Bound In The Spirit

BOUND IN THE SPIRIT

TEXT: ACTS 20: VS. 17--24

TEXT: PAUL SAID I GO BOUND IN THE SPIRIT. HE WAS BOUND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FINISH THE WORK THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM TO DO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT COST HIM.***

PAUL WAS A “DO-ER “ OF THE WORD AND NOT JUST A HEARER.**

HIS JOB, JUST AS OURS IS WAS TO SHARE THE WORD OF GOD AND WIN SOULS TO CHRIST. AND HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO GET THE JOB DONE.

1. PAUL WAS A WITNESS, HIS LIFE WAS A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GRACE.

2. PAUL WAS A WALKING SERMON, “TO LIVE IS CHRIST, TO DIE IS GAIN.” WHATEVER WAS REQUIRED OF HIM HE DID IT.

3. PAUL WAS A WORKER, HE BELIEVED IN THE GREAT COMMISSION OF MATHEW 28: 19: “GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD”..........

4. PAUL DESERVED JUSTICE AS THE CHIEF SINNER YET, HE REPENTED OF HIS SINS, WAS SAVED BY GRACE AND GREATLY USED TO SHARE THE GOSPEL, WIN SOULS, ESTABLISH CHURCHES AND GET THE JOB DONE FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.

5. PAUL PREACHED WHAT HE KNEW WELL, THE GOSPEL OF GRACE.

6. HE COULD SHARE THE GRACE OF GOD’S MERCY AND THE STORY OF SALVATION BECAUSE HE HAD EXPERIENCED IT.******

I. PAUL GOT THE JOB DONE WITHOUT PROCRASTINATION

((READ VERSE 18)

(A) HE STARTED FROM DAY ONE (1) WENT RIGHT TO WORK.

THROUGH EVERY TRIAL, EVERY TURMOIL, HE STAYED WITH GOD’S PLAN, WORKING TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.

(B) HE HAD LIVED AMONG THEM, HIS TESTIMONY WAS WELL KNOWN.

1. PAUL WAS KNOWN AMONG THE JEWS AS WELL AS THE GENTILES, THEY HAD SEEN A REAL CHANGE IN HIS LIFE.*****

(C) HE HAD SPOKEN BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY WITH THEM,

1. THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF PAUL’S “SOLD-OUT “ ATTITUDE.

II. PAUL GOT THE JOB DONE WITH PRIDE. VERSE 19

(A) PAUL SERVED THE LORD WITH ALL HUMILITY, ALLOWING GOD TO USE HIM AS A WITNESS. A WILLING VESSEL,

1. HE WAS WILLING TO SHINE* FOR JESUS AS WELL AS TO GET IN THE TRENCHES. * (GREAT VESSELS AND SMALL VESSELS>****

(B) HE SERVED THE LORD WITH HUMBLENESS.

1. HE KNEW THAT WITHIN HIMSELF HE COULD DO NOTHING BUT WITH CHRIST ALL THINGS WERE POSSIBLE.

2. HE COUNTED HIS JEWISH HERITAGE AND JEWISH KNOWLEDGE AS NOTHING BUT PUT GREAT STOCK IN THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DOING THE WILL OF GOD.

(C) HE SERVED THE LORD WITH A HUNGER TO SEE SOULS SAVED.

1. HE WAS A BOND SLAVE TO JESUS, SOLD OUT TO GOD.

2. HE SERVED THE LORD WITH TEARS, HE SERVED THROUGH TEMPTATIONS, HE SERVED THROUGH HUNGER AND TURMOILS, YET HE COUNTED IT A JOY TO SUFFER FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST BECAUSE HE REALIZED EVERY DAY, GOD HAD SAVED HIM FROM SIN AND ASSURED HOME IN HEAVEN.

3. PAUL HAD A BURDEN FOR HIS JEWISH PEOPLE, AS WELL AS FOR

THE GENTILE PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO BE BURDENED FOR LOST SOULS, BURDENED TO GET OUR FRIENDS UNDER THE WORD OF GOD*****

2 CORINTHIANS 11; VS 24--28

III. PAUL GOT THE JOB DONE WITHOUT PRESERVATION.

VERSE 20: WITHHELD NOTHING FROM THEM

(A) HE KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WOULD PROFIT THEM.

HE SHARED WITH THEM, ALL THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM.

1. HE SHARED WITH THEM EVERYTHING NECESSARY FOR SALVATION: REALIZATION, REPENTANCE, RECEIVING CHRIST.

2. HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS, CONVINCES, CONVERTS,

(B) HE PREACHED WITH ALL PURITY AND POWER.

1. HE TOLD IT LIKE IT IS, NO SHORTCUTS, WATERING DOWN OR SOFT- SOAPING THE GOSPEL. HE PREACHED THE WORD*****

(C) HE PREACHED TO PLEASE GOD AND NOT TO PLEASE MAN.

1. HE DELIVERED EXACTLY WHAT GOD GAVE HIM.****

2. HE HELD BACK NOTHING THAT WOULD LEAD THEM TO CHRIST.**

IV. PAUL GOT THE JOB DONE WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

VERSE 21: TO THE JEWS AS WELL AS TO THE GENTILES.

SALVATIONS MESSAGE IS TO ”WHOSOEVER WILL”

ROMANS 1: VS 14--16

(A) MANY TODAY WANT TO “PICK AND CHOOSE” WHO TO WITNESS TO AT OUR LIKING AND OUR CONVENIENCE

1. GOD DOES THE PICKING AND CHOOSING

(BETH MOORE STORY OF OLD GENTLEMAN IN AIRPORT TERMINAL.)

(B) MANY WANT TO WITNESS TO THOSE THAT WE FEEL WILL “FIT INTO OUR CHURCH FAMILY”

1. THOSE WHO WILL FINANCIALLY ACCOMMODATE OUR CHURCH, THOSE WHO FIT IN SOCIALLY.

2. JESUS SAID GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND BY-WAYS AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN.

WHAT PAUL GOT THE JOB DONE “WITH’

V. HE GOT THE JOB DONE WITH COMPASSION

PAUL HAD A TREMENDOUS BURDEN FOR LOST SOULS AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO HAD FALLEN BECAUSE OF SIN’S CIRCUMSTANCES.

(A) PAUL LEARNED THROUGH CHRIST THAT HE HAD TO LOOK PAST THEIR SOCIAL STATUS.

1. IT MAY AMAZE MANY PEOPLE THAT GOD LOVES A SOCIAL MISFIT JUST AS MUCH AS HE LOVES ANYONE.