SERMON SUMMARY
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Year of the Visitation : Working Your Witness
Sermon given by Senior Pastor, Dan Tabolt
“Working Your
Witness”
If we have been
born again of the Spirit of God we have become a witness of the saving
power of God. Understand that in your story God has placed treasures for
the world to see. Your story or your testimony is your first supernatural
gift that God has entrusted you with. It can be looked at as the talent
that the Lord tells us about in Matthew 13. We work it, trade with it, and
it grows and produces fruit to God. Today’s Bible lesson will be looking
at the testimony of Paul. Seeing how he allowed God to reprogram his life
so that he had, “Eternal Impacted” in the world.
Notes about Paul:
Saul of Tarsus, known to Christians as St Paul, grows up in a strict
Jewish family in the port of Tarsus, in what is now southern Turkey. As
part of Asia Minor, this is a Greek-speaking town.
It is also within the Roman empire, and this family is distinguished
enough to have been granted Roman citizenship.
After studying with a leading rabbi in Jerusalem, Saul becomes closely
linked with the religious authorities in the city and zealously helps to
suppress the Jewish heresy which is being spread by the followers of the
crucified Jesus. He watches with full approval the stoning of Stephen, a
leading Christian, and then he sets off to Damascus to seek out and arrest
any Christians in that city.
On the road to Damascus he sees a blinding light and hears a voice saying
'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' The voice goes on to add: 'I am
Jesus'.
Acts 9:1-20 Saul's Conversion
Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to
destroy the Lord's followers, so he went to the high priest. 2 He
requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their
cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He
wanted to bring them — both men and women — back to Jerusalem in chains. 3
As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven
suddenly beamed down upon him!
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why
are you persecuting me?" 5 "Who are you, sir?" Saul asked. And the voice
replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go
into the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7 The men with
Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's
voice, but they saw no one! 8 As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he
found that he was blind. 9 So his companions led him by the hand to
Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he
went without food and water.
10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to
him in a vision, calling, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord!" he replied. 11 The Lord
said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you arrive,
ask for Saul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him
a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so
that he can see again."
13 "But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard about the terrible things
this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And we hear that he is
authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus."
15 But the Lord said, "Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen
instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to
the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for
me."
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said,
"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent
me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy
Spirit." 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he
regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate
some food and was strengthened.
Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And
immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He
is indeed the Son of God!"
Note: WOW,
What a Story!
If Paul lived in
our day, he would be invited on Christian TV, to FGBM, and asked to write
books about this great conversion. Not so with Paul. He was shown by the
Lord the great things he would suffer if he was to walk in the mission of
God.
I. Jesus
Christ wants to reprogram us.
When the apostle Paul (previously known as Saul) came face to face
with the risen Savior, his life was turned completely upside down.
Whatever had previously been his motivation for living became as nothing
in comparison to his passion for following Christ. Through his example, we
see what God wants to do with our lives by making an eternal impact.
A. Warning! You
could be convinced in your mind about how you should please God, but could
be completely wrong. “Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every
breath.”
Phil 3:7-8 I once thought all these things were so very important, but now
I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes,
everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. NLT
B. Immediately Began to Move with the New Life Program
“Then he got up and was baptized. “
C. Paul understood immediately the value of being a witness of Jesus
Christ.
20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues,
saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!" NLT
D. Paul Totally Embraced this New Life.
Phil 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ , and to die is gain. NKJV
II. Paul Used His Testimony and We Should Use Ours.
Paul talks about the character of his conversion (Galatians 1:11–24)
A. In Acts there
are three accounts of his conversion experience:
• The first is a description of the event itself (Acts 9:1–20) in which he
is described as falling to the ground, as a result of a flash of light
from the sky.
• The second is Paul's witness to the event before the crowd in Jerusalem
(Acts 22:1–22).
• The third is his testimony before King Agrippa II (Acts 26:1–24).
B. Where are you
on your spiritual journey compared to Paul’s experience?
1. On the road to Damascus, still going my own way.
2. Beginning to hear God calling my name—just not sure how to respond.
3. Looking for an Ananias to help me figure all this out.
4. Getting up to go public and be baptized.
5. Becoming stronger as I have repeated encounters with Jesus.
III. What Will
You Say at the End of your Life?
Acts 20:23- the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that
chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me ;
nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with
joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to
the gospel of the grace of God. NKJV
2 Tim 4:7- I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race , I have
kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on
that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
NKJV
What is the
Revelation, the Motivation and the Activation of this
Lesson?
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