Christ meets me where I am

Title: Christ meets me where I am.

Theme: God wants to save a soul, transform life, disciple you and send you out to do the same to others.

Text: Acts 9:1-20

Goal: We are called to connect, grow, serve and share

ME: ORIENTATION: FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE AUDIENCE

Christianity is a Gospel of faith and surrender.

Christianity is a gospel of resurrection.

Christianity is a Gospel where the Holy spirit leads us.

Christianity is a gospel of action and works.

WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)

Let’s be honest for the most part these people don’t look like people who can change the world. Almost everyone of the disciples was put to death.

I asked a question in the prayer meeting, is it a sin to not share the gospel?

The great commandment and Great commission are the key purposes of the church.

GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

I. Christ begins with you

A. Paul goes on a mission

a. He has gotten letters to go to Damascus to arrest Christians.

b. people were afraid of hiom

c. If he found people belonging to the way

A. Paul

9 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. 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.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. 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.

Paul meets Jesus

Damascus

Road straight

B. Peter

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

C.Me.

19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

a. Saw Christ in others, there was something good and different.

b. what to approach Christ as I did everything else.

c. felt a sense of guilt

II. Christ touches your heart and life

A. I wonder what Paul was praying about as he sought the Lord.

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.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.

b. Peter as we saw last week went and shared the gospel with others, people coming to faith, healing etc

C. eight years later my mother came to faith and about a moth or so later so dis my father

Talk about mothers fears… Christ’s appearance.

Christ calls you into Salvation and then transformation.

III. you

A.Christ calls you into salvation and transformarion

B. Transforming disciples reach others.

c. salvation

d. growtrh

YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)

Christianity is a Gospel of faith and surrender. (salvation)

Christianity is a gospel of resurrection. (victory over sin, death, devil)

Christianity is a Gospel where the Holy spirit leads us. (teach, remind, lead)

Christianity is a gospel of action and works. (serving and sharing)

The Great Commandment

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20