Power Point Outline 11-3-2002
POWERPOINT OUTLINE FOR SUNDAY EVENING, NOV 3, 2002
RECEIPE FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH
Acts 17:1-9
17:1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
The first ingredient was their: INTEGRITY
The world in which Christianity was conceived was a world of incomparable immorality.
Ø Slavery was universally accepted.
Ø Homosexuality was out of control, as evidenced by the Emperor Nero parading through the streets of Rome fondling his 12-yr-old male lover in full view.
Ø Sexual permissiveness was the rule of the day.
Ø Prostitution and all forms of sexual immorality were a major component of the pagan religions that most of the world followed.
Ø Human life was cheap and pleasure was primary.
And into that world of immorality Christianity introduced a new element—INTEGRITY.
IT WAS REVOLUTIONARY!
Our world is experiencing a crisis of integrity.
Ø Several major Fortune 500 companies have rigged their books
Ø There is a crisis-of-confidence that has shaken Wall Street to its core.
Ø Markets have lost 50% of value in the last six months.
Ø This crisis permeates many facets of our society besides business.
Ø Television sitcoms portray it as if it is normal.
Ø We have gone down a slippery slope of immorality in the last 50 years that former generations would not be able to relate to or accept—yet our culture accepts it as the norm.
The 2nd key ingredient of the church at Thessalonica was:
1. INTENSITY
a. Why else would they be accused of causing "trouble all over the world" or "turning the world upside down" if they were not intense in their commitment to Christ?
1 Thess 1:8 "The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia & Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere."
Acts 4:19-20), "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen & heard."
d. This spirit of intensity is needed in the church—Why?
Ø There are too many “at ease in Zion”.
Ø There are too many who have lost their intensity.
Ø Too often the message is communicated that tells us "let's not do anything to bring attention to ourselves".
Ø "Don’t get involved in anything controversial."
Ø "Don’t take a stand politically."
Ø "Don’t do anything to trouble the waters."
1 Cor. 5:20 "the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."
Matt 11:12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it."
“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done” is more important than anything else.
Ø It is more important than our personal well being.
Ø It is more important than our education.
Ø It is more important than our success.
Ø We must be Kingdom-minded people if we are to turn our world upside down for Jesus Christ.
Kingdom people are people who put the kingdom first.
The 3rd key to the church at Thessalonica was its:
3. INVOLVEMENT
Do they still make disciples like that?
You can be one of them.
Do you want to be a world-changer?
Not because you are smart, or because you know all the right things to say--but because God is empowering you to be a mighty force in His Kingdom.
I hope you are ready for God because I know He's ready for you.