How To Be A World Changer

Introduction

World changer.....deep down in all of us, at least in most of us, in most of humanity, is a desire to make a difference....to be a world changer

We want what we do to matter…and it’d take a pretty good argument to get me to believe something to the contrary.

Now, what that looks like in and amongst individuals will vary, based on:

Upbringing

Desires

Personality

Interests

Advantages

Opportunities

And so forth.....

But regardless of the variances....we all have a desire to be a world changer in some shape or form

For some of us....we may be good at sports, and we may have the aim of using those sports to influence those around us

Look at Lebron James....he’s trying to take what he knows and experienced in his upbringing....and improve upon that experience for kids who are going through the same thing

For others of us....maybe we hope to use the intellect God has given us to work our way up into local and state and national government positions to influence the world in the greatest capacity.

That’s why Madi’s dad runs for office here locally.....

Or maybe we just want to use what God has gifted us with, whatever that is, to make the world a better place

Lecrae....who is using the music platform to shine a light on social injustices that he feels are being pushed to the side....just listen to his music

The same should be true of us as believers, we should have a longing, a desire, to be a world changer

And we’ve been looking up close and personally at some world changers throughout the book of Acts, haven’t we?

Just a handful of believers have led us to chapter 17 in the book of Acts, and I think it’s safe to say they are turning the world upside down as they go

Let’s read our text this morning, and then I want to look at some traits that should be prevalent in believers who want to and will succeed in being world changers

There is a verse here, and you’ve probably already picked up on it…but there is a verse here, verse 6 of this chapter....let’s read it again…because it’s awesome!

Verse 6 “And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

Isn’t that awesome? They are declaring Paul and Silas as men who have turned the world upside down!!!!

As a believer…what higher praise could there be than to have people say that about you?

Well, let’s see what they did, and how they did it....so that we have something to model after!

Constant, Committed, and Consistent

The first thing to see is that they were constant, committed, and consistent

To what you may ask? Great question

To the command of God!

Look at verse 1, they went to Thessalonica and headed straight for the synagogue

I don’t have the best memory in the world, and maybe you don’t either…but if I recall correctly…every time they’ve headed to the synagogue....bad things seem to happen don’t they?

The persecution actually has been getting worse…I mean Paul was stoned so bad they thought he was dead not too long ago

They were constant, committed, and consistent to the call of God

To make disciples of all nations

If you want to be a world changer....you’ve got to decide to take that command seriously yourself

Even if you use the ways God has gifted you, the sports avenues he’s placed in your life, the intellect He’s given you…even if you use your gifts, and separate them from the Gospel....it does not matter what you do.

You can love everybody, you can help the poor, you can brings laws into place that bring about good change, you can impact a kid’s life as a star athlete....but if you forget the command of God to make disciples of all nations…you’re not using your gifts in the right manner

Paul and Silas…their everyday goal was the gospel of Jesus Christ…when’s the last time the gospel was even a monthly goal?

You’ve got to prioritize the Gospel of Jesus above all

Knew The Scriptures

However, they didn’t go into these places, they weren’t just committed to sharing the Gospel willy nilly.....look at verse 2 & 3

“2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

The second thing you need if you want to be a world changer is this:

You have to know the Scriptures

tells us we are to be preparing our minds for action

tell us we are to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you!

Look at the verse, Paul was explaining and proving

Now ask yourself, how much of this book can you explain?

And how much of it can you use to prove that Jesus is the Christ?

Guys....I fear a lot of you are like I was in high school.....and you don’t think this matters

And you may think, now that’s harsh P Diddy....I think the book matters

Well, when did you last open it?

When did you last study it?

When did you last memorize it?

When did you last ponder it?

You will never do anything for God apart from this book

See, we aren’t called to convince people by our own creativity, by our own good sales pitch, by our own wisdom, that they need to be saved?

That’s on God....and trust me, He can handle it

But we are called to know this book and to be prepared to explain and prove it to others?

Stick Together

Lastly…and also importantly....we are called to stick together

We see examples of this in verse 7, where Jason has apparently received them, in verse 14, where other believers helped send Paul off to Athens since his life was in danger…and in verse 15, where Paul was alone in Athens and sends for Silas and Timothy to join him immediately.

See, Paul knew they needed to stick together

And we need to stick together as believers

There is strength together

There is community together

There is encouragement together

There is building up when we’re together

There is praying for each other when we’re together

There is caring for each other’s needs when we’re together

This is why the church exists

And guys, this is why I pray and pray and pray that you all will find church important, that you’ll find youth important in your lives

World changers need each other

You won’t find anybody in any place that have changed the world on their own…apart from God, obviously

This is why we’re starting small groups tonight..we’re we can just hang out together in a group and talk about Jesus, and talk about struggles, and talk about victories, and pray for each other, and laugh.

This is why we meet on Wednesday nights, to play crud, to eat together, to have fun, to study God’s Word, to know the Scriptures

We are made to be together, and we need to stick together…if we want to be world changers

Closing

You may be thinking, “I’m okay PD”....I’m fine doing things on my own, doing them my own way, I don’t need church, I don’t need to know the Scriptures, I don’t need to take His Great Commission literally

Well, the truth is....if that’s your thinking…you’re really not okay

See, when we made Jesus our Lord and Savior....we were immediately called to be a world changer

1 Cor 5:20, “ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

We are ambassadors for Him…we are His representatives on earth....we are called to take the Gospel into the world and change it to the glory of God

Is that you?

Will anyone ever say about you.... “insert name has turned the world upside down, etc. etc. etc.

Paul and Silas leave Phillipi, where the jailer was converted after a massive earthquake and where we saw last week how God used family circumstances generations old in Paul’s family so that God could use him in a big big way

Paul and Silas pass through Amphipolis and Apollonia…and arrive at Thessalonica....and what do they do?

They head into another synagogue

Like, this has never ended well for them

A mob forms...