Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
FRIESEN
2011
A2BITNICKEL@GMAIL.COM
Index Introduction .. 4 Chapter 1: In Search of Security . 5 Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1-22 Chapter 2: In Search of Power.. 7 Scripture Reading: Acts 2: 22-40 Chapter 3: Facing the Truth . 9 Scripture Reading: Acts 3:6-26 Chapter 4: Facing Opposition . 11 Scripture Reading: Acts 4:23-37 Chapter 5: The Truth .. 13 Scripture Reading: Acts 5:1-19 Chapter 6: The Cost . 15 Scripture Reading: Acts 6:1-15 Chapter 8: The Move .. 17 Scripture Reading: Acts 8:2-26 Chapter 9: Changing Views . 19 Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-19 Chapter 10: The First Big Test .. 21 Scripture Reading: Acts 10:1-23 Chapter 10-2: Back to Basics . 23 Scripture Reading: Acts 10:1-24-48 Chapter 11: Challenging Traditions 25 Scripture Reading: Acts 11:1- 18 Chapter 11-2: Challenging Traditions ... 27 Scripture Reading: Acts 11:19- 30 Chapter 12: Secret Escape ... 29 Scripture Reading: Acts 12:1- 19 Chapter 13: False Power 31 Scripture Reading: Acts 13:6-12, 38-50 Chapter 14: From Hero to Villain 33 Scripture Reading: Acts 14:1-22 Chapter 15: One in Spirit . 35 Scripture Reading: Acts 15:1-32 Chapter 16: Confidence in Mission ... 37 Scripture Reading: Acts 16:1-18 Chapter 16-2: The Price of Confidence in Mission 39 Scripture Reading: Acts 16:19-40
Chapter 17: Ignorance Follows Reason .. 41 Scripture Reading: Acts 17:1-23 Chapter 17-2: Where is the God with No Name? .. 42 Scripture Reading: Acts 17:24-34 Chapter 18: Nothing will Happen . 44 Scripture Reading: Acts 18:1-17 Chapter 18-2: Doing it Right 46 Scripture Reading: Acts 18:18-28 Chapter 19: Spirit Power. 48 Scripture Reading: Acts 19:1-20 Chapter 20: Moving Forward.. 50 Scripture Reading: Acts 20:1-25 Chapter 21: Following Your Heart. 52 Scripture Reading: Acts 21:19-39 Chapter 22: God is not Exclusive . 54 Scripture Reading: Acts 22:20-30 Chapter 23: Choosing the Right Argument 56 Scripture Reading: Acts 23:1-21 Chapter 24: From Past to Present . . 58 Scripture Reading: Acts 24:1-26 Chapter 25: Doing it Right . 60 Scripture Reading: Acts 25:7-27 Chapter 26: Nothing is Stronger than Testimony . 62 Scripture Reading: Acts 26:3-29 Chapter 27: When No One wants to Listen .. 64 Scripture Reading: Acts 27:27-44 Chapter 28: Setting the Truth.. 66 Scripture Reading: Acts 28:12-31
Introduction I chose the book of Acts because it relates so much to where many churches are today. The new church was in search of its own identity. Today many Christians and Christian leaders search for the same power and identity. When we read through Acts, we find that Pauls life was focused on one thing. That was worship. It was through worship that he stayed on track. It was through worship, that Paul was able to make bold statements. It was through worship that Paul experienced Gods power. His gifts were not healing, or many of the other things he did. He was first and foremost focused on Jesus Christ. Acts is about how God works when He is the focus of your worship. Too many times we say He is, but in practice we focus on things of the world. Read these short sermons. Chapter 7 is missing. In actuality it is a sermon of Pauls that I skipped over. On the other hand there are several chapters with two sermons. Enjoy the scripture and the commentary. I believe that God uses our words to touch others. Not all will appreciate them, but if God gave them they are for a purpose. These sermons were delivered in 2011. They were given in a series to a small South Korean church, in English, with the Senior Pastor translating.
Acts: Worship equals Power The idea of Spirit filling comes from a life totally committed to Jesus Christ. Not understanding how God works, but making Him the hope of everything we do. To have Him be the teacher through a close walk with Him. God is never far from us. We may think that God is far at times because we cant see Him working in our struggles, but He is there. The key to the power of the Spirit is giving up our desires for His. God wants 100% of your life so He can fill it with a new power. Patience is also a key. The disciples had to wait and let God come to them. So often we run after God. We get tired trying to figure out how God will fix our problems. We become a people without power. We get depressed because God has not come upon us like other people. God does not treat us like a group. He did that in the Old Testament, using prophets and kings. Today He has opened salvation to the each person. Each person is responsible and each person can have the seal and power of the Holy Spirit. Our problem is that we want the power so bad we miss it. We become impatient. If you remember the challenge I made to you. Write the times when God has demonstrated His power in your life. As you list them and they become more frequent you will find that the power of the Holy Spirit is there. The miracles we have seen in different countries at different times have usually diminished in time. Did the power go away or did we lose focus? I think it is our lack of focus. The last part of these verses say that the people devoted themselves to prayer. It was here that Peter showed his leadership gift. It was here that the power of God was being demonstrated. We do not know when God is coming back, but He did promise He would. Until then we need the Holy Spirit to empower us. We are the disciples of the living God. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He desires to show the world His power through us.
Acts: Worship equals Power In verses 38 - 40 we have the simple sermon that was talked about. We read, 38 Let your hearts be changed, every one of you, and have baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will have the Holy Spirit given to you. 39 For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off, even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God. 40 And with more such words he gave his witness, offering them salvation and saying, Come out from this evil generation. Let your hearts be changed. (2) Have the baptism of Jesus Christ. (3) Receive the Holy Spirit. The offer of salvation that came with a change of heart and baptism, followed by the Holy Spirit. The challenge was to come out of the evil generation. This is the hard part. If we were to look at the church today we would find that in developed countries the church has had their moment of Pentecost. They have had people come out and be changed through the power of salvation and the Holy Spirit. I write in the past tense, because we find the church today moving closer to the generation and culture of the day than the power of the Holy Spirit. I was asked if you could get salvation if you went to a specific church. My response was that there is no salvation in any church. It is only through a relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no money to be paid to a church that can give you the hope of salvation, nor the peace that the hope will give you. Our message to those around should be come out of this evil self centered generation. Accept the salvation, which is free, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, and live a life of freedom to serve the true God. So often we look at the academics not the spirit filled message. Our hearts and minds are clouded because of things that are not based on the message of God, but our culture. Let us go out today and speak the same message as Peter. It is a simple message, but not one that is easy to do.
Acts: Worship equals Power The truth was Peter and John had nothing, but they did have the power of the Holy Spirit. We often ignore this power because we are too busy arguing about how it works, or if the person is qualified. In reality we must see the truth about who we are. We are nothing without the Holy Spirit. We are just normal people. We do have the same power that Peter and John had. We just dont use it. The truth is that we are scared of others opinions of us. We often question Gods timing and control of events when things happen to us. Think of this sick man. He must have asked what he had done wrong to not have healing. Why his was life so hard? The last truth faced in this story was that of the leaders of the Synagogue. Their reaction was to question on whose authority was this healing done. They were the power people. Who had not consulted them for approval? We find this today in our churches. How can other people do things without asking permission? The church has lost power, not because the Holy Spirit has lowered His power, but because we have put ourselves between God and man. God wants us to be in between as conduits of His power. The truth that had to be faced was the truth of ignorance of who God truly is and was. The fact was that the leaders had killed Jesus, who was God, and covered up the truth of His resurrection. In fact the truth was that the leaders could not give salvation to any person. The truth that they were the inheritors of the truth, and knew the truth which they had studied from Moses, until the present day, but had kept the truth from the people so they could keep the power. The truth that Jesus was still waiting for them, and wanted to bless them. The truth that they could only access the power of God, through giving up their own rights. That was the hardest one. They had to give up their right to power and accept Gods power.
It sounds so easy, but then what would we do if we couldnt control our life? We feel insecure in ourselves, when the Holy Spirit offers us security from now to eternity. The truth is we have the power, like the disciples. The problem is that we must give up our rights to our power so that we can be true conduits of Gods power. We have nothing to give people, except the hope of salvation and the empowerment and healing through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Acts: Worship equals Power crucify Jesus, and that He did rise again. There was no doubt about that. They had all been witness to those facts. In todays world what are we a witness to? Jesus is not here in person like He was then. We are witnesses to the fact of the power of the Holy Spirit. They know that when we plan a program, when we preach or witness, that there will be opposition. We need to tell people that when you accept Jesus Christ you will perhaps have a lot of changes. This is because, like the apostles, there will be opposition. We also need to teach them the prayer that the disciples prayed here. It is a great prayer to fight against the opposition they face. It is a request for power and it was not alone. The Holy Spirit had given wisdom to respond, and then power to continue without fear after release. It is this experience with God that will strengthen the Christian. All the theology in the world cannot make a Christian as powerful as the Holy Spirits power. Why do we get opposition? Is it because of the rules we make? Or is it because we speak the truth of the gospel? The opposition came because the truth of the gospel is hard to respond to. The Holy Spirit came and took away the fear as they preached the truth of the Church? No! The gospel! Lets proclaim the gospel to the world without fear.
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Acts: Worship equals Power I remember when I struggled with the idea of giving. When we give some money, advice, or something to someone we want a return. I call this a string. Giving with strings attached is very stressful. This is not the way we should give to God. Ananias and Sapphira were trying to give to God a little bit and say they had given it all. Now it does not say this exactly here, but in most cases this is what happens. In the end this lie cost Ananias his life and his wifes life, but it was God who took the life not the Apostles. The second thing is that, there was fear. Imagine the power of the Apostles. People were both amazed and frightened. The leaders were especially annoyed, but they could do nothing but grumble. I have taught that we can have this same peace, power, and confidence. We really can. The Holy Spirit hasnt changed, but we are fearful of the grumbling and the jail time. We dont see many of these revivals anymore. It is hard to find the mentors to take the time for discipleship. It takes a lot of money. I think other religions do better than us Christians. They are often more focused on their leader. They will give up their life for the cause. There are many in our churches today, who are like Ananias and Sapphira. We put them in leadership positions, because they should be wiser. The ones who show power often get left behind. They are ignored. In this new church, they needed to see the power. There was not space for selfish leadership. The leadership changed as it grew and entered the other world, through the Apostle Paul. They had their troubles. The new church in the end became corrupt, as we read in revelation. The new church lost its power. We pray for the power. We seek for the power. Perhaps we have lost the power because we fear our culture. Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives due to their lying to God. The same happened in the Old Testament when they disobeyed the Prophet at Ai, and kept some of the gold jewelry. What are we keeping from God? It wont stop the power of God to fulfill His purpose. It will take away the power of God in our lives.
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Acts: Worship equals Power This power does not come without a cost. When you function with the peace, power, and confidence we find through a relationship with the Holy Spirit it will cost us. We read here that there was growing antagonism against the disciples. It was not just about a few Apostles, but it was against the disciples who were preaching. The Church was growing and the power of the traditional leaders was being questioned. The poison began to infect the whole of the nation. The leaders, like Judas, paid people to gossip and lie about what was said. This is what we find is a problem today. There are an increasing number of false teachers. They tell people a false truth. In chapter 7 we find that Stephen defends the truth from their own scripture. Stephen preaches a history from the knowledge that the people had already been taught. He used their arguments which made them even angrier. The amazing thing about the gospel is that it is truly the sword of the Lord. It cuts to the truth without culture barriers. It cuts to the motives of the teaching. Stephen was not a Ph.D. in Theology. He was not an experienced orator. But he was full of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can answer the challenges we face better than we can. He can make us shine. When we do it from our academic cultural thinking, we find ourselves with more questions. Most of the time we dont want to make people angry. This is the problem. We are scared of the cost. We hate angry people. We hate people talking bad about us. We fall into the trap that we need to have only positive. What we find here is that it is the message that the leaders were upset with, not the disciples. It was the show of power that came with the message that made them angry, because people were following. What are we scared of; making people angry, a lower life style, rejection, or death?
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Acts: Worship equals Power For many people Christianity is about following Christ through the teachings of the church. I know pastors in the Canada who see themselves, not as servant so of God, though that is what they preach, but as a job. Christianity is not about making money. Being a church leader is not about getting rich, but demonstrating the power of God, so people can worship the true God. It is about doing things differently. In a world where money is #1, where do we find Gods power? A Buddhist on the TV this week, in an interview, was asked about his definition of happiness. After he had stated his definition, the interviewer asked about money. Money , he said, was both good and bad but didnt bring happiness. The contrast between the two stories and their results could be a good lesson for us. Simon, wanted to know the secret so he could get the popularity and power that would bring him in more money. The result was -- May your money come to destruction with you, because you had the idea that what is freely given by God may be got for a price. Philips story is at the end of the verses today. A person, who had chosen to follow God, and was obedient to God. Philips choice was based, not on envy, but on a desire for relationship. Philip did not choose to go to the desert. God chose him, God empowered him, and God rewarded him. The result was a deeper and more powerful relationship with Philip and his God. In todays world we face many issues, like this new church. God was moving, and the church was not always ready to move with Him. They had to be wise when they encountered the Simons. They needed to be obedient even when what God asked them to go in directions that they didnt understand. God was expanding his kingdom. He was opening the salvation, once only for Israel, to the world. He is doing the same today, but the time for His return is coming soon. As we wait we dont see God work as He did here, but in the end times, God will once more demonstrate His power. We have a choice of being a Simon or a Philip.
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Acts: Worship equals Power Paul did not change his enthusiasm or drive. He was still a strong minded person. He was still stubborn. The difference was his perspective on life. He changed from pursuing Gods will to letting Gods will pursue him. This is quite significant. Significant because we do what Saul did before he met God. Saul was controlled by his desire to please God and his synagogue leaders. Was God pleased or not was not the issue. When God and Saul met face to face there was a big change. The change was that God became the center of his life, not the synagogue leaders. This should be the focus of our church leadership today. To increase our membership is great. To increase the relationship our members have with God is more important. When Saul met Jesus on the road, it changed his life. He did not have the same experience as the other Apostles. God does not work the same way with everyone. He is not a cookie cutter God. To do Gods work he needed not to be humble but to less feared by the people he was ministering to. His previous life was the stimulus to go. Paul escaped to the Gentiles. God used his past life to help Paul stay on track. God used his eye problem to, not lessen the passion, but as a reminder of where his power came from. Depending on God is what God wants. God wants 100% of us. He wants to have the glory in everything. Paul wasnt distracted because of his eye problem. He had a relationship with God that grew in power and wisdom. God doesnt want to take who we are out. He wants to balance and empower us.
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Chapter 10: The First Big Test Scripture Reading: Acts 10:1-23
In this chapter we find two people from different worlds. Cornelius, who came from the high ranks of the army, and Peter, who was an Apostle, and considered a leader of the Jewish Christians. Cornelius was leader of a group who the Romans thought were against them. Peter and the Apostles were jailed by the Romans. This story is not about the people, but about how God works. In this situation God had prepared Cornelius first. From a human perspective we normally look at things ahead. The problem is that we dont see how God is working for us. We see only our limitations. Cornelius was a good man. In our understanding of scripture he wants a Christian, but he desired to know God. He was not a Jew but he gave to the poor. Many people give to the poor. For some it is from a sense of responsibility. For others it is a sense of hope to have a future after death. Cornelius did it because he wanted to please God. This is so different from Sauls desire to please both the synagogue leaders and God at the same time. But both Saul and Cornelius were people of power. God knew that to move the Church forward he needed power people. People who had the passion to serve, not just for power. Cornelius and Peter, though both leaders, also came from opposite backgrounds. Peter the traditional Jew and Cornelius supporting Rome against the Jews. It makes a great story. What God does is the same for both. He gave each of them a dream. God could have sent a person like he did with Saul, but chose to give each a dream. Cornelius didnt know who was coming, while Peter knew he was going to a gentiles house. This would become a problem for Peter. The first big challenge came to Peter. Peter had to consider all the teachings from his childhood. He had to rethink the idea of God he knew. The God Peter knew had a lot of rules and going to a Gentiles house was breaking the rules. This is where we find many Christians today. They live by rules they have been taught. It doesnt mean that the rules are wrong. It means that our view of God needs to be challenged. This challenge is the focus of this set of verses. We find that Peter was not the initiator of this meeting. Though both men had been told the same vision, Cornelius was the one who moved. He did not have the same problems as Peter, but Peter was ready. God had prepared both the sender and the receiver.
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Acts: Worship equals Power Often we dont obey God very fast because we dont see what God has done ahead of us. I could never have imagined that I could have done what I have, when I first came to Korea. What I have become is because God had prepared people in front of me. I didnt see it. At the same time we also look back at where we were. We start wanting the things we left behind. This is the biggest mistake. We will find Peter doing this. To look back and desire for things when God has so much more planned for us. Why would we do that? To Peter the vision maybe caused him great stress. Was God changing his mind? Was God changing all the rules? Had Peter believed something wrong? Im sure the questions in Peters mind were hard to understand. Then came the knock on the door. Peter was told not to doubt by the Spirit. God knew that Peter would have doubts. It was not only Thomas that doubted. This first challenge was hard. It challenged everything that Peter knew about God and His Laws. The challenge that Peter had to face. Peter did go with the men to Cornelius. He took other people, whom he trusted with him, as witnesses. When God does things He wants the world to know what He does. For Peter, it was a matter of knowing he was doing the right thing. He went with the men but with witnesses he could defend what he did and what happened. We are challenged today. Many Christians are searching for truth. The truth that gives us the power and confidence, when God wants us to move. We need to challenge our traditions. We need to challenge our teachings. We need to challenge our view of God. God will accept the challenge and we will grow in our spiritual lives. Challenging our view of God helps us see God in His fullness. How big is our God? Is our view of God centered on tradition, scripture, or experience? Is God trying to set us free to move the world around us?
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Acts: Worship equals Power When we speak like this not everyone will speak in tongues. But when we speak this simple message, not arguing about the fine tuning of it, we will discover that the power of God flows through us. This is the key to the power of God in our message. Too often we argue about whos right. Who can defend their faith better? Even when a false teacher comes, we argue with them. We try to make them understand that there is only one true way. What speaks much better is the power demonstrated by God. We cannot change peoples minds, but we try hard. You only have to look through the Bible to find examples of this, Moses and Pharaoh being just one example. We can, though, live to a different standard. We can live as people who do not need to seek inner peace, but already have inner peace. We can live as people of power and confidence that comes with the freedom that Jesus forgiveness offers. How simple is our message today? Are we trying to prove that our God is bigger than the others? Is this part of our stress?
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Acts: Worship equals Power God wanted to show that the Jews were still special. What God had said in Leviticus was still true. The reaction was exactly that. The leaders Peter returned to were, at first, negative. In the end it was positive. Peter didnt have to change his beliefs system. Peter had to change his view of how God works. God wanted to give life, freedom, power, and confidence to both Jew and Gentile. He wanted the Jews to know that the Law that was given was still there. God had not changed the rules, but had expanded the opportunity. It is at the end of these verses that we find the Jewish leaders finally understanding this concept. Today we are challenged by our culture to change. We are challenged to change our traditions. We need to be careful not to change traditions because culture asks us. Rather we need to change our views of how God works. God wants to offer salvation to all. We must challenge the methods. God will always challenge our views and traditions, but He never changes the rules. We need to respond with giving Him the glory, as other people get new life through the name and blood of Jesus Christ.
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Acts: Worship equals Power If you remember that at Pentecost, the people came from all over, but they were all Jews. They were there to perform a ritual of the Law. They discovered a God they had not known before. Was it that God had changed? No! It was that God had opened the door to more than the High Priest. He was now available to the people. In Antioch a few of these people realized that the hope of the Jews was now the hope for the world. This new understanding created a new understanding of the support later when it was needed. When we read these verses we discover that God had, not only a plan, but if the gospel had stayed only with the Jews, or only in Jerusalem, the future would have been much different. The Book of Acts is more than a book about the churches beginnings. It is an expose of how God, the Christian God, has things in His control. God didnt change His view of the world, but the world had to change their view of God.
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Acts: Worship equals Power This is the second problem with Christians today. I stressed a bit when the plan I had with the papers ran into problems. First the postal strike. Then the transcript was opened. Then the transcript was incomplete. It seemed that the time to get all the problems answered was not enough. The plans we make are often very good. My plan was great, but God had a better plan. It was not the quickest way, like mine, but it guaranteed that the problem would not happen again. We often look for quick fixes, rather than a fix that will last through the next storm. The prayers of the church were answered, but the church was not expecting it. We often pray, but we dont trust God will answer them, many times. This lack of confidence in our prayer takes away from the confidence God desires in our lives, as Christians. Peter did die later. He died a very violent death. We cant ignore Herod in this story. He was the reason that Christians were dying. Today we have many nation leaders, who persecute or allow the persecution of Christians. It is even happening in the USA. If you read the Old Testament, God has made a warning not to harm His people. In the Old Testament, they were the Jews. In the Book of Acts it was the Christians. It doesnt mean that Christians wont face persecution. It means that those who choose to go against Gods chosen people without reason, will also be punished. The choices we have today are not very different from the Book of Acts. Perhaps the biggest difference is that Christians have added to the simple gospel. We have more confidence in our system that we do in the God we have chosen to serve. Do we pray expecting? Or, like the church are we surprised when God answers in a miracle? Are we ready to die with confidence for our faith, like Peter?
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Acts: Worship equals Power These questions are what the Church faced. Their response was perhaps not what you would expect. I say this because we are worried about hurting others feelings. We are scared of criticism. Criticism, when done right is a good thing, but most will not tell someone they will be blind, or even die, for what they do. Throughout the book of Acts we find the boldness to say things. They were bold to stand up and be counted as Christians. We also see that each time God has changed the minds of those in power, or the people. This is what is different from what we see today. Christians confront those who oppose them, but the result is division within the church, not an empowerment of community. We cannot go back to the time of Acts. The Church has grown much larger. The problem is the same. One thing we do not have today is leaders who face those who oppose them, with the same result. We live in a culture of desire for peace. We dont want to rock the boat, or address issues head on. The question I have then is how can the power of God be demonstrated? It is almost like we want God to do thing quietly. We are becoming comfortable in our Christianity. We are becoming lukewarm, and the power of God is not seen as a challenge. In the book of Acts the church was challenging their culture. This challenge was met with God demonstrating His power, which in the end turned people to God. We all desire power! It is a natural human desire. Imagine what God could do with that desire. But, when God controls the power, He gets the glory. This is where we miss the mark so often. It is the hardest thing for us to understand and accept. We see here that the power of God, as demonstrated by the disciples, did not result in the disciples getting the credit or attention. Rather we read that the result was glory to God. What about our desire? We desire Gods power, but do we let Him have the glory?
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Acts: Worship equals Power The Apostles went from being heroes to villains. Heroes to the people, because their lives were empowered and changed. Villains, because this life changing empowerment took the focus away from the leaders, and focused it on God. Imagine the idea that the people were turned against the Apostles in Iconium and Lystra. They even stoned Paul, but they returned to them. Logic would say that if the people change their minds so fast, perhaps it may be not be safe to return so soon. Send other people, who can do it. But, evangelism is not only about revival, it is about teaching to be strong. How not to be so changeable. How to be wiser? In our prayers we often want revival, so we have to ask ourselves, what makes us so changeable. The people were empowered, but changed their minds, so why go back to them? We find the gospel went to other cities because of their empowerment. We also find that the Apostles could not escape their opposition. We like to feel safe and secure. We follow those who give us security. Imagine if the Apostles did the same. Their security was in the POWER of GOD. Then returned to those who had wanted to stone them to disciple them. Would we have done the same? When we read this, our culture would say, Move on! Why go back? When we are secure in our relationship with God, doing things which seem to be against culture can be the best. Are we secure in the Power of God, or in our leaders, Church, job, family, etc?
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Acts: Worship equals Power This fighting has allowed Satan to push forward with false religions. The Church has become almost powerless. The Law is still powerful and in effect. What we find there is to understand that we are saved by the grace of God, not by works of the Law. That has not changed. The principal of the Law has not changed. The Ten Commandments have not changed. So how should we live if the Law is not the same? As written here, we should stay pure in our relationship with Christ. We should not put things in our life which distract us from that relationship. Sound so simple. The idea God wanted was for His creation to be One in the Spirit. Not burdened by the Law on one side. Not burdened by the culture changes that were coming to the new church. When we are one with God, we are one in the Spirit with all Christians. We are not working to gain anything from God. God has promised to bless us if we keep focused on Him. God doesnt demand any more than that. Only we demand that. When I was in Seminary I was always told to be concerned about what people thought of me. My appearance, etc. was important. It is important. What is more important is why we do it. If we do it to please people, or to please God. When we live in the power of God, we react differently. We do not have to burden others with our weaknesses, or problems living the Law. Rather the Law will be the reason we can come alongside each other, in our struggle, experiencing the power of God together.
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Acts: Worship equals Power Paul chose a young boy to mentor. Timothy was not an aggressive person. He seems timid and shy. Quite opposite to Paul! A challenge to Pauls way, but a demonstration of Gods way in leadership. At the end of these verses we find a girl with demons. What she said was great. Who wouldnt want someone helping you in the ministry, letting people know who you were? I think many of us would consider this a plus, when we enter a new ministry. Pastor Hwang, who is trying to minister to the mostly Muslim workers here. If one of them would tell the others he was from the true God, he would see great things in his ministry. But this was not what Paul needed. Paul, following Gods leading, had an audience already waiting for him. His reaction to cast the demons out was to give freedom to the girl, not shut her up. At the same time her owners, who had made money from her, now could not make a profit. This is where we often see the problem today. We are too scared of making others angry that the power of ministry becomes impotent. We do not set people free, but rather enslave them again. Not all of us can be Pauls. Not all of us can be bold. There is no history which shows Timothy was like Paul. But we need more Pauls in our Churches. We need more people to stand and be bold so that Gods power can once again empower His Church, in Korea. We, ourselves, need to be obedient and not always try to push through, but continue to focus on the people God has called us to.
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Chapter 16-2: The Price of Confidence in Mission Scripture Reading: Acts 16:19-40
When I look at these Apostles, I wonder what we would have done. Accused falsely, beat with a whip, and put in a dungeon, I think most of us would just cry. I would seriously think about whether Christianity was worth it. But when we look at the world around us, we find that people are suffering. The story, in the verses today, show us why Christianity is worth more than other religions. We have a living God, who has power over everything. Imagine singing in jail. The focus of our story is not the beating and the hard times. Too often we look at the hard times in our life and dwell on them versus living above them. Paul and Silas show us how to live with our hardships, not without them. How many times do we pray for less hardship? Paul and Silas functioned above it. God was their only focus. It does remind me of the commitment my forefathers had to for Christ. Missionaries who sacrificed everything for Christ! Sometimes we fail to see the big picture. We dont see God for who he is or what He can do? Paul could not have seen the jailer, as Christian material. The jailer was just doing his job. His attitude came because he needed to be tough. God saw the inside of the jailer. He knew what the jailer needed to make the change. What do we know about our neighbors? We live in a world that has so many false truths. What is true? What is false? People dont like to show who they really are. In our jobs we cant be weak. In our family it is hard to show insecurity. God is the only truth that is real. In the Apostles world it was the same. What happens when we rise above our circumstances? We are empowered. As Paul and Silas sing to the other people in jail, God acts. Our first response would be to get out of jail, and forget about the others. What really happened was the jail was the safest place for them. They were in the deepest part of the jail. The most secure. The earthquake was enough to set them free, but why run? Running just confirmed the accusers attitude. Running made them fugitives. Staying gave integrity. Staying allowed them to not only to minister to the jailer, but to achieve Gods greater goal of adding to His kingdom.
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Acts: Worship equals Power To Paul and Silas the beatings, jail time, and hardship were the price of ministry. It was the price of their commitment to God. You dont find them running, or scared, even in the earthquake, because their confidence was in God. Their confidence got them into trouble. Their confidence saved the jailer from a sure death, by the Romans. Their confidence brought integrity so that they could lead other prisoners from escape. Confidence is a great thing. Today there are many people proud to hold on to traditions. They are proud that they do not conform to this world, hold to scripture, and do things for salvation. Their confidence is in the Law of Moses, not in a relationship with God. When this happens it becomes not confidence but pride. Just like the accusers that followed Paul. Did he teach against the Law? No! Did he teach against tradition? No! He taught a simple gospel that said a relationship with the true God was the only hope of salvation. Where is your confidence today? I think we have confidence in God in times when our life is good. It is when our lives have hardship that we can test whether ours is true confidence or pride in our obedience to the Law.
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Chapter 17-2: Where is the God with No Name? Scripture Reading: Acts 17:24-34
This is a great sermon. What an opportunity. Remember last week I said that Paul took the opportunity to preach the gospel. In these verses, Paul starts with who God is. I think as Christians and Christian leaders we have demoted this argument. What I am saying is that our God does not belong in a building called a Church. This idea must have seemed strange to both the Jews and Gentiles. God to the Jews lived in the Tabernacle, or synagogue. God to the Gentiles lived in statues they could see. This God with no name could not be placed in a monument or building, even though he was the Lord of them all. We live in a world when Christians wear symbols to show they are Christians. This is nice and the jewelry is beautiful, but it doesnt make us a Christian. It doesnt mean anything, when it comes to our relationship with God. These verses also tell us about Gods purpose for all people. Last week I referred to the idea that we were made in Gods image. We desire to know the true God because He is not just an ancestor but our Creator. For Koreans and many other nations, making statues of ancestors is common. We keep pictures in our houses to remember them by. This is not wrong. What is wrong is when we worship these icons, when we give God equal status to them. Gods power does not live in a picture, a body, or a grave. God is EVERYWHERE. We search for Him and often cannot find Him. The good luck things we keep are nice, but what would happen if we understood God as bigger than a good luck charm? God has given us everything, but we cant find it? Have you ever thought of why? The people who came to Mars Hill came to give money and food to the gods. They thought they could protect them. Today I find people stressed if they leave their prayer beads behind, or something similar. They need it for protection on a trip. Christians have their gods, but they are not stone carvings. We feel secure in our job. We feel secure when we are healthy. We only feel secure if we go to church, etc. We see God as a person who rewards us for doing things. What Paul is saying here is that this that we cannot give God anything, which is not already His. God does not need our gifts. God does not need us for anything. What God wants is a relationship with us.
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Acts: Worship equals Power God wants us to discover Him. He wants us to have a living relationship with Him, because He is living. Gods sign to the world is the resurrection. Why do we look for more signs that He is alive? Dead gods need head-stones. A God who is alive does not need one. A God who is alive also has the power. So often we go to God after we discover the other gods have failed. When Paul spoke people listened, but not many changed. People hold on to their ideas. They like the security they feel they have to do things for or give things to. They did not tear down the idols or give a name to the unknown God. In Pauls evangelism the results were Gods. His job was just to take the opportunity. Gods live in houses and temples. Our God lives in people. He created all things. He rules all things. He rules the other gods. His resurrection is proof of His power. Why then do we put other gods before Him in our life? What is stopping us from taking the opportunities that God puts in front of us?
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Acts: Worship equals Power I think we would do both if possible. We do not find Paul doing this, even as Sosthenes, was beaten. This is a good lesson to learn. We carry our negative emotion often too long. We put on a nice face but then we talk behind peoples backs. Paul, I am sure, but it is not written here, prayed for these Jews. Paul knew that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent and pray. Paul also knew that he was in no danger. God had promised him this. God has promised many things to us as Christians. We just memorize them. For Paul these promises were words to live by. They were what kept him going when life around him was bad. It was his view of who God was that kept him standing and preaching. Now, most of us are not preachers or missionaries. Most of us do not face opposition like this, but God does not only empower us when we are in trouble. God wants to empower us every moment so can stand strong and know that nothing will harm us, when we stand for the true God in our community and lives.
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Acts: Worship equals Power In these verses we find so much about leadership and discipleship. The discipleship and teaching of Priscilla and Aquila, by Paul, which led to the mentoring of Apollos. The leadership of Paul, in understanding his mission, and letting Apollos do what God had gifted him to do. Much of the stress we see in Christians today can be attributed to not understanding what God want us to do. Like the Jews we know a lot, and do a lot, but experience little. Some of us hang on to traditions, while others like Apollos just need mentoring. Apollos had the gifts and the ability. He had the passion and the fire. What he needed was someone to set him on the right track. What are we doing with our lives today? Are we hanging on, or using our gifts? Are we, as leaders, choosing to disciple other leaders, mentoring those who need to be put on the right track, or waiting for someone to come and teach us. Perhaps today we can consider these ideas. Many people want the fire but they are too scared to start one.
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Acts: Worship equals Power We have many Christians believing they have power, but there is nothing to show for it. The church for many reasons has become powerless. We have the Holy Spirit. We speak the name of Jesus. Yet we lack the power. Even those who speak in tongues lack the power. The argument then is that speaking in tongues is not necessary for salvation. That is true. Speaking in tongues, in these verses was not something that came with salvation. Rather it was limited to a few. It was necessary to separate those who would try to copy from the real spirit filled Christians. Today there doesnt seem to be much difference between the ones who speak in tongues from those who dont. For many it is confusing and causes argument. Is this how we should apply what happened here? I think that there is room for tongues, but it is not for everyone. Paul in a later writing says that we should not seek tongues, but seek the gift that God has given, and to use it well. If we desire tongues so we can copy the power, we will fail. God has set each of us in ministry to do a specific job. Not all of us will cast out demons. Not many of us will be prophets, but all of us can be in ministry filled with the Holy Spirit. We do not need to copy but to develop a strong Spirit controlled life. With a Spirit controlled life we will have the peace, power, and confidence that only He can give us. The power to stand in any fire, and against any spirit.
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Acts: Worship equals Power Should we be scared? Should we be in fear? No! We should weep. Paul was focused, not on himself, but on discipling Gods people. His purpose in life was to worship God. It was this priority that gave Paul the power to continue. Paul also knew that he would not return. As a Christian leader we often get a chance to impact others toward a deeper and better understanding of their relationship with God. He repeats that he held back nothing that would help those Christians to mature. He doesnt blame the struggles for his leaving. In fact he doesnt blame anyone. So often we get caught in the blame game. We blame our economy. We blame our lack of things. We blame our upbringing. We hear this a lot in our culture and our churches. Paul doesnt get into the blame game. As Christians and as leaders we need to rise above the blame game. We need to stay focused on Gods relationship to us. We need to give from what we have, not look at what others have. I think this is where Christianity shines. When our attitudes run counter culture. When we are empowered to serve God and His power flows through us unhindered by what others have, because we are focused on Him. In Korea, and many places in the world, we are facing what the church faced here. If you were to read revelation you would also find the same scenario. We are being challenged by false teachers and doctrines. Many have lost their way. We as leaders must understand the times will not get easier, but harder. The challenges will not get lesser but greater. Are we willing to give up what others have for the sake of Christ?
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Acts: Worship equals Power These things are painful but when you are where God wants you to be these things happen. The pain is especially hard when it comes from pastors and leaders who do not follow scripture, but believe those who accuse, because of their position. As we read the final verses of this chapter, we find that Paul was mistaken for another person, a person who had fought against the Romans. The Asians, who had come down from Ephesus with a false report were not the ones confused. It was the others who did not know Paul, but the power of Pauls words were equally powerful. What would make you change your decision to move forward?
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Acts: Worship equals Power In our churches today many desire to follow God, but struggle to know what is true. Churches seem to be caught up in the idea that all things need to be focused on the church. It is the same as what we read here. God has called each of us, as Christians, to give Him the glory. There is no room for anything else. This does not mean that the church will not benefit, or that the power of the church will diminish. It does mean that we need to keep our priorities straight. We can dialogue with other faiths, for the common good, but we cannot say we worship the same God. We serve a living powerful God. A God that is larger than the Church, its leadership, and its people. We can do nothing to achieve righteousness with God. There is no social work or money that can give us an exclusive relationship. The only relationship that will give us the power and confidence that Paul had is to give God ALL the glory, in everything. People will get angry because they do not get the glory, or the exclusive right to access God, but it is the only way.
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Chapter 23: Choosing the Right Argument Scripture Reading: Acts 23:1-21
Argument is an art persuasion. What often happens in Christian circles is the argument is not about persuasion, but about making a point. As leaders we are often faced with defending our belief system. Which church is right? It is often confusing to people. I am often asked this question from Koreans I meet. They are searching for the truth. It is very important then, that we understand our audience. Paul was a lawyer by education. He not only knew the Law, but he had confidence in a living God. It is with this confidence that he was able to say -- God will give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge, by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law? Paul invoked the power of God against the high priest. In doing this he assumed that the person was just another Sadducee or Pharisee. Assumptions are very dangerous. Assumptions make our arguments weak and the listener reject our message. This is why, when we read earlier in the Book of Acts, that Paul had his opinions of those who sought to kill him, but he respected their authority. This is important to standing firm in our faith. If we just argue we will find ourselves losing respect and integrity. In the beginning of Pauls ministry, we read that he gave his testimony. It was the testimony of Gods power. This is first point to make in any argument. Our lives are not ours, but a testimony of Gods power. Now Paul was confronted by those who had challenged him directly. By giving respect to the leaders Paul chose an argument that would affect their view of who he was. He was not only a Roman citizen by birth, but also a Pharisee. The leaders saw Paul as just another heretic, but Paul had a great heritage from which to draw. What then is the cornerstone of the argument? Is it who God is? Is it the position of Israel to the Gentiles? There are so many arguments that Paul could have chosen. In the end he would have been tired and achieved nothing, but a stressed mind. Paul chose the argument of the eternal hope. It was not only an argument the Sadducees and Pharisees argued over, but it was this hope that made people turn to Christ. Christmas is coming. People are searching for hope. Hope that life will be good in the new year. Hope that they can find the peace that passes all understanding. Paul could have focused on
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Acts: Worship equals Power how to saved, or which baptism was right. Paul could have chosen to argue with the Sadducees to make his point. Had Paul chosen to argue with the Sadducees, he would have won a few friends among the Pharisees, but not won the integrity which he wanted. He wanted to be heard. He had a message to tell, and he wanted people to hear it. Choosing the right argument was crucial. Using the experience God has brought to our lives, for Paul it was his heritage, allowed him to gain a hearing. His accusers now became his equals, not just a heretic. Finally, Paul did not enter the argument among these two groups. This is often where we get into trouble. We get so excited about winning the argument that we dont know where we should stop. There is an old saying that says It is better to be thought a fool, than open your mouth and let people know you are one. This is what Paul understood. He had a great opportunity to argue that he was right. He also had an opportunity to speak about the hope that God gave to the world. This Christmas season many people will participate in Christmas advent activities. Many people will search for this hope that Christ the baby promised to bring. Will we fill our appointments that God brings us with arguing who is right, or take the opportunity to talk about the hope we have, because we have a living Christ?
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In our quest to build our church, we want the world to see how good we are. We desire that people see us in our ministry. Paul, on the other hand, desired only God to be praised. It was
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Acts: Worship equals Power not how many people were saved. It was not how many baptisms. It was rather, that he stood true to his relationship with God. People come to my door asking me to join their church. They have their books and arguments, but it is usually about their leader or laws. Laws that even they dont keep, if we were to look closely. They follow their pastor rather than God. When I was a young pastor, I was always told that my background would hurt me. I was not a murderer, like Paul, but I had done some stupid things. It was like having dirt on your shirt everywhere you went. I chose to argue the one point. In Korea, I often wonder if the same thing happens, as did Paul. He was not only confronted with his past. But, Felix wanted a few theology lessons. The truth was he wanted money not salvation. As Christian leaders we are often more focused on how many we can get into church, not so much about salvation. Many people want the hope that Christ gives, but more than that they think they will get financial blessings. Christ promised peace, and hope. That is what Christmas is about. Today, it is about greed, and saving face. It is about getting the best deal. Jesus gives us the best deal, but it costs us our lives. Are we ready to pay that for it?
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Acts: Worship equals Power It is silly to think like this. It is not biblical, but it is how we often teach and preach the gospel. Too often we do not want to find the truth, because it means we have to ask hard questions. It means that we will make some people angry. Perhaps they will even leave the church. Festus had to listen, but he didnt have to make a decision. He showed his wisdom in seeking the counsel of another higher person, before deciding. Too often we make decisions too fast. We live in a culture where speed is #1. We have to go fast. We have to make quick decisions. In reality, most decisions do not need to be made so quickly. This chapter is about finding the truth before making decisions about people. Paul had a bad past, but God had changed him. He had proven it. We must consider the decisions we make about people carefully. We must learn the biblical principles in discovering the truth. In leadership we often face these things. May be set Gods Word as our book of principles to follow.
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Chapter 26: Nothing is Stronger than Testimony Scripture Reading: Acts 26:3-29
How often do you listen to a whole argument before you reply? Most people want to speak before the person has finished the whole argument. This is what Paul wanted. If we were Paul where would we start, in our speech? Perhaps we would start with all the good things we have done. Paul was, of course defending himself before a very powerful man. Perhaps we would feel guilty and think of all the things we did wrong and try to take responsibility for our sins. Paul knows the arguments that the Jews have made, so he could have chosen to focus on their arguments. Instead Paul chooses to give his testimony only. He admits that his passion was to follow the rules of the Pharisees. The focus of his past was not on following the rules, as much as it was to work for the hope of salvation. Isnt this what we do today? So many Christians are working for the hope of salvation. These Christians are found in every brand of church. Yet, it is not what salvation is all about. This hope of salvation is what Christianity is all about, but not the way Paul did it. It was the transformation of purpose as the fruit of his conversion experience. Pauls focus was on the hope of eternal life. Often Christians get distracted by preachers who focus on other things. People want to be rich and healthy. The Jews wanted to be free from their Roman masters. But, is this what we should focus our testimony on? As Paul continued his testimony, his focus was not on his work but Gods message to the masses. He had kept the Law, and he was stoned, by the Jews. His focus was staying true to what he was called to do, by God. It was not his choice to go to the Gentiles, but the scripture was clear and he, as a Jew must stay with scripture. Over the years I have seen the church go from bible-based teaching, to a little bible and lot of vague explanations and stories. This change has weakened the church. It has distracted the church from its purpose. It has divided the church into segments, and weakened those who seek hope. I listen, sometimes, to how people introduce their church, especially the larger churches. The focus is on how many members they have. They tell how many broadcasts or programs they have. Paul did none of these. Of course he had no radio or TV broadcasts to make. He had no internet to twitter on.
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Acts: Worship equals Power What Paul did do in this defense, was to focus on his calling, and his commitment to his God. He focused on the hope that the people wanted, and which God wanted to give to the world. He could have focused on the Jews rejection of Christ. Would that have been helpful? No! It would have taken away from his testimony. As we look forward to Christmas, we see the same thing here. There was the witness of the wise men. They followed because of the hope they had within them. It was not the cost of the trip to Bethlehem, or the time it took. The shepherds, lonely and cold, perhaps feeling a loss of hope, were given the angels to arouse this hope again. Joseph, whose hope was insecure, needed assurance that he had made the right decision. Mary, who had the rough ride so late in her pregnancy, had no one to talk to but the angel. Hope and commitment are the keys to our testimony. Focusing on anything else will distract and confuse the argument. Attacking other religions or people for their attacks on us does not help our integrity. What do you do when you are attacked? Do you stay focused on what really counts?
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Chapter 27: When No One wants to Listen Scripture Reading: Acts 27:27-44
As I read Acts I have found Paul staying with the simple truths. Paul had physical limits, yet he never shied away from giving the glory to God. He could have asked for more. He could have even escaped criticism, but he didnt. But who would listen to Paul. He was a tent-maker, and now a prisoner. In this chapter Paul had warned the leaders about the danger to come. What do we do when we are faced with difficulties? Who do we listen to? These questions are important in todays world. We face a world that is quickly moving toward a secularized Christianity, a Christianity that struggles between scripture and secularism. If we look at our world today we can see that Jesus is coming soon. The signs are becoming stronger with each crisis. From floods and disasters to a unified monetary system and an increase in tensions around Israel. As Paul boarded the ship, he knew that the storm was coming. No one would listen to him. The same is today. We are the heralders of the end times, but few will listen. We have the scripture, from God, but the storm will come. The sailors on the ship wanted desperately to escape. They didnt care about the prisoners, or the other merchants on the ship. They cared only for themselves. This is when they finally listened to Paul. When they finally had to choose between losing life, or keeping life. As a leader Paul stayed true to his mission. He could not change the weather, but he did stay true to his message. He took the opportunity even to break bread with the people. I find this interesting. If we remember from last week, the idea was hope. It was as if he was giving a blessing before the crash. As a leader he was helping them understand the hope they had in life. Many people are looking for hope. Their life has not always been easy with the economic changes. Families are falling apart and jobs are becoming insecure, so hope is important. Most important is that Paul gave the glory to God. He focused the peoples attention on God, not himself. Paul made promises that seemed to be a stretch, if we consider the storm. He had total confidence in his God. Paul focused on worship and God, not himself, in his whole ministry. We will be challenged to compromise. We will have our storms, and we should be leaders. There will be people who may not listen to our message, but there will always be people who want leaders who have a message of hope.
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Acts: Worship equals Power From the first chapter of the early church, the struggle to define and focus on worship has been a focus. To distinguish Christianity from other religions has focused on a works oriented philosophy. This in turn has resulted in a dead church. A church burdened and restricted. In the book of Acts we have found Paul struggling with this, but in every negative situation it was his focus on worship, that God rewarded with power. It was the power of God that allowed him to be bold. In todays world we shy away from boldness. We are scared to hurt someone. So much so that the church has become powerless. A powerless church can never change their culture. Paul didnt want to change his culture; he wanted people to be empowered. He didnt want people to give him praise, but to guide them to a relationship with Jesus Christ. The book of Acts is about the growth of the early church. Throughout this study the church came into conflict with the world around them. Their best defense was the power of God in every situation. It was what gave the disciples their purpose and hope. The message of Christ is simple. Our testimony is the strongest message we can speak about. Does our message focus on giving glory to Christ, His power to change, and His security of our life?
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Acts: Worship equals Power The challenge for the church today is let Christ empower the people. There is power in the name of Jesus Christ. We can debate god with any religion, but we will rarely debate Jesus Christ. It is Christ who will set us free. It is Christ who will give us the peace and security, in a world which cries for truth. As this book ends with Paul continuing his teaching we must ask ourselves if we are scared of the truth. The truth that we are nothing without Jesus Christ. We are not secure without Jesus Christ. We have nothing to offer the world around us if we are not in tune with worshipping Jesus Christ. God will in the end return to Israel and save them. In the book of Acts the door is open to us. The door is quickly being shut. Our message should not be, Have you heard of the four spiritual laws?, but are you ready for Jesus return? The end for Paul was not far off after this last chapter, and Jesus is not far from His return for His people. Are you ready?
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