(Clip) God is Still Working
Tim Conway emphasizes that God is actively working through His church and believers, empowering them to proclaim the Gospel and build His kingdom until the end of the age.
This sermon emphasizes the ongoing work of Christ through His church, highlighting the authority and power given to Him in heaven and on earth. It encourages believers to recognize that when they proclaim the Gospel, it is Christ who proclaims it through them. The focus is on acknowledging that Christ is the one who ultimately does the work, whether it's through sending missionaries, planting churches, or converting hearts, and that His authority surpasses any worldly power.
Full Transcript
In the right hand of God in eternal glory. Brethren, hear His words. Go into all the nations.
Why? On what basis? He said all authority, all power has been given to Me, committed to Me in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go. Why? Because I'm going to be with you until the end of the age.
What does that mean? It means He's still working. He's working through His church. He continues to work.
He goes on working. And on and on working. Because Christ is not done working, therefore, we go.
The whole idea here is that when we proclaim the Gospel, He proclaims it. When we send a missionary, if you look at Acts 13, that church at Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas. But it also says the Spirit sent them out.
You see, it's in coordination. He's working through us. When a church is planted, He does the work.
Brethren, if a church gets planted, if people get converted and are added to a church over in Nepal, we can look at that and say the Lord builds the house. Because we labor in vain if He does not do that. This is Him working.
The book of Acts is Christ working. It is the risen Christ working. You remember, you remember, they went to the beautiful gate and the man is jumping and leaping, shouting for joy.
And they said, we didn't do that. That's the whole idea here. Did somebody preach to the Ephesians? You better believe somebody preached to the Ephesians.
It can be said that Christ preached to the Ephesians because He's the One that matters. It's His voice. It's them hearing His voice.
He does the work. He has authority to do the work. Brethren, we need to once and forever get past this idea that it's the politicians that run this world.
Don't worry about who the President is. We know who sits on the throne, brethren. And He is working.
And we're watching Him work. And we of all churches in this world, we can say, yes, we have seen His hand. Such things have happened as we could have never done in our own strength.
We could have never done with our own wisdom. We would have never figured out. With the backwardness and the... Brethren, we look at this thing and we say praise the Lord.
Praise Him for His excellent glory. Praise Him that He does work through His people. That's the basis upon which we are to go forward.
Why?
Sermon Outline
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I. The Authority of Christ
- Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth
- This authority is the basis for the Great Commission
- Believers are empowered to go because Christ is with them
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II. God’s Work Through the Church
- The Spirit sends out missionaries in coordination with the church
- Church planting and conversions are the Lord’s work
- The book of Acts exemplifies the risen Christ working through believers
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III. Trusting God’s Sovereignty Over World Affairs
- God, not politicians, rules the world
- Believers should focus on God’s work rather than earthly powers
- God’s hand is evident in the growth and strength of His church
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IV. Praising God for His Ongoing Work
- God works through His people despite human weakness
- Believers should praise God’s glory and faithfulness
- This assurance motivates believers to continue the mission
Key Quotes
“He said all authority, all power has been given to Me, committed to Me in heaven and on earth.” — Tim Conway
“Because Christ is not done working, therefore, we go.” — Tim Conway
“The book of Acts is Christ working. It is the risen Christ working.” — Tim Conway
Application Points
- Trust that God is actively working through your efforts in ministry and evangelism.
- Focus on God’s sovereignty rather than political or worldly circumstances.
- Praise God regularly for His ongoing work and faithfulness in building His church.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean that God is still working?
It means that God continues to be active in the world, working through His church and believers to accomplish His purposes.
How does God work through the church?
God works through the church by sending out missionaries, planting churches, and converting people, all empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Why should believers not worry about political leaders?
Because God is sovereign over all earthly powers and is ultimately in control of the world’s affairs.
What is the basis for the Great Commission?
The authority of Christ, who has all power in heaven and on earth, is the foundation for believers to go and make disciples.
How can believers be sure they are part of God’s work?
By trusting that God is working through their efforts and by seeing the fruit of conversions and church growth as evidence of His hand.