LASTING IMPRESSIONS
Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Acts 4:9-13
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
It may not be your intent to impress, but nontheless you are leaving an impression.
It has been said that each one of us influences at least seven other people each day.
The year was 1891. The place: Buenos Aires. Francisca Borjas had just murdered two of her own sons. In an attempt to deflect the blame, she partially slit her own throat. Then she went to the authorities and accused a nearby rancher, named Velazquez of attacking her family. Juan Vucetich was a young man who had been experimenting with proving identities via fingerprints. He got the murder weapon and proved that the fingerprints matched perfectly with those of Ms. Borjas.
Francisca Borjas was the first to be convicted by means of proof of fingerprints.
Juan Vucetich was the inventor of fingerprint detection matching.
There are over 7 billion people on the earth today, and the theory is that no two have the same identical fingerprints.
There are fossils imbedded in rock and sediment that carry the impressions of life from many centuries ago.
Impressions affect and create Perception. It is sometimes difficult to separate the two.
A poll was made amongst non-christian youth between ages 16-29. They were asked about their perception of christianity.
91% thought is was too anti-homosexual
87% said it was too judgmental
85% felt is is too hypocritical
78% believed it to be way old-fashioned
75% see it as too political
68% say it is just plain boring
64% view it as non-tolerant/fanatical
61% think of it as confusing
Are we making the impression that we thought?
IL: John Geddie, a canadian missionary, went to New Hebrides, to evangelize a tribe of cannibals. Upon his death, a plaque was made and left in his honor. It stated, "when he came here in 1848, there were no christians; when he left in 1872, there were no heathen."
Interesting phrases:
--first impressions
--lasting impressions
--fleeting impressions
--faint impressions
False Impressions (unintentional)
Example: While preaching in Mexico, a man kept smiling at me in an annoying manner. After service, he stopped me in the stairwell and asked me if I was a brother of Bill Clinton. He would not believe that I was not a relation of the Clintons.
Misleading Impressions
A man was backing out of a parking lot and scraped the car next to him. A crowd of people were nearby and saw the incident. He stops and gets out, finding a pen and paper. He writes the following note: " There are people close by who are watching me. They think that I am leaving you my name and phone number, but obviously, I am not."
Is the impression that you are leaving in sync with your character?
Jesus had a real problem with those who lived to make religious impressions. He had choice words for the scribes, the pharisees, and the saducees.
Job impressed God.
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
The 2:4's of Right Impressions
1 Co. 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Col. 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Special Impressions
Mt. 5:13,14
13 ΒΆ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
--It is impossible for salt to be idle; it is always active
--light does not stop travelling; it causes others to look your way
In an impression known as a photograph, the reflection in the eyes of the subject reveals the image of the photographer.
Lots' wife left a terrifying impression of her disobedience to God. She became a statue of salt.
2 Co. 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Digital footprint---anything ever placed on internet, is forever stored in cyberspace.
The lame man in Acts 3 was expecting some gold or silver, but Peter said, "such as I have give I thee".
Do more than just make a mark, leave an everlasting impression for the glory of God.
