Sermon Central
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The World Is Floating With The Church
Contributed by Tyrone Garay on Dec 21, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: The church has a powerful influence over the world and we need to come back to it’s dignity that because the church exist today, so does mankind. Paul in the ship on his way to Rome.
The World is riding with the CHURCH
TEXT: Acts 27 – Read All
Expound on the text – Historical
19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.
20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.
21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.
22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,
24 saying, ’Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’
25 "Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.
The Warning –
30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow,
31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."
The Results -
4 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.
Introduction:
Through the years in the world, the church has suffered the loss of it’s dignity, due to mis-representations, such as scandals, televised court proceedings of accused child molestations. All these have put a bitter taste in the mouth of the public. Many have said “My family is better off out of the church than in the church. We sometimes have caught ourselves ashamed of saying we were at church on the weekend, because we don’t want to bring up any subjects such as pass scandals.
Even one running for office (Jesse Ventura) said that the church has done the community or modern
laws no good. DUH – A lot of things we enjoy today are from Christian Activist that have voted to pass laws bettered the social community, because we are governed by the best interest of society not government funding.
These pressures have given the church a sense of loss of self dignity. We sometimes can feel ashamed of being apart of the church. But I want to make it clear this morning that the church does not revolve around the world and it’s endeavors, but the world revolves around the CHURCH. All that is happening in the world today either in America or the middle east is because of God’s fulfillment of His holy scriptures.
The World is riding with the Church! Not the church riding with the world.
Point One: You should have dignity
Let us be aware that the GOD that we serve is in control. Nothing gets pass him in any way, there are no surprises that are taking place in the eyes of God.
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?
12 Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.
13 "With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.
14 If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
God sets up kingdoms and tears them down.
