Want to be a Trailblazer?
Let me tell you how!

 Introduction

1. 1. I never really knew what a trailblazer was until I received Jesus as my own personal savior. They talked a lot about being a trailblazer at my church, Calvary,
   2. but little to my knowledge, I was oblivious to it. As time went on, and people came to the church, different speakers, missionaries etc.
   3. They would talk about this way of life called being a trailblazer. I now truly know what it means to be one. It’s one who is preparing and making a way for the Lord Jesus Christ in people’s lives.
   4. It’s so important that we take the gospel very seriously. When you are youthful, you don’t think much about mortality, or even when you’re middle-aged.
   5. But after 65, you begin to see another picture. One that’s getting close to our departure. Even then, people still don’t get the clue that Heaven’s door is just around the corner.
   6. That’s why it’s so important to be out soulwinning. The bible says in Proverbs 11:30: He that Winneth Souls is Wise. Going to church is not enough, Christians.
   7. You must be trained and equipped in God’s Word, led by your pastor and the church to encourage you to be talking to as many people as you possibly can,
   8. sharing your testimony at every chance you can, with the hope and prayer that as you’re blazing the trail, along the way many will receive Jesus Christ as their own personal savior.
   9. If your church is not training and equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, they are shaming the Lord! The people deserve better!
   10. When a pastor is hired his main focus should be training and equipping the saints, being the under-shepherd that he is called to be with the calling that he is given,
   11. and the main focus should be winning souls. To be a trailblazer, one must be focused.
   12. One must be studied up. One must be trained to understand how to minister the gospel effectively to anyone that you come in contact with.
   13. You should be equipped and ready to answer questions and carry your bible so it can be the witness to your conversation. It’s not easy blazing the trail.
   14. But if you’ll focus on studying God’s Word, knowing God’s Word and allowing His Spirit to lead you and guide you into all truth and understanding, you will be the trailblazer, and very successful.
   15. Now let us look into our message.

Want to be a Trailblazer?
Let me tell you how!

 There are stories of great men who were trailblazers. Who were they?

3. 1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer – A German theologian and pastor who was involved in the resistance movement against the Nazi regime during World War II.
   2. He wrote extensively on the topic of Christian ethics & was executed by the Nazis in 1945. His writings continue to inspire Christians around the world to this day.
   3. John Wesley – A minister who founded the Methodist movement in the 18th century. He’s known for his emphasis on personal holiness, evangelism, & social justice, & his influence can still be seen today.
   4. Martin Luther – A German theologian who played a key role in the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. He is best known for his “95 Theses,” which challenged the practices of the Catholic Church at the time and sparked a movement that would reshape Christianity.
   5. And these are just a few examples. There are many more.
4. Is your heart to study and know God’s Word?
   1. We are all called to study God’s Word so we are approved of God and can accurately share it with others. Here it comes! Wait for it! 2^nd Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. This one verse encompasses everything that you and I are to do as Christians. The Great Commission is to go out into the highways and byways and compel the lost to come in, but it starts with studying, THEN we can rightly divide to others the Word of Truth.
   2. The more we study God’s Word, the more we know it, and know the God of the Word. Psalm 119:10-11: With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Are you studying? And are you meditating on His Word? If so, YOU can become the next trailblazer!

 Is your heart to be all you can be for Him? Or are we just sitting on our laurels waiting for the next big wave to come through when you could’ve been riding it.

4. 1. If your heart is to be all you can be for Jesus, you are obeying what Jesus said in Luke 9:23: And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. When we say “I do” to Jesus Christ, we are called to set aside our own personal agendas and pick up His.
   2. If you are just sitting on your laurels and waiting for the next big wave, James has a word for you. James 1:6: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. You know, for years and years we have prayed for a great revival, but I think God is saying back to us, “You be the revival.” When we endeavor to be all we can be for Christ, revival comes. He will make you a spark of revival.

 People are desperate. People are discouraged. Many lives have been turned upside-down that need the love, grace & guidance to encourage them to continue to keep marching on.

5. 1. This is why the Church is so important. Paul speaks about this in Hebrews 10:24-25: & let us consider one another to provoke unto love & to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: & so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. When we all get together as the Church and decide to be all we can be for Jesus, we can encourage and help those that are in need.

 The bible is also filled with trailblazers (OT&NT)

6. 1. Abraham blazed a trail into the unknown for a nation that he would give birth to. Genesis 12:1-3: Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Abraham obeyed and God blessed Him and the 2 nations he birthed are still on the earth today.
   2. Joseph was another trailblazer for the nation of Israel in that after being sold into slavery by his family, being accused of something he never did, God ultimately raised him up to save his people from a terrible famine. Genesis 41:46-48: And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. Eventually the brothers that had sold him into slavery would come needing food during the eyears of famine, and Joseph would bring them to Egypt to ilve until Moses came to bring them home.
   3. Speaking of Moses, when we first meet him, he knows his calling, but tries to do it his own way and gets into trouble. Finally, his trailblazing starts at the burning bush. Genesis 3:3-5: And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.It was here that God called Moses to be the trailblazer that would lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and on their journey to the promised land.
   4. Paul started out as a trailblazer for the enemy, but then this happened. Acts 9:2-4: And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Paul went on to be the trailblazer for Christ who won countless souls to the Lrod and wrote 2/3 of the New Testament.

 Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is one that is a trailblazer with numerous accounts of what he did.

7. 1. He drew attention to Himself with his knowledge and wisdom at the young age of twelve. Luke 2:45-47: And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. Little did they know that the one standing in front of them was the greatest trailblazer of all, the Lord Jesus Christ.
   2. He fed five thousand men with just five loaves & two fish. Luke 9:16: Then he took the five loaves & the two fishes, & looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish andthousands were fed. This happens here at the Little House every Sunday night.
   3. We talked about last week how he calmed the storm at sea. Mark 4:39: And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. One word from Jesus changed the whole situation, from rough and stormy, to calm and peaceful.
   4. He even raised a man from the dead, proving that He has the power over death. John 11:43-44: And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. After Jesus was crucified on the cross, on the third day, he arose from the dead, showing the world that He had conquered death.  He was deadly serious about being a trailblazer, and he certainly arose to the occasion. 😊

 Where are you in this message?

8. 1. It is my prayer that this message has inspired you to press on and be all you can be for God. Philippians 3:14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Is this you? This is something to think about.

 Are you all set because you received Christ as your own personal savior?

10. 1. As we say all the time, it is not enough just to believe and say you are all set. James 2:19: Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. We must live out what we believe and be fruitful for the one who saved us.
    2. Have you done anything to bring glory to God? 1st Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. We were made for His Glory, and everything we do should be to give Him glory.
    3. Have you gone out into the highways and byways to compel people to come into the church? Luke 14:23: And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. God wants His House to be full! What are you doing to help fill this place? Are you our there complaining that there aren’t enough people, or are you out inviting them???
    4. Have you led anyone to the saving grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, this message is for you.
11. Story: Bonhoeffer, a German Trailblazer.
    1. We mentioned Bonhoeffer earlier in the message as an example of a trailblazer. Here is a little bit more information on what he did in the World War 2 era.
    2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian, lived a life of profound faith and courage during the Nazi era.
    3. He initially opposed the Nazi regime’s ideology and its influence on the church, eventually joining the German resistance and participating in plots to assassinate Hitler.
    4. His commitment to justice and his unwavering faith led to his arrest and execution by the Nazis in 1945.
    5. Bonhoeffer, born into a prominent family, chose theology over aristocracy, entering a path that would lead him to confront the evils of Nazism.
    6. He became a vocal critic of the regime, particularly its persecution of Jews, and established a seminary that resisted Nazi influence. When war began, Bonhoeffer struggled with the moral implications of fighting for Hitler, eventually choosing to engage in resistance activities.
    7. e joined the German Military Intelligence, which served as a cover for the resistance movement. He helped Jews escape to Switzerland and attempted to negotiate peace with Britain,
    8. but his efforts were unsuccessful. In 1943, Bonhoeffer was arrested for his involvement in the resistance and spent the next two years in prison.
    9. During his imprisonment, Bonhoeffer wrote extensively, producing works like Letters and Papers from Prison, which explored themes of faith, discipleship, and the nature of a world come of age.
    10. His writings have become influential texts in Christian theology and continue to inspire reflection on faith and action.
    11. In the aftermath of the failed July 20, 1944, assassination attempt on Hitler, Bonhoeffer was implicated and executed in Flossenbürg concentration camp on April 9, 1945, just weeks before the war’s end.
    12. His martyrdom, along with his theological insights, has solidified his place as a hero of faith and resistance against tyranny.
    13. Over the years, I’ve heard this man mentioned on the radio and it is said that out of all of the Christians living in Germany at the time, he was one of very few who spoke out against the Nazi movement. He was a trailblazer. Let’s you and I become the few that will speak out for the cause of Jesus Christ.

.Conclusion

11. 1. Has this message made you think of who you are and what God has made you to be?
    2. Is it enough to say that you’re saved and then do nothing else? Do you know the rewards are great on the earth and heaven for the things you’ve done
    3. Are you a trailblazer? If you are not, you ned to be.