Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduce Self...

Pray...

Kids...

Can you imagine what it would be like if your legs didn’t work?

In this story, there is a man whose legs don’t work.

He’s an adult man and it’s been this way since he was born.

Paul comes to this man fixes his legs!

When we’re born, we’re spiritually broken.

We don’t love God the way we ought to and we don’t obey him the way we ought to.

But as we grow up, God gives us faith and he heals us.

And when we die, God promises to give us new bodies in case there is anything broken in our body while on earth.

“They” = Paul and Barnabas

Jewish synagogue

Jews AND Greeks believed

“Spoke in such a way...”

Sometimes there is language of “God adding to their number” or “God granting faith”

Sometimes there is language that indicates that it was the action of the apostles.

It’s all under the providence of God

God and the Holy Spirit move through the people of God to accomplish the will of God.

When we stop to realize that we are his vessels, on this earth to accomplish God’s purposes, it truly is humbling...

I’m here and I represent a King, not just any king, the King of all kings...

My master is all powerful and all good.

Unbelieving Jews...

They rejected the messiah.

they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge

There response (So, therefore) to opposition was to remain longer, to fight harder, to speak boldly.

And God backed them up.

They were GRANTED signs and wonders.

(Signs and wonders are not something you “claim” they are granted)

These signs were validations of the message.

Stone them… This was the way ancient Jews executed the death penalty for blasphemy against God

These were devout men who believed with all their heart that they were serving God...

But at the end of the day, they rejected the messiah...

So they fled and continued to preach...

Faith to be made well could be translated to be saved...

I actually the faith Paul saw was the same faith that you and I have.

Faith unto salvation.

[[STORY??]]

Faith aligns us to the will of God.

Faith does not manipulate God into aligning with our will.

RC Sproul talks about 3 usages for the word miracle.

1. Natural, but a display of God’s power (baby)

2. Natural, but a display of God’s timing and providence (Bethlehem star)

3. Supernatural, acts of God that contradict nature (Water to wine)

Biblically speaking, this 3rd kind seem to be given to specific individuals to validate God’s messengers.

Think Moses or Elijah

Think Jesus, think the apostles...

The church’s origin story starts with the supernatural to validate Jesus and the apostles.

But I think we would be in error to assume that because the birth of the church was rich with miracles, we should expect the church today to be rich with miracles...

Many churches and entire denominations believe that something is wrong if they are not experiencing the world in a way similar to what we read in Acts, and it moves people to fake it… (sometimes in good faith, and sometimes in as wolves)

This is the real deal.

Parallels closely to Peter’s healing in Chapter 3, demonstrating Paul had similar authority to Peter.

People knew this man and he was miraculously healed

True gospel transformation and true gospel preaching brings us to our knees in humility… it doesn’t puff us up… if it does, it’s likely we are not rightly believing or preaching the gospel

This is the gospel:

Turn from these vain things to a living God.

What do you need to turn from?

What are you putting your hope and trust in?

What are you waiting for to bring your life meaning and happiness?

What are you pursuing that you are certain will make the wrongs of the world right?

These are idols...

There are taboo idols, culturally unacceptable (like drugs, alcohol, and laziness)

There are more deceptive idols, like hard work, pride, relationships, and kids...

Mankind is without excuse in knowing God… Similar argument made in Romans 1.

“Your kingdom come YOUR will be done!”

We are at war against the powers of darkness.

Life isn’t a game; it’s the real deal.

The significance of your suffering goes beyond YOU.

The significance of your life goes beyond YOU.

(This is the opposite of what the world says)

Don’t look within yourself, look outside yourself.

Unjust suffering comes in many shapes and sizes, but rest assured that all unjust suffering has the potential to draw you close to Jesus.

Do you realize your religion was born out of suffering?

Patriotism is largely dead in our culture, but there was a time in the not too distant past...

Patriotism changed people...

The church was born out of sacrifice and suffering, certainly starting with Jesus, but not ending there.

Missionary work IS church planting work.

God designed his kingdom to grow and expand through local churches.

The door of faith was opened to the Gentiles...