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"It's Time To Do Your Job"Acts.1:6-11

How much do you love your neighbor? I know that all of you spend your time feeding the hungry, quenching those who are thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting prisoners & the sick because you are duty bound. But really - how much do you love your neighbor?

Do you love your Black neighbor, white, Latinx, or Native American neighbor? How about your ugly neighbor who never has anything good to say? Your racist neighbor (now I must admit that I struggle with that one). Your poor neighbor? Your LGBTQIA neighbor (that's one that you "good church folk" need to say amen on!)? Your neighbor, Ahmaud Arbery, that jogs through your neighborhood? Your EMT neighbor, Breonna Taylor, sleeping in her bed in Louisville after a long shift helping people with Covid-19 before she's killed in a hail of police bullets. How about her significant other Kenneth Walker, who fired on those who executed a no knock warrant at the wrong address for a man alread in jail and killed his girlfriend, only to be arrested on false charges of attempted murder of a police officer, and had the charges dropped when the lies were exposed? Do you love your neighbor enough to be inconvenienced by wearing a mask to help us keep down Covid-19 infections? Do you love them enough to not quit when things are tough and you have to do more than you expected?

Do we love our neighbors enough to put ourselves last, to obey & to do what Jesus gave us to do first, to preach Him - the gospel of grace - that He came, He lived, He died, was buried, He rose, He ascended, and that He's coming back? Do I have anyone ready to do the job? Jesus did not give complicated instructions. You don't need a building. You don't need a title or a crowd. Just spare not as you cry loud! Preaching is something that builds confidence in you by building your confidence in God. Love your neighbor enough to trust God and be a witness!

As Jesus was ready to ascend to the Father, He provided instructions for the Apostles and gathered believers that were very soon to be the core of the infant church that they were to fulfill after they had received power by the presence of the Holy Ghost. Let me recommend a few things to you to carry with you:

1. Preach Within Your Circle
- Jerusalem. Those close, the visible religious crowd who have a lot of religion but not much faith. They has heard of Jesus but had no relationship with Jesus. By being close they could not deny that those who knew Jesus had profound changes to their lives. These are your unsaved church folk! Let those who have been seeing you all along, see that you are who and what you are because of Jesus!

2. Preach On A Wider Circuit
- Judaea. People who are not in the group, who probably heard of Jesus but never came in. They were farther out from where the action was but shared connections with the people in Jerusalem and had probably been from time to time. They are unchurched but know that there is a church. Spread out to those you have met but are not visibly with you. You have to leave the church walls and go get them! Tell them that there is a hope!

3. Preach When You Have Concerns
- Samaria. Now the Samaritans were religious, but had been ostracized from Israel because of their mixed heritage. They hated the Jews. Have ever preached to people who hate you? Have you had to deal with folk that you had looked down on and set aside as less than you? The Samaritans knew how the Jews felt and reciprocated. You have to learn to apologize, be merciful, and be gracious when they hate you with or without cause and still preach Jesus!

4. Preach For Who Is Coming
- Uttermost parts of the Earth. Some don't know God and don't want to know Him. Others worship other Gods. These are the toughest and also the easiest to whom you'll preach. They're aliens to covenants. For those in the story, they're Gentiles - no connection at all. Tell them of one they don't know, but who has always known them! Tell them about somebody who knows everybody and can save anybody!

The men, really angels in white, asked why they gazed upward after the ascension. The angels told them, that as He left, He was coming back. And Jesus is coming back! Preach for Him! You may preach to the people but you are preaching for God! So when He comes to receive His church, I want to hear Him say, "Well done!" Preach!