2 Corinthians 2:12-13
Open Doors
12 Furthermore
{This
takes us back to v.1-4 Paul is responding to why had not come to see them yet
The Lord kept him he wasnt ready to make another painful visit.
Didnt
want to be the Heavy!
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to
preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
A)Paul
says this is why I delayed God opened a door to me in Troas for the Gospel
B)
God was moving so He stayed in Troas
C)Paul was not being fickle.
He was being faithful.
1) faithful
to the opportunity which God gave him.
D)But
Paul was having a hard time enjoying what God was doing there in Troas 13 I had no
rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave
of them, I departed for Macedonia.
E)His heart was heavy
waiting for Titus to return with a report from Corinth
1)How
they responded to his letter he finally left to meet Titus in Macedonia
But I want you
to note for a minute that Paul viewed Ministry as open doors to share the
Gospel.
A)Acts 14:27 Paul shares
with the church in Jerusalem how the Lord had opened the door of faith to the
gentiles.
B)Paul asked the Church in
Colosse to pray that God would open to us a door
for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, to the gentiles.
Colossians 4:3
My
Favorite: 1 Corinthians 16:8-9
But I will
tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great and effective door has opened
to me, and there are many adversaries.
A)Can you hear the
excitement in Pauls voice -
B)I picture Paul like a kid
in the candy store at this point great and effective door has opened to me
1)Some translations : a wide
open door
Bb)Pauls
view of ministry-open doors to partner w/ God- for the sake of sharing
the gospel
C)What is really interesting
is the last part of his phrase and there are many
adversaries
1)I think Paul is also
excited about that the opposition
2)Because by now in his
ministry experience He has seen that greater the opposition, the greater the
challenge - the greater the fruit.
G.
Campbell Morgan once said: if you have no opposition in the place where you
are serving , you are serving in the wrong place.
D)When God is going to do
something really great there are huge obstacles & opposition that precede
it
E) So Paul was excited:
Great open door great opposition { This is going
to be awesome!
Walking
thru open doors requires:
1.Faith - trusting God to work
2. Sacrifice- gets us out of our comfort zone
3. Flexibility- Paul had to be willing to change his
plans.
4. Perseverance Continue in the face of opposition.
Jesus
also used this phrase in his letter to the Church in Philadelphia Revelation
3:8
8 "I know
your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
An open door for further
ministry that no one can shut for you have a
little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
I think the Lord would say
the same thing about this church little strength few but strong in Jesus
Kept the word continue
honor his name
Listen
there are many open doors right now before us. Some we forget about.
A)Jesus said in John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved,
and will go in and out and find pasture.
B)There is the door opened
of salvation of fellowship and relationship with Him
1)Not a place it is a
person
C)He is the door the
opening into the family of God into rest into salvation, healing
D) Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone
astray;
we have turned,
every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us
all.
Today
is Palm Sunday Jesus triumphal entry 2,000 yrs ago He marched thru a door
that led to the cross
A)The aroma of death and life was present that day.
B)His
death secured our life! He
Died on the cross for our sins paid the price
1) Thru His blood offer
forgiveness cleansing hope freedom
C)As He hung on the cross
Cried out It is finished
1)At that moment Veil was
rent /
D)The door to the Holy of
Holies was opened
1)Now welcome
Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then
that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
A)The door to the throne of
God today is open to all who are in Christ all who have need
B)God is waiting to pour out
Grace and mercy upon us as we run to Him today.
But
sometimes when we are praying for God to open doors in our lives, it is because
we are looking for something behind that door.
We
are hoping for rest, refreshment, or answers to a problem that we think is
behind that door.
That
is when it hit me; the door is not a place it is a person, it is Jesus, the
rest the refreshment, the salvation that we are seeking is found in Him.
He is our rest, He is our peace, He is the
Good shepherd who leads us beside the still waters, who restores our souls.
So
more than seeking for an open door this week, lets seek Him and allow Him to
lead us into the open doors, the green pastures that He has for us.
Guys
we have an open door before us to impact our community in a greater way.
A)We heard over and over
again yesterday at the epicenter conf that these are the last days
B)God is wanting us to gear
up our efforts to reach lost souls and to minister to pp who are hurting and in
need
C)I believe like many that
there is going to be one last outpouring of Gods spirit
1)We need to be ready to
receive it We are very limited here at this location
D)God is inviting us to take
part in something more enhance what we do do it better
1)Prepared for further
growth