ACTS 5:20 - Taking A Stand!

SERIES #9: Acts of the Apostles – Witnesses to Jerusalem

TOPIC: Proclamation; Evangelism, Good News (Gospel), Obedience, Testimony, Witness, Word (Scripture)
TITLE: TAKING A STAND – What the Authentic Church Is Expected to Do!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God’s command to the apostles reveal about what He wants of them [and us]?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM IMPRISONED BY WORLD!
II. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM TO WAIT FOR “THE PEOPLE” TO COME TO THEM!
III. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING WORTH STANDING FOR!
IV. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING TO SAY!

A. Who they’re to say it to – “the people”!
B. Where they’re to say it – “in the Temple”!
C. How much to say – “the whole message”!
D. What it’s about – “this life”!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: The death of Ananias and his wife Sapphira is now past; the result being great fear AND great growth.

1. great fear coming “upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things” (5:11)
2. great growth continued – that is, “all the more” were being added (5:14)

These two pretenders were used by God [Romans 8:28] to –

1. preserve church integrity,
2. develop a healthy fear of God, and
3. bring about dramatic church growth.

In our text we still see the bold, powerful witness of the “authentic church.”

TEXT: Acts 5:20 (12-21a)

“Go your way, stand and speak
to the people in the temple
the whole message of this Life.”

The apostles’ prayer continued to be answered: they asked to “speak Thy Word with all confidence” [aka: “boldness”], heal, and see signs and wonders – they received boldness to speak the Good News with signs and wonders [5:12, 14] and healings [15, 16].

Remember where we are: we’re in Jerusalem [through chapter 7]. Let’s also remember the central themes of Acts …

1. the Preeminence of the Living Christ
2. the Prominence of the Holy Spirit, and
3. the Power of the Authentic Church.

The Church was filled with Holy Spirit power, burdened to proclaim the Good News of “this Life.”

As it turns out, the apostles were not set free to save their own lives but the lives of others.

Literally, they were commanded –

1. to GO … “you go your way”
2. to TAKE/HOLD … “take your stand” or “hold your ground” or “stand firm”
3. to SPEAK … “continue to speak.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What’s God’s command to apostles reveal about what He wants?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM IMPRISONED BY WORLD!

A. They were to “Go”… “Depart”
B. To get up and escape

1. Not to stay put
2. Not to wait for the guards
3. Not to submit to the ways of man
4. Not to be trouble free
5. Not to be sure they don’t offend
6. Not to fear man but God

II. IT REVEALS HE DIDN’T WANT THEM TO WAIT FOR “THE PEOPLE” TO COME TO THEM!

A. They were to go to “the people”

1. Not to their homes & families
2. Not to the Upper Room
3. Not to their place of employment
4. Not to flee Jerusalem
5. Not to the country to hide

B. God even told them where the people were - “in the temple”
C. The temple here is not naos (God’s)– but hieros (man’s)
D. In other words – right back to where they were arrested

III. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING WORTH STANDING FOR!

A. Standing on the Promises
B. On the Rock of Ages
C. “The whole message”

1. Not part of the word
2. Not the message of man

a) Not princes or rulers
b) Not shakers and movers
c) Not of mammon
d) Not one another

D. But the rhematos “of this life”

IV. IT REVEALS HE HAD GIVEN THEM SOMETHING TO SAY!
A. To say Publicly, Boldly, Resolutely, Truthfully
B. “All the words (rhemata) of this Life”! {“the full message of this life.” [NIV]}

1. “Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words (rhemata) of eternal life.’” [John 6:68]
2. “But what does it say? ‘THE WORD (rhema) IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART’ – that is, the word (rhema) of faith which we are preaching … ” [Romans 10:8]
3. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word (rhematos) of Christ.” [Romans 10:17]

APPLICATION:

[OVERSHADOWED] Like in that movie where the alien space ship comes over the horizon and blocks out the whole sky … God has sent His Son and His Son has filled the universe … and through all ages.

My friends, the fact that we are here today is by the grace of God alone … whether saved or lost we owe our present life to Him. And no eternal life will come except through His Son Jesus.

People must be told!

Let’s be clear and honest … under no circumstance is God about to tell these just released messengers to speak …

1. anything but the full message or the whole truth
2. anything but that which is most important and of the highest priority
3. anything but a message related to the person and works of Jesus Christ, His Son
4. to anyone but those needing to hear the message
5. or in anyway that is not filled with divine confidence

[GILL] “The Gospel is to be preached to all; the Spirit of God makes it effectual to some, and others are rendered inexcusable.”

CHALLENGE: No matter the circumstances, God still desires His people go, take their stands, and speak boldly … the whole message of this life.

When we were released (if indeed we were released), the message was the same: go your way, continue to speak, to the people, in public (boldly, confidently), the whole message of "this Life."

We must fear God and not man: if we fear man, we inherit everlasting torment; if God, eternal life.

Acts, Christianity, Evangelism,
Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Proclamation, Sermons

ACTS 4:19-20 [13-22]: Whether It Is Right!

SERIES #6: Acts of the Apostles; Witnesses to Jerusalem [1-7]

TOPIC: Boldness (testimony); apologetics, authenticity, experience, faith, reality
TITLE: WHETHER IT IS RIGHT: We are compelled to speak out following an experience with God!

TEXT: Acts 4:19-20 [13-22]

TRUTH/CONTEXT: If you take your relationship with God seriously you’ve spoken about that relationship to others; if you’ve spoken often, you’ve been in the apostles’ place on more than one occasion.

Our text is …

But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we can’t stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

• And so it should be when we have knowledge of the Truth (haven’t we been set free by it).
• The apostles’ boldness confounds their accusers; after all they’re just lay people … uneducated.
• Those dealing with lies often use intimidation to silence their enemies, not to bring light into the darkness but to perpetuate the darkness and prevent the Light!
• Sadly, their intimidation often raises doubt, even in the mind of a believer.
• Yet when something is known with certainty, nothing can changes the fact or truth; like the apostles … “we can’t stop.”
• The apostles and the lame man knew what they had seen and heard and nothing would silence them.

You would agree with me that the disciples in the book of Acts had a real experience with God, wouldn’t you? You would also agree that that experience gave them boldness, wouldn’t you?

[REALITY] A friend and I were discussing something on TV the other day … they hadn’t seen what I had seen on the clip. There was no replaying it. (“Who’s telling the truth, you or my lying eyes?”) I personally knew what I had seen and heard but I quickly realized it was fruitless to push the fact be-cause the other party clearly had not seen and had not heard what I had heard.

The disciples, therefore the Church, are still in Jerusalem … they have yet to move their witness to Judea and Samaria (beginning at chapter 8) … the rest of the world must wait until chapter 13 ... which is the overview of the book.

We’ve also highlighted what we believe are the three major themes of the book.

1. Preeminence of the Living Lord!
2. Prominence of the Holy Spirit!
3. Power of the Authentic Church!
   

OPTION: Read the passage [4:13-22] while allowing for commentary …

Verse 13– "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and under-stood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and be-gan to recognize them as having been with Jesus."

Notice: we don’t have to be ANYTHING or know ANYBODY in order to be a confident witness of the Living Lord and effect on people – notice the preeminence of the Living Lord and the potential for power in the authentic Church.
Notice also: the authentic Church is clearly recognized as having been with Jesus … it demonstrates Holy Spirit power.

Verse 14 – "And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply."

Notice: facts are not easily denied, even by the corrupt … especially miracu-lous facts.

Verses 15-18 – "But when they had ordered them to go aside out of the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, ‘What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name.’ And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.”

Verses 21-22 – "And when they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which they might punish them) on account of the people, be-cause they were all glorifying God for what had happened; for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed."

Notice: in spite of the facts, corrupt men will go on doing corrupt things.

Verse 19 – "But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;"

Notice: every man has two choices: either God’s way or man’s way … the Christian life is a road with a fork at every turn … fear prevents godly action [lures us down the wrong path], faith promotes godly action [luring us down the appropriate path] … a war of worldviews rages.

Verse 20 – "for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard."

Notice: genuine encounters with God always compels a public response … we cannot stop speaking” what we know to be true … believers are compelled to speak.

Notice: when the authentic believer experiences an act of God or God Himself with his own senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch, etc.) a GREAT thing is required to cause them to deny that experience.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How did they acquire the certainty and boldness they now demonstrate?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY HAVING A REAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD!”

A. What does “real” really mean
B. true; not nominally or apparently true (the real reason for an act)
C. existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary, ideal, or ficti-tious (a story taken from real life)
D. being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary (the events you will see in the film are real and not just made up)
E. being actually such; not merely so-called (a real victory)
F. genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic (a real an-tique; a real diamond; real silk)
G. unfeigned or sincere; not feigned (real sympathy; a real friend)

II. BY HAVING A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD!

A. Even if something is real or true, It must be personally real or true
B. An experience with God cannot be inherited, purchased, borrowed, adopted, or learned
C. It must be personal and personally acquired
D. And these three men qualified

III. BY HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF EXPERIENCES WITH GOD!

A. a nominal experience with God would result in a nominal salvation … the recipient of such an experience is claiming to have met a savior that is nominally Jesus, but not the real Jesus
B. an apparent experience with God requires an apparent rebirth … the recipient would apparently be on Glory Road … not appealing at all
C. a fictitious experience with God could only result from a fictitious Gospel … without the Good News there is no hope, without hope there is desperation … as many have learned to their detriment there is no satis-faction in fictitious living
D. an imaginary experience with God is a denial of Christ’s atoning blood-sacrifice … since there is no remission of sin with imaginary blood there can be no be no setting free from sin and death
E. a so-called experience with God would mean a so-called victory over sin … we’d remain in our sins and my so-called preaching would be vain
F. an artificial or imitation experience with God could only hold an artifi-cial promise for the masses … what person would give their wife or mother artificial flowers on their death bed … the world is on its death bed; what father or grandfather would make imitation promises to their grandkids
G. a feigned experience with God would necessitate a feigned forgiveness of sin … there is no feigning forgiveness of sin
H. And all are without the boldness exhibited by the three men in our text.

APPLICATION: No one knowingly receives or endures abuse or persecution for a lie; reality brings with it the courage to speak of that reality …

• Peter and John wouldn’t speak boldly of an imaginary Jesus!
• They wouldn’t jeopardize their well-being over a fictitious salvation!
• They wouldn’t risk their lives for an apparent justification!
• They wouldn’t boldly preach a so-called Gospel in the presence of people they knew!

Nor could I feign a sermon for an imitation deity!

We are warned about the last days …

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Matthew 7:22-24

This is one of my great concerns; there are those who either have had no real ex-perience with God or those who’ve concocted an experience with God.

Neither can boldly proclaim the truths concerning the faith; the former don’t care, the latter can only pretend.

No one knowingly receives or endures abuse or persecution for a lie.

Reality brings the courage to speak of that reality (and bear the consequences) …

• Peter and John wouldn’t speak boldly of an imaginary Jesus!
• They wouldn’t jeopardize their well-being over a fictitious salvation!
• They wouldn’t risk their lives for an apparent justification!
• They wouldn’t boldly preach a so-called Gospel in the presence of people they knew!

Nor could I feign a sermon for an imitation deity!

It is commonly believed one of the richest mission fields in the Western World is in our churches on Sunday morning.

I pray you will examine yourself …

• Is your experience with God as real as the apostles?
• Is your experience a truly personal one?
• Do you understand the implications of a feigned relationship?

Could this explain the lack of boldness in the Western Church today?

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons, Sermons Series

FAITH OF THE FATHERS: How a Few Nobodies Turned World Upside Down!

SERIES: Acts #1

TOPIC: Early Church; Ecclesiology, Obedience, Priorities, Resurrection, Witness, World
TITLE: FAITH OF THE FATHERS: How a Few Nobodies Turned World Upside Down!
TEXT: Acts 1:4-8

Gathering [the apostles He had chosen] together, [Jesus] commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What themes are conspicuous in the Acts of the Apostles?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. The Preeminence of the Living Lord!
II. The Prominence of the Holy Spirit!
III. The Power of the Authentic Church!

Asked another way …

1. What was preeminent in that church’s life? [That is, what was clearly the most important thing to the leaders and people of their fellowships?]
2. What was prominent in the ministries of that church? [That is, does any factor stand out over all others?]
3. What power was exhibited? [That is, if their ministries were effective, what energized them?]

TRUTH/CONTEXT: The book may be divided into three distinct sections based on the outline of 1:8b ...

“… you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem (Chapters 1-7), (8-12), and in all Judea and Samariaand even to the remotest part of the earth (13-28).”

If someone were to want to know what an authentic Christian community looked like, it would probably be best to look at a definition near the time of Christ … aka: the “early church.”

In looking one would have to look at the whole community of believers because the “local” church was not a known entity. Where would one look? The Book of Acts … the Acts of the Apostles!

SUCCINCTLY: The Great Commission of the Gospels [Matthew 28:16-20] is commenced in the Book of Acts.

EXPANDED OUTLINE
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What themes are conspicuous in the Acts of the Apostles?

I. THE PREEMINENCE OF THE LIVING LORD!

A. The context was the three decades after the death of Jesus …
B. J. Vernon McGee said Christ’s ministry after the resurrection was more important than that during His three years the Gospels write about. Think about that! Why?

1. Because He’s alive … He was dead now He is alive! That proves everything!
2. All Christ’s promises were now be seen in that light.
3. The church could now look forward to those promises future with great confidence that they too would be fulfilled … absolutely!

C. This knowledge caused the name of Jesus be the first thing on their mind when the awoke, the last thing on their mind when they laid down to sleep, and every moment in between … nothing else seemed im-portant in the light of Christ Jesus the Lord.
D. Christ opens the book, Paul closes the book preaching Christ dead, buried, resurrected, ascended and coming again at the end. Everything in between is too!
E. Stephen is martyred in that name; Peter and John are persecuted because of that name.

II. THE PROMINENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

A. “‘… IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND … ’” [Acts 2:17]
B. This spirit was “the promise of the Father” mentioned in 2:23.

1. In the book we have the promise of the Holy Spirit by Jesus in 1:5 & 1:8!
2. We have His coming as a “mighty rushing wind” (2).
3. People speaking in unknown tongues (2).
4. Persecution but Holy Spirit power (4).
5. Lied to (5).
6. Philip sent to and carried away from the Ethiopian Eunuch (8).
7. Paul on the road to Damascus (9).
8. Cornelius (10).
9. Conversion of the Gentiles.

C. Paul's Macedonian vision (16).
D. His shipwreck and snakebite (19).
E. The baptism of John’s disciples (28).
F. And the overall scriptural truth of Zechariah 4:7 ["not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord"].

III. THE POWER OF THE AUTHENTIC CHURCH!

A. Ten days following the ascension we have Pentecost. This is the beginning of what the church has known as Pentecostal power.
B. Pentecost follows the Feast of Fruits by 50 days …
C. Passover = death (no seed falls to the ground, no fruit.
D. Feast of First Fruits = Resurrection (new life)
E. Pentecost = full fruition (the church harvest)
F. Churches: Damascus (9); Antioch (11); Cyprus (13); Perga (14); Galatia (14,16); Philippi (16), Thessalo-nica (17 + Berea and Athens); Corinth (18); Ephesus (18); and etc. Even to Roman officials and cities with Paul.
G. In slightly less than 30 years the Good News is preached “to the remotest part of the earth.”
H. Prophetic fulfillment: “He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” [Isaiah 49:6]

APPLICATION: What would the witness of the early church have been IF there was no “rushing wind,” IF the thousands were not saved, IF no healing of the lame, IF no healing of the blind, IF no churches planted because there were no Stephens, no Philips, no Pauls, no Apolloses, no Pricillas or Aquilas?

Why in this day and age do we not see Pentecostal power in the church? Why is the Holy Spirit only seen in the third world?

CHALLENGE: Is Jesus alive to you? Or is He still dead and buried? Oh? You say, "He is risen indeed!" But is He coming again in judgment?

Were all of those promises that were fulfilled in His resurrection for a bunch of old Jews and Gentiles too distant to identify with or can you feel the power of His resurrection course in your veins? He's alive! He is alive!

FEEL HIS POWER TODAY … NOT WHEN YOU ARE READY FEEL HIM NOW! KNOW HIM PERSONALLY!

Acts, Apostles, Ascension, Christianity,
Early Church, Ecclesiology, Obedience, Religion, Witness

Matthew 16:23-24 [21-28] - Daily walk; deny thyself!

TOPIC: Commitment, Discipleship, Sanctification
TITLE: DENY THYSELF - Focus on the Object of Your Faith for a Straight Walk!

But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What two questions must be asked in order to properly understand the teachings of Jesus? (Not a trick question)
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. WHAT DID JESUS SAY?
II. WHAT DID JESUS NOT SAY?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: SURVEY TIME - ask some survey questions leading up to last week's challenge:

READER: "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." [Matthew 18:20]

• How many of you believe that? You do? You believe Jesus is here? His presence? Good!
• How many of you truly believe you are followers of Jesus and desperately want to feel His embrace and His presence this morning? Good!
• We all want to be known as disciples of Jesus, don't we?
  

Okay, we have virtual unanimity on our survey; so now, recall last week: at the end of the service I challenged you to imagine Sunday's worship service as the first stone of a seven-day, seven-stone walk with the Lord. Sort of "Seven Days of Purpose Driven Life"! (Pause for it to sink in!)

I challenged you to take each stone one at a time through Saturday and then meet here the following Sunday to begin a new seven-day walk with the Lord. I challenged you to see this one hour each week as the kickoff point for a week long journey ... that wasn’t asking too much was it?

• How many of you actually practiced what I preached?
• How is it that we come here today, professing to desire to "worship Him in Spirit and in truth" when the facts say otherwise?
  

[GOD'S HOUSE] A missionary gave a sundial to a group of natives when he departed from them. They came to regard it as holy and wanted to protect it, so they built a roof over it to keep it safe. This of course, kept the sun away from it. Later they added walls.

When He returned, he saw they'd rendered useless what they were protecting. They honored the image, but impeded its purpose.

That's how many regard Christianity today. It’s become something to enclose with walls and a roof. But, far worse, they've walled off the Christ of Christianity ... and in other ways they've done the same thing with their daily walk, literally saying to themselves, I walk with the Lord on Sundays, the rest of the week is mine.

If we behave this way about our walk with the Lord are we not denying Him rather than self? Will He not stay away if the testimony of our lives is, "Lord I'm too busy or distracted to pay much attention to Your stuff, leave me alone ... OKAY?" [Adapted from e-Sword ministries 2000+ Illustrations add-on]

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What two questions must be asked in order to properly understand the teachings of Jesus?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

When Jesus teaches in this way there are two essential components to understand the teaching - first, what He in fact did say; second, what He in fact did not say!

I. NOTICE WHAT JUSUS DID SAY -

• notice the goal – “to come after Me” and “follow Me"
• notice the two things one must do if one wishes to achieve the goal - 1) “deny himself” and 2) “take up his cross”
  

• denial of self – “surrender"

Albert Barnes: Let him surrender to God his will, his affections, his body, and his soul. Let him not seek his own happiness as the supreme object, but be willing to renounce all, and lay down his life also, if required.

• taking up cross - your “calling” in life according to God's will

Albert Barnes: When persons were condemned to be crucified, a part of the sentence was that they should carry the cross on which they were to die to the place of execution. ... To carry it was burdensome, was disgraceful, was trying to the feelings, was an addition to the punishment ... we must endure whatever is burdensome, or is trying, or is considered disgraceful, in following Christ. It consists simply in doing our duty, let the people of the world think of it or speak of it as they may. It does not consist in making trouble for ourselves, or doing things merely “to be opposed;” it is doing just what is required of us in the Scriptures, let it produce whatever shame, disgrace, or pain it may. This every follower of Jesus is required to do.

READER: So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, "We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done." [Luke 17:10]

• notice in Matthew 10:38 that anyone who is unwilling to do this “is not worthy of” Him. Ouch!
• notice the context [vv. 21-28] - has to do with Peter being a stumbling block to the Lord
• also, after Jesus rebukes Peter (Satan; “adversary"); He says, “for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's”

• we know the context doesn't stop with v. 24, because it didn't in Matthew 10:38-39; and the context for Mark 8:34-38; Mark 9:1, the parallel passage in Mark (Luke 9:23-27, as well) clearly includes the whole of Matthew 16:24-28
• Peter loved the Lord but the disciple exhibited behavior which, if left unchallenged, would stand in the way of God's plan and Jesus let him know it
• not the first time for Peter, he did likewise in John 13:8 with the washing of the feet
• Peter was guilty of what a lot of us are guilty of, horizontal thinking or horizontal faith
  

• notice Jesus defines the bedrock of His statement in [v. 25] – “for My sake” leading to “will find it”

  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.” [Mark 8:35]

• Notice that Jesus addresses the horizontal problem of the disciples

it doesn't work in God's system like it does in the world

READER: “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong” [1 Corinthians 1:27]

there are two lives -- temporal and eternal -- try to save the former and you lose the latter, to save the latter and you must lose the former

any profit the world offers is not worth the price of the investment, your soul

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [Matthew 6:33]

v. 28 tells us those who do not die to self, who are not baptized in the death of Jesus [Romans 6:3] will not taste real death until it is too late

do you think it was easy for Jesus to say “and so are some of you”? It's not easy for me, why would it be easy for Him

II. NOTICE WHAT JESUS DID NOT SAY!

He did not say "you are exempt from denying yourself and taking up your cross" if you …

• are too intelligent (not smart)
• are too old or too young
• are retired or employed job
• are too poor or rich
• don't belong to a church or are a deacon in a church
• have a spouse who won't join you or one who does it all
• find it's inconvenient
• feel embarrassed or ashamed
• don't feel called

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Someone said many of today's church people don't seem "chosen" because they're "frozen."

Adam Clarke sees four principles of the Christian walk from verse 24:

1. to sincerely desire to belong to Christ – “If any man wishes to come after Me,” etc.
2. to renounce one's independent spirit, and self-centered pursuits – “he must deny Himself.”
3. to embrace the condition which God has appointed, and bear the troubles and difficulties he may meet while on the Christian pathway – “take up his Cross.”
4. to follow after Jesus, and do and suffer all in hisspirit – “let him follow Me."

[WELCH] Years ago a young man and his bride wanted to make a difference for God in this world; they applied and were accepted as missionaries to Africa. Following their arrival in New York to prepare for oversees service mission officials determined the rigors of Africa would put the wife at risk. The agency revoked their deputation.

The couple returned home, brokenhearted, wondering how to rebuild their shattered dream. They decided to make money – lots of money – to support missions. They figured they could make it possible to send others to share the gospel of Christ even though they could not go themselves.

The young man's father had been making unfermented wine for their church’s communion services. His son soon became involved with him. Their name was Welch. They manufacture Welch’s grape juice to this day. The company has given millions to spread the gospel through missions. Did they rebuild their dream?

Despite our human frailty - God wants to use us in a positive way in negative world. Remember who we are; we are a people of God’s own choosing, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation.

It only takes a grain of salt in a substance to know it’s there. Even though you may feel small, weak, or insignificant - you're not! We are “the salt of the earth, the light of the world.”

Bottom-line, I believe this is the teaching of this passage:

• you and if, if we claim to be disciples, should be laboring under some calling of service and ministry
• absent the desires of the world, self, and the devil
• I think it is indicative of where you are at, in that so few of you can say that you are bearing a burden for Jesus alone, without any mixture of self, and following Him daily.
  

READER: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:1-2]

[FIXED EYES] The snow covered the ground, and three young boys were playing in it. A man said to them, "Would you like to try to race, with the promise of a prize for the winner?"

The boys agreed, and the man told them that his race was to be different. "I will go to the other side of the field," he said, "and when I give you the signal, you will start to run. The one whose footsteps are the straightest in the snow will be the winner."
As the race commenced, the first boy began looking at his feet to see if his steps were straight. The second lad kept looking at his companions to see what they were doing; but the third boy just ran on with his eyes fixed on the man on the other side of the field.

The third boy was the winner, for his footsteps were straight in the snow. He had kept his eyes on the goal ahead of him. [Ibid.]

A long time ago, another man using similar words taught the same principle. It was Paul who said, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13-14]

Discipleship, Homiletics, Matthew, Outlines,
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Matthew 25:1-13 - Stone "1" on our spiritual weekly pathway!

TOPIC: Holy Spirit [Preparation, Second Coming]

TITLE: COME, HOLY SPIRIT – Stone "1" On Our Weekly Spiritual Pathway!
TEXT: Matthew 25:1-13

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish said to the prudent, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the prudent an-swered, “No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for your-selves.”

And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.

Later the other virgins also came, saying, “Lord, lord, open up for us.” But he answered, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.” Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the Holy Spirit’s role in my walk?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. HE IS TO LIVE WITHIN ME!
II. HE IS TO HELP ME!
III. HE IS TO TEACH ME!
IV. HE IS TO REMOVE THE DARKNESS WITHIN ME!

TRUTH/CONTEXT:

[AIR SPEED] All winged aircraft have one thing in common, they must maintain air speed or they will go into a stall and nose-over. From time to time, our walk seems to nose-over, our forward progress being insufficient to sustain the "lift" needed. We must ...

1. be prepared for His presence
2. be prepared to respond to his presence, and
3. be prepared to experience His presence!

Two things confront me as a Pastor – first, the condition of the world and, second, the condition of the church.

Now, if the condition of the world makes me think that the Lord’s Second Coming might be close, then I must choose between a very few options. I can say the end is close and risk embarrassment if wrong; or, I can avoid the embarrassment by ignoring it and preaching on other things.

However, if I am right and the Lord does come, then I'm guilty of not preaching “in season and out,” [2 Timothy 4:2] and will answer to the Lord … what will I say to Him? However, if I'm wrong and the Lord delays … what am I guilty of before the Lord?

So, let me explain why I’m preaching on the role of the Holy Spirit: because – right or wrong – we are to be prepared. That is our role, our faith obligation.

We hear much of revival lately; revival resides in hearts not behaviors. A mere emotional upheaval, a spurt of religious excitement, is not revival.

I think it is time for us as a church to make a change in our attention to the Holy Spirit … no, I’m not calling on our church to become Charismatics or Pentecostals … I’m calling on you to be intentionally receptive to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, one day a week, for one hour!

Now that’s not too much to ask!

It is a scandal to the Lord if our faith is but one hour per week; but I’m not asking for that, because that would be the final stone in our Christian walk when said that way. I am asking for this one hour to be the first stone of our weekly spiritual pathway.

It is my conviction we must start here, in this hour, together, to honor and magnify the Lord. Please, by the mercies of the Lord, allow yourself to be renewed in the Son, to be restored in the Father, and to be revived in the Spirit.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the Holy Spirit’s role in my walk?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. HE IS TO LIVE WITHIN ME! [1 Corinthians 6:19]

READER: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

A. He is to be the life within me; the life I live is no longer my own!

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

[Galatians 2:20]

B. But precursor to this is my allowing Him in to live in me!

[GLOVE] The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, the glove can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. The Christian is a glove. It is the Holy Spirit in us, the hand, who does the work. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger in the glove is filled.

II. HE IS TO HELP (COMFORT) ME! [John 16:7]

READER: But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

A. Therefore, I must receive Him.
B. And I must not to be stressed out by life and its circumstances!

III. HE IS TO TEACH ME! [1 Corinthians 2:12-13]

READER: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by hu-man wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

A. I must have teachable (i.e., have a teachable spirit within me)!
B. I must not let the world dictate what I believe.

IV. HE IS TO REMOVE THE DARKNESS IN ME! [Luke 11:34]

READER: The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

[HOME] We’ve all seen a home, late at night where all of the lights are out, and seen how dark the home is … in fact it doesn’t seem like a home at all, just a dark house, black panes, no light from within. But then you see a home with a light on in one room, perhaps it is just a night light, but the whole house, every window seems to be affected by that one lamp.

[SIGNS] Along our highways, well placed at appropriate locations, are official signs which give us direction and warn us of danger. Most of these are the reflector type; that is, they are designed to reflect the light of auto headlamps. In darkness, they are invisible to anyone who travels with-out a light. But when our auto headlights are flashed upon these signs, they reflect back to us their message of guidance or caution. Their night-time aid to us depends upon the light we bring to them. They have no meaning for unlighted lamps.

God would like to guide us through the days and through the years of this life. His signs are out there - in all the appropriate places. But whether we see them will depend upon the light within.

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: And I must remember that God has not given me a spirit of timidity …

For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

The Book of Acts is called the Acts of the Apostles; but I agree with Chuck Swindoll – “it would be better to call it the Acts of the Holy Spirit” (my paraphrase).

So, I believe Acts reveals a spirit of power, of love, of discipline (sound judgment or self-control)! Read it again for yourself!

An element of a power is heat, and in a powerful life the heat of an unquenchable enthusiasm.... Acts is a burning book; there’s no cool or lukewarm in it, from beginning to end.

The disciples had been baptized with fire, with the holy, glowing enthusiasm caught from the very altar of God.

This fire caused them to love others in extraordinary ways. They had a love burning with heat and strength but they never manifested an excessive behavior, out of control or lacking in judgment.

Nothing could stop these men. Nothing could hinder their doing.

“We cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard. We must obey God rather than men.”

Acts 5:29

This rings true throughout their behavior and speech. They have power, light, and life because they were not operating in their own strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Someone once said they knew when a believer was growing because:

1. he more and more elevates the Lord
2. he less and less speaks of self, and more and more speaks of God,
3. and he became smaller and smaller in his own eyes …

“until, like the morning star, he fades away before the rising (Son).”

Bonar

John the Baptizer understood this timeless truth when he said, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.”

I am asking you to be a Spirit indwelled, a Spirit enlightened, a Spirit taught, Spirit guided, and a Spirit empowered believer just one hour per week, one day a week to start your week on the first day of the week.

Today, right now, is the first stepping stone in your weekly Christ-walk!

Holy Spirit, Homiletics, Matthew,
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