Sermon Tone Analysis

Joke about the man on the roof in the flood

Get In The Basket

No matter how prepared we think we are, living the Christian life is not easy.

We will not always be successful.

We will meet resistance.

Saul had a contract out on him!

No matter how prepared we think we are, living the Christian life is not easy.

We will not always be successful.

We will meet resistance.

No matter how prepared we think we are, living the Christian life is not easy.

We will not always be successful.

We will meet resistance.

Saul had a contract out on him!

Even though we know to expect attacks, the enemy's tactics are always changing.

We are being watched and studied as we walk and live.

Looking for holes in the armor and weaknesses in our defenses.

Saul was accustomed to being in charge and having people obey and fear him.

Every task was done with the authority given to him to do it.

Now, he had authority from God Himself.

How much more would his independence grow!

Saul had a contract out on him!

Saul retreated through a window in a basket!

How many times do we go running towards something with all the confidence in the world, only to crash and burn?

School, job, relationship.

Then wonder why it didn’t work.

I’m a Christian, I read my bible, I pray, I go to church, but I’m still tempted, I’m still struggling, why?

How many times do we go running towards something with all the confidence in the world, only to crash and burn?

School, job, relationship.

Then wonder why it didn’t work.

I’m a Christian, I read my bible, I pray, I go to church, but I’m still tempted, I’m still struggling, why?

We must recognize that the same power that rose Jesus from the dead is the same power at work in us.

We must also recognize the root of that power.

It is not ours to wield, it wields us.

We must surrender to it and submit to its authority in order for it to work through us.

The power of God works through us for His glory, not our own.

That doesn’t mean that we don’t benefit from it.

It means that we must recognize who’s power it is and who’s we are.

We must expect resistance, conflict and temptation, but trust that it is God who provides a way to escape it.

When things don’t go like we expected them to go, we have to be willing to:

The power of God works through us for His glory, not our own.

That doesn’t mean that we don’t benefit from it.

It means that we must recognize who’s power it is.

We must expect resistance, conflict and temptation, but trust that it is God who provides a way to escape it.

We’ve got to get in the basket.

This must have been so embarrassing and discouraging to Saul.

So he went to the only place he knew he would be welcomed with open arms, the church.

Acts 9:26

Maybe not.

First, he has to retreat in a basket, now, even the disciples don't want him around.

Saul is getting kicked while he is down, by his own people, the church.

How defeated must Saul have felt at this time?

Has anyone ever felt kicked or abandoned by the very people who are supposed to build you up? It’s not a good feeling is it?

The disciples had a good reason for fearing Saul, but most of the time, you and I respond out of judgment and fear.

Sometimes, its God's own people who become the obstacle for others to know Christ or do His will.

We don’t love how we should love, accept how we should accept, show grace how we should show grace, forgive how we should forgive, encourage how we should encourage, build up, shine, live, model, reflect Jesus like we should, and we wonder why no one is responding to our invitations!

Story of former gang member

Being a disciple of Jesus is more than just learning about Him, we must also live like Him.

We must live a life that sets us apart from the world.

Being a disciple of Jesus is more than just learning about Him, we must also live like Him.

We must live a life that sets us apart from the world.

We can’t do that when we have a spirit of independence or an attitude of arrogance in ourselves.

Saul was learning something here, the hard way.

He was learning dependence on Jesus and only Jesus.

He was now experiencing what it was to be a Christ follower and how necessary it was for him to be humble in his new identity.

As dramatic as his salvation was, he still had much to learn.

You will never have true compassion for others until you know what they are going through.

Until we experience it ourselves, it is not a priority.

It's only real when its happening to you.

Saul was learning what it was to be persecuted (what he had been doing to others), and what it was to need and rely on others.

Independence is not an option for a follower of Christ!

See what happens next.

When we become become followers of Jesus Christ, we don’t automatically lose all the things we struggled with prior to our decision.

It’s not a one time event that changes the circumstances in our lives, it’s the very first step in the journey of a lifetime.

He was now experiencing the same persecution he had unleashed on the church before, and he was learning what it was like to live like the people he once hunted.

You will never have true compassion for others until you know what they are going through.

Until we experience it ourselves, it is not a priority.

It's only real when its happening to you.

Saul was learning what it was to be persecuted (what he had been doing to others), and what it was to need and rely on others.

Independence is not an option for a follower of Christ!

We’ve got to get in the basket.

See what happens next.

You will never have true compassion for others until you know what they are going through.

Until we experience it ourselves, it is not a priority.

It's only real when its happening to you.

Saul was learning what it was to be persecuted (what he had been doing to others), and what it was to need and rely on others.

Independence is not an option for a follower of Christ!

Acts 9:27-

Barnabas means, ‘Son of Encouragment’

We all need a Barnabas in our lives.

We all need to be a Barnabas to someone else.

We must be willing to step out of ourselves for the sake of someone else, even if it is unpopular.

We all need a Barnabas in our lives.

We all need to be a Barnabas to someone else.

We must be willing to step out of ourselves for the sake of someone else, even if it is unpopular.

We also need to be willing to accept help from others, even if it makes us feel weak or as if we failed.

Giving of ourselves to others and accepting help from others requires us to be humble.

Serving requires us to step out of our own lives and step into someone else’s life.

Being served requires us to allow someone else into our lives.

These are both difficult and scary things for most people.

We must put ourselves on the line for the sake of others.