Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Radical individualism of the West; ie.

cf.

Asian childrearing, family; Middle Eastern hospitality, Eastern Europe - not just boyfirends girlfriend -school friends.;

Think of howmuch we’re alone with screen.

All individual preferences, makes church life all the more difficult - safe - own preferences with McChurch, but lose so much in the vulnerablity of being there, and beign with.

In our series on Acts, wonderful to see the churchin action, encouraging, praying, - powerful witness in Alivia, jayden’s sister bone marrow, chemo taken well; Brandon’s dad whether lives or dies - strong peace and strenght inthe Lord; When we stiness professions of faith, two baptisms - evidence of work of God not justin those individuals, butin their famileis, in this whole church family.

In this passage in Acts, in background - a radical shift, paradigm shift of understanding.

In our society try to address radical individualism with ME to WE program.

At this seem as the gospel goes tot he world, not insular community of law-keepers, ritual religion - you Jews.

The shift is from YOU to US! Be a bit of a detective to sense this shift but two places in particular show how radical it is:

goind through problems and suffering

In this middle ofPaul’s impromptu message he says:

Need to understand the us, includes not only Jews, but those proselytes, God-fearers, and Gentile converts from the nations.

Paul says to both Jews and Gentiles who will accept the message of salvation in Jesus:

Need to undertand in the OT when the Gentile nations, a epople group it was the word YAM, butwhen it was God’s special treasured people, his possession, When God speak of His people as his children and he therir Father, when he speaks of Israel as his birde.

When he says -you people in my family - are brothers and sisters - the speical word, is this one qahal, LAOS.

The rabbis in speaking of udnerstood whole creation made for the sake of God’s special people - sanctuary for that kind of relating to God.

In LXX special term for israel as privelleged religious position.

That’s the word for the people to whom wtinesses of jesus death and resurrection are now sent.

And in this passage its not the religous leaders, who are the people but common people Jew and Gentile, who now form the new israel of God!

This is amazing, in proseletyte baptism say: “Blessed are you, to whom have you joined yourself?

To him at whose behest the world was, for the world was created for the sake of Israel alone and only Israelites are called the children of God!

But now Paul is saying - you are all can join that special group!

This is amazing,

But just as atounding is this shift from you to us, is what Paul saysin the end of his impromptu sermon:

As Paul turns to the Gentiles, he understands that , that prophesy is not only for the Messiah, but even more the you of the Messiah, has shifted in meaning to the US of the New Testament church.

Pual understands, its not just accident or optional things that we have opprotunity to sahre our faith with those outsdie the covenant circle.

As he gets kicked out by the legalists and ritualist - we undertands - this going out into peple lives and shining the light of Christ to the ends of the earth - taht is our mission and our destinty - Soveriegnly planned and divinely empowerd by almighty God.

Paul understands from Isiaah that the salvation Messiah would work - was one for every nation, taht would reach heathen rulers of the world, like the non-Jewish people of Pisaidan Antioch.

He knew as teh apostles conclucded from Amos in that God is now taking a LAOS, speicial community among the nations!

Paul knew as he later saw the prphesy being fulfilled that

So this morning I want to ask you whether you have experiecend the YOU to US shift?

Have you become the US of God’s speicial community on earth in Jesus?

That’s the core of the mewssage of salvation, absolutely necessary you get it, if you are going to be part of the second you to US shift,.

have you takenin that lighto f salvation and now know how to go out and share it:

Key Truth: God’s people take the sure blessings of Jesus and shine them into the lives of those in the dark.

Let’s examine the first shift of A. Becoming the People of God by taking the sure blessings of Jesus

Paul and Baranabas traveled realitively short voyage to Perga.

Lower lying ort city, hot humid, possibly contrracted malaria, pehrhpa later comlications being this thorn inthe flesh.

John Mark leaves them, and perhaps its because they have decided not to do a preaching tour, but have et a destination over 100 miles away, but 3,600 feet above sea level through the dangers mountains to the border twon between Pamphylia and Pisdia Known as Antioch.

Whatever the reasons why, it is ilikely, went with letter of introduction by that Gentile convert Sergio Paulus.

City had disctinaction of being a Roman colony, meaning mitliary leader and poiliticalns and their families - settled there at retirement.

Very interesting theat Sergio Palusu had family their - ancient incsription bearing his name.

With a large Jewish population, seems to Paul the ideal spot to plant the first Christain congregagion.

These are jews scattered in dispresion who don’t read Hebrew and then translate into Aramaic, but Hellenstiic Jews who read the OT in Greek and understand it iwth out translation.

The great shema had been ricited, elders and presider led in other parts.

Readings of dayfrom lectionary - Parasha reading -a bout God Putting up with Israel, leading and carrying them for 40 years int he desert.

And then the Haphtarah a reading from the Prophets liekly Habukeuyk 1:- Then they would select one of the elders, or visiting rabbi.

And now a pupil of most famous teacher in Jersuaelm, named Gamalietl, that was Paul’s training and they bring him up fromthe back - to give the exhortation, the encouragement teh preaching for the people!

And here I want you to learn a technique, a how to in sharing the gospel from Paul’s first recorded message.

The message actually divides bythe address brothers into three parts, and the whole first part is about what?

He stands rathen than sits following the Roman custom and from 17-25 he does what he did in different form to all Gentiles in Athens -And herei s the first principle in starting a gospel presentation:

i. Make a Point of Contact With God’s Work in their Life Already

Some people are so nerous about sharing faith, yet feel - must and so they just exploded it on people.

- probablly won’t be interested, has nothing to do with anything in your life, but this is what I blevie.

In Athens Paul quotes their poets about God.

He makes apoint of contact iwththeir serachin in Aogora .

He took theri experience with God seriously.

Do you - never forget Prof Tuit - expalingin work of great Dutch Missiologist and missionary - God has left hismelf without a wintess, long before Missionary shows up - God has been at work - they have been repsonidng to God - why other religions, why - tap into their expeience of God - connect with them there.

Could be the beauty of creation, could be their sense of justice - say I hope worse eveil doeers burn in hell, could be their belief in karma - or experience of mercy - love… Make a connection.

Paukl does this with these religious Jews and God-fearers.

He recounts that despirte wining and grubmling, God carried them , the gift of the land.

God has chosen them elected them for Himself, In a foreign land he not only liifted them up but exalted them and made them a great covenant people God bore them up.

Ever talk to an unbelvier about their story, the blessing , the mercy in hard times?

But what is the pinnacle of God’s involvment with them?

David - Why

Unique emphamaiss not only his pious character, but what David would do.

had to hunt down where Scriputre says that.

What was God’s special unique will for David, taht non one else done?

George our pastor and tour guide, on trip to Israel - Begins his speel about rabbis keepig old paths.

“The best way to keep a path alive, is to keep walking it.”

He explains how Solomon, the richest, the wisest, wasn’t the best king.

Taking an Egyptian wife, for poiitical reasons, turned his heart away from Lord, Jews said, “Never go that way of Solomon again” No keep david’s path laive.

Explain that David great unifier of God’s epoole - period of peace.

But the bigegst Part of God’s will for Dabvid’s life wasn’t in his life.

Gets to end of his reign - Scripture goes out of the wya to show disqappoint, failure, broken family with little peace - and the ont is Daivd could bring the fulifllmento f God’s poromseis to his special people.

But his seed, offspring would.

Doyou see waht Paul has done, uncovered the great jewish hope - allthe blessing enjoyed but the fulness God had planned and shows that is in a person and that person is jesus!

Did it the same way in his first step with idle talkeers in the aogora the market place- this gunkwon god - now I am going to rpoclaim toyou.

We need to get this.

The gosppel isn’t my expeireince, it isn’t allthe wonderful benefits like a proper self-esteem, a deep down joy, wonderful to belong to church… The good news isn’t about me - it’s about Jesus.

In the second step of the sermon, he takes that evdiecne of what God’s bbeen doing in theri life, and then declares a YOU to US tranformation.

He says:

Abraham had beeen told he would bless the nations, and Paul says that’s about to happen now through what Jesus has done, and you can be involved in it.

He describes what those jews had done, waht we humanity had done to Christ, didn’t understand the prophecies, didnt get who He was or what He was upto, put himto death.

But even though people shove aisede Jesus, God worked his purpose, and that is what I need to describe to you:

BUT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.

So like Paul we must being with that point of contact of God at work in their lives andin this world, but then show that all his goodness leads to Jesus Christ.

Thisi s proclamation - taht Jesus in time and space - was God in the flesh - when else did those wrods come - baptism, tranfiguration - God has come in the poersno f the Son incarnate of Jesus - and the voice from heaven didn’t just announcehe’s divine, but He is God the Farther’s special chosen one, he is God but atthe saem time huan and fulfilling what Diavid was called to do but failed bring to the world.

This is the second part of the shift from you to us, and the thrust of the seocnd step of his message:

B. Move from Proclamation to Personal Application

Paul says this Jesus Christ has pormises that could be worked out in your life andm ine today.

That he is playing a role in world history that you and I can’t afford to miss out on.

I can’t emphasizie enough that true prayer isn’t just throwing up our needs to God and y which way to any which God - We plead the promises - change your prayer life and your relationship to the God who made all these porimses.

Well so too in evangelism - sharing the gospel isnt’ just about making an appealing inspiringk warm fuzzy talk about spiritual things.

It is about real concrete proaies that the SAaviour and King of the wrold would make through us.

Paul says:

Who cares if you ahve a more spiritual outlook on life that gives a bit more peace /happiness.. always look on the brigh side of life - doesn’t really change naything does it.

But in Jesus Christ - we have precious and very great promises from God that will happen in a persons life and will cahnge the world!