Christ

Christ-like different

Sergey.. pic

Acts 7:54-8:1 (ESV)

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution.

IN order to be Christ like different..

What controls your Actions?

Acts 7:54 (esv)

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.

Three things in Stephen's speech enraged the Jews: He pointed out (1) that they had alwayspersecuted the prophets; (2) that the prophets had often gone to the Gentiles and been betterreceived; (3) that the Greater Temple and Priest had arrived.

What irritates you?

Study done

Using your phone while having a conversation with someone. Wearing to much perfume Using all caps in an email or text message Humblebragging : "I had to hire a housekeeper because my new house is just too big for me to take care of alone." Not returning your shopping cart Telling everyone how busy you are all the time Parking wrong in a parking space Finishing a food item then putting it back.. boys cereal Talking at the movies Not replacing the toilet roll in the bathroom.

Hotel stay..parking situation..

Hate or humility?

Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV)

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

When someone does something or points something out in ourselves we tend to start judging those people and pointing about their faults, we take it personally, criticize their every mistake, start telling them what they should do or we gossip about them.. telling everyone but them how they hurt us.

So instead we are called to be humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love, Eager to maintain unity..

Until Unity.. francis chan

Dysfunction leads to disunity …. without humility you cannot have unity and without humility you cannot have a right relationship with God.

IN order to be Christ like different..

Who are you focused on?

Acts 7:55-56 (ESV)

. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Full of the holy spirit

we should remember the difference between verbs and adjectives. The verb “to fill” refers to the PROCESS of being filled, while the adjective “full” as used above describes that   STATE of being filled which follows the filling process.

The phrase “Holy Spirit” in the new testament is used both for the PERSON, PRESENCE or BEING  of the Holy Spirit and  His  POWER. So we can be filled with both the Person of the Holy Spirit( God) which is what happens at salvation. You are filled with God’s PERSON once. His presence comes to live in you at salvation. But you can be filled with His power and His virtues such as love, joy and peace multiple times.

Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV)

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

John piper once said, “ To be filled with the Spirit means to be caught into the joy that flows among the Holy Trinity.”

Ephesians 5:18.

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Happy hour..

Psalm 4:7-8 (ESV)

You have put more joy in my heart     than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Its in the joy Stephen finds the presence of God both in his life and literally before him

Ok so stephen full of joy ..full of the holy spirit ..gazed where? On God..says he looked up into heaven..

His situation was really bad so he looked to Christ.

IN order to be Christ like different..

Have you stopped listening?

Acts 7:57-58 (ESV)

57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.

58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul

Missed seeing God

Francis Chan, Until Unity

Revivals begin with repentance, and we can all benefit from asking God to reveal our shortsightedness.

James 1:19-20 (ESV)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

When we result to anger and nashing our teeth we are missing out from the presence of God

Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV)

Blessed is the man     who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,     nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,     and on his law he meditates day and night.

If we do not listen we will not see what God is showing us

Acts 6:3-5 (ESV)

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit

Stephen had left the world behind

Studied the word

Prayed

Served

Presence of God

Vs. 54 full of the Holy Spirt

Vs. 55 Saw the glory of God

Vs. 55 Jesus standing at the right hand of God

Vs. 56 Heavens are opened

Vs. 59 Lord, receive my spirit

Twice we are told about the trinity being present all at once.. unity… Jesus standing..

Revelation 3:16 (ESV)

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:19-22 (ESV)

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

IN order to be Christ like different..

Do you call on God?

Acts 7:59 (ESV)

. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)

3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Matthew 7:7-11 (ESV)

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

22 Cast your burden on the Lord,     and he will sustain you; he will never permit     the righteous to be moved.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

fear not, for I am with you;     be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,     I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

IN order to be Christ like different..

Will you let go?

Acts 7:60,8:1 (ESV)

.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution.

Gross pic

Colossians 3:12-13

English Standard Version

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.