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TRUE FAITH
March 2, 2008 Jay Davis Robison ACTS 14:8-22
Few weeks ago began Lenten journey toward Easter
Time of reflecting on our faith
Considered being Generous, Last week living on Purpose
This week living life of true faith what does it look like?
Jesus encouraged us to let light of faith shine
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good
deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 TNIV
There is no mistaking the effect of light upon a darkened place. Light boldly & unabashedly announces its presence and vigorously dispels darkness. God’s desire is to fill you with His light. God wants you to shine as a brilliant testimony of His presence & power in your life so that the darkness in the lives of those around you will be displaced by the light of God’s glory.
If, you notice the world around you becoming darker & darker, don’t blame the darkness! It’s simply doing what darkness does. The only remedy for darkness is light. If the world is becoming darker, the problem is not w\the darkness. The problem is with the light. Jesus said His disciples are to be “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). What an awesome responsibility—to be the ones through whom God would shine His divine light and dispel the darkness from around others!
Acts 14 teaches about true faith what does it mean to let our light shine for God? Characteristics of TRUE FAITH
1. Looks FOR GOD AT WORK AROUND US
How busy is God in our world today?
Is God as active in world today as he was during Biblical times?
Or has God gotten tired now lying in lounge chair waiting for UK
Does God work in your life as often as he did in the life of David?
I don’t know about you, but I wonder sometimes.
The key to experiencing GOD DAILY IS TO
Realize God is ALREADY AT WORK
AND INVITES YOU TO TAG ALONG
Refreshing to know God working we on tipped toes to see what next
God has not gotten tired, still at work today
May say that cannot be true, don’t know how hard life is
I am in places only Christian around, everyone else seems hard
Consider what’s going on around Acts 14
Paul and Barnabus had been telling about Jesus in city of Iconium.
Some of the people got angry with them for preaching about Jesus.
Enemies of the gospel got together & planned a secret plot
to first mistreat Paul and Barnabus and then to stone them.
Paul & Barnabus caught wind of plot and fled to Lystra and Derbe.
Lystra had a reputation for being a rude city, wild people
Who were very superstitious not hotbed for Christian revival
Yet Paul and Barnabus looking for God at work there
One guy caught Paul’s eye, he had been crippled all his life
Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and
called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up
and began to walk. Vs 9 and 10 TNIV
Someone had to bring this guy to town every day to beg
No governmental help, it was survival of the fittest and he not fit.
Underline Paul saw that he the faith to be healed.
In seemingly godforsaken Lystra Paul looking for God at work
Rise up and Claim Christ, get up and the man did, jumped
What would have happened if Paul not looking for God? Nothing
Wherever 2 or 3 gathered in my name Jesus said I am in midst
God is here today working in your life are you sitting on sideline?
God is here and at work, join in what God is doing
Never forget: EVERYBODY DEALS WITH
THE GOD QUESTION
Perhaps you heard this week about shift in American religion
Many leaving churches they grew up in for something else
Heed the warning make it relevant, and real for next generation
Increase in unaffiliated and atheists
Those who believe not passion or power to what we do
Do we live our lives that way?
Paul and Barnabus are blessed with spiritual conversation
If you get to interact at gut level with someone blessing
We must always be open where is God working in lives near us
Atmosphere was strictly pagan, looking for hope
For help in life we have hope to share,
Others may not understand it at first, but sow seeds & pray for fruit
Reporter asked Mrs. Edison if she understood the theory of relativity
No but I know Albert and he can be trusted
We do not know the answers to all of life’s questions
but we know Jesus And he can be trusted
Let your light so shine, that others may see who you are
And then expect god to be at work!
And join in what God is doing
2. Leaves THE ULTIMATE GLORY TO GOD
Paul and Barnabus became instant celebrities
Everybody in town talking about them
One of the ways our faith is tested is, believe it or not by success
When you are successful will you give glory to god
When your business grows, or your promotion come give to God
The people watching called them gods can you handle success?
Air Force officer promoted & assigned to office in Pentagon.
On his 1st day he wanted to impress everyone with his importance.
When sat at his desk heard a knock on door, wanting to look
important grabbed phone that had not rung & acted like on call. Just a minute son, phone rang just as you came in, Yes sir general,
I’ll call president right now & take care of it. He hung up phone. Now son what do you want? Sir I just came to connect your phone.
God empowered Paul & Barnabus to heal a man
Vs 11 people say the gods have come to us in human form
Called them Zeus and Hermes, gods, brought offerings to them
Big test of their faith, would they give glory to God?
Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven & earth and sea and everything in them. Vs 15 TNIV
Paul & Barnabus were shocked to learn they were being called gods.
They tore open their clothes as expression of remorse
We are just like you, but we are bringing good news to you
To turn you from worthless things to living God
Holy moment to point people to Jesus
Live a life WORTH SHARING
THAT YOU MIGHT SHARE A LIFE WORTH LIVING
Admiration is an interesting thing.
Defined as “a feeling of pleasure, wonder and approval”.
How quickly we can go from Penthouse to outhouse
Just ask Tubby Smith about that
I Pet. 5:5-6 "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward
one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to
the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."
Missionary Hudson Taylor speaking at large church in Australia.
Host introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms.
He told congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, &
presented him as "our illustrious guest."
Taylor stood quietly for a moment, & opened his message saying, "Dear friends, I am only the little servant of an illustrious Master."
True faith never forgets who get the glory
3. Lasts IN THE FACE OF SUFFERING
Being faithful to god does not mean life on easy street
Does not guarantee no problems or opposition, everything your way
If it meant that many more people would be faithful
After Paul & Barnabus gave glory to God
Vs 18 had difficulty keeping crowd from sacrificing to them
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. Vs 19 TNIV
Suddenly admirers stirred up and turned into a lynch mob
Remember told you about enemies in Antioch & Iconium
How quickly the tides of human emotion change
Paul called a god now he is taken out of city and stoned
Catch this, sometimes when you are following God will get stoned
God did not rescue Paul from stones thrown on him
Paul was left for dead
Mission of TBC to LOVE like Christ
Learning and Growing to make disciples
Success at the hard anvil of suffering and peril
Consider the magnitude of our mission.
What would make Paul willing to be stoned?
What drove him to keep telling people about Jesus?
It was the cross! It was the good news of salvation for all
who trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Then look at what happened
They returned to Lystra, Iconium & Antioch, strengthening the disciples & encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Vs 21 and 22 TNIV
Paul regained his consciousness and made a decision.
Paul followed Christ, back into very city thrown out of
How many of you would have said, “anywhere but there?
Lord don’t ask me to go back there.”
In 1 mission Paul had gone from rising, to running & now walking.
Says they went in and strengthen the disciples.
How did they do it? By showing face in town, being there,
Must be encouragers world full of discouragers
Roddy Chestnut “It’s always easier to tear things down than it is to
build things up Dominoes are easier to knock down than set up.
A meal is easier to burn than cook properly.
And flowers are easier to cut than to cultivate.
We are called to build up not cut down
How are you strengthening and encouraging others?
Who did you say thank you to today?
Who did you personally invite to church?
Who are you praying for letting them know in battle w\them
Who are you encouraging as they take new steps for Christ?
True Faith looks for God at Work
Leaves the ultimate glory for everything to God
Lasts in face of suffering
From the Roman Coliseum I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked ‘Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?’
Paul Rader
Today, Pray for God to empower you to deal with the impossibilities
of your life recognize I can’t do it means depend on God
True faith is beyond what we can see and accomplish ourselves
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things
not yet seen partnership with God
Vance Havner “God is faithful, and expects His people to be faithful.
God’s Word speaks of faithful servants, faithful in a few things,
faithful in the least, faithful in the Lord, faithful ministers.
All points up that day when He will say, “Well done, thou good and
faithful servant.”
“What terrible times we have in our churches trying to keep people
faithful in attendance and loyalty!
Havner we reward & coax & tantalize church members into doing
things they don’t want to do but would do if they loved God!
The only service that counts is faithful service..
“True faith shows up in faithfulness.
Not everyone can sing or preach, but all can be faithful.”
Phillip Yancey We make faith not an attitude of trust in something unseen but a route to get something seen-something magical & stupendous, like a miracle or a supernatural gift. Faith includes the supernatural, but it also includes daily, dependent trust is spite of results. True faith implies a belief w\out solid proof – the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for. God is not mere magic” (Where is God when it hurts? 73)
TRUE FAITH
March 2, 2008 Jay Davis Robison ACTS 14:8-22
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 TNIV
1. Looks
The key to experiencing
Realize God is
Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. Vs 9 and 10 TNIV
Never forget:
2. Leaves
Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven & earth and sea and everything in them. Vs 15 TNIV
Live a life
3. Lasts
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. Vs 19 TNIV
They returned to Lystra, Iconium & Antioch, strengthening the disciples & encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Vs 21 and 22 TNIV
How are you strengthening and encouraging others?
From the Roman Coliseum I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked ‘Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?’
Paul Rader
