I HAVE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY
Acts 18:9-10
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. At times people don’t mind taking credit for what someone else is does, especially if it makes them look good.
2. James Avery told about how his wife, a third-grade teacher, noticed that one of her students was wearing a Fitbit watch. She was a little amazed that such a young child would have such complex technology to track her fitness.
3. Mrs. Avery asked the girl, “Are you tracking your steps?” “No,” said the little girl. “I wear this for Mommy so she can show Daddy when he gets home.” [Reader’s Digest] Slick!
B. TEXT
“9 Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” Acts 18:9-10
C. THESIS & TITLE
1. It’s easy to ignore Jesus’ command to witness because society is so different today than it was back then. However, people really never change and nor does the need for them to be saved.
2. Tonight we’re looking at a very provoking command to witness and we’ll hear 3 great encouragements given to Paul (and us) to give us the courage to speak up for Jesus.
3. The title of this message is, “I Have Many People In This City!”
I. TIME OF GOD’S COMMUNICATION TO PAUL
A. DURING THE NIGHT TIME
We begin by seeing that God brought this message to the Apostle Paul during the night. God has often come to people in dreams and visions at night:
1. DREAMS OF WARNING
a. Abimelech -- Genesis 20:3, 6; about Sarah
b. Laban -- Genesis 31:10-11, 24; “ Jacob
c. Magi -- Matthew 2:12; Don’t go back to Herod
d. Joseph -- Matthew 2:22-23; beware Archelaus
e. Pontius Pilate’s Wife -- Matthew 27:19
2. DREAMS OF FORETELLING FUTURE
a. Joseph -- Genesis 37:5-10 (2x); stars, wheat bow
b. Cupbearer & Baker -- Genesis 40:9-19
c. Pharaoh -- Genesis 41:1-7 (2x); 2 7 yr. periods
d. Midianite shown destruction by Gideon -- Judges 7:13;
e. Nebuchadnezzar -- Daniel 2:3 (statue);
f. Nebuchadnezzar -- Daniel 4:5 (tree cut down);
g. Dream of the four beasts -- Daniel 7:1-all.
3. DREAMS OF PROMISE
a. Solomon – 1 Kings 3:5;
b. Joseph -- Matthew 1:20; Take Mary as wife
c. Joseph -- Matthew 2:19-20; “Go to Israel.”
d. Jacob – Gen. 28:12, ladder; 31:10 breeding.
4. VISIONS AT NIGHT
a. Abraham was told to view the stars, Gen. 15:5.
b. Jacob told not to be afraid to go to Egypt, Gen. 46:2.
c. Daniel had 2 visions at night, (2:19; 7:2-13).
d. Zechariah’s vision of the man among the myrtles (1:8).
e. Paul had 2 visions at night; this one & the man calling to him from Macedonia (16:9).
B. WHY GOD SENDS DREAMS/VISIONS AT NIGHT
1. Sometimes God can’t get through to us because of the multitude of our thoughts and our busy lives. We’re completely focused on the natural course of things, so God finds it difficult to get our undivided attention.
2. That’s why the Lord Jesus came to Paul at night in a vision, when Paul put aside the cares of the day and was communing with his own heart upon his bed. God will begin to speak to us when we’re restful and quiet. If you want to hear from God, you need to get still, quiet your heart and mind, and wait on Him. Samuel began hearing the Lord call his name when he was laying down to sleep.
3. I love how the Psalmist said we should wait upon the Lord, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us” Ps. 123:2 KJV. We need to get in a posture of silent waiting; then God knows we’re ready to hear!
II. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OF JESUS
Next God says, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent.”
A. EVEN THE BOLDEST ARE SOMETIMES AFRAID
1. Even Samson became afraid, Moses was afraid, David was often afraid, and even Elijah the prophet of fire was afraid of Jezebel and fled for his life.
2. When we first come to Christ, our newfound zeal overcomes our natural timidity, to compel us to speak up for Jesus. But after a while that fervor wanes and our fear of rejection causes us to keep silent.
3. But have we been released from the Great Commission? No! Are people around us still perishing in sin? Yes! Must we press ahead to share the good news of Jesus with others? Absolutely!
4. Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is your business to tell what Jesus Christ has done for you! We cannot be cowards. Jesus told us, “Whoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him, also, shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” Mk. 8:38.
5. You may say, “But witnessing goes against my nature.” God will help you to rise above your nature! The Lord says, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, fear not.’” Isa. 35:4
B. IT’S THE NATURE OF FAITH TO SPEAK
1. Faith speaks. “I believed,” David said, “therefore have I spoken” Ps. 116:10. A silent faith is a questionable faith.
2. The Lord warned us not to hide our light under a bushel or not to bury our talent because the task seems daunting. Paul says, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise” Rom. 1:14.
3. We have the obligation of carrying the gospel to the next generation. Common humanity calls upon every Christian to seek the salvation of others. They are perishing! Will you let them perish?
C. IT IS YOUR BUSINESS
1. A soul-winning young Christian man was greatly burdened for a young woman’s soul and kept speaking to her about her need of a Savior.
2. She told her mother about him and how he made her feel like she had sin. Her mother said to her angrily, “The next time he speaks to you about your need to be saved, tell him to mind his own business!”
3. The young woman replied, “But mother, he talks like this IS his business!” It IS the business of every born-again believer to do their best to help the lost find Jesus!
III. THREE ENCOURAGEMENTS TO SPEAK
“Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you...”
A. FIRST, “I AM WITH YOU”
1. The first encouragement is God’s own presence —“I am with you.” If God is with us, then what cause can there be for fear? If God is with you, who can be against you?
2. If you have God with you, then you will have strength & grace enough! He said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” He’ll give you a mysterious power which no one shall be able to resist. He’ll help you to acquire what you need. Only trust in Him, and don’t be afraid! O what precious words, “I am with you!” Be of good courage. Take up your cross! Follow Him in the path of sharing your faith!
B. SECOND, “NO ONE SHALL HURT YOU”
1. Next He says, “No one will attack you to hurt you.” This speaks of God’s protection. In Corinth God was faithful to do this for Paul: the Jews dragged Paul before the judgment seat of Gallio and Paul must have been amazed when he saw the persecutors, themselves, beaten. The great King knows how to protect His own ambassador!
2. Persecutors who mess with one of God’s burning and shining lights will sooner or later burn their fingers! God says, “Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.” He promises, “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises in judgment against you, you shall condemn.”
3. How feeble all your enemies are! Who are you that you should be afraid of a man or woman that shall die, who are only but dust? Jesus said, “Fear not them which can kill the body, but afterwards have no more that they can do; but fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say unto you, fear Him.” Lk. 12:4-5.
C. THIRD, “I HAVE MANY PEOPLE” HERE
1. This last comfort is God’s foresight; “for I have many people in this city.” That is to say, many whom God knew
would open their hearts to Christ. “Those He foreknew, He also did predestinate” Rom. 8:29. God knew that He had an elect people in Corinth whom He must save. The same is true of our city, Huntsville, Texas.
2. God’s statement indicates a CERTAINTY OF SUCCESS that should be a great stimulus to us. That’s why the Lord said to Paul, “I have many people in this city.” You and I are bound to preach the gospel for everyone must hear the Gospel and be given a chance to be saved.
3. Imagine how God’s statement, “I have many people in this city” must have nerved Paul to go forth and proclaim bravely: he would know he would be speaking to many receptive hearts who would believe!
4. The simple Gospel is all that was needed. Paul didn’t need any gimmicks or props, just the simple message of the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the need to repent & follow Him.
5. An interesting sidenote is that this verse teaches that usefulness is the best protection a person can have. Notice that, “no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
6. When God sends a person to save people, that person will live until the chosen are gathered in! He/she may go to sea, but storms can’t drown them! They may be ambushed by robbers, but the robbers can’t hurt them! They’re immortal till their work is done! There’s no protection like usefulness—God watches over His servants!
7. I believe that this passage is a parallel for us here in Huntsville, Texas: GOD HAS MANY PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. When we preach the gospel plainly and simply, we will never lack people willing to hear. There are people in this city hungering and thirsting for the truth, if they only knew where to find it. Let’s pray tonight that God will show us how to get the Gospel out in our town. Let’s talk about Christ at work! At home; at the store; everywhere you go!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: IF HE CAN WITNESS, WHY CAN’T YOU?
1. “I have everything I need for joy!” said Robert Reed. His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe himself. He can’t feed himself. His speech drags like a worn-out audiocassette. Robert has cerebral palsy.
2. Having cerebral palsy didn’t keep him from teaching at St. Louis Junior College or from venturing overseas on five mission trips. It also didn’t prevent him from becoming a missionary in Portugal. He moved to Lisbon, alone, in 1972.
3. He rented a hotel room and began studying Portuguese. He stationed himself daily in a park, where he distributed brochures about Christ. Within six years he led 70 people to Christ, one of whom became his wife, Rosa.
4. When he spoke recently, the audience watched his stiff fingers force open the pages and people in the audience wiped tears of admiration from their faces, as Robert held his bent hand up in the air and declared, “I have everything I need for joy!”
5. If he can witness, why can’t we? Let’s do something! [Why don’t you join us in the parking lot tomorrow at 4, by Walgreens, for the “Free Prayer Outreach!”
B. THE CALL
1. We don’t need to RE-TIRE, we need to RE-FIRE! If we get our fiery love for Jesus back, we will witness like we did after we got saved! How many want to be re-fired?
2. How many of you want to make a new commitment to God to witness? Let’s all stand and commit together. PRAYER.
[This is a rewrite of Charles Spurgeon’s sermon, “Cheer for the Worker, and Hope for London.”]
