Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Last week we began examining “God’s Purpose In Our Story.”

We have seen that God brought Paul to Jerusalem, He placed Paul in the temple, and He has given Paul a gospel opportunity through false accusation and arrest.

Paul has taken advantage of that opportunity through sharing his conversion and his calling.

In his book “God Came Near” Max Lucado writes these words.

“Norman Geisler, as a child, went to a VBS because he was invited by some neighbor children.

He went back to the same church for Sunday School classes for 400 Sundays.

(That’s just over 7.5 years) Each week he was faithfully picked up by a bus driver.

Week after week he attended church, but never made a commitment to Christ.

Finally, during his senior year in High School, after being picked up for church over 400 times, he did commit his life to Christ.

What if that bus driver had given up on Geisler at 395? What if the bus driver had said, ‘This kid is going nowhere spiritually, why waste any more time on him?’”

God has a purpose for your story.

Even if your story is just being a faithful bus driver.

I love hearing how God brings people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.One of my favorite stories is of a faithful lady who taught piano lessons to some neighbor children.

The children’s father was in prison.

She didn’t worry about that.

For years she taught them.

Then they moved across town.

This was a rough city.

So she would take a bus into the rough part of town so she could keep teaching these children.

As she taught them, she would tell them about Jesus, eventually she even gave her bible to one of them.

That little boy grew up, joined the military, moved around, got married, had children and lost children.

But all that time, he kept that Bible with him.

It wasn’t until he was 40 years old and had gone through tragedy, that God finally brought that man to himself.

And so he sat down, and wrote a letter, thanking a little old lady for the Bible she had given him.

As far as I know, that man still carries it today.

Much worn, and recovered, but still going strong.That little old lady didn’t know how God would use her sacrifice.

She was just faithful in making it.

That boy didn’t know how precious that Bible would be become.

He just kept it with him.

As I have talked with that man over the years, I have heard him praising God for how each trial, each hardship, each broken heart, brought him one step closer to Jesus.

Beloved, God has a purpose for your story.

Everything you are going through can and will be used by God for His purpose and glory.

Today we get to hear Paul tell his story.

He is going to show us how God can use our story as a witnessing tool.We will learn three specific parts of our story that God uses.God has given Paul a gospel opportunity and he is taking advantage of it.Your story will only be used as you share it.With God at the center, our story becomes a tool to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.Part #1…

History is full of faithful men and women who didn’t have great success as the world would see it.

But God used them to influence people who would later go on to do incredible things.

Everything you are going through can and will be used by God for His purpose and glory.

Today we get to finish hearing Paul tell his story.

He is going to show us how God can use our story as a witnessing tool.

We will learn three specific parts of our story that God uses.

We saw 1.5 last week, we’ll see the other 1.5 today.

God has given Paul a gospel opportunity and he is taking advantage of it.

As we noted last week…

Your story will only be used as you share it.

With God at the center, our story becomes a tool to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Part #1…

Let’s briefly review.

Part #1…

1. God Will Use Your Conversion 21:40-22:11

There are two ideas we present when using our salvation story to share Christ with others.

a. Present the path of conversion 21:40-22:5

Paul shares the events that led up to his conversion as he speaks with the crowd.

He is paving the way for a gospel presentation.

Your best witnessing tool is your own testimony.

Idea #2.

We…

b.

Present the presence of conversion vv.

6-11

As Paul shares the details of his conversion he makes it clear that God saved him in spite of himself.

Witnessing proclaims God’s grace.

God uses our conversion.There is a second part of our story that God uses.Part #2…

2. God Will Use Your Calling vv.

12-21

Salvation is not the end of our story.

In so many ways, salvation is the beginning.

Each of us has an assignment, a calling from God that He uniquely equips and gifts us to fulfil.

As we seek to share Christ with others, He can and will use this calling.

He will also use it for His purpose in others ways.

Paul is going to share with these people what he was called to as well as how that call played out in his life.

These are things we can do as well.

First…

a. Describe the content of your call vv.

12-16

Paul was called by God to share everything he had seen and heard of Jesus Christ.

He tells this to the crowd as a way of presenting the gospel.

​ NKJV1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Jesus is the only one who is righteous.

Paul got to see Him.

Not here on the road, but afterward according to .

Paul was taught the gospel by Christ Himself in the wilderness.

Thirdly, To hear Jesus’ voice.

This has already happened for Paul and would happen again.All of these things are going to happen to Paul for a purpose.READ v. 15This word “for” has the idea of “because.”

This is the purpose.

His witness.

Paul belongs to Christ and will testify of Him!This is Paul’s assignment.

To speak of Christ to all men.

To tell them all that has been revealed to Paul.Paul will experience God’s will, he will see Christ, and he will hear Christ speak.

These things he will then share with others.Look at (S).

​ NKJV11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This is what Paul preached.

What he was taught by Christ.

Ananias continues.READ v. 16I love this question.

What are you waiting for?

Get busy!This is one of those verses that some use to try and teach that baptism is necessary for salvation.

We need to carefully consider what is said.

Paul is told to be baptized and wash away his sin.

It does not say that he is baptized to wash away his sin.

This begs the question, What cleanses us from sin?

The blood of Christ! (S).

Explaining our calling gives us an opportunity to proclaim Christ.