God’s Power to Create Christians

2 Corinthians 5:17

I. God can turn our ANGER TO HUMILITY— Like He did with Moses

We look at anger many ways don’t we? We try to justify what we say, what we do, how our voice said something mean a d “we didn’t mean it”.

Let’s take a look at Moses’s Anger.

Exodus 2:11–12 “11 Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. 12 After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.”

Moses became angry and killed an Egyptian. Anger causes people to do strange, uncalculated things.

So then, we jump to.

Numbers 12:3–4 “3 (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.) 4 So immediately the Lord called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle, all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle.”

God made Moses the most humble man on earth. God can do all things to all people if man permits Him to.

Do you think God is working on any of you this morning to become more humble to do His work? I am sure of it.

Moses met God in a personal way.

Exodus 3:1–5 “1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

II. Do we know any “SINNER TO SAINT: stories? I do, I heard this story when I was just a young child, well, it was a song really, Zacchaeus was a weee little man who sat up in the tree, the Lord was passing by and ...................

A. Sinner, He was the chief tax collector, meaning he was a known crook. He charged more tax than what was due and kept the rest for himself probably.

Luke 19:1–2 “1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.”

B. He was not quite a Saint yet but Jesus was calling Him. Jesus calls us, no matter what is going on, Jesus can send us a message through the Holy Spirit. We hear it and hopefully you all listen, I did. So, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus. He was hungry for spiritual things.

Luke 19:3–5 “3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

Zacchaeus met Christ in a personal way.

Zacchaeus went from sinner to Saint.

You are probably saying to yourself, yes, I am a sinner, I’ll never be a saint. That is not exactly what God wants. He want us to Accept Him, repent and “sin no more”

We search don’t we? We feel that yearning for something more in our life. Jesus is the way, the only way. He says He will meet us wherever, we just have to ask Him. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

III.The meek, the weak, WEAKNESS TO WITNESSING—We are going to talk a little about Peter now. We boast, even brag about our faith at times. Peter, remember, “I’ll die with you, he told Jesus.”

A. Is lying a Weakness? Is denying the truth weakness? Is telling only part of the story the truth? Three times Peter denied Jesus.

Luke 22:57–60 “57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!” 58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted. 59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.”

Peter talked much but practiced little at times. Jesus knew this didn’t he?

So we are seeing here in Scripture that God uses all kinds dosen’t He? Sinners, fisherman, husbands, wives, tax collectors etc. He wants us to tell all about Jesus so thats why God insists on our hearts being right.

So we know Peter was lead by God, after the crusifiction of Jesus, Peter began building the church as Jesus told Him He would do.

B. Witnessing—Acts 2:14–47. Peter speaks on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand are converted.

IV. From Lowley, sinning, adultress and DEGRADATION TO Spiritual DEDICATION—the sinful woman

A. Degradation—This woman had been married five times and was living with another man.

John 4:9–10 “9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

John 4:16–19 “16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet.”

B. So now Jesus had witnessed to her, her joy and faith turned to Dedication—

(John Chapter 4)

28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

After learning the way of salvation, she went into town and witnessed and the whole town came to see the Lord. What a soul winner! What a change! This woman met Christ personally (John 4:25, 26).

V. From the PERSECUTION of Christians TO PREACHING Jesus....—Paul

A. Persecution

Acts 9:1–2 “1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.”

Acts 9:3–6 “3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Saul persecuted the Christians.

B. Jesus had prepared Saul/Paul to become a preacher to the Gentiles, did you hear that church? A Preacher!

Acts 9:20 “20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

Paul met Christ in a personal way..

VI. God turnes our FAILUREs TO FRUITFULNESS—the disciples, know anyone like that?

B. Fruitfulness, bearing fruit, allowing God to lead us to the harvest, going where God leads us to go and BEAR FRUIT, then, that person goes to bear fruit, then that person on and on is the command.

Mark 16:17–18 “17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Mark 16:20 “20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.”

They obeyed Christ’s command in:

The disciples were changed by God’s power.

We, you and I are here today, this morning wanting to know more aren’t we, or are we here just to hear the message, a few cookies, handshake here and there? We are to be “bearing fruit” letting all you meet see that you know Jesus, follow Jesus and will tell them about Jesus if there heart is yearning for the “LIVING WATER.”

amen

Lets stand turn in our Hymnals to page ___________ and sing, ____________