THE GOSPEL IS WORTH GIVING EVERYTHING
Zinzendorf story - Germany 1700’s
Nobility from Dresden, Germany with a large amount of inherited money, influence, and land.
At 19, on a tour of Europe, Count Zinzendorf went to the Düsseldorf art museum in Germany where he saw the Ecce Homo (Behold the man) painting.
Quote beneath painting:
Ego pro te haec passus sum
Tu vero quid fecisti pro me
translates to:
“This have I suffered for you; now what will you do for me?”
Zinzendorf was struck to the heart by this and asked himself this very same question. Shortly after, he opened up his large estate to the persecuted moravian christians. He housed, fed, clothed, and nursed them, and faced pressures from local authorities, politicians and even other christians for what he was doing. Yet, he continued on, loving those who were persecuted for their faith, and even facing himself backlash from police, politicians, and even family & friends.
The question of the Ecce Homo that he saw is a question we are all asked
“What will you do for me?”
Our answer should be
“anything you ask, Lord.”
But if you're like me, the idea that the gospel costs everything can be very hard to commit to in everyday life. I know firsthand - missions/pastoral experience - it's part of my role and it's a high cost, but it is so worth it. This concept is extremely hard - it’s one of the hardest things to do. Maybe it's a fear of embarrassment, not knowing how, etc.
My prayer today is that we can break down barriers that prevent you from stepping forward, surrendering your life to the will of God, and then to help you take those steps.
I want you to see your family, friends, and neighborhoods as a mission field just the same as the rest of the world. I want to show you from God's word in Acts 1, that the advancement of the gospel is worth giving up everything. It's worth any cost.
Acts 1:4–8 (CSB)
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise, which, he said, “you have heard me speak about;5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This passage is often what we call, “The Great Commission.” Jesus is not just commissioning his disciples to spread the faith across the nations, it’s a command to instruct the discipleship of every believer afterwards.
The way each and every single one of you came to faith is because someone told you. But – somebody told them, and somebody told that person. Now, you are called to do the same. Think of it as a passing of the torch. The fire of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you is yours to give to the generations after you. However, this is not just a call to share your faith, but a call to give up everything if the Lord asks it of you. Loving your neighbor, evangelizing the lost, and taking part in missions will cost you so much, but I want to show you today how the willingness to give up everything can lead to a stronger faith and proclamation of the gospel in your life & everyone around you.
I. ACTIVELY PREPARE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL v4-5
ACTS 1:4-5 (CSB)
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise, which, he said, “you have heard me speak about;5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
THE GOSPEL WILL COST YOU YOUR TIME
EXPLANATION
We think of waiting like sitting down and scrolling on tiktok, waiting for something to happen. We like to think of waiting as if something will fall into our laps, but that’s not what’s being described here.
Perimeno
Present, Active, Infinitive
peri = around, concerning, all around
menō = to remain, stay, abide
Together they convey: “stay put and keep on remaining until what is promised arrives.”
If you continue on reading, you’ll find that they gathered in the upper room in deep prayer, asking the Lord what to do while they were waiting. They weren’t passive, but they were proactive.
ILLUSTRATION
The Prodigal Son - if you’ve never read this story, go read it'So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. -Luke 15:20
SUPPORTING VERSES
Matthew 24:36-44 (CSB)
36 *But about that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son—except the Father alone… …44 For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Be ready. Why? Because nobody knows when He will return. There is a job to do. Faith is to be strengthened, Christians to be sent, lost to be found, and we must ask every tongue to confess that Jesus is Lord.
So, we must SHIFT OUR PERSPECTIVE from waiting idly by to being diligent, on watch for the Lord to move through the people around us.
II. HAVE A RIGHT PERSPECTIVE OF OUR ROLE v6–8a
ACTS 1:6-8a (CSB)
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.8a But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you...”
THE GOSPEL WILL COST YOU YOUR WAY OF THINKING
EXPLANATION
GOD WANTS TO USE YOU
The disciples thought that Jesus would restore His kingdom soon from our human view, but God’s kingdom is already restored in many ways because He has conquered death, and given us the ministry to reach the lost.
The promise that is mentioned that will come that Jesus promised is the power of the Holy Spirit as pentecost. But, when we read this we should also continue to shift our perspective on this.
ACTS 2
The promise is two-fold. It’s the promise of salvation at pentecost, but it’s also a promise of salvation from the nations. At pentecost, jews & gentiles all heard Peter preaching through the gift of tongues.
God doesn’t need us, but He is choosing to work through us. The command to go and share our faith is not just to the apostles, pastors, and church staff. It’s for all believers to be a witness to what God has done in you - bringing you from death to life. You came to faith because someone told you about Jesus and then you believed. Salvation comes through the speaking of the gospel into people's lives from ordinary people like you and I.
ILLUSTRATION
Story of Bryce Cicero’s conversion and where he is now
SUPPORTING VERSES:
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (CSB)
18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
ZINZENDORF
“I have but one passion—it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field, and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.”
God is working on those around us and He has commanded us to go and participate in the work He is doing. God will set out what He has vowed to do - with or without us. We are invited into his divine plan of saving the nations.
We need to shift from an earthly perspective, to a heavenly perspective.
Our calling - the proclamation of the gospel to the lost - it’s HARD work. Jesus often related it to the sowing of seeds for a farmer. There will be days it’s difficult.
II. PERSEVERE THROUGH HARDSHIP - for GOD'S GLORY v8
ACTS 1:8b (CSB)
8b you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
THE GOSPEL MAY COST YOU YOUR LIVELIHOOD
EXPLANATION:
Martures - Martyr
Martures original greek meant to give testimony of something they have seen or heard. As the Christianity spread under persecution, this word evolved to mean one who suffers or dies for their faith.
We are most like Christ when we are willing to face hardships for the sake of sharing our faith. Here, we’re not persecuted, but we do experience hardship.
You may be fired from your job, but you become a co-heir with Christ
You may lose friends, but Jesus, sustainer of the universe, calls you friend
You may lose family, but you have a new family of brothers and sisters in the body of Christ
You MIGHT lose everything on earth, but you will be storing up treasures in heaven - gifts from our gracious God that are worth far more than gold.
He gave them a task to love the world enough to tell them the truth, just as He did. And in that same step, He asks us to tell people the truth even if it costs us everything, just as Jesus did.
ILLUSTRATION
S.Asia Missionary Bruce - sharing with police and was invited to police chiefs house to share
Zinzendorf understood this. He gave up everything - status, money, wealth for the sake of reaching the lost.
SUPPORTING VERSES
10 Acts 5:40-41 (CSB)
40 After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. 41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.
Conclusion
THE PROMISE IS NOT ONLY THE SALVATION OF 3000 AT PENTECOST, BUT OF THE NATIONS. Pentecost was an image of what is to come, of the vision Peter received in Acts 10, and what is to come in Revelation 7 (all nations before the throne)
MARTIN LUTHER
“A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”
S12 Revelation 7:9 (CSB)
9 After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.
Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf gathered a persecuted group of believers—the Moravians—on his estate in Herrnhut, led them into a deep spiritual revival marked by unity and a 24-hour prayer meeting that lasted a century. Literally for 100 years, they had people constantly rotating in and out to ensure prayer for the nations never ceased. Zinzendorf then mobilized them into one of the first great Protestant missionary movements, called the Moravian Missionary Movement. He began teaching the moravian christians, equipping them to go out which began the Moravian Missionary Movement which was the largest movement of its time. They sent missionaries to N.America, Africa, Asia, and even the Caribbean & Greenland. He was willing to sacrifice his power, authority, and wealth. Under his leadership, ordinary men and women went to places like the West Indies, Greenland, North America, and Africa, often at great personal cost, becoming pioneers of global missions. As a result, the Moravians sparked a worldwide evangelistic wave whose influence even helped inspire later mission leaders like John Wesley and William Carey. On his deathbed, he said “I have one passion - it is HE, only HE.” To Count Zinzendorf, the hardship was worth the glory given to Christ.
ZINZENDORF
“Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.”
The sharing of the good news of our Savior is of the HIGHEST importance. Everyone has someone lost to reach out to, a borhter/sister to encourage, and somewhere to go for the proclamation of their faith. God has appointed you to go forth and share your faith with that person in your life. He’s placed you in this specific place and time to reach those around you who don’t know Jesus - no matter the cost.
Like Zinzendorf, we do not do it to be remembered. I’m sure hardly anyone here has heard of him, but we’ve all experienced the effects of his sacrifice. Today is the day to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel.
Don’t just wait for opportunity - be on alert for where God is already moving. Take the opportunities He is presenting you with. Tell your friends about Jesus, go on a mission trip, and be outspoken about your faith. Everyday, you must count the cost, and risk all that you have for the King of Kings.
