In other words, I'm not making this not bogus. You can check on it. I was out there. I was mean hate-filled. I even obtained letters from them in Jerusalem the leaders to their brothers in Damascus the Jewish leaders in Damascus.

That's Syria and I went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. So I'm on my way to Damascus in Syria to get the believers in Jesus the Jewish believers there. So I can haul them back to Jerusalem and hassle them and maybe get them killed and and stripped away from their family.

Jesus Confronts Saul on the Damascus Road

One nasty guy. About noon as I came near Damascus suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and I heard a voice say to me Saul Saul. Why do you persecute me? Now Saul wasn't persecuting Jesus.

He was persecuting the church. But Jesus so relates to the local church like a pastor said that when you persecute a Christian you're persecuting Jesus. Jesus can't be persecuted. He's in heaven, but he said to Saul Saul Saul.

Why do you persecute me? In other words when you attack my people. When you persecute my people you're I'm the head. They're the body with the body of Christ. Jesus can't do anything on earth except through his body.

If the body is weak, then the work of the Lord goes backwards. Even though Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever because his body has to carry out the work. That's just the way he made it. Saul.

Saul, why do you persecute me? Who are you Lord? He hears this voice. He's knocked off his mount is bright light brighter than the noonday Sun shines at him blinds him. Who are you Lord? I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting my companions.

Paul said saw the light but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. So they were knocked down. They saw the light but only Paul Saul of Tarsus could hear the voice. Now remember now, he's not an apostle.

He hasn't written any of the New Testament. He hasn't been to any Bible school. He's just a guy persecuting the church and Jesus reveals himself in a Tremendously dramatic way to him and now listen. They did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me and then Paul says this What shall I do Lord?

Asking the Lord for His Assignment

All right, he gets it. This is Jesus. This is the Son of God. He gets it the one the Christians. He's persecuting are serving the true God. Because this God has just revealed himself and knocked him off his mount and he's blind and the light is brighter than the noonday Sun.

He gets it now. He's wrong. He gets it. Jesus is the Son of God. He heard those messages. He knew what they were preaching because he was persecuting them. He was learned it in the book of the law. He knew about the promises of the Messiah, but he said Jesus of Nazareth.

It's not the Messiah. That's bogus. And now he realizes he's bogus. Jesus is the Messiah and now he says the natural thing. What? Shall I do? See that's the missing sentence a lot of us say I believe and I'm gonna start going to church.

But very few people say What shall I do? Obviously you got a plan for my life. So what shall I do and the Lord said to him get up? The Lord said and go into Damascus. That's where he was heading there.

You will be told all That you have been assigned to do end of story. That's the missing part, maybe they have it more in Ethiopia than they have it in America. Because it seems like when these converts get saved they're saying Lord.

Surrendering to God's Will

What shall we do? Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to say? Yeah, I have a job. I have a family that that you'll take care of. I know but what did what did you save me for? What's my assignment and?

The Lord said to him you want to know what to do. Go into Damascus because anyone who wants to know what to do. The Lord will tell you what to do if we surrender our will to the Lord and say Lord What shall I do?

The Lord is going to reveal himself to us and say what shall I do? Obviously this man Pastor Ray and Linda were Lord. What shall I do? And they put Ethiopia on his heart? Not everyone, you know, Billy Graham got a different assignment.

They're not greater than Billy Graham. Billy Graham is not greater than them. Nobody's great. Jesus is great. All we're supposed to do is say what shall I do? If he's Lord the Lord gives orders to servants how many want to be servants of Jesus Christ?

So that's the question Lord. What shall I do? And then the Lord answers him. This is not told in the conversion story go into Damascus and it will be told to you. You'll get further instructions. I'm not answering you now.

You just wait and listen and I'll tell you what to do and through the rest of his life Paul was always not knowing what to do. That's why it's so silly when ministers get all these plans and formulas of what they're gonna do for the next 10 years.

I mean, I guess God could give it to you, but it's certainly not a biblical pattern. Paul was always just like Lord. What do I do? Oh, I want to go there, but the Lord is blocking that I want to go over there all the Spirit of Jesus blocks me Lord.

What should I do? Oh, and then a vision comes from Macedonia. Come on over and help us and that's we ends up in Macedonia and that's how we get all those letters to the Greek churches that he founded and The Lord will always lead anyone who says Lord What shall I do and maybe you're here tonight and this is what's missing in your life.

The Energy of Obedient Christian Service

Did you notice how charged this pastor is? Come on is the brother hyper or what the brother is hyper for Ethiopia why? Because somewhere along the line he said Lord, what shall I do? And the Lord said here's what you do.

And whenever you do what the Lord tells you to do you get this juice. You get this energy. Christians who are bored have somehow missed Lord. What shall I do? You're never bored. Can I just say this for the glory of God my wife and I have a lot of faults.

Daily Dependence on God's Guidance

But somewhere in her life. She has said many times Lord. What shall I do? I Have a lot of faults in me, but I promise you before God I said to God What shall I do God? What shall I do. The only reason I'm standing here is God in his grace.

Took someone who wasn't even a strong Christian. He broke me down and brought me to that place and I still need to do it every day. Lord what should I do? I asked him this morning. What should I say to the staff?

What should I say when I meet pastor Ray Noah? But what should I do. Tell me when to be quiet. Tell me when to talk what shall I do? Where should I go? Those of you who know God has his hand on you, but you don't know what to do next just get up out of your seat.

A Call to Surrender and Obedience

And come and stand at this altar and for the next 10 -15 minutes. I'll pray with you. Don't anyone else move. I'll dismiss you in another two minutes, but first I want everyone who says pastor. Even while that man was talking I felt stirred because here are people in Ethiopia obeying the Lord and going out to start churches and My Christianity is I'm in control and the Lord better help me when I'm in trouble.

Lord we say with the Apostle What shall I do. Give us grace to be able to say that to you tonight Lord. Help us to surrender our lives our strength our money our brains. Our bodies our futures and say what shall I do for you?

After all you've done for us Jesus the least we can do tonight Is say what shall I do? Go into Damascus and there you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. Speak in a dream tonight. Speak with speak with a still small voice speak.

Tomorrow speak through a verse in the Bible speak. Speak when and how you want, but God show us what you want us to do as a church. The pastors. It's a congregation individually as couples. We surrender ourselves to you.

Praying for God's Will to Be Done

Yes, God move in Ethiopia, but move in New York City. Move in our lives around the world. Lord send us wherever you want our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as We forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Continuing to Ask, “What Will You Have Me Do?”

Let's put our hands together and clap for the Lord Jesus. Remember now. This is just the beginning you go home in the morning. You wake him if he wakes you up. You just Lord. What will you have me to do come on?

Do I get an amen Lord? What will you have me to do say it with me Lord? What will you have me to God get everyone home safely. Let your face shine upon us in Jesus name? Amen.