R1623 This We Must Do

We all could use some encouragement and we'll find it together today in the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton, here on The Encouraging Word.

Understanding how to prioritize what must be done. This we must do is the topic from today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. We'll head to Matthew chapter 10 in just a moment. But we pray that during these moments of studying God's Word together, we would gain some order and insight on how we can set priorities in our life.

Perhaps you'd like to have someone pray with you about prioritizing some areas of your life? We stand ready to pray anytime at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 or we're connecting online as well at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. While you're there, sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don. And now, today's message with Dr. Wilton. I want you to turn in your Bible speech today to Matthew chapter 10. Matthew's gospel chapter 10. And I want to read to you just two verses.

And I'm about to show you something that is beyond extraordinary and amazing. Matthew chapter 10 and verse 32. This is what Jesus said. And I want to just emphasize, I did not say this. Your church didn't say this. Not a single human being said this.

It doesn't come from earth. This comes from heaven. This comes from the Lord Jesus.

He said this. So we've got to do business with him on this statement. We've got to ask him.

We've got to try and find out what it is that he's saying to us. This is what Jesus said. Verse 32. He said, whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge that person before my father in heaven. But, whoever disowns me before people, I will disown that person before my father in heaven.

Now may the Lord give us an understanding. I mean, you name all the experiences that these followers who were now sitting around him had seen, had experienced. They were believers.

A believer is a follower of Jesus. Just like you. Just like me. I'm a believer. Now I'm just like them.

I'm just like them. You know, I jostle for a seat closer to him and I'm going to beat you to the top seat. And I'm going to have my doubts and I'm going to get a little off handish and I'm going to get out of line and out of turn and doubt whether or not he's going to be able to really feed all those hungry people until I actually see it happen.

I'm going to struggle with all those things. But boy, do I know that this is my Jesus. He's God.

So boil it all down. You would go and ask them, say, who is he? They'd say, well, he's God.

Well, what about him? They'd say, God can do it. God can do it. If you ask those followers, is there anything he cannot do?

They'd say, are you kidding me? He can do it. God can do this. We've said we've seen it. So now we get up here to the end of chapter nine and Jesus, Jesus, by the way, the Bible says Jesus was out there.

He wasn't in the church. I see you people. Do we see our community? And then Jesus made that statement.

Steve Wise was speaking about it just a moment. He said, you know, there are lots of people out here. The harvest is plentiful.

The problem is the laborers are few. The people who really get it. Every time someone comes up to me to have a big complaint about something, I think they don't get it. There's love in my heart. Show me a congregation of believers that get it.

Jesus brings the congregation together, the believers, just individual people like you and me. Like, I mean, this bunch. By the way, we're a bunch. We're not more than what we think we are.

That's why anyone's welcome here. And so when you get into Chapter 10, Jesus calls his 12 disciples. I mean, we were told who it is.

I didn't make that up. He calls them together, sits them around next to the rock, whatever it is, sitting on a hillside. He gathers them around and he says, you know that I'm God. You've followed me. You understand the struggle. I'm now going to send you out. Because of your community, your people. Out.

And I want to tell you what you need to look like and sound like and behave like and act like when you go. And Jesus changes the theme from God can do this to this you must do. Jesus will cannot deny his children in front of the father because that has already happened. That is the work of salvation.

And it's eternal. So we've got to unpack and ask ourselves to help us. What does this mean? And there's never been a greater statement, my beloved friends, than today, and I'm going to tell you why a lot of things can be said about COVID. If we use COVID, this is our day. But one thing that's happening during COVID is there's a great sifting of the church going on. Did you know that? You can expect in the days and months that lie ahead.

I believe, as your pastor, that the church, and I'm using the broad scheme, the church was getting far too comfortable. Just like. And COVID is coming. And there's a great sifting going on.

There will be a falling away. I promise you, if you haven't yet, you will encounter people who once before COVID always came to church will no longer do it. They found their excuse. And there's a cry all over America because the hunger is there. And God's word stands. Jesus said, just to these 12, said, you love me, you believe I can do it all. Now this you must do.

You got to go out and you got to acknowledge me at your assignment, publicly. So the first thing I just want to, I just want to put this on the table. So what is there about Jesus? What does Jesus give to us? What has he done for us? Can I just give you, number one, he's given us forgiveness.

All agreed? Jesus died on the cross. Because of that, I'm forgiven. Just amazing.

Don't ask me to explain that. It's just wonderful. Number two, he's given us reconciliation. Jesus, this Jesus means, because he died on the cross, means that I'm now reconciled to God. Wow. God? God? Me? Me, God, North Pole, South Pole, A, Z, full of sin, no sin, and Jesus died, I'm now back with God.

Wow. Number three gives to you and me a new beginning. You know how many people are looking for a new beginning, folks? You know how many people could line up and say, you know, if I could just wind the clock back. Jesus lets us wind the clock back. He does it. Gives us a new heart.

You can be, have been the worst. He'll give you a brand, you'll start fresh, day one, Jesus. What does he do? Number four, gives us purpose. Most people are looking for meaning. What does it mean? What do I live for?

That's purpose. Number five, he guides us. He gives us guidance because the Spirit of God comes into us. You and I these days, precious friends, I can't tell you how many times I've got on my face before the Lord, just cried out to him, Lord, what can I do?

How can I lead my people? Would you guide me? What's right? What's wrong? How much? Too little. How about this?

When that? Up this. And he always comes through.

That's what I mean by guidance. It's us. Me talking with the church council and our leaders and our wonderful ministry team. What does Jesus do? He gives us life off to death. We've had so many funerals, folks. How do you do funerals?

Talk to families, grandkids. If it weren't for Jesus, what would we talk about? Where would our grief be? See, I'm a believer. Jesus has done this. So what did Jesus say? Well, the first thing he said is we must acknowledge him before people. Forgive the interruption, we'll be back with the rest of today's message, but that challenge from Jesus that we must acknowledge him is a challenge for us in today's world, perhaps more than we've ever understood it in my lifetime.

But here's the good news. God is ready to empower you to boldly share who he is in your life with a simple word of testimony. Many of you have told us about how you have shared the encouraging word broadcast with others, and it is literally changing lives every single day. Perhaps you'd like to have us pray with you about someone in your life that you're praying would come to Jesus Christ here in the early parts of 2022. Our prayer team is ready anytime at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. We're also connecting on our website at www.tewonline.org. As a matter of fact, right now we have some wonderful resources, one written by Dr. Don's son, Dr. Greg Wilton. It all begins with God. Journey with Dr. Wilton as he takes you back to the beginning. Genesis Back to the Beginning message plus the bonus book, The Origin of Everything, will help you come face to face with some very foundational faith issues.

You will also find answers to foundational questions about who you are and why you are here. This is a must-have gift to purchase for yourself, a friend, or loved one, including your child or grandchildren, to help them know truth when the enemy attacks. Call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 to request the life-changing message Genesis Back to the Beginning and the bonus book with your gift of $25 or more per set. Thank you for supporting the Encouraging Word as we continue to proclaim the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. That's just one of many resources on our website right now at www.tewonline.org.

Be sure and sign up for the daily Encouraging Word while you're there as well. A wonderful email from Dr. Wilton. Now let's dive back into today's teaching, This We Must Do by Dr. Don Wilton.

See, I'm a believer. Jesus has done this. So what did Jesus say? Well, the first thing he said is we must acknowledge him before people.

This you must do. What does it mean to acknowledge him? The word there is to confess, and it really carries with it two meanings.

Number one, it means to affirm who Jesus is. Jesus said in front of other people out there, did you get that? In your office. Did you get that?

In the schoolroom, at the restaurant. That's what he said. Publicly affirm Jesus. What are you affirming? You're affirming three things about him. Number one, that he is God. Number two, that he is Savior. Number three, that he is Lord.

There's the three things you affirm about Jesus publicly. He's God. He's Savior. He saved the world. But he's Lord. He's the boss. What he says goes.

Any further questions here? Or do we need to call another church meeting to decide whether or not what he says is Lord? There are churches, not ours, I'm so thankful.

There are churches all over America destroying themselves because they're calling meetings to decide what they think. He's Lord. My job, our job, is just to ask God what he thinks.

Now that's a big enough job, amen? And that takes all of us. That's why everybody's valued. That's why we do speak. That's why we do share. That's why we're a congregation.

That's why we're a family. We value everybody. But you not only affirm who Jesus is, to confess him, to acknowledge him, means that you have to identify what he's done. You don't only confirm who he is, you identify what he's done publicly. What has he done publicly? Well, I gave you the list. Forgiveness, reconciliation, change, new beginning, life after death, peace, purpose, love, joy, meaning.

What has Jesus done? Publicly. That means in your office. Did you get that?

That means in your home. That means he said, excuse me just a minute. Did you get the part where he said before men, Jesus let us know that there is no such thing as a secret service agent in the kingdom of God. Jesus said it. We've got to do this publicly. We've got to do it before our fellow believers. We've got to confess Jesus before one another. We've got to confess Jesus before serious searches. Do you know how many people out there are searching?

They're just waiting for someone to show them publicly. And we've got to do this before hostile pagans. And if you don't think for a minute that in America today there are not hostile pagans out to get God out, you were born under a rock. This is Jesus speaking to us. We get it.

We understand. Why are we so silent? Well, there are lots of reasons for silence. Persecution. How about embarrassment? I will tell you openly, unashamedly, the number of times I've just felt embarrassed because I'm looking, acting like a Christian. Come on guys, just admit it. It's real. It's not imaginary.

That's what causes us. What about friendly ridicule? Friendly ridicule, and I mean friendly. It's a bunch of friends who are just like, eh, Christian. Don't talk to our students about it. Friendly ridicule on the campus is very real.

It doesn't have to be hostile. It's like, oh, here comes old goody two shoes. Hey, look, why don't we look over here and give us a word from Jesus.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. 2 Timothy, God's word says in chapter 1 verse 8, do not be ashamed of the gospel. So on the one hand, Jesus says we have to. We've got to acknowledge Jesus publicly before one another. On the other hand, he says don't disown Jesus publicly before one another. It's like he wants to make sure we got the first point. The second point is to make sure the disciples got the first point.

Did you get that? It's like Mia's dad, you know, when my kids did something that was naughty, you know, and I'd bring them in and say, now, son, that was jolly naughty and I don't want you to do that again. But the best thing I could do is to say, come here, boy, you know, that was jolly naughty and I want you to know if you do that again, here's what's going to happen. It kind of like just makes them pay attention a little more. Jesus doesn't leave any room for doubt. When he talks about our public witness and he doesn't say, he doesn't say to us, listen, would you all sit around and decide whether or not you might consider doing this?

Did you notice he's not asking us what we think. He's telling us what we do. So here's what I want you, what I want us, because God is so gotten a hold of me on this. This is what I want us to take away with this.

Just three things. Here's what I would, if I may, suggest to you. You might want to think about taking with you what God says here. Ask God, remember God can do this and this now we must do. So ask God to help you do three things to do what he says here. Number one, ask him to help you talk like him publicly.

Good one. How's your speech? Does your speech, your talk acknowledge publicly Jesus? So ask the Lord Jesus, because God can do this, but this you must do.

So just say, Lord, I need some help here. You know, we talk about profanity and vulgarity, blasphemy. Now I'm old fashioned here, folks. I personally believe, a believer that blasphemes is not a believer.

I'm sorry. There you have it. You guard this and God it's hot here and Jesus this and uh-uh. No, Bible says what's in the heart will come out. Do you know that there are believers who claim to be believers everywhere that when they're in the office or when they're in home, their talk has no acknowledgement. Ask God to help you. Number two, ask God to help you walk like him. Walk like him.

Now what do I mean by walk like him? Well, carry yourself like Jesus. Big word, walk, just carry yourself. Ask God to take the strut out of you. I got to do that every day. Ask God to help you.

And here's a third one. Ask God to help you behave like him. So talk like him, walk like him, behave like him. Behave. So how do you describe behavior? That's a tough one because all of us deal with all the stuff. We've all got personalities. I'm about the only one here who doesn't have a personality.

We're all. Go and talk to parents. We've got children. They can tell you. Every one of their kids got a different personality.

All come from the same family, right? It's wonderful. Lord, please help me to talk like you. Please help me to walk like you.

Please help me to behave like you. And you know what? You and I can do this. This we can do because God can do this.

Are you getting it? And Jesus said, you must confess me publicly before men. Because if you don't, I won't. Confess you before my father. And as you go out into this world where everybody's so hopeless and helpless, sheep without a shepherd. This is how you do it.

It's not about your programs and your bigness and your smallness and your impressiveness. Just go and talk like Jesus and walk like Jesus and behave like Jesus. Sometimes the simplicity escapes us, but that's the call to go and talk like Jesus, walk like Jesus, and behave like Jesus.

But it starts with a decision to follow Jesus. You've heard Dr. Don as he's been teaching and preaching. Now as he steps into the studio, open yourself to what Dr. Don wants to share with you next.

Well, hello again, my friends. Are you ready to give your life to Christ? You know, you've been listening like this, and God has been speaking like this, hasn't He?

And He's speaking to your heart. I'd love to help you give your life to Christ right now. Why don't you pray this prayer, make this your prayer, because you know that God not only hears our prayer, but He answers our prayer too. Pray this prayer with me. Dear God, I know that you love me very much.

I believe Jesus came and died on a cross just for me and that He gave His life for me. Right now, I confess my sin to you, and by faith I receive you into my heart and into my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Well, if you've prayed that prayer right now, in just a moment we're going to send you some information.

I want you to listen real carefully because you can take note of that. We've got the means by which we can connect together. And I want to connect with you because you're part of my family. You're part of the family of God. You are my brother, my sister in Christ. God bless you today. Perhaps moments ago you were praying along with Dr. Wilton to give your life to Jesus Christ, perhaps for the very first time, or today is the day you've rededicated your life and you know that from this day forward things will never be the same.

Dr. Wilton would love to celebrate with you, to pray for you, and to make sure you have some resources that will help you grow in this new beginning of your faith. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD. That's one way to contact us, 866-899-9673. Or you can connect on our website as well at TEWOnline.org. As a matter of fact, Dr. Don would love to hear from you. His email is Don, D-O-N, at TEWOnline.org.

Again, that's Don, D-O-N, at TEWOnline.org. And before we get away, closing thoughts from Dr. Don. What a wonderful time of worship we've had together. You know, I want you every day to experience this encouraging word.

It's about Jesus. That's why I want you to get your own copy of the daily encouraging word Bible guide. This wonderful devotional has been prepared, and I want to give it to you free of charge. Send us an email. Write to us. Just let us know. We're going to send this to you.

We send thousands upon thousands of these across the nation and around the world. Every day, you're going to be able to read God's word. You're going to be able to speak to the Lord Jesus. And I'm telling you, with God's word in your heart, I'm telling you, you are fortified for the journey of life. The daily encouraging Bible guide. It's yours for the asking. Call us right now. We'll send it to you. Until next time, let's stay connected on our website at TEWOnline.org or call anytime, 866-899-9673. The encouraging word.