Life Qualities for Active Witnesses
Dr. George Bannister
Foundations For Successful Ministry • Sermon • Submitted
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Foundations for Successful Ministry: Life Qualities for Active Witnesses
Text:
ETS: Luke relates the story of Stevens witness and martyrdom.
ESS: the success of a churches ministry is determined by the number of active witnesses in the church.
OSS: Christians will be motivated to be active witnesses for Christ.
PQ: what three qualities are needed in the life of an active witness?
UW: qualities
Introduction:
I. Yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8 – 15).
I. Yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8 – 15).
A. Required faith
A. Required faith
1. must trust God for the ability to witness.
B. Released power
B. Released power
1. when we trust him to witness through us, his power is released in us.
C. Resulting testimony
C. Resulting testimony
1. even those who oppose will see that you belong to God ().
Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
II. Given to the study of God's word (Acts 7:1 – 50).
II. Given to the study of God's word (Acts 7:1 – 50).
A. Know what you believe and why.
A. Know what you believe and why.
1. always be ready when your faith is called into question ().
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
B. Know the examples of Saints of old.
B. Know the examples of Saints of old.
1. Learn from the successes and failures whose lives are recorded for us
(, ).
These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did,
These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
C. Know the Scriptures that have to do with salvation.
C. Know the Scriptures that have to do with salvation.
1. what would you do if I asked about the way?
D. Be a constant student of the word of God.
D. Be a constant student of the word of God.
1. Don't be satisfied with what you know! ()
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
a. Be like the apostle Paul ()
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
III. Boldness in calling for repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 7:51 – 8:2).
III. Boldness in calling for repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 7:51 – 8:2).
A. Call sin for what it is! ().
A. Call sin for what it is! ().
“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”
The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.
1. don't ever compromise the truth.
a. God's word cannot be changed (; ; ).
Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.
“So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.
Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
B. Clearly point to Jesus as the answer to the individuals sin problem ().
B. Clearly point to Jesus as the answer to the individuals sin problem ().
1. Point out that the risen Christ stands ready to change their lives ().
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
2. pray for them even in the face of rejection ().
Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
Conclusion:
Conclusion: