“THE POSSIBILITIES” Acts 17:6
FBCF – 3/27/22
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Don’t you love being a part of a winning team? We’ve all had those moments when our team came out victorious – won a game, a tournament, a championship.
Sometimes you can experience a victory even if the score says otherwise.
- HC soccer vs Jxn Prep – Russ’ jr. year – Prep took 57 shots on goal – Score at end of the game – 9-0. We just wanted to keep them out of double-digits. You would’ve thought we had just won the championship!
Listen brothers & sisters in Christ, you & I are on the winning team! We are the ChURch! We are the Body of Christ! We are the FAMILY of God! As Bill Gaither wrote, we are “The Church Triumphant!”
“Let the Church be the Church, Let the people rejoice
For we’ve settled the question, We’ve made our choice
Let the anthems ring out, Songs of victory swell
For the Church triumphant, Is alive & well.”
You know why it’s alive & well? B/c Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:18, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against [His Church].”
We’re concluding “The ChURch” series today. We’ve talked about the Power of the Church, the Proclamation of the Church, the People & the Places of the Church, the Problems of the Church, & the Prayer of the Church. Today, we conclude w/ the Possibilities of the Church. And our application statement today is a declaration of this that we believe:
APPLICATION – When the ChURch is truly being the ChURch, we are going to make a HUGE impact for the Kingdom of God!
EXPLANATION – Acts 17:1-9
Early on in book of Acts, Peter & John are most prominent. Also see Barnabas mentioned, along w/ Stephen & Philip & a few others.
New guy shows up at beginning of end of chapter 7 & beginning of chapter 8 – Saul. Persecutor of the Church. Gloriously saved in chapter 9. Starts sharing the Gospel – “And immediately, [Saul] proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” Shows back up in chapter 13 & becomes the major character for the rest of the 16 chapters of the book.
Paul went on 3 missionary journeys. Chapter 17 is in the middle of the 2nd journey. He stopped in Thessalonica for a time of ministry where he went into the synagogue to “reason” with the people on 3 different Sabbaths. He would preach the Gospel, & dialogue w/ the people. He would begin by taking the OT writings – “the scriptures” (v. 2) - & explain how Jesus fulfilled them. He would begin where they were & what they knew & move to what they didn’t know & share the wonder of the Gospel w/ them. Paul did 3 things:
- “explaining” – opening the Scriptures to open their minds & soul to the truth of who Jesus is
- “proving” – presenting & putting forth the truth of why Jesus had to suffer & die & be raised from the dead. He was stating the case that this was the counsel & decree & purpose of God for sending Jesus into the world “to seek & to save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10).
- “proclaiming” – “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” This isn’t just a nonchalant passing statement. This is a declaration w/ conviction that Jesus is the Christ – the chosen One who paid the price for our sins, & the ONLY way to be saved.
- Spurgeon quoting another minister: “I have never yet found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it, and if I ever do find one that has not a road to Christ in it, I will make one; I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savor of Christ in it.”
What Paul was doing is the exact same thing that the Church is supposed to be doing in our world today. We are to meet people right where they are & proclaim & explain the truth of the Gospel to them. What is that truth? JESUS IS THE TRUTH! – John 14:6
- John 3:16
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (NIV)
- Acts 4:12 – Peter preaching about Jesus said, “There is no way to be saved from the punishment of sin through anyone else. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.” (NLV)
We proclaim this Gospel! We teach this Gospel! We make disciples based on this Gospel! We love others b/c of this Gospel! We stake our lives on this Gospel! This is the Church being the Church!
There are some very real possibilities of the Church being the church:
There’s the very real possibility that we are going to upset some folks – v. 5a – When you start focusing solely on Jesus, you’re going to upset some folks. You can talk about God all days long. Our own President closed State of Union address: “May God bless you all & may God protect our troops.” Everyone clapped.
But if he had said, “May Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world, the only Way to heaven, & the only-begotten Son of the one, true living God bless you,” he would have been torched by every liberal politician, every liberal activist, & every liberal newscaster & talk show host in the world.
When Paul preached, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is THE Christ,” the Jews went nuts w/ jealousy. They didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah, & they still don’t. And unbelievers will always be in opposition to Jesus Christ & those of us who know Him, love Him, live for Him, & proclaim Him. They don’t get it. They CAN’T get it. Paul -
- Those unbelievers may be religious folks like these Jews.
- May be governmental leaders like King Herod who killed James & threw Peter in jail.
- Could be people you work with, go to school with – could even be your own family. Jesus Himself experienced rejection from His own family.
In fact, when the Church starts truly being the Church, we are going to upset some folks inside the Church.
There’s the very real possibility that we are going to experience trouble & heartache – v. 5b
Our world & our lives are full of trouble & heartache. Paul & his friend, Jason, certainly were facing some serious trouble & heartache. Look at what was developing:
- Enlisted a mob of wicked men
- Incensed the entire city
- Encircled the home of Jason, looking for Paul & Silas
- Intended to hurt, maybe kill them
All of this was b/c of the preaching of the Gospel, doing what the church is supposed to do when we are being the church.
But let’s remember – Our struggle is not against “flesh & blood.” This is a SPIRITUAL BATTLE against an enemy who is growing more & more enraged by the moment. He’s constantly & intensely looking at every aspect of your life to determine the best place to tempt you & attack you – your most vulnerable spot. We’ve got to shut him down in the name & authority of Jesus Christ!
Last thing you do each night? Maybe brush teeth, set alarm, put on your pajamas, check social media one more time. Those of who are homeowners do one thing for sure: Lock our doors.
Satan doesn’t have to break down the door – We’ve left it open for him.
There’s the very real possibility that we are going to see God move! – and we are going to turn the world upside down!
- It might get messy.
- It’s going to take some work.
- But it will be worth it!
