Thesis: If you refuse to do God’s will, who will God get to do it for you?

Introduction: What if Judas had refused to betray Christ, who would have been God’s second choice for the fulfillment of His divine plan?

Body:
I. How Many times?
A. How many times have you heard the word of God read; that says:
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)
1. Do these words apply to you?
2. Yes, it is true they were given to the apostles, they were the ones charged with that responsibility.
3. But it is also clear that they passed on that charge to us. 2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)
4. Are you one of those faithful men?
"If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
5. Can you tell Christ that you are a “good and faithful servant of God?”
B. Is there an acceptable excuse that our God can use to justify your noncompliance?
1. What if God said to you:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19)
2. Would you do it, would you make any effort or every effort to comply with His command?
3. Can you say today, tonight, “Yes I have complied with the word of God?”
4. Or will you have to say, “Yes I have complied with the world, not with God?”
5. Is “I was afraid” an acceptable excuse to God?

II. How many times does the Bible have to repeat the word of God for it to be true?
A. Is once enough?
1. Did you understand John 14:15? and Mark 16:15?
2. How about John 15:14?
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:14)
3. What about Matthew 28:19
B. If you will not do these things, who will do them for God?
1. Must He seek another to be His friend?
2. Do you remember what Mordecia told Esther?
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)
3. Have we not heard the words of Paul to the Phillipians?
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
(Philippians 4:13)
C. Abiding in Christ, there is no chore that we cannot accomplish. John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:5)
1. If we can do all things through Christ, we are without excuse.
2. If we are of the world, we are not of Christ. James 4:4

Invitation:
1. Not everyone that thinks he is in Christ will be saved.
2. Heed the words of our Lord and Savior:
Every branch in Me (fellow Christians) that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)
3. Again He says:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

By Gary Murphy

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