Untitled Sermon (4)

I. Introduce myself -

II. Pray -

III. I don’t believe in preaching and teaching simple, elementary messages to youth.

a. Why? Because I know young people are smarter than a lot of adults give them credit for.

b. So, I challenge you to take notes.

i. Note takers are history makers.

IV. The main scripture for tonight is:

a. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him – Ephesians 1:15-17

Ephesians 1:15–17 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

V. Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 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. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 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. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 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. Acts 7:54-60

Acts 7:54–60 ESV

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 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. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 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. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 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.

VI.

a. Preface to this.

i. Jesus has died, rose from the dead after 3 days, ascended into heaven.

ii. Jesus tells his apprentices – go and make disciples.

b. The church had a feeding program for widows and orphans.

i. Some were not getting fed.

1. So, the leaders of the church appointed Stephen to be one of those that oversaw this.

ii. A group of religious people decided to debate him.

1. The scripture says they were unable to cope with his wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

iii. They accuse him of speaking blasphemes against Moses and God.

1. He is brought before the teachers of the day.

a. Proves he is a Jew that follows exactly what they taught except.

iv. Verse 51 – 60

1. This is the end of Stephen,

a. But the beginning for the man named Saul or Paul in the Bible.

v. Saul is holding the coats of those killing Stephen.

vi. The Bible tells us about Paul at length.

1. Here is what his life looked like before this moment.

a. Paul was a Jew.

i. Betsefar (house of the book)– elementary school – learn to read, some math, write all from The Book – the Old Testament.

1. Memorize the entire first 5 books.

a. Most were done here.

ii. Best – Bet-talmud(school of learning 12-14ish)

1. Memorize most if not all of the Old Testament.

iii. Best of these – Talmudem – apprentice of a rabbi.

1. Paul was an apprentice of #1 rabbi.

2. The Old Testament taught.

a. Israel sinned, that’s why they did not occupy the land that God gave them.

i. SO, their thought was, if we are really religious and do everything RIGHT.

1. GOD will remove these oppressors.

VII. So, Paul is training to be one of the most well-known religious people in the land.

a. There is a Jew named Jesus that started a movement.

i. He called himself God.

1. Well, that cannot be!

a. Why? Because Jesus is not what the Jew expected or wanted.

i. They there would be a Messiah that would help them to fight for freedom.

b. We must get rid of this liar Jesus because this kind of stuff keeps us under that rule of the Romans.

ii. But he didn’t understand who the oppressor really was, not Rome, but sin.

b. Acts 9 tells us about Paul and a moment that changed his life forever.

i. But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men, or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. - Acts 9 :1-8

Acts 9:1–8 ESV

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

ii. Fill in the rest of the story.

VIII. That brings us back to our initial scripture.

IX. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him – Ephesians 1:15-17

Ephesians 1:15–17 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

X. Ever had your life change in a single moment?

a. My family smoking cigarettes

b. Ezekiel mustache

XI. Paul’s prayer for the church

a. They would have the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.

b. Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

i. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom and revelation.

1. The word revelation is apokalypsis (ἀποκάλυψις)

a. What does that sound like?

i. An apocalypse is a revealing or uncovering.

ii. Think about Paul’s conversion experience.

1. It was an apocalypse moment for him.

XII. Everything Paul had ever known changed in a moment.

a. The moment he met this thing he was zealously searching – Jesus.

i. I believe that everyone is searching for something.

1. Some just haven’t found what it is yet.

b. Paul was the top of his class, in fact, the top of the socio-economic food-chain in Israel.

i. His life was MADE.

1. But he found everything he had ever been looking for.

XIII. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value – Matt 13:44

XIV. This is what happened to me.

a. I was not raised in the church.

i. I was 15-16 years old.

ii. An outstanding student and baseball player.

1. I finally hit a growth spurt, so girls were starting to notice.

iii. If you would have looked on the outside, I was on top of the world.

iv. On the inside, I knew there had to be more.

b. I had a revelation of who Jesus was.