Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts Series #23

Back to the Beginning:

When Church Was Church

Preaching the Word

While we

Dodge, Shake, and Sift

Acts 13:6-52

* *

*Read 13:6-52*

* *

*1.

Dodging Rocks*

 

Persecution is NOT unexpected

 

/John Wesley and fear that his lack of persecution was the result of Sin/

 

 

Persecution is the normal response of people who do not understand

 

2 Tim 3:12 /"… everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL be persecuted"/

 

Persecution is inspired work of Satan --- it is what he does --- he is the Accuser of the Brethren --

 

  A.

* Live in the Spirit*

    1. 2 Tim 1:7,8/ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.

But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God/

 

    2.

Reckon yourself dead

Romans 6, Romans 8 tells us that we are dead to sin, 1 Cor 15 tells us that Christ made us dead to death, and so we are only alive to Christ … what can they do to dead folks?

I've never heard a dead person complain about their surroundings, about insults, or injury.

/ //4321// Like Being Whipped With Roses/

/In 1651 in Massachusetts, Rev. Obadiah Holmes, because he held a prayer meeting in his home, was ordered to be whipped by Governor Endicot.

So severe was the whipping that for days he could lie only by resting on the tips of his elbows and his knees and yet when the last lash had fallen, he looked at his tormentors and through bloodstained lips cried, "Gentlemen, you have whipped me with roses!"/

/ /

/ /

    3. 2 Cor 4:8-10/ we are hard pressed on eery side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted by not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our boyd/

    4.

Gal 5:25/ since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit/

 

  B.

*Love Not Your Life*

    1.

Rev 12:11 -  - How is Satan Defeated?

/They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death./

    2.

Luke 12:4,5/ … do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more 5 but … fear him who, after killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell.

/

 

  C.

*Love The Fellowship*

    1.

Mt. 5:11,12/ Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me 12 Rejoice and be glad …/

    2.

You have been initiated in the fraternal order of suffering with Christ as our leader, President, Suffering Savior and Victorious Lord

    3.

Phil 3:10 /I want to know Christ and the power of resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead/

      a.

you will not know Christ fully without suffering

      b.

it conforms you to his image

 

So, do not be discouraged, surprised, angry, disillusioned when you face persecution just keep your head up, dodge the Rocks, fix your eyes on Jesus … The Holy Spirit will care for you

 

Stand behind the shield of face and the rocks will bounce off harmlessly

 

 

6832 Pressed Out

/Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length, /

/Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;/

/Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul, /

/Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;/

/Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends, /

/Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends, /

/Pressed into loving the staff and the rod;/

/Pressed into knowing no helper but God;/

/Pressed into liberty where nothing clings, /

/Pressed into faith for impossible things;/

/Pressed into living a life in the Lord, /

/Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured!

/

/-Walter B. Knight /

 

 

*2.

Shaking Off the Dust*

 

 

We're talking here about the Psychological  Aspects of the persecution and rejection

 

Perhaps the two biggest reasons that more people don't share their faith or they STOP sharing their faith

 

  A.

*Recognize Reality*

    1.

they aren't rejecting YOU

    2.

you haven't failed

    3.

the only "bad" witness is the one NOT given

    4.

a mistake filled non-trained, non-professional witness, butchered scripture reference, mangled grammar, offered in faith and sincerity is better than no witness and can be a powerful and authentic witness

    5.

It is NOT up to you

 

  B.

*Remember No Rejection*

    1.

Let it GO

    2.

I was obedient

    3.

I was faithful

    4.

My Responsibility is Over

    5.

Leave them in God's Hands

 

Phil 3:13/ I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the gaol to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward/

 

  C.

*Resume the Journey*

    1.

move on - Paul's attitude was /"if you don't want the good news, I'll take it to someone else"/

    2.

NEXT - speak the truth you don't have to spend a lot of time defending it …

    3.

Success is around the corner … down the street, in the next town, after the next witness

 

/6843// "Wellington Defeated … "/

/The Duke of Wellington led the English forces against those of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

News of the history-making battle came by sailing vessel to the south coast of England, and it was wigwagged by semaphore overland toward London.

/

/Atop Winchester Cathedral, the semaphore began to spell out the eagerly-awaited-for message.

A dense fog began to settle down just as the words "Wellington defeated" were finished.

The semaphore could no longer be seen, and the heartbreaking news of Wellington's defeat spread throughout London.

/

/Before long, the fog lifted and again the signaling semaphore atop the cathedral became visible.

This time it spelled out the complete message of the battle: "Wellington defeated the enemy!" /

Don't let the dust of rejection block the message of Victory … Shake it off and when the dust settles Victory belongs to the Lord

 

 

I heard an old Dear sister in a testimony once say that her favorite words in scripture were not the famous or profound but the simple words /"and it came to pass"/ 

Shake it OFF ….

Don't take the little grain of dust with you shake it off

 

Don't be weighed down by the dust of doubt

Don't be dirtied by the dust of fear

Don't be blinded by the dust of despair

shake it off

Get you a Holy Shoe Shine and Shake off the Dust from the bottom of your shoes

 

Every believer who moves forward proclaiming the Gospel of Peace has perfectly manicured feet, wearing gloriously shined shoes?

Why do I say that?