Forging A Real World Faith:
Live as a Servant and Witness of the Lord
Acts 26
Intro.:
A. We have been talking about Forging a Real World Faith! A couple of special word pictures we have to help us understand that God wants to Forge in us a Real World Faith is…
1. BlackSmith who took molted metal, put it on the Anvil and molds or Forges it to become a beautiful piece of art.
2. The Potter (God) and the Clay (us).
How does the Lord Forge this real world Faith in us?
1. Gentle Instruction; Through the Word, through a brother or sister in Christ, through a spiritual leader, etc. Jesus and the woman at the well, Peter at Pentecost preaching, Zacheus
2. Defining Moments; situations that God uses you. Ex. Would be The Disciples feeding the 5000, Daniel, David with Goliath, Joseph
3. Radical Transformation: Where God just Forges you through His Divine Hand; Ex. Jonah, and Paul.
What is Forging a Real World Faith? The Process of developing our faith in Christ to function in the real world as we Live For Christ in our everyday routines as well as the unexpected situations in life without Surrendering/Losing our Faith and Hope in Christ - so that we can make a difference in the Real World for the Kingdom of God!
How is this Real World Faith Forged in us? Live for Christ; He gave His life for us, we now give ourselves to Him and seek to be used by Him, everyday in every way, with everyone we come into contact with.
1. Develop Intimacy with God. Matt. 6:25-34; Jesus teaches us that Real World Faith will cause us to completely Trust the Lord, believe that He will provide for us and that the Lord desires to be in an intimate relationship with us as Heavenly Father (through Faith in Jesus Christ and by being filled with the Holy Spirit).
2. Surrender Ourselves Completely to the Lord; our rights and privileges, our loyalties, our HEART.
3. Live as a Servant and Witness of the Lord; to make a difference for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
There are many examples of men and women in Scripture who demonstrate to us a total surrender to the Lord; David - Ps. 51 - Zacheus in Luke 19,Daniel, etc. Paul - Acts 26
Background and how he was used by the Lord.
- Ch. 23; Paul before Annanias (High Priest) the Sandhedrin. They send him to Felix - who for a favor the Jews left Paul in prison for 2 years (Ch. 24). Ch. 25, Festus succeeds Felix -hears Paul’s defense - was going to hand Paul over but Paul appeals to Caeser. Ch. 26 King Agrippa is in town and wants to hear Paul’s defense.
Jesus calls us to make a difference in the world in which we live. Luke 10:3 - I am sending you out lambs amongst the wolves. John - Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. John 16:33; I have told you these things so that you may have peace - in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.
We are called to be in the world but not of the world - if fact we are told that if we love the world we hate God (1John 2).
So as we come to this section of Forging a Real World Faith we learn that God wants to Forge in us a Real World Faith so that we will live with faith and Hope - and so we will make a difference in the world in which we live - each one of us!
Paul whom God Forged a Real World Faith - lived for Christ in his everyday routines as well as the unexpected situations that he found in himself in. But he also lived for Christ and was used by God to make a difference in this world.
Our Passage: Paul has been arrested for preaching Christ and is now before King Agrippa and Governor Festus. This is not the best situation for Paul but He is living for Christ with faith and Hope and we still see Him making a difference for Christ. How?
Paul has been called as you and I are to be a Servant and Witness for Christ (vs. 16). As we study Paul being a Servant and Witness for Christ, we learn how we should live to be a Servant and Witness for Him too.
Body: Lessons on Living as a Servant and Witness for Lord from Paul. If we are going to make a difference in our world for the sake of the Kingdom of God, how should we live?
1. Confident in God, Vs. 22, 25 FAITH
2. Integrity, vs. 4ff
3. Compassionate for people and their salvation. Vs. 29 Jesus wept for the people.
4. Know the people you are witnessing to. Vs. 2-3, 26 Relationship, take time to listen and learn about a person.
5. Intentional about making every opportunity to present Christ. Serving Christ and being a Witness for the Lord just doesn’t happen we have to look for opportunities and make them. We have to learn that being a servant and Witness for the Lord is more than just what we do at the church building. We are called the church and called to live for Him. John 4:35; Open your eyes and see the harvest is ready…
6. Share your faith them. Vs’ 12-18 SALT 2Pet. 3:15; But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord and always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have…
7. Respect the people you are serving and sharing Christ with. Vs. 13,19, 26 2Pet. 3:15; … and do this with gentleness and respect. Real love respects people - they are not a project.
Conclusion:
A. As we come to the Lord, He lives within us and wants to begin to Forge a Real World Faith in us. ILL> The House; we let Jesus into the foyer - the entrance way - but he wants to come into each room, clean it up and prepare you to represent Him to the world.
Yet, we struggle with living out our faith in the world in which we find ourselves living and to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.
Why? There are basically 4 alternatives we have in living our Faith in the Real World - where God wants us to be.
1. We can tolerate the outside world; be critical, even speak ill of it.
2. We can withdraw ourselves from the challenges and needs of people in the real world. Create a holy huddle - focus ourselves within the church and her facilities.
3. We can develop a two - track lifestyle; one to follow Christ and be part of the church and fellow believers; two, during the rest of the week we live as secret agents for Christ (not telling anyone, not sharing our faith and sometimes not even acting like a Disciple of the Lord).
4. We can be determined, committed to live out the Mission we are called to - to make a difference for the sake of the Kingdom of God. It means we will open our eyes up to really see to hurt and sin and hopelessness of people -we will make ourselves vulnerable to others, we will in the power of the Lord share the Lord with others and give answers for our hope.
Which alternative are you living your life?
B. What a difference it would make if each one of us were committed to 3 things:
1. To Worship the Lord regularly - in order to develop intimacy with Him.
2. Be involved in at least 1 thing to help you grow in your faith: Bible Study, Sunday evening, SS, ladies BS, personal studies - to help us grow in faith and to learn where we need to better Surrender ourselves to Him.
3. Be involved in at least 1 ministry - collectively (as part of the church to fulfill her Mission of Preparing all People for the Return of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by Developing Mature Disciples) and individually (with a friend who doesn’t yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord) to be a servant and Witness for Christ.
Where is God calling you to be committed of these three?
C. From our message today - as we learn to be a Servant and Witness for Christ in order to make a Difference in our World for the sake of the Kingdom of God - Where is God working with you to Forge you in this type of Real World Faith?
Your Confidence in the Lord? your Integrity before people? Your Compassion for people who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord? Your knowledge of people around you (what they think, believe, and why - what their needs are)? Being Intentional about presenting Christ to others? Sharing your faith with someone ( you’re afraid)? Or your respect for other people when you do share Christ?
Ask the Lord to help you in any one of these areas so that you will truly be His Servant and Witness that He has called you to be!
Will you commit yourself to Living a Real World Faith?
- by developing Intimacy with your God.
- By Surrendering yourself completely to the Lord.
- By Being a Servant and Witness for Christ to others?
