“What Happens When You Go With God”, Acts 14.20-28

“What Happens When You Go With God”, Acts 14.20-28

 

Introduction, v20

Themes

•Numbers converted, word spread

•Making disciples everywhere

•Opposition / setbacks

•“Firsts’ all over the place!

•Overall feeling:Undiminished enthusiasm for the things of God

•Resulting in….

 

1. Bear God’s Fruit

•By bringing God’s Word to all kinds of people

A. Converts - variety

•Flexibility of approach: Jews / Gentiles / Pagans

•Undiminished enthusiasm for winning disciples for Jesus

B. Elders - leadership

•Evangelismandstrengthening

•All churches need both

•That’s whey we need to meet up

•Leaders are not the most gifted, they are committed to strengthening

•Brave to go back to where persecuted

•High level of compassion for young Christians / new churches

•Undiminished enthusiasm for the strengthening of disciples

 

2. Bear With Setbacks

•Persevered despite these ….

A. External Setbacks

•Opposition; Poisoning; Persecution

•Brave to go back to sites of pain

•Compassion for young Christians drove them

•Undiminished enthusiasm despite external setbacks

B. Internal Setbacks

•Betrayal / Desertion

•John Mark

•Undiminished enthusiasm despite internal setbacks

 

Conclusion, 14.26-27

•Why did this happen?  God - He is the focus.

•We don’t know how they felt day to day, but we do know they found their way back to undiminished enthusiasm for the things of God.

•Because motivated within the grace of God;

•Conscious of the presence of God;

•Confident in the love of God

•Because confident of the competency of God

•His power/strength

•His wisdom

•Do you believe God is loving and competent?

•When we go with God we see the fruit of God in new disciples and strengthened disciples

•When we go with God we see undiminished enthusiasm despite external setbacks and internal setbacks

•When we go with God we live for him with undiminished enthusiasm

 

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God bless,

 

Malcolm

 

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