03/27/11 - What is in Your Hand - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "A Story to Tell" in this Sunday service.

A Story to Tell
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, March 27, 2011

www.mylifegatechurch.com


Sermon Notes:

A Story to Tell  (Turn to Exodus 1st and mark it, then start with Joel)
Joel 1:2-3 “Hear this, you leaders of the people. Listen, all who live in the land. In all your history, has anything like this happened before? Tell your children about it in the years to come, and let your children tell their children.” 

Exodus 4:1-5 “But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”  Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?”  “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.  Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. “Perform this sign,” the Lord told him. “Then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you.”

“What’s that in your hand?” You Have a Story to Tell: You already have what you need to change the world—to achieve your destiny.  It’s in your hand.  Each of us are on a journey, running a race.  Each of us has a story.  A new perspective on Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  We all need Jesus, whether our story is one of rescue from disaster and ruin, or a story of a lifetime of faithfulness—none of our stories are complete with Him.  And none of our stories are finished—His is writing them in us every day if we will allow it.  Philippians 2:12-13 “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”  That’s why every day is an opportunity for a Great Adventure with God.  And if where I am is not better than where I started, the story is not finished. (Job 8:7)

Your Story Must Become His Story to Make History Our story must turn from us to Him.  It must become His Story. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 HCSB “When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Example of a psychological “high” when re-telling old drug stories.  Story focuses on the Rescuer more than the rescued.  (John the Baptist—He increases, I decrease.)


4 Components to Your Story: GATE

 -   Gift: Romans 12 motivational gifts—all are servant gifts—serving others makes a place for you.  “I didn’t come to be served, but to serve.”  Moses had a leadership gift—used it to serve Jesse by shepherding. Romans 12:5 “We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

 -   Ability: profession, trade, educational—all position you to tell your story.  Moses was a shepherd with a staff.  Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

 -   Talent: hobbies, your “art”: an innate interest that brings you satisfaction and allows you to express yourself.  Matthew 25:14-30—given to you to invest and grow for the good of the King and the Kingdom. Moses seemed to have a flair for the dramatic: this is where his temper got in the way.  God used that talent to get people’s attention.  The temper had to be ‘laid down’ because it compromised Kingdom effectiveness.

 -   Experience: the things that happen to us in our journey—both good and bad.  These give us “connection points” with others so we can make the name of Jesus famous.  Moses had a connection point with the Israelites, but it was ineffective until it pointed people to God instead of to Moses.  The difference—humility.  Numbers 12:3 Message “Now the man Moses was a quietly humble man, more so than anyone living on Earth.”


Learn to Tell it Well and Doors Will Open

2 Corinthians 2:12 “When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me.”

Ephesians 6:19 “And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.”  Clarity, simplicity, and boldness.

Shelly Barker’s story.  God brought her to a place of telling her story about recovery from infidelity so it magnified the victory instead of the pain.  Now, He opens doors for it to be effective.

Response: Prayer Teams are in place.

1.  Time to get Jesus in your story.
2.  Time to make Jesus the central figure in my story.
3.  Time to learn how to tell my story to others so God can open the doors.