Sermon Cloud

Intro:  Pizza dream- going to jail!  Wanted Mike to watch over me.  Paul was in prison for Jesus.

Big Idea:  Grace empowers us to suffer that the lost may be saved.

Context:  Paul writes Timothy from prison to encourage him not to be ashamed of his condition- Paul’s not.   Many in Asia abandoned the faith.  Paul knows he is there for doing right, not evil.  But he must remember that his suffering is not accidental, but the price of missional living. 

I. Explanation:  Grace must empower us because hard work is the price of missional living.

-         Ministry is not just inconvenient, it is beyond your ability!  And desire!  Ill. Saddleback

-         Missional living is ministry; we need grace from Jesus to live as missionaries.

-         Paul offers 3 Metaphors for Missional Living for us to ponder.

-         God promises to give us insight as we labor to understand God’s word.

-         1^st, soldiers have a mission to complete.  Please the general (Jesus), not yourself.

-         Participate in culture to win the lost, not live it up.  Ill. Brian & Joe/Borden heir

-         Missional living requires self-denial.  We lay aside legitimate distractions from the goal.

-         2^nd, athletes have a crown to win.  They train long & hard for competition day.

-         Breaking the rules disqualifies you.  Ill. Floyd Landis

-         Missional living requires self-control.  It must be done God’s way- no shortcuts.

-         3^rd, farmers have crops to grow- there’s tons of work to do first.  No work, no food!

-         Missional living requires delayed gratification.  Invest lots of effort & love before fruit.

-         Keep your eye on the goal => Do it God’s way => Be patient!  All this requires GRACE!

Transition: Missional living requires a high price of hard work building relationships & bridges.

Application:  Because the cost is so high seek the grace needed by faith in Jesus.

-         Commanded to receive & be empowered by grace.  It is a daily thing.  Depend & trust!

-         Are we not seeing fruit because we are doing it in our power?  Not living the gospel!

-         Devotions promote faith & repentance to receive grace.  Steady spiritual life’s essential!

Transition: To live as missionaries, we need to seek the grace that is found in Jesus, regularly.

B. Grace must empower us because suffering is the price of missional living.

-         Paul didn’t just work hard; he suffered too.  Paul was in chains for Jesus (Colossians 1).

-         Suffering & shame tempt us to give up.  He’d watched so many desert him.  Ill. Carey

-         We experience suffering & shame, but eternal glory is coming.

-         Remember Jesus… after he suffered he was vindicated & received glory.

-         This is pattern for us to follow as well.  First the cross, then the crown (Romans 8).

-         Paul endured all for the elect come to faith & be saved in Christ.

-         To embrace suffering to see people be saved requires GRACE!

Transition: Missional living often requires the high price of suffering as we make Jesus known.

Application: Because the cost is so high persevere though the going is difficult.

-         I’ve seen pastors & lay people give up at the first sign of difficulty.  Ill. Church planter

-         We think it’s supposed to be easy.  The Bible repeatedly shows us how difficult it is.

-         Perseverance is not something that comes naturally.  Ill. Car dealership

-         Ask God for the grace of perseverance!  And keep Jesus in mind & pray, pray, pray!

Conclusion: Living like a missionary is not easy.  It is filled with hard work and suffering with the goal of seeing others come to faith.  But God doesn’t just command us to live this way, he offers the grace we need to work hard & suffer.  Will we shrink back, or are we willing to pay the price?