Confronting Unbelievers

I was twenty-two years old and sitting alone in the student lounge of Northern State University watching Sports Center on ESPN when a friend of mine, John*, sat down in the seat next to me.  I had had a hard morning of classes and in all honesty the last thing I wanted was to talk to anyone.  But it was obvious to me that John wanted to chat.  So, I politely asked shallow questions about the weather, classes, and life in general.  But very quickly the conversation moved toward spiritual matters.

 

Throughout college I was part of the leadership of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and John knew it.  He asked questions about Scripture, why I believe what I believed, and what Intervarsity was all about.  Needless to say I was a bit unprepared for this confrontation.  Especially since he initiated the conversation.  ESPN suddenly became very unimportant.

By the end of our time together I felt that I had made the Gospel Message and his need to repent and respond to the Truth very clear.  His response astounded and confounded  me and has to this day.  He simply stated, “I once believed as you do.  I know what the Bible says about salvation.  But all my friends are unbelievers and if they are heading to Hell then I want to be with them there.”

How do we confront unbelievers with the Gospel Message?  How do we respond if they should deny of the Gospel Message?  Paul once again flees to another city in Acts 17:16-34.  This time he finds himself in Athens, the city of intellectuals and philosophers.  These people are much different than the Jews in the local synagogue to whom he usually speaks.  What can we learn from Paul’s approach and reaction to the Athenians response to the Gospel Message?

May we be prayerfully prepared for the Spirit’s moving in our hearts and souls this week as we study and dig into the Word of God.

*Name has been changed to protect the guilty.

How to Listen to a Sermon

My father is a preacher and I have heard many sermons from him throughout my short lifetime.  Every once-in-a-while he would make a statement that would stick with me throughout the years.  One such statement was, “Don’t take my word for it.  Look for yourself.” His reasoning behind this statement was very much founded in Scripture and is a great lesson in how to listen to a sermon.

 

In Acts 17:10-15, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke have escaped the dangers of Thessalonica for a town called Berea.  As is their usual habit they find the local synagogue and begin to preach the Gospel Message.  There are some who come to the faith, but this time Luke describes a much different process that these Bereans use before believing the Truth. 

 

This week we will be studying and diving deep into the reaction of the Bereans to the Gospel Message.  I would encourage each and every one of us to read through this very short passage and come prepared to hear and experience what the Holy Spirit has in store.  May we be prayerfully ready for His Word as we study and are transformed together.

Lessons from Paul's Ministry

When I was attending seminary a professor once told me that to become better at preaching I should listen to and read messages from well-known and “successful” preachers.  Learn how they prepare and emulate how the present their messages.  But also make sure that you be yourself.  This is actually some very good advice for those who are preaching in front of others on a weekly basis, but this does not touch on how disciples of Christ should preach to others on a daily basis.

Paul is arguably one of the greatest missionaries the church has known.  In his time he traveled extensively, preaching the gospel message.  His words grace twenty-five percent of the New Testament.  So, it would be safe to say that for disciples of Christ to better understand and learn how to preach the gospel message we should take a closer look at Paul’s ministry.  In Acts 17:1-9, Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke have just fled from Philippi.  When they reach a city called Thessalonica they find the local synagogue and begin to preach the Gospel message.

This week at First Baptist we will be exploring the lessons that we can learn from Paul.  What was the foundation of his preaching?  Where did he get the understanding of the words he preached?  What were the results of his preaching?  What does it look like to preach the Gospel message every day as a disciple of Christ?  These are only a few of the questions that we will try to address.

May we be prayerfully prepared for what the Spirit will speak into us this week through Paul’s ministry?

Closed Doors and an Open Heart

This week we will be studying Acts 16:6-15.  Paul, Silas, and Timothy are on their way to a place called Bithynia but are thwarted in their efforts by the Holy Spirit.  This isn’t the first time God has closed a door on the group.  They desired to go to Asia and speak the Gospel Message but were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to utter a word.  All this seems strange until Paul has a dream.  This dream is the catalyst to a “chance” meeting with a woman named Lydia.

There are times in our lives that we are prevented from fulfilling what we believe to be the right thing.  Sometimes our own sinful nature gets in the way.  Other times the enemy and his dominion are hard at work.  But still other times God is the one stepping into the picture.  This seems counter to what we understand about God.  After all, doesn’t He want us to do good things?

We who are Christ’s disciples need to trust the Word of God and His guidance.  But to know, hear, and understand His will takes more than a dream.  It takes effort, sacrifice, and a willingness to let go of ourselves in favor of God’s will for our lives.

Do we know what God desires for our lives?  Are we willing to accept God’s will when He closes doors around us?  Remember that one closed door may lead to an open door where we may see the work of God in the heart of one individual.  We may be witness to the salvation of another.

May we be prayerfully ready to head through the open doors when they are revealed to us and may we be prepared for whatever the Spirit may speak to us through His Word.