Sermon 102598

Acts 8:25-39                The Road From Confusion to Rejoicing-III                 10/25/98

                                                                                                                             ABCC

I.   Review                                                                                                                              643

q      Last week we saw that there is joy in heaven when one sinner repents…(Lk. 15:7,10)

q      We examined the sovereignty/rule of God & responsibility of man in salvation…

q      God never leaves the salvation of a soul to chance/luck (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 8:28-30)

q      God take care of all details outside of man’s control – the heart, Satan, circumstances, etc.

q      The saint being used by God must respond in obedience & the sinner under conviction must respond in obedience to the gospel to be saved – Philip & the eunuch!

II.    The Questions of a Confused Man Under Conviction – this eunuch has some questions…(v. 31); before you start asking questions about Jesus, you need to ask some questions about yourself!

A.     Who am I/What is man? – Your answer depends on what’s happening to/in you.  For some:  name, residence, profession, age, status (mother, poor, etc), school, grade-point, etc…For the person under conviction:  unfulfilled, spiritually empty, guilty, helpless, desperate,…CONFUSION = you need some answers, THE TRUTH!

Answers:  Gen. 1:26-27; Job 14:1-5; Ps. 8:4; 51:5; Rom. 3:9-20; 5:19a; Jas. 1:9-11;4:13-14; Eccl. 2:10-11; 12:1,13-14.  Man is/you are God’s creation, born a sinner, life span is brief compared to eternity, your accomplishments don’t satisfy, religious activity doesn’t remove guilt – you need to be reconciled with your Creator!

B.      Who is Jesus? – Your answer depends…to the person under conviction, guilty…You need answers (v. 34)

¨       He is a sheep being led to slaughter, a Lamb about to die (v. 32-33)

¨       Why did Jesus HAVE to die rather than the prophets or other holy men? (v. 34)

¨       Because of who I am & what I have done/who you are & what you have done! – How serious is the problem?

The Road From Confusion to Rejoicing-III, pg. 2

¨       God HAD to send His only Beloved Son (v. 35; Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:15,19)

¨       Jesus is the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:28-29,35-36)

¨       Why is the heathen & religious world turned against Him?  Why is He on trial before the Sanhedrin?  Why has Pilate condemned Jesus to die though he finds no guilt in Him?  Why is Jesus being scorned, mocked, beaten, scourged, spat upon, humiliated, treated as a criminal…?  Why is He there on Golgotha with spikes in His wrists & ankles with a crowd & passers-by mocking Him?  Why is all of heaven awe-struck & those who love Him on earth weeping?  Why is all of heaven & earth held in suspense now by this ONE MAN?  Because the redemption of every sinner is bound up in this ONE MAN, Jesus (the Bread, Light, Door, Good Shepherd, Resurrection & Life, Way, Truth & Life, True Vine, Emmanuel, Alpha, Omega…READ Matt. 1:21!!!)

C.      What should I do?…v. 36-37!!!!

What is your answer to these question?  Who do you say that you are?  How do you identify yourself – a good child, son , daughter, parent, employee…Or do you recognize that you are empty, unfulfilled, guilty, confused…?  Who do you say that Jesus is?  What’s going on inside you right now…What are you going to do in response to God’s answers about you and about Jesus?  Will you believe…