INTRODUCTION
* God has chosen to accomplish his task of redemption through the efforts of...YOU AND ME!
* We have been appointed and chosen to change the world.
John 15:16
1 Cor. 12:28
Eph. 4:11
* Before God can use us for this mission, we must become "usable."
The kind of person God uses to change the world...
1. God uses obedient people to transform the world (v. 12)
* Our usefulness to God hinges on our obedience to God.
* 2 Cor. 2:9 / John 14:15
* Being obedience requires three things:
A. To be obedient, we must know what God expects
B. To be obedient, we must understand what god expects (a step beyond knowing: comprehend)
C. To be obedience, we must do what God expects
* James 1:22-25
2. God uses modern-day disciples to transform the world (v. 13-14)
* Disciple: one who adheres to the teachings of Christ; a follower of Christ who seeks to imitate the actions and attitudes that Christ portrayed
* A disciple is not flawless, but is forgiven
* Characteristics of modern-day disciples:
A. A disciple is faithful: "These all continued" (v. 14)
B. A disciple is unified with other disciples in purpose: "These all continued with one accord" (v. 14) - John 17:20-23
C. A disciple prays with other disciples: "They all joined together constantly in prayer" (v. 14) - Matt. 18:19
3. God uses biblical people to transform the world (v. 15-22)
* The disciples were waiting for God to start doing a mighty work in them so that God could do a mighty work through them.
* Peter’s concern: doing things by the Book = taking action that corresponded to Scripture; making sure Scripture was fulfilled
* Peter was not concerned with what culture thought they should do, but about what Scripture called them to do.
4. God uses people who seek his will to transform the world (v. 23-24)
* What consumed them: "What does God want?"
* Disciples were not concerned that the choice made perfect sense to them or the choice that would produce the fastest results: they simply wanted to know God’s desire so they could choose who God had already chosen.
* When we seek God’s will, he lets us know his desire so that we can choose to do what God has already chosen for us to do.
