3.7.27 5.31.2020 Acts 22 When the Spirit Comes to town He Reframes your Story

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Entice: Last week we discussed how God needs for you to be the hero for somebody else's story. Today I'm going to focus on your story. And mine. There are times each of us needs to take inventory of our life. Not unlike the cinema there are times when the frame of our life; the camera angle, the tint & hue of the image, and the focus is off. Before we came to Christ it was like that. And sadly, for some, this lack of focus happens frequently. When the Spirit comes to town one of His specialities is reframing our story, refocusing our life, realigning it with God's purpose.

Engage: Here's the catch. Everything the Spirit can do is generally limited by what you'll let Him do. Three times Paul's experience on the Damascus road is rehearsed each time with subtly different detail. One of the things we learn is that he had already been feeling God's hand on the controls...reframing His life. It was this resistance which provoked the intervention of the resurrected Christ.

Expand: As I read this text think of it not only as Paul's story but of how it speaks to yours. How it speaks to your need to have life reframed; the colors restored, the contours realigned, your conviction reaffirmed.

Acts 22:1–16 ESV

1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Excite: Now, here's the good part; when God has your life reframed He can use you in the exciting business of influencing others for the Kingdom! Because...

Explore:

God is able to use us best when He reframes our Story so that we understand our whole life as an outcome of encountering Jesus.

Explain: Paul reviews this divine process of God reframing our life, realigning it with His purposes for us.

The process begins as the Spirit...

1. Reminds us of our Past. 1-5

1.1 Who you are...

1.2 Where you came from...

1.2 How you became you...

1.3 What you did...

1.4 Why you did what you did...

1.5 When....

...The Spirit reminds us of our past not to relive it, but to reframe it. He goes beyond it was He...

2. Renews our Perspective. 6-11

It was only by being blinded that Paul could learn how to see. Like Paul we need a renewed perspective that renews...

2.1 How we see Jesus.

2.2 How we see ourselves.

2.3 How to see the world.

(led around by the hand).

3. Restores our Purpose. 12-15

3.1 Clarifies our vocation.

3.2 Clarifies our Message.

3.3 Clarifies our Purpose

4. Redeems our Person 16

4.1 Decisive action

4.2 Specific action.

When the Spirit Comes to

When the Spirit comes to town the He equipps the church...one person at a time to reach...one person at a time-extending the kingdom call throughout the world. The community grows. Our voice is projected further. Faith flourishes.

I want you to be a part of it. That means the Holy Spirit that we-God's people-enjoy must indwell you. That means that you, like Paul need to submit yourself to the Spirit's reframing, the Son's restoring, the Father's redeeming love. What are you waiting for?