Building the Church (10)
Building the Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Conversion to Call
Conversion to Call
Good morning, I hope all had a good week.
As always, how di d you see God move this past week?
We are continuing our journey through Acts.
Over the last weeks we have seen the growth of the church not just numerically but now geographically and culturally.
The Church is on the move
"Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist." — Oswald J. Smith
Conversion to Call
Conversion to Call
It is the call of the church still today
We are all part of it.
It is God’s plan. The Church is plan A and there is no plan B.
Anything outside that is less, is disobedience.
We're not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God's Word and his leading in our lives. if God says go,we'll go. If he says stay, we'll stay. When we are in his will, we are in the safest place in the world.
Think about it we are:
Converted, Called, Commissioned, Committed
In Acts 9 we see this happen in the life of Saul.
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: God Arrests Saul (Acts 9:1–31)
the persecutor would become a preacher; and the legalistic Pharisee would become the great proclaimer of the grace of God
Conversion to Call
Conversion to Call
Paul would have 4 encounters in Acts 9 that would lead to him being the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Let’s pray.
Converted
Some background on Paul:
Paul was born in Tarsus a Jew form the tribe of Benjamin and a Roman citizen. Highly educated and highly motivated.
Saw these followers of Jesus as a real threat to the Jewish faith.
He would do anything to stop it.
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 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.
Converted
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Nine: God Arrests Saul (Acts 9:1–31)
Charles Spurgeon once wrote “Paul was a great man, and I have no doubt that on the way to Damascus he rode a very high horse. But a few seconds sufficed to alter the man. How soon God brought him down!”
3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Change happens only in meeting Jesus
Converted
When we come face to face with Jesus we will either change us or we walk away knowing we missed something (Rich Ruler)
It is private and public thing.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Converted
this first obedience will lead to the call for the second:
8 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. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Called
Our conversion leads to our calling
Paul would tell this story again later with some more detail
16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you
Our calling is both broad and specific
Called
We are called to be witnesses but I believe God has called us to specific things that He has gifted us and wired us for.
Commissioned
All through scripture we the God’s call being confirmed by others.
I get very nervous when someone tells me they are called to some ministry or mission and I don't see and confirmation in their life or a willingness to fall under an authority.
I believe this is a role of the local church. The church not only confirms the calling but also puts their support behind it by commissioning the person, mission, or ministry.
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
Commissioned
Ananias - believer/disciple - available but not anxious
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
We are commissioned when our calling is confirmed by others
Commissioned
The success of the calling is never measured by our standards but by our obedience.
Ever hear of Edward Kimball - in 1885b he led a boy in his Sunday School to Jesus - Dwight L Moody
Committed
Form the moment we are saved we have a story to tell.
Paul wasted no time
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Our courage and confidence builds as we commit to the call
Committed
Stay committed in conflict
Paul was committed to hid growth
16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
2- 3 years
Committed
He found strength and community in the body
26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
Conversion to Call
Conversion to Call
Where are you - converted, called, commissioned, committed
The church is here for every step and stage
It is up to you to answer and obey
We're not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God's Word and his leading in our lives. if God says go, we'll go. If he says stay, we'll stay. When we are in his will, we are in the safest place in the world. - Brother Yun
Next week Acts 10 - Gospel to the Gentiles
