Schau Auf Jesus (3) (German) — George Verwer

Let's pray together Father we have heard many many messages many challenges father. We haven't feel a boot up and hurt feel a house following and we need Wisdom from you, but we're broken by a tight from the earth to know how to respond especially When we leave this place.

That means we have this movie. We have the offer here in India. This is not for nothing when we may no longer be in a big group. People that are of like mind when they make me in an acrobatism for loitering.

Can also be here, but we may be very much on our own. So that's we often said to still think and we asked lord that you would help us as we Prepare to leave this place tomorrow. And have it beaten the stuff to his twin fear this and that's more of a lesson.

We look to you now as we look into your word together. We are shown to the old be so we will come. I sometimes what betrayed in the name of Jesus in the name of you to amen. Well this morning, I want to try to give you a very short message.

Following Up on a Commitment to World Missions

No, no, I don't want to really pursue knowledge. I think I'm supposed to give them. We have many speakers. We have feeling special. And I know some people think for George Verwer that a short message is impossible.

No, and I need a big boy for George. We were isn't a school to put up for the movie. But I've had to many times give the short messages. I will have some of the opposite which often forget in fact I once did a radio broadcast in South Africa of three minutes.

In the time you have to buy in South Africa. I knew I could put up in driving The Anglican Church there where I preach often in Great Britain where I live the Anglicanism here in Cross Britannia and which of pretty good.

They specialize in short messages. We think special isn't the court to put something sometimes only 15 minutes my smile. No, no 15 minutes. I always remember going to one of those churches. It's been given off the run away so in I did it again my and they gave me 19 minutes on the schedule.

Was he got me in 19 minutes loud plan and I begged the leader of the church could I have a little longer time? I was new this was my first time. Could I have a little longer to share this burden on the shop?

Really, you have to think like a I'm complete couldn't you stand this in me? I'll be think I'm sorry it was just I'm finally project a bitch in me outside. And he said of course you can have 21 minutes now.

It's really like that with either 20 minutes. Many many people made a very important commitment last night to pray that prayer Lord here Am I send me feel a hum get some obvious a These a hint of a full-blown hair in the niche.

What do we do next? And what comes yet? To make that decision is just the beginning. These are inside of the felling that it's another I'm fine many people make that kind of decision. Philae Martin piece of art for sprechen these it's I don't find it very difficult to follow up after work.

And she'll not have it is very sweet. It doesn't want to listen. They quickly become confused or discouraged. See that it's a rust for width or not a moody. Without what I shared yesterday morning, I don't think we can understand what I was trying to say last night.

In the morning we spoke from Acts chapter 13, and we shared this vision to see more workers thrust out across especially the unreached people of the world. One of the advantages we have at this congress is we can pick up a videocassette of the ministry that's going on.

This will also be helpful when people try to misquote what we're saying. They say, George Berwer said this. We can say, please refer to videocassette number six. When we are committed to world missions, then we will be mission mobilizers.

In other words, we will be sharing this vision with others. We will not be keeping it to ourselves. And if you get a copy of this Acts 13 message from yesterday morning, you can then share this vision with so many people who are not here.

We only represent a tiny, tiny percentage of the believers here in Germany. How can we get this message out to other people? We can share with them personally. They can see it in our lives, and we can share it through video or audio cassette.

Even people who are at the congress, some of them could not be here last night. And I would urge that those people get the videocassette or audio cassette from last night. This is a very special Sunday.

Pentecost Sunday and the Meaning of Acts 2

Across the world, it is known as Pentecost Sunday. It especially should be special for Pentecostal people. All Pentecostals should stand on their head for at least ten minutes on Pentecostal Sunday. But of course, we believe every Sunday is Pentecostal Sunday.

We believe every day is Pentecostal Day. And I don't think most of us do want to stand on our heads, so supposedly that is now good for your health. The Americans are very much into health and exercise.

Well, I live in London. I was born in the United States. So I minister there. Actually, I think it was in Canada. I went into the basement, and the man had a machine that could turn you upside down, so that you could be standing on your head for twenty or thirty minutes.

Thousands of people have purchased those machines. Thousands spend up to one hour upside down each day, hoping something will get into their heads. People will go to any extreme to try to be a little more healthy.

We live in very unusual days, and we need a lot of wisdom. When I think of Pentecost Sunday, I think, of course, of the second chapter of Acts. And we always read the first verses concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit.

And I will let other people do that today, but I wanted to look at the neglected last verses of this great chapter. Because here we have some of the secrets of what to do next, after we have an experience with the Holy Spirit.

What to do next after we make a commitment, as we did last night concerning world mission. Let us read verse forty-two until the end of the chapter. We'll just read in German to save time. Forty-two through forty-seven.

Let the word of God speak to your heart. But all who had become believers were together and had all things together. They sold goods and goods and distributed them among all, depending on what one needed.

And they were daily together in the temple and broke the bread here and there in the houses, and kept the meals with joy and a loud heart, and praised God and found well-being in the whole people. But the Lord added daily to the community those who were saved.

This is one of the most important pictures of the early believers right after Pentecost. This is one of the most important pictures of the early believers right after Pentecost. We can learn a lot from this part of the scripture, as well as from other parts.

Apostolic Doctrine and Christian Unity

First we see that they were constant in this teaching of the apostles. They did not yet have a New Testament. It was still verbal teaching. People who had been with the Lord. The early apostles. Some people in this day are wanting to unite all the religions of the world.

That is a major force in Germany and in Europe today. Of course the Baha 'i religion claims they have already done that, and they want everybody to become a Baha 'i. And they have created one of the most poisonous religious cocktails in the history of religion.

More and more we are going to see the persecution of true believers here in Europe. It is constantly coming on television. Christians are mocked. They are all considered fanatical fundamentalists. Or completely crazy charismatics.

Some Christians do not watch much television. Probably good. I don't watch much television. But I try to stay informed and read reviews and watch some of these programs to see what they are saying against the body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A key word in our society today is toleration. This is also true in the United States. Political correctness. We must never say anything that offends any minority group. Some of these things are good.

But the exception seems to be Bible-believing Christians. These are considered the enemy by so-called liberal-minded people. This is one of the reasons we need greater love and unity among us. Probably the most important book I have seen in this decade is a book called Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll that two years ago was also put into German.

This amazing book has gone out by the hundreds of thousands of copies in many languages. If you read English, I'll be happy to send you one as a gift. If you want it in German, go to your Christian bookshop.

They need your encouragement. Or maybe they have it here on this book table. There are tremendous books available in German. The average Christian only sees a tiny percentage of those books because they're not that interested in Christian books.

In this amazing book by this man of God, there's an important chapter learning to disagree and yet staying united together. I believe that is the way forward for the body of Christ. We are never going to all agree on all the different things that are coming at us from different sources in the church today.

At the same time, Bible teaching and doctrine are important. I praised God for two years in a Bible college. I did not agree with everything they taught me. I was a little bit of a rebel. But those two years of so much time in the word of God laid a foundation in my life.

Jesus Christ as the Only Way to the Father

I have a cassette tape again I'd be happy to send you free. Call Y, go to Bible college. We must never say that doctrine is not important. The teaching of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is doctrine. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.

No man cometh to the Father but by me. That is a doctrinal statement that will revolutionize our lives if we believe it. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. And that is simply doctrine, teaching.

And that will revolutionize our lives. That is something that annoys many people the most about world missions. When they hear we're trying to win people of other religions, you know, good Muslims and good Hindus, we're trying to win them to Jesus.

They say this is a terrible thing. How do we handle that? We have to go back to God's word. Jesus is the way. We don't want to put down other people's culture. In fact, missionaries must be very sensitive about culture.

Training Missionaries for Cross-Cultural Service

And we need a very high quality of missionary in the day and age in which we live. In a summer or for a year program, you can be a helper. You can have a ministry, praise God. But that must be a learning experience.

You don't go as some dynamic apostle. You go as a humble disciple and Timothy learning from others. Many are getting a vision for long-term missions through their short-term opportunity. But long-term missionaries must be quality people who can learn a language, who can adjust to culture and do God's work.

The Four Pillars of a Solid New Testament Church

There are two, three other points just in that one verse. A great church planter in India who plants at about 500 churches. He said verse 42 presents the four pillars of a solid New Testament church. It talks about doctrine.

Then it talks about fellowship. Then it talks about worship expressed in the breaking of bread. And then it speaks about prayer just in that one verse. We don't have time to expound this passage. And another major follow-up from last night and this whole congress is to remain in fellowship with like-minded people.

Try to meet for prayer. Hopefully you belong to a church where you can meet for prayer and where you can have fellowship. But some people go off to university. They go off to different parts of the world.

Accountability and Purity in Christian Life

And I would urge you wherever you are to be in fellowship with like-minded people that you can share your heart with, you can share your vision with and you can pray with. Many people ask me this question because I'm known for speaking openly about sexuality.

They ask me this question. Why have so many people including leaders fallen into immorality? That is a question everybody asks me all over the world. We don't have time to give a big answer to that question.

And that is not my subject this morning. But I can assure you young people one of the fiery darts that will try to stop you in your mission vision will be the fiery dart of immorality or impurity. I have a 25 point strategy I have practiced since 17 years of age to stand against the fiery darts of immorality and hallelujah it has worked for 42 years.

And all of it is found in the word of God. But one of the most important principles is being accountable having some kind of accountability group so that you have people who are in fellowship with you who are not afraid to ask you the hard questions about how you are actually living your practical Christian life.

Some of you have heard of the promise keepers movement in North America that has spread to many other countries. People easily criticize something that is new especially when it is so big. Nothing is perfect and especially when it gets big.

I was in Washington some months ago when one million almost one million men came for a whole day of worship and repentance there in the capital of the United States. It was awesome. Over the past several years since that movement was launched by a former football coach hundreds of thousands of men have got right with God and right with their wives.

I say praise be to God. Many of them have repented of immorality. Amen. Many of them have repented of immorality and the secret of that unusual movement is not these big amazing meetings it's the small accountability groups where as it says in 1 John chapter 2 men are walking in the light with one another.

One of the fruits of true revival is when men and women begin to walk in the light no more darkness no more double life Saturday night one life Sunday morning a different life we become whole we become healthy Holy Spirit healthy and we learn how to walk in the light.

Worship, the Breaking of Bread, and Prayer

If I had not learned that as a baby Christian I would not be here today I would have been knocked out of the battle. And then we see that emphasis on worship and breaking of bread which is part of worship in a congress with so much emphasis on worship from others I don't feel I should speak more about that only to say that I learned this when I was 17 and I began at a young age to distribute books urging people to make worship the number one priority of their life not just when we're together and we have wonderful worship bands but when we're all alone and we're feeling lonely to worship God with the inner harp that he has put in our hearts.

Then we see that fourth principle there in that verse the principle of prayer. And we have had that emphasized in a wonderful way these days we see the results. Look at verse 43 they were filled with awe.

Many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. That has been your emphasis. Praise God for what he has done. But of course when we get to verse 44 we decide it's time to go home. Many people want signs and wonders.

People will travel thousands of miles for signs and wonders. Some aren't interested in creating signs and wonders even when there are no signs and wonders. But I seldom find people interested in verse 44.

Receiving the Whole Counsel of Acts 2

And when we get to verse 45 we decide that we're going to go into cafeteria. Bible study methods. What is cafeteria. Bible study methods. It means we pick and we choose. It's like a smorgasbord. We have those restaurants in Germany.

All the food is spread out in front of you. It's like the little breakfast we have in our little hotel here. Five, ten different kinds of German bread and biscuits and things. You just pick and you choose.

So people have developed this method of studying the bible. Some people have developed this method of studying the bible. Oh, verse 43, that's my favorite signs and wonders, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's eat, let's eat.

Oh, verse 44, let's look at that all the believers were together and had everything in common. No, not today, not today. I'm not very hungry for that today. Well, let's take a look at the next verse. Selling their possessions and goods they gave to anyone who had need.

Not today, thank you. Maybe tomorrow. Oh, that verse is for my rich uncle. I certainly hope he gives me something soon. So many of the Lord's people play little games with the word of God instead of taking all of it and facing the reality of that.

Now when we get to verse 46 well, that's a little easier. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes ate together with glad and sincere hearts. And verse 47 praising God enjoying the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved glory to God.

Returning to the Real World With the Message of the Cross

So many important decisions have been made here during this congress. Some have been healed some have had a fresh experience with the Holy Spirit. All of this happens not in the absence of our humanness.

It happens in the midst of all of our humanness. But the big question what do we do on Tuesday morning. What do we do on Tuesday morning as we go back to our jobs. As we go back to families that do not even know Christ.

As we get back into the real world situation. Jesus never promised an easy road. And that's why once again I want to emphasize together with Pentecost we always must have the message of the cross. Never put these in competition.

We need the word. We need the spirit. We need the spirit filled life. But we need a crucified life. It's wonderful to have a crisis experience. But the crisis must be followed by a process or it will become an abscess.

Paul's Call to Spiritual Discipline

So people who once were so filled with God's grace are not out of the battle. I close with these words of the apostle Paul from the book of Corinthians he said I buffet my body. I bring my body into discipline.

This is the apostle Paul the man who had some of the most incredible spiritual experiences ever recorded. In the word of God he says I buffet my body. I bring it into subjection. I discipline myself so that after preaching to other people I do not end up a cast away disqualified.

That's from the word of God. That's not my idea. And the apostle Paul needed that kind of discipline that kind of crucified reality. How much more all of us who are sitting here need to take that step of faith.

Crucified With Christ

Paul said in Galatians 2 I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ who liveth within me. That is the message that comes together with the great message of Pentecost. And when we get that holy ghost combination the crisis and the process nothing will stop us from running this marathon race until we are with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Applying Pentecost Through Daily Discipline

Let us pray let every head be bowed before the Lord in a moment of silent prayer. I believe God has spoken to many of you about biblical balance about what to do when you leave here. About the need to have the reality of the Holy Spirit together with the reality of the crucified life.

The need to take these basic principles from Acts chapter 2 that Pentecost chapter and put them in practice in our daily life. Are you willing to do this when you leave here starting Monday night starting Tuesday morning.

Disciplining the word of God disciplining fellowship and accountability. Disciplining worship and prayer. Disciplined in every area of your life so that when your body is trying to pull you into something sinful you will be able to deal that blow and bring it back to the cross.

So that five years from now you will not be one more congress casualty. Are you willing for that kind of life that kind of discipline. I'm not going to ask you to come forward but if you're serious about the disciplined life if you're serious about what I have just spoken to you about and you make a specific commitment to walk this road I'd like you just to put your hand up.

I just want to see you because I know it is a majority of people. God bless you Lord. I pray for each person that has just put their hand up that they will become disciplined marathon runners in your great race that the crisis they've experienced these days will be followed by the process of daily denying self taking up the cross and following you and Lord.

I want to recommit myself to continue to walk this road. And Lord I thank you that when I have failed in a lack of discipline that you have forgiven. And Lord I pray for those that feel a struggle in their hearts because maybe they tried to walk this road and they have failed.

And we thank you for grace Lord and forgiveness. That when we fail you love us just as much because we are your children and we have been cleansed by your precious blood by your grace we will stay in this race Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. Amen.