embrace the struggle

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embrace the struggle. “FOR I AM ALREADY BEING POURED OUT LIKE A DRINK OFFERING, AND THE TIME HAS COME FOR MY DEPARTURE. I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.” (2 TIMOTHY 4:7)

PART 3 – “STRUGGLING TO SHARE JESUS” PASTOR JASON EPPS

“GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.” (MATTHEW 28:19-20) “FOR WE ARE GOD’S FELLOW WORKERS.” (1 CORINTHIANS 3:9)

IF I DON’T SHARE JESUS, IT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE: 1)

I’M _______________________________ IN JESUS, BUT I’VE NEVER GIVEN CONTROL OF MY LIFE TO HIM. “SOME ITINERANT JEWISH EXORCISTS WHO HAPPENED TO BE IN TOWN AT THE TIME TRIED THEIR HAND AT WHAT THEY ASSUMED TO BE PAUL’S ‘GAME.’ THEY PRONOUNCED THE NAME OF THE MASTER JESUS OVER VICTIMS OF EVIL SPIRITS, SAYING, ‘I COMMAND YOU BY THE JESUS PREACHED BY PAUL!’ THE SEVEN SONS OF A CERTAIN SCEVA, A JEWISH HIGH PRIEST, WERE TRYING TO DO THIS ON A MAN WHEN THE EVIL SPIRIT TALKED BACK: ‘I KNOW JESUS AND I’VE HEARD OF PAUL, BUT WHO ARE YOU?’ THEN THE POSSESSED MAN WENT BERSERK—JUMPED THE EXORCISTS, BEAT THEM UP, AND TORE OFF THEIR CLOTHES. NAKED AND BLOODY, THEY GOT AWAY AS BEST THEY COULD.” (ACTS 19:13-16)

2)

I’M NOT SURE IF MY EXPERIENCE IS _________________________. “ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS YOU TO GIVE THE REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE. BUT DO THIS WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT.” (1 PETER 3:15)

WHY SHARE JESUS?

1)

IF I KNOW HIM, WHY ______________________ I? “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION.” (MARK 16:15)

2)

THE PEOPLE I LOVE ____________ HIM. “AS JESUS APPROACHED JERUSALEM AND SAW THE CITY, HE WEPT OVER IT.” (LUKE 19:41)

HOW TO SHARE JESUS: 1)

REMEMBER THAT LEARNING TO SHARE IS A _______________ AND LEARNING A SKILL IS A PROCESS. “TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE GODLY.” (1 TIMOTHY 4:7)

2)

IDENTIFY THE “____________________ _______________” WHERE GOD HAS SENT YOU – YOUR “SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.” “SO WHEN THEY MET TOGETHER, THEY ASKED HIM, ‘LORD, ARE YOU AT THIS TIME GOING TO RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?’ HE SAID TO THEM: ‘IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR DATES THE FATHER HAS SET BY HIS OWN AUTHORITY. BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU; AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.”’ (ACTS 1:6-8)

3)

SHARE JESUS ____________________________________. “ONE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW CAME AND HEARD THEM DEBATING. NOTICING THAT JESUS HAD GIVEN THEM A GOOD ANSWER, HE ASKED HIM, ‘OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT?’ ‘THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE,’ ANSWERED JESUS, ‘IS THIS: HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ THERE IS NO COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE.” (MARK 12:28-31)

4)

DON’T EVER LOSE YOUR _______________ ON SHARING JESUS. “ENDURE HARDSHIP WITH US LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST JESUS. NO ONE SERVING AS A SOLDIER GETS INVOLVED IN CIVILIAN AFFAIRS—HE WANTS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDING OFFICER.” (2 TIMOTHY 2:3-4)