“Fly High!” - Acts part 17
On the lighter side of life: Proverbs 15:13 “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”
If you need a laugh, then read through these Children’s Science Exam Answers.
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it
removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and
canoeists.
Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? (brilliant, love
this !)
A: Keep it in the cow.
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.
Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
A: Premature death.
Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,
E, I, O, and U.
Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.
Q: What does "varicose" mean? (I do love this one...)
A: Nearby.
Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section"
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome .
Q: What does the word "benign" mean?’
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight
Scripture Text: Acts 19
The Holy Bible, New International Version. Pradis CD-ROM: Ac 19.
Paul in Ephesus
Ac 19:1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples
Ac 19:2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Ac 19:3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.
Ac 19:4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
Ac 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Ac 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Ac 19:7 There were about twelve men in all.
Ac 19:8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
Ac 19:9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
Ac 19:10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
Ac 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,
Ac 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
Ac 19:13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
Ac 19:14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
Ac 19:15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
Ac 19:16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Ac 19:17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
Ac 19:18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
Ac 19:19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Ac 19:20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.
Ac 19:21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”
Ac 19:22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.
The Riot in Ephesus
Ac 19:23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
Ac 19:24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen.
Ac 19:25 He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business.
Ac 19:26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
Ac 19:27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”
Ac 19:28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Ac 19:29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.
Ac 19:30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him.
Ac 19:31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
Ac 19:32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.
Ac 19:33 The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people.
Ac 19:34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Ac 19:35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
Ac 19:36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash.
Ac 19:37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.
Ac 19:38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges.
Ac 19:39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
Ac 19:40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today’s events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.”
Ac 19:41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Thesis: Acts chapter 19 focuses us on the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit and of making sure that we use the name of the Lord in the right manner. The truth is without the right relationship with Jesus we cannot invoke His name.
Introduction:
Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The book of Acts primary focus is to show the work and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of birthing and growing the church of Jesus Christ. The book reveals that the Holy Spirit is the empowering force that enables ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
Two weeks ago we talked about verses 1-7 so I am not going to make any reference to them this morning. Let’s focus on verses 8 – 41 today.
Acts 19: 11, 12 states, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”
This section of the book of Acts is simple amazing – can you imagine the impact of a cloth which Paul touched being placed on someone and they were healed – delivered or set free from the touch of the cloth.
Last week Dr. Nichols and I prayed over a blanket that was taken from New Life to a woman with cancer in Tomah. She could not make the meetings because the cancer had disabled her. So you may be asking, “What happened?” Our latest report is that she got up the next day and ate and was up for many hours for the first time in weeks. We are still patiently waiting for the rest of the story!
T.S. – Today we are going to take a few moments in time to explore some spiritual insights from Acts chapter 19. The first one has to do with the phrase “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.”
1. What were these extraordinary miracles that God did through the Apostle Paul?
a. The book of Acts has revealed the following about the apostle Paul
i. Paul was touched by different cloths and people went home and laid them on the sick and possessed and they healed or delivered.
1. No that is what I call anointed!
2. Point is it’s not Paul who heals but it is the Holy Spirit!
ii. Paul laid hands on the sick and people were healed.
iii. Paul prayed for people with demonic spirits and they were delivered.
iv. Paul led 10,000 of 1,000 to Jesus Christ.
v. Paul survived shipwrecks at sea.
vi. Paul survived being imprisoned and placed in stocks and many times the “Holy Spirit” performed a jail break for Paul and his associates.
vii. Paul when persecuted – survived beatings, whippings, stoning, public debates and riots.
viii. Paul led Jewish leaders to Jesus.
ix. Paul planted many new churches in hostile environments.
x. Paul discipled and rose up many new leaders for the body of Christ in a society that was anti-Jesus.
xi. Paul endured ridicule and lies that were thrown at him by those who opposed the Message.
xii. Paul was himself healed of blindness and had a divine revelation of Jesus Christ.
xiii. Paul preached and taught daily about the things of God in spite of the persecution he faced.
xiv. Paul went into the synagogues to deliver the truth of the Messiah to the Jews in every city he visited.
xv. Paul was delivered from being a Pharisee.
xvi. Paul survived trial after trial for the cause of Jesus before judges and secular leaders.
xvii. Paul received visions that led him to certain regions and towns to deliver the message of Jesus Christ.
xviii. Paul changed his doctrine from a works related religion to a grace focused - personal relationship with Jesus - message.
xix. Paul led people from here to eternity through out his life.
xx. Paul never quit ministering because times were hard and even dangerous.
xxi. Paul used the culture of the day to make the Gospel relevant to the ones listening and many accepted the light of truth.
1. Paul and ordinary man was used by God to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God!
a. Why? Because he was filled with the Holy Spirit and He was willing to be a living sacrifice for Jesus.
2. God can also use you to do the same types of extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God – if you are willing to commit to the cause of Jesus Christ.
a. All you have to do is tell God that you are willing!
T.S. – God used Paul and He will use us if we are in right relationship with Him but if we are not in right relationship with Him or if we misuse His name we will be judged for our words and our actions.
2. The proper use of the name of “Jesus” is our second spiritual lesson and we must ponder it in our hearts.
a. The name of “Jesus Christ” – This name has been miss-used, abused and blemished for many centuries by many people.
i. People use His name as a curse word – toward others and toward God Himself.
1. They some how think its okay to do this if you get mad or upset at something.
a. Reference the game in Clayton.
ii. People as Christians have even miss-used His name to justify their self-centered ways and thoughts.
1. God told me too “_____________________.” And what they are doing is not in align with the Word of God.
2. Reference the Video Clip from the mini-series of Jesus!
iii. Reference the 60 minutes program and the book Tempting Faith by David Kuo. David was convicted of using the name of the Lord for political and personal gain! His experience with a severe brain tumor and near death experience caused him and his wife to repent of their ways.
1. He makes this quote from his book, “We wildly celebrated George w. Bush’s election, because we knew he was one of us. In the process, however, we were all tempted to lose our priorities. Our faith’s mandate was clear: God was to be first, our families were to be second, and our work was to be third. I regularly got the order wrong, putting politics first and second and relegating God and family to the third spot. Many of us did. That includes many of us in George W. Bush’s White House. There I saw the healthy clash between faith and politics resolved as faith submitted itself to the political throne…I heard the mocking of religious conservative leaders by that staff. I learned that votes were “god” even if getting them meant blaspheming God” (xii, xiii).
2. He adds, “Has this trading Jesus for politics worked? ...the president is a sincere Christian. But our political dreams have hardly come true. Teen pregnancy has hardly ceased. Divorces are as common as ever. More people than ever are eschewing marriage in favor of cohabitation. Abortion is as prevalent as ever. Pornography is everywhere. Gambling is, too…” (xiii). He adds another thought at the end of the book to put everything into perspective: Politicians from John Kennedy to Ronald Reagan have been fond of referring to America as the “shining city on a hill.” It is a beautiful metaphor, and fitting in so many ways. America has been one of the greatest forces for good in world history. But we are not the shining city on the hill. When Jesus used the words “as to Solomon’s temple-the dwelling place of God-in Jerusalem. The ancient historian Josephus described it this way: “The outward face of the Temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men’s minds or their eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold or great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn away their eyes, just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays. The Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow…” The shining city on a hill contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat of God, not the seat of government. That was sufficient for Jesus; it should be sufficient for us, too” (268).
3. He concludes his book by calling for the Christian to fast for politics for two years and not vote to show the leaders of this country the power of the Christian.
4. He also made a comment on 60 minutes that impacted me, he noted that our faith is not in government or even Christian men and women! Instead it should be in God and in a commitment to building His Kingdom. Our problem today in politics is that we use the name of the Lord in vain – we use it for building our own kingdoms!
a. The Bible calls this a sin and the reality is Christian God will never bless sin!
b. Let me ask you a question: “How are you using the name of the Lord in your life?”
i. Are you using it for personal gain?
ii. Are you using it to push your own agenda?
iii. Are you using it for justification of an action that is not of God?
iv. Are you using it to justify a wrong attitude toward others?
v. Are you using it to judge others?
1. Do you use the name of the Lord in a highly honorable way?
2. Or do you use it in a dishonorable way?
vi. I have heard too many use the name of the Lord to justify not going to church, to being mean to others, to judging others, to pushing there own personal agendas, and for making an excuse for their sinful ways.
iv. People have miss-used the name of the Lord in vain for personal gain and for personal profit since the beginning of time.
1. Satan in the Garden of Eden was the first to do so and mankind has followed the lead of Satan rather than the lead of God for 1,000 of years.
a. But when Jesus came things changed and the Christian needs to follow the leading and the example of Jesus not Satan.
2. This section shows what happens when someone tries to use the name of “Jesus” in ministry and does not know Him personally!
a. Spiritual Insight: The power to do ministry is directly connected to your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
i. If you are not right in your relationship to Jesus then your ministry will crumble and fall.
1. Examples: Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, and many more have seen what happens when you allow sin to overtake your personal life and then think you can still minister!
b. If you do not have the right relationship with Jesus then you cannot use His name!
i. This is a plain and simple truth!
3. Acts 19 scenario reasserts this spiritual truth: The priest Sceva’s 7 sons - ventured out to do the same things that the Disciples where doing by the power of the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They decided that if the disciples could do it then so could they because they were the great son’s of the High Priest. But there was a problem --- they did not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit was not living in them nor empowering them.
a. They tried to do ministry without an intimate right relationship with the one they claimed to represent – the result was they were beaten up by demonic spirits and humiliated.
b. They faced the wrath of the enemy – Satan’s demonic spirit and it trashed them.
c. Share the story about the demon possessed man at Outreach Church and his comment to the one person up front praying with the others.
b. Christian and non-Christian heed the warning about using the name of the Lord. The Lord will not sit back for ever and allow His name to be misused or abused.
i. Hebrews 12:28, 29: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
1. Hebrews reminds us that we are to worship and serve God with reverence and awe!
2. Why should we be careful? Because God is a consuming fire – he will engulf you in His fire of judgment if you don’t have a proper regard for His name. The truth is those who abuse the name will burn up in His holy fire!
ii. Matthew 7:21-23 gives us another solemn warning:
1. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ‘will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
iii. Listen closely today – Listen to the Word of God! --- There is a day coming when all of us will stand before God and answer for how we used His name! How we lived for Him and how we honored His name in our life!
1. Scripture Verse – The Great White Throne - Judgment Day. Revelation 20 “The Holy Bible, New International Version. Pradis CD-ROM: Rev 20:1-15: Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Rev 20:13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Rev 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Rev 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
iv. So what will God say to you on this day?
1. “I never even knew you! Depart from me!”
2. Will it be words of praise or condemnation?
3. Scripture Text: 1 Cor. 3:10 -15: The Holy Bible, New International Version. Pradis:1Co 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.1Co 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,1Co 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 1Co 3:14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 1Co 3:15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
i. “Well done my faithful servant! Go and receive your reward.”
ii. Reference Matthew 25:31 – 46
b. Yes, we as Christians will be held accountable for how we used the name of the Lord and for what we built for the Kingdom of God.
i. Our time is limited so we need to use it wisely!
ii. Quote: It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth--and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up--then we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had. --Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
c. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Pradis: The Ten Commandments tells us also to be careful how we use the name of the Lord:
i. Ex 20:1 And God spoke all these words: Ex 20:2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Ex 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
ii. Ex 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. Ex 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, Ex 20:6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
1. Idols can be cars – houses – jobs – pleasure – leisure – hunting – sports and the like.
2. To say you’re a Christian and then worship idols is using the name of the Lord in vain!
3. It’s misusing the name of the Lord – blemishing it – mocking it – “Guard your hearts and do not let society deceive you!”
iii. Ex 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
1. Notice the warning attached to this commandment.
a. Anyone who misuses the name of the Lord will be held accountable for what they said and did with His name.
b. Notice – this is a warning which states “Don’t do it – because I will punish you for it!”
c. There is no exemption from misusing the name of the Lord as a Christian!
iv. Ex 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Ex 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Ex 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. Ex 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
1. Miss-using the name of Lord also says things like:
a. “It’s okay if I work on the Sabbath – God knows my special condition!”
i. For those of you who think like this can I ask you a question, “When did your life become exempt from following the Word of the Lord?”
b. “This commandment does not apply to me!”
i. “This is irrelevant today – come on Pastor Mike get with the times!”
c. This deceived mindset thinks it’s exempt from following this command.
i. Note: Many today miss Sunday for lame excuses and think God is okay with it. But God is keeping notes in Heaven on how you use his name Christian!
ii. If you miss a Sunday then honor him on Monday or Tuesday or Wed at Bible Study but make sure you give God one day a week!
1. This is not an optional Christian command!
2. Don’t be deceived by the lies!
d. Quote: Eugene Peterson describes, “Sabbath as that uncluttered time and space in which we can distance ourselves from our own activities enough to see what God is doing” (pg. 134, The Pastors Guide to Personal Spiritual Formation).
e. Quote: “Martin Luther, speaking on the Sabbath, said, ‘The spiritual rest which God especially intends in this commandment is that we not only cease from our labor and trade but much more-that we let God alone work in us and that in all our powers do we do nothing of our own” (134).
f. Quote: “Dawn summarizes, ‘The Sabbath rhythm of resting leads to an ethics of becoming (how our character is being developed) and not of doing (how we react in specific situations)… Resting provides the necessary time for the Spirit’s molding of our characters” (134).
g. Hebrews reminds us of the Lord’s command “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
i. I do not want to just stop here because the next few verses are eye opening: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-31).
v. Ex 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
vi. Ex 20:13 “You shall not murder.
vii. Ex 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.
viii. Ex 20:15 “You shall not steal.
ix. Ex 20:16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
x. Ex 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
1. Ex 20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance Ex 20:19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Ex 20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” Ex 20:21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
a. The fear of God does bring benefits to our lives.
b. We need to have a healthy fear of God!
2. The problem in our society today is people do not have a healthy respect and reverence for the Lord.
a. They treat Him with disrespect.
i. Our country treats most authority with disrespect!
1. Just note all the political adds from both parties toward the other candidates.
b. Many today use His name without a holy admiration for it.
i. They use as a curse word.
ii. They degrade it.
iii. They deny it.
iv. They try to censor it.
v. They attack it.
vi. They mock it.
vii. They abuse it.
c. The Jews would not use His name for fear of using it in vain according to the Old Testament.
i. They respected it and feared it.
ii. The power in the name of Jesus – old sermon referenced that the Jews were very careful how they used the name of the Lord God!
3. Quote from the book that Dan gave me, Revival’s Golden Key by Ray Comfort – the missing ingredient for revival.
a. Comfort states, “The Bible presents the great and terrible Day of the Lord as the very reason to repent and trust the Savior” (56).
b. He also adds these thoughts, “Take the time to study closely the contents of today’s popular tracts and see the flaws of the fast-folding presentation:
i. No mention of Judgment Day.
ii. Not a hint of Hell.
iii. No use of the Law of God to bring the knowledge of personal sin.
iv. The gospel is held up as a means of happiness, rather than a means of righteousness (57).
c. So what is the missing ingredient?
i. A holy reverential fear of sin and of a holy God who judges sin.
1. This healthy fear should compel us to run from evil and cling to the good but today many are doing the opposite.
2. They are clinging to evil ways and moving away from the way of God in their life.
ii. Our self-centered Christianity today lacks this missing ingredient!
T.S. – A reverence and a holy awe for the name of the Lord is to be observed even in our disrespectful society. We must understand that we will be held accountable for how we use the name of the Lord in our lives. When we use it correctly and lives are changed expect opposition from the World.
3. Expect opposition when the Gospel impacts secular society.
a. When their idol trade was financially affected the city was stirred up to riot against the Truth.
i. The enemy will stir the people up especially when their income is impacted.
ii. People will riot against the Gospel and those who make a stand on it – expect it.
1. There will be opposition to the truth.
2. Share story about going to college and the professors opposition to my Christian stance.
a. I was once told by a professor “That I represented everything that was wrong with our society – because I was a white male Christian and I believed in the Judeo-Christian ethic.”
b. I also would not agree with her on her view of homosexuality as being normal and good.
i. I told her the Bible calls it sin:
1. Genesis 18, 19 (Before the Law time frame).
2. Leviticus 18: 22, 24, 29 (During the time of the Law).
3. Romans 1:18-32 (The NT era)
ii. This is a universal command through the three time frames of the Bible!
1. It’s still in effect today!
iii. People will not even know why they are doing it- they will be driven by the Spirit’s of Darkness.
b. But the Gospel will prevail and the church and the message of Jesus will press on until Jesus returns!
c. God does not lie – He is coming back to judge this world both Christian and non-Christian will stand before God and give an account of their lives.
i. Hebrews 6:18 “It is impossible for God to lie…”
ii. It’s going to happen – it’s a fact not a myth!
iii. Your life is on video recorder and “God is watching it intently.”
iv. Here is a reality check – “You will one day in the very near future be standing before God and His Great throne. Pause – take a moment and ponder this thought! You will be judged for how you lived your life and how you used then name of the Lord. So what do you think God will say to you?”
Conclusion:
a. Do you want to do the extraordinary for God?
*Do you want to experience all that the Lord has for you?
*Then open up your hearts and minds to be filled with the Holy Spirit and with the power promised by Jesus!
*Some of you here today need to pray and ask the Lord to make you extraordinary!
b. Do you want to properly use the name of the Lord Jesus to see people’s lives transformed?
*Or do you just want to use the name of the Lord for personal gain – self-centered interests – dishonest purposes?
*We need to make sure that we do not end up being like the Christians in Timothy or even in Matthew 7!
*1 Timothy 6:3-10: Key verse …men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain… (5b)”
c. Do you want the ability and the boldness to stand up for the Gospel when society is rioting against it?
* Reference the upcoming elections: Gay issue and the marriage amendment on the Wisconsin ballot – read the letter from Dobson – capital punishment is also on the ballot.
# Focus on what the Lord Jesus wants you to do – look into the Word of God for direction and insight!
# Listen to the directions of the Holy Spirit – obey the Lord and serve Him.
# There is also a document on the bulletin board which will help you to make an intelligent decision for this upcoming election. It reveals the voting record and the agendas of all the candidates running for offices. SO please check it out and also get the website from it to explore more information on the candidates for office in Wisconsin. Let the Spirit lead you in your voting on Nov. 7th.
# Make sure you pray before you enter that booth and hear what the Lord is saying to America’s leaders!
