Acts 21-23:22 - The Unstoppable Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Hilary and I in Louisville.
Vacation from hell
Apple Maps
Big Idea: The Unstoppable Gospel
Big Idea: The Unstoppable Gospel
Context
Paul leaves Ephesus and goes to Jerusalem.
The road is long and difficult. He hits seven cities on his way.
Paul is ready to risk it all because the gospel is unstoppable.
How do we get ready for this unstoppable trip?
Stand to read
8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” 15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.
Leader: This is God’s Word.
Everyone: Thanks be to God.
Explanation
He is warned about he dangers of Jerusalem twice by the Holy Spirit.
In Tyre
In Caesarea
Paul is well aware of the dangers that will come.
Acts 21:13 “13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.””
Paul knows the conditions of His gospel journey.
No one knows the risks of following Jesus better than Paul.
And we have an invitation for a gospel trip, just like Paul did.
So how do we prepare for for this journey?
1. We need to know the conditions
1. We need to know the conditions
Explanation
Paul is in Jerusalem 7 days before he’s arrested and nearly killed!
2. We know our reason for the trip/Why we’re going
2. We know our reason for the trip/Why we’re going
Paul speaks to the Tribune
Paul speaks to the Jews
He begins to tell his conversion story.
The good, the bad, the ugly.
He’s a Jewish pharisee who persecuted Christians to death.
He was on his was to Damascus to capture/punish Christians
He was confronted by Jesus
He was comforted by Ananias
Ananias tells him he was given a new identity in Christ and a new mission.
14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
Paul’s new purpose in life is to declare the gospel!
Jesus saved Paul to sent Paul.
Where is his mission field?
21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
For our unstoppable gospel trip, we need to know:
the reason we’re going
why we’re risking it all.
It’s because Jesus saved us.
Jesus saved you for a purpose.
Jesus gave you a story.
We just need to understand our story so that we can tell it.
My story
APP. Your story is your [gospel trip’s] reason—You are saved
APP. Your story is your [gospel trip’s] reason—You are saved
Everyone who has experienced God’s love and been given eternal life has experienced a miracle.
Every redemption story is a miracle.
No one should think their story is lesser than any other story
There’s nothing boring about a resurrection.
You need to be able to talk about your story.
Your story should include
What was your life like before you became a Christian
When did you come to understand you were a sinner in need of a Savior?
What has your life been like since you’ve come to know Jesus?
Do you have a gospel story?
Gospel Presentation
Not a Christian, your gospel story can begin today.
Repent of your sins
Believe the gospel of Jesus Christ
Be forgiven and changed.
Every Christian has been given a gospel-story.
It’s part of the unstoppable trip.
Do you know where you’re going?
Getting ready for the ride the gospel will take us on, means we must
3. We know where we are going
3. We know where we are going
When Paul finished sharing his story, the crowd loses it.
The Romans arrested Paul and were going to flog him
They couldn’t because He was a Roman citizen
This scares the mess out of them
They sent him back to the Pharisees and the Sadduccees.
Paul stirs them all up because he tells them that he’s on trial because of his faith in resurrection!
The violence starts again, so the Romans jump in because they think Paul is going to get torn apart.
That night, Paul received a message from the Lord.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
God gives Paul a clear destination.
You’ve told your gospel story in Jerusalem
Now you’re going to Rome. The capitol of the world.
You’re going to testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ before kings, emperors, rulers, and the world.
Paul’s unstoppable road trip was a little bit more complicated than just typing something into Apple Maps.
His mission was clear, his destination was clear, but the journey is difficult.
APP: Who is your mission?
APP: Who is your mission?
How are you getting there?
Take the Next Step
Take the Next Step
Write out your story this week
Tell your story to someone who has never heard it.
“Can I tell you how I met Jesus?”