How to speak for God
(without embarrassing him)
Acts Series: “Completely Irreligious, Yet Radically Christian” Part 23
Pastor Jeff Christopherson
June 22, 2003
Acts 14:1-28
rep•re•sent re-pri-’zent: to describe as having a specified character or quality: to serve as a specimen, example, or instance of: to serve as the counterpart or image of: to correspond to in essence. (Merriam-Webster)
HOW CAN I AUTHENTICALLY REPRESENT GOD?
1. By Knowing my Audience.
“At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed.” Acts 14:1
“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.” Ecclesiastes 10:10
1. By Knowing my Audience.
2. By Preserving my Passion.
“But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.” Acts 14:2-3
1. By Knowing my Audience.
2. By Preserving my Passion.
3. By Searching for my Assignment.
“In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.” Acts 14:8-10
1. By Knowing my Audience.
2. By Preserving my Passion.
3. By Searching for my Assignment.
4. By Pointing to my Power.
“When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news…” Acts 14:11-15
1. By Knowing my Audience.
2. By Preserving my Passion.
3. By Searching for my Assignment.
4. By Pointing to my Power.
5. By Strengthening my Spiritual Family.
“They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples…” Acts 14:21-22a
HOW CAN I STRENGTHEN MY CHURCH FAMILY:
a) Through Consistent Discipleship.
“…encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.” Acts 14:22b
b) Through Expanding Leadership.
“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts 14:23
Scripture passages from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
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Home Church Discussion Guide: speaking for god
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1. Has someone ever represented you (or your cause) who did more harm than good? Describe the experience. What actions, done in the name of God, do you think cause Him to cringe the most? Why? 2. In reading Acts 14, we see five examples of Paul and Barnabas representing God well. Look at each example (1 through 5) and ask the following questions of each: a) If I claim to speak for God, why is this understanding significant? b) What is required of me to pull this off? 3. Which one of these five do you struggle with most? Pray for one another so that the people of The Sanctuary would represent God well this week.
2003, Jeff Christopherson, The Sanctuary
