1. Taking Advantage of the opportunities before us
Going Forward
Taking Advantage of the opportunities before us
1. Aim: To show that we must take advantage of the opportunities set before us each day, and to go forward in life, making the most of every God given opportunity

2. “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead”
Paul believed in moving ahead - not falling back
Paul had a lot of guilt about his past. A lot of bad memories of persecuting and stoning Christians before he converted to Christ. He most likely lost all ties with his family when he became a Christian, once he decided to follow Jesus Paul had lost physical things and people in his life. But notice what he know says as a mature Christian, “I press on, I reach forward to those things which are ahead”, or those opportunities God lays before him, whatever they may be.
Phil. 3:12-13

3. “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious”
The church has
many opportunities
1. If the Church is going to move forward, there are OPPORTUNITIES IT HAS TO TAKE, and God provides opportunities everyday for the church at Radford, and for you and me on an individual basis.
2. We should take note of what this quote says, although not from scripture, the principle certainly is: “The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
3. Is the Radford church seeing the possibilities before they become obvious? Are you and I in our individual Christian lives seeing the possibilities before they become obvious? And are we doing anything to take advantage of the opportunities God lays before our feet each day?

4. “Opportunities Missed”
There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played,
He never risked, he never tried
He never sang or prayed
And he one day passed away
His insurance was denied,
For since he never really lived,
They claimed he never died
POEM - OPPORTUNITIES MISSED
There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played
He never risked, he never tried
He never sang or prayed
And he one day passed away
His insurance was denied
For since he never really lived
They claimed he never died.
1. Everyday God provides us with many, many opportunities - we must take advantage of them and make something of them

5. I. Ability to See Opportunities
Jesus Saw Opportunities
“And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.“ They immediately left their nets and followed Him” Mk. 1:16-18
I. THE ABILITY TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES IS A KEY TO ANY SUCCESS
A. Mark 1:16-18 “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.“ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
1. Jesus saw an opportunity to encourage Peter and Andrew to be soul winners
2. Some might say, They are busy - I’ll not bother them now” - but Jesus saw an opportunity, and knowing what type of disciples these two men would make, Jesus saw the opportunity and acted upon it

6. I. Ability to See Opportunities
Jesus Saw Opportunities
“Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood” Mk. 12:42-44
B. Mark 12:42-44 Poor widow who gave two mites “Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood”
1. Jesus saw an opportunity to teach about giving. Notice that He saw an opportuntiy to teach His disciples, and then calls them over into a small group, and takes advantage of the opportunity set before him. The lesson was that this woman who had little, gave her best. No doubt this is exactly a lesson these apostles needed, because a number of years from now, they all would end up giving their very lives, or best, to be an apostle of Jesus. Jesus saw the opportunity, and acted on it
2. Do we take the opportunity to teach as various situations arise?

7. I. Ability to See Opportunities
Jesus Saw Opportunities
“Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest”
Jn. 4:35
1.In John 4:35 Jesus taught His disciples to open their eyes and look at the
opportunities surrounding them “Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest”
2. Well Jesus was not talking about a wheat field, was he. He is telling them and us today, when you consider how many people are walking around this world without Jesus and His word, there are going to be countless opportunities, what are you doing when God lays that opportunity at your feet?

8. II. Principles Involved Can’t never could do nothing
We Must be Looking
Eliminate Negative Thinking and Attitudes
Willing to Risk Failure
II. PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN TAKING OPPORTUNITIES
1. We must be looking
Sometimes we can’t see an opportunity because it goes around disguised as hard work, and when something requires a good bit of effort, we would rather not engage in that activity because of the time and effort needed for it to be successful
2. We must eliminate negative thinking and attitudes
a. Some say, “I can’t do it” – I am not good enough, experienced enough, strong enough – but if we are honest with ourselves, aren’t all those things just excuses we make
b. Others say, “It won’t work” – Well if we never engage the opportunity it won’t work, but how do we know before we even try?
3. We need to be willing to risk failure
a. Some are afraid to try, because they just know that they will fail if they try. But if we are seeking to fulfill opportunities God lays at our feet, isn’t He there to help us succeed? Isn’t He there if we do fail, to help pick us back up off the floor and try again? God has said to each of us as we look to do His will – “I will never leave nor forsake you”. Should that not change the way we look at failure? Knowing the Creator is there to aid us in doing the best we can
b. Someone said, “Can’t never could do nothing”
Can’t never could do nothing

9. III. Opportunities Before us They did not realize what
Railroad people
III. OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US
A. An article in the Harvard Business Review called “Market Myopia” talked about how
some people didn’t understand what business they were in.
1. For example: In the 1950’s the railroad people didn’t realize that they were in the
transportation business; they thought they were in the railroad business. Had
they realized they were in the transportation business they would have invested
in airplanes.
They did not realize what
Business they were in

10. III. Opportunities Before us They did not realize what
Telegraph people
2. The telegraph people thought they were in the telegraph business instead of the
communication business. In 1886 they could have bought all the telephone
patents for $40,000. So obviously these people didn’t know what business they
were in.
B. I use to think that these guys were really ignorant because they didn’t know what
business they were in. Then I asked my self, “What business am I in as a Christian?” “What business are we in as the radford church?”
They did not realize what
Business they were in

11. Building the kingdom of God
What is our business ?
Building the kingdom of God
Evangelism
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature. He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not
believe will be condemned” Mk. 16:15-16
1. We need to ask the same questions concerning the church - what business are we
in?
2. That question should get us to the core of our purpose for our existence as the church at Radford
3. It should help us focus on what we are to accomplish
4. What business are we in? Are we in the entertaining business? NO!
C. We are in the business of building the kingdom of God - That involves several things:
1. Evangelism - Mark 16:15-16 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned”

12. Building the kingdom of God
What is our business ?
Building the kingdom of God
Evangelism
Maturity
“And He Himself gave some to be...evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ” Eph. 4:11-15
2. Developing spiritual maturity - Ephesians 4:11-15

13. Building the kingdom of God
What is our business ?
Building the kingdom of God
Evangelism
Maturity
“the things that you have heard from me among many
witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able
to teach others also” Tim. 2:2
Accomplished by Teaching God’s word 2 Timothy 2:2

14. IV. Goals Before us Evangelize the lost
Grow as Christians and a church
Teach and Live God’s Word
IV. Goals Before us Present an opportunity
1. Evangelize the lost
2. Grow as Christians
3. Teach and Live God’s Word
A. We all need to be involved
B. Every member has an opportunity to do his/her part

15. East Ave. church of Christ, 1960
Jimmy Allen, Minister
East Ave. church of Christ, 1960
We missed him. Our chance to change things came and passed and we did not know it was there. A dark-skinned little boy sat through Sunday School classes for three years at East Ave. church of Christ, San Antonio) but some one missed him. His name was Sirhan Sirhan, and at age 24 he shot and killed Senator Robert Kennedy. In a welter of words and the shudder of grief throughout our nation, the persistent thought kept recurring in my mind...someone missed him. An opportunity missed. We understand that we cannot force people to obey Jesus, but the question for us this morning is, have we even tried to teach someone about Jesus?

16. Think, Dream and Act bigger than we ever have
Going Forward
Think, Dream and Act bigger than we ever have
1. We need to think, dream and act bigger than we have in the past
2. The opportunities will amaze us if we will but look for them and take them.
3. Phil. 3:12-13 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead ”

17. GOD’S SIMPLE PLAN FOR SALVATION
Rev. 2:10
1 PET. 3:21
baptism
JN. 12:42
confess
LK. 13:3
UNTIL DEATH
OBEDIENT
repent
JN. 6:29
believe
ACTS 3:22
hear