Defining Moments

Good Evening, I hope that all of you are doing okay and have had a great weekend. I know I promised that I would not be giving the message tonight but as God so often does, we make plans, statements and decisions and God does His own thing. So here I am, speaking with you tonight.

God has a funny way of

Good Evening, I hope that all of you are doing okay and have had a great weekend. I know I promised that I would not be giving the message tonight but as God so often does, we make plans, statements and decisions and God does His own thing. So here I am, speaking with you tonight.

This past week Don and I went to Collinsville IL to attend the our Annual Summit which is a combination of denominational business, breakouts, general sessions and even late night socials and lots and lots of fellowship. Each year the Summit has a theme that sets the stage for what our denomination as a whole needs to be looking for and looking to do. This years theme was looking, seeing and experiencing the moments where God did something amazing. The title for the summit was simply called Defining Moments. Now for many of us we have all experienced a defining moment where God has done something extra ordinary in our lives.

*Testimony.

*Stories

Conversations

*Healings or even Miracles.

So naturally I was reflecting on what is or was a defining moment in my life where God moved in a way that I was so amazed.

*PERSONAL STORY HERE*

The one thing about the Summits timing was that I was going to miss the majority of a trip with my family takes every year to the beach. So with Don’s permission I went down to join them for a few days. But what I did not know is that being dropped off at the airport by Don would mean being dropped off around 1:45pm for a flight that would not even board until 6:45 that evening. I have flown a few times in my life and even memphis at its worst would not mean I had to be there 3+ hours ahead of the boarding time but Don was my ride so I agreed and wen on to check in around 1:55. God as i mentioned early is funny and in fact He moves in such a way that you cant even imagine or predict. Needless to say I was delayed by 3 hours and did not even make it to my destination until the we hours of Thursday morning. I was tired, frustrated and to be honest a little confused. But what I did not realize was this going to be a defining moment where God was going to do something awesome. While I was going through the TSA line a young man was in front of me and judging by what he was wearing and the emotions on his face and those not in the line he was headed to war. I saw him standing there shaking and trying to hold back the tears. He continued to place all of the pieces in to the scanner as if it was the last time he would ever see these things again and he never looked back to his mom who was crying and dad who just stood so still and smiled. I never served in the arm forces but I have many friends that have and even several family members as well. So I know from talking to them and many of you that it is so very tough and so very scary. So as I stood next to him I looked up at him and simply said,

“First Time Flying?”

He laughed while holding back tears and said, “No just getting ready?”

I said "Heading back out or first time?

He teared up and said I am heading off to Fort Benning, about to go through army training.

we talked for a few more moments

DESCRIBE THOSE MOMENTS

We go through security and he was about to head off to his Gate and I simply asked, you know this may sound odd but can I pray for you? I am pastor and I am headed back home and I want you to know that myself and my church support not only you but your family as well. He went on to talk about his faith and how he needed to be reaffirmed. So right there around 2:15pm in the middle of the St Louis Airport, one enlisted scared young man said yes Lord to Jesus Christ and God made a defining moment in his life!!!

Tonight as we take just a few moments to look at back at some defining moments in scripture. I want you to think about this question. Which concidnetly is the title of my sermon.

“What Defines a

Lets Pray

So to understand these moments we need to know how to we see these moments? How do we even know what they look like?

Well when I think of defining moments I think of big sports reels or I think of the moments in history where everything changes.

The pinch hitter rule in baseball for example.

Pearl Harbor a day that changed the very fabric of our country. And even most recently 9/11. See these things are defining moments in our culture in our lives.

So as we turn to the word of God in the book of Acts, we will be looking at the 4th chapter but focusing on the 29-31 verse. But let me paint the scene for you first so Christ has risen, hes gone and left the Holy Spirit here to dwell with the Disciples. We also have Peter and John and Andrew and so many of the disciples out preaching and saving and teaching for Jesus. In Acts Chapter 4 they are Peter and John had just healed a crippled man outside of the gates of the temple and the council and the leaders of the law are furious. They thought this thing, this moment died with Jesus, man were they wrong. So we see in the beginning of the chapter they are before the council and are being held to account for what they did. So Peter says this in verse 8

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

A DEFNINING MOMENT!!! Peter literlly tells them if you just had listened to him, Jesus that is you would see that this was all stated and truthfully known. I mean its something that cant just be shaking off. Is anyone out here tonight? You see I do not know what I would have said but I pray that it would have even been a little bit of what Peter said!!!

A DEFNINING MOMENT!!! Peter literlly tells them if you just had listened to him, Jesus that is you would see that this was all stated and truthfully known. I mean its something that cant just be shaking off. Is anyone out here tonight? You see I do not know what I would have said but I pray that it would have even been a little bit of what Peter said!!!

English Standard Version Chapter 4

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

and the peoples plot in vain?

26  The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers were gathered together,

against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

BUT IT GETS BETTER!!

tBut i

In the verses to follow the leaders of the council, dont miss this,

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

You know what this feels like? This feels like when you are so right and you are so ready and you know you are gonna when a fight with your spouse. One time Katie and I were walking through Walmart and I saw

They could not say anything they were so shocked and stumped so they continued to question them and from and where questioned some more then thrown into jail. But with nothing to hold them they were released.

Now we get to the heart of the message this evening. See there have already been defining moments and its because Peter and John and the other disciples as well as the early church prayed for God to give them something and that thing was Boldness. You see this in Verses 29-31 We see it written,

English Standard Version Chapter 4

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

You see here is another defining moment in the life of the disciples. They ask God to give them Boldness. They asked God to give them words to speak even in the threats they would face. I think back at the threats that I have faced and I wonder about the threats that we all have faced in our lives. We have moments crucial defining moments where God will move in a mighty way and break the hearts of so many people!! and like the disciples we need to be asking for Boldness. We need to be asking for God to give us that boldness in every moment of our lives. I am gonna have Matt come back up on the stage and I want to show you guys why we need to be praying for Boldness.

You see its really easy to be on fire for God in the moment that God moves. I tell the students all the time that this euphoria has been labeled a Jesus High or a mountain top experience. And I am going to show you guys that now.

Matt begins to play

*Be encouraging in your prayer!!*

STOP

not the same experience right? See living Boldly for God is easer when you have a cheerleader leading you!! Thats why all of us feel heroic after having one these experiences.

Thank you Matt, give up for Matt again guys!! You see the disciples did not have this anthem playing for them every step they made… They were making history with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit alone. We NEED that boldness

So how do we get there. Its simple and we see it hear in .

1st we speak the truth of how Christ has changed our lives.

You have give credit where credit is due!! Its not ours and its not about us. its not!!

its about Jesus!!!

2nd we need to pray to God to give us the strength to be bold for him when theres no reason to be bold.

When the moneys not there

when the family driving you crazy!!

when the addictions that have you beat you down

when you are persecuted for being and believing what you believe!!

When you are just simply having a bad day....WE ALL HAVE THEM

BE bold and pray for God to give you the strength that be light for Christ. Because lives are not changed on the mountain top the changed in the valleys. The mountain tops are just moments of clarity.

3rd we have to put this into action in the local church.

this is a step summer series and its time to step up!! we need everybody and I mean everybody to step up to the plate!! The local church is the front door ministry for God… why not make it the best experience every!??!

You see that without these three things we cant grow, we cant be bold and we cant be a part of the defining moments. God has not abounded you hes asking you are you ready to be apart of the defining moment?! Are you ready to stand in the airport with an 18 year old young man and watch God change his life? Are you ready to be the person that someone needs in the moment where you know that they need Jesus Christ? Are you ready to be apart of a defining moment?

Lets Pray