Seizing The Moment

Seizing the Moment

Acts chapter 6-8 selective

Do you know that you are special in God’s eyes? Really

You are special and unique to God and He has a ministry or job for you to do as a believer.

Each one of us has been given by the Lord talents to be used for kingdom work.

As a believer living right now, in this day of struggles and uncertainties you are called by God for this moment. Do you believe it?

Seizing the moment… that’s the title and that is what we will look at for a few minutes.

Turn to the book of Acts and I will catch up with you in a minute.

Some have this belief that the “Good old days” were better than today.

In some ways yes and some ways no!

The difference in a lot of cases is that technology does not let people hide as much as they use to.

Things were happening then, we just didn’t know about it.

This world is turning a deaf ear to the things of God but that does not mean we stop trying.

Pastor, they have gone rogue and no one cares about God like they use too.

Let me fill you in on a secret that I Learned from the bible - People hated Jesus when he walked this earth, why wouldn’t they hate Him now and hate his people also.

But God gave us a mandate to go and preach the gospel and leave the saving up to him. Amen?

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father today as we look into your Holy Word may your word come alive to us and fill us with hope.

We are living in tough times but we are also living in the most exciting times since the apostles first spread your word.

Would you today speak to our hearts and allow us to sense your presence and sense your anointing so that we would receive Holy boldness and strength to share your word with those we come in contact with in Jesus name! Amen!

The apostles were persecuted- They had targets on their backs just because they belong to the way- because they associated themselves with Jesus.

Check this out- even the religious people were after Jesus and his disciples.

They hated Jesus so much that their hatred for him reflected back on the people that associated with Him.

The Sadducees and the Pharisees were “filled with jealousy”

They arrested them (disciples) and put them in jail

(19-20) “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. Go stand in the temple courts, he said, and tell the people the full message of this new life.”

They were again brought before the rulers and religious people and the Sanhedrin drilled them about Jesus and their teachings

(28) “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood”

Peter replies- “We must obey God rather than men.”

It is not that God has changed his view on spreading the gospel, but the believers that are sent out are listening to man instead of God!

Peter again speaks for the group and says- “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey.”

Acts 5:33-39 Read from Bible

Gamaliel knew and was smart enough to know through history that if this was a human effort to revolt that as soon as the leader is killed that they would disperse and the movement would stop. But if it is God working in these men- that you would be fighting against God Himself!

Consider carefully what you do with these men! (35)

Gameliel was a well respected Pharisee. In the group of Sadducees and Pharisees there was different reasons they wanted the apostles to stop preaching- Sadducees were wealthy, politically motivated men that wanted everything for themselves and they (disciples) were cutting into their profits.

The Pharisees had no political agenda, but wanted to teach the law- the letter of the law. All 613 laws to others except when it came to themselves. They were exempt.

Gamaliel being respected and his grandfather being a respected Pharisee was given time to speak at the Sanhedrin.

I think it is funny, Gamaliel, his prized student and one that kept the law was Saul of Taurus (Paul) who later would bring the gospel to the Gentiles.

Make sure God is in it (Seize the moment)

If you are going to seize the moment- make sure God is in it. You have a responsibility to the gospel.

If you are trying to do things in your own strength, it will be limited to your own strength, but if God is in it and you are working in His strength, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH God!