What's Next?

 

Moving scene, Montreal, 1st May, frontpage of L'Opinion publique, Montreal, 

vol. VII, no 20, 1876, 18 mai, p. 1.

Our Assistant Pastor is on the road today, moving to another state. His sermon Sunday morning was entitled "What's Next? You can watch it on YouTube, just search for First Baptist Church of Cottondale, Texas. Oddly enough, there are two other FBC Cottondale, and I've been blessed to take photos of both. We were not there on a day services were being held, or I would have attended. I am very glad to attend services where the Bible is taught and discussed.

However, losing an Assistant Pastor is actually traumatic is many cases. It is always a sense of sadness to stop seeing him at work or calling with questions, and it increases a pastor's job until a new one is selected. However - it is also a very happy occasion because there's another church that has requested him as pastor. It is an opportunity for growth, and a continuing of what came next for him years ago.

"What's Next" is one of the first questions in every Christian's life. It certainly jumped to the forefront in AP's sermon this morning from Acts 1. Jesus' disciples most definitely had experienced trauma in their lives over the past three years.

Jsus took twelve men away from their everday work. We know Matthew was a tax collector, and there were at least four fishermen: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. There new job was to follow Him, listen, apply the lessons, and share the good news. The twelfth, Judas Iscariot, died the same day Jesus died. The next three days were spent in a combination of despair and mourning for all who followed Jesus. 

But that third day!!! And, the next 40 days with Him!!! Those were fulfilling. However, the disciples didn't understand any more than they did they time He gave the parable about the sower (see Mark 4.)

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)

Forty days of being with their resurrected miracle worker who explained parables - and they asked "What's Next?' with a question not related to Jesus' previous instructions:

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4-5)

Don't think you've done better, yet. This is often what new Christian believers run into. "Wow! My whole world has changed. People I ran around with won't speak to me now, and the people at church expect me to know what to do next. I don't!"

Trust God. Trust that reading your Bible with prayer will teach you what you need to do next.  After that verse six questions, the disciples did exactly what Jesus told them to do. The rest of chapter one tells us they obeyed by staying in Jerusalem. They gathered in the Upper Room where the Last Supper was held and prayed. Then Peter referred (Acts 1:20) to scripture in Psalm - which comes close to:

Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. (Psalms 69:25)

The disciples then prayed and filled the empty leadership position.

So - for the new Christian and the established church members - the answer is always: obey God's instructions.

Where are the instructions? In the Bible. How will we know which one applies? Begin with two commands:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)

Any decision should be predicated by beginning with the first, and continuing with the second, before taking action. Love God enough to read His words in the Bible:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The simplicity of Christianity is accepting Jesus as God's Son, His plan of salvation. But saying it is so doesn't necessarily mean that one believes it. Fortunately, the Bible was written so that we can be certain of its essential truth, even when we have questions:

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:10-13)