Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Richard Wurmbrand, Romanian pastor, beautiful fellowship, outlasted, even among prison guards eager to sell watches.

Even in prison itself.

used chains as instruments of praise.

But one observation as they began their underground work.

A Russian solider recently turned to Christ, taking Bibles into he Soviet Union - never came back, imprisoned, - We should never stop at having won a soul for Christ.

By this we have done only half the work.

Every soul won for Christ must be a soul-winner!

Next week will consider our God-empowered response to Christian persecution in this world; and we will take-up an offering for the persecuted church.

But this week God’s Word and Spirit is calling us not merely Christians in name, but disciples of Jesus Christ, who bear His name and revelation and carry it others.

You have been won by Christ, how is it going carrying His name to those around you, sharing His great revelation?

Get to heaven, apart from those died in infancy, always

Discipleship: Carry the Name and Revelation of Jesus to your world in the power of the Spirit.

The growth of the church isn’t about superstar evangelists and preachers, remember how much team work, hospitality - Christian friendship, how much witnessing in every day life.

See it here in Paul taking Priscilla and Aquila and even leaving them willingness to delegate share, empower.

See in Paul as distrust of his own strengths - like Jesus saying only come out with prayer and fasting, recognizes - need takes vow, Nazarite - purity to serve ; Third Missionary visit under way - up to Jersualem, return to home church after 2 years - regroup.

And then very different 3rd missionary journey.

Not the same pattern of uncharted territory - breaking new ground - work of strengthening what all the disicples!

Remember that was our call - not just get as many into church or even into heaven, but make disciples - baptize into the name teach all - participate in the salvation and in the life of Christ - part of new coming spiritual ikingdom, this thrid missionary journey aso see like at end of 2nd, stay in key city of province of Asia (Western Turkey), Ephesus remember prevented before .

But going to be centre of Christian mission and church life - others would take it to neighbouring iallages, but invests in discipeship

A. Offer Your Strengths & Weaknesses to Christ with Each Other: The Example of Apollos & Priscilla & Aquila

Now Prisiclla & Aquilla working in Ephesus tent makers, but in synagogue where there’s openness to hear of Messiah, basically over whole winter of AD 52/53.

Then in God’s providence, not only they are there, but so too also a remarkable man named Apollos.

Greek name but he is thoroughly Jewish.

invited to speak a synagogue week to week- why? eloquent (trained in greatest Jewish school), own temple even, highest learning -dialectical philophy - Philo , Alexandria libraries

But what else does it say, competent in Scriptures - some of you know such teachers -listen forever fascinatingdetals of history cutlure, finer points of theolgocal or philosophsical reflection .

Like TED Talks - but with God’s very word - LXX

Now if such a man came here, be satisfied - is this what Christinaity is about - no there must be more.

Look at v.25a

He wasn’t only a faithful Jew using his talents for the LORD, but in the news that filtered down to Alexandria that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, announced by John - picked up THE WAY of the LORD, what John the Baptist prepared, not just OT moral vision, but what Jesus came to show as He was hismelf the way the tuth and tlife.

Saying of Jesus - and from OT prophesies.

Taught this accurately (though not completely) But not teaching about Messiah just like rabbis - next description> 26 Being fervent in spirit.

b Actually The Spirit.

Conclusion: Here is a man, like disciples of Jesus while he was on earth, before the Cross - believed even born-again of the Spirit - but there is something missing.

LIke living in the twilight of the OT, and the just breaking light of dawn of Jesus Son of God, Messiah, but not yet energized and transformed by the full gift of Christ!

Conclusion: Here is a man, like disciples of Jesus while he was on earth, before the Cross - believed even born-again of the Spirit - but there is something missing.

LIke living in the twilight of the OT, and the just breaking light of dawn of Jesus Son of God, Messiah, but not yet energized and transformed by the full gift of Christ!

Now would you be excited about that - if newcomer - using gifts for Lord, and teaching others all about Jesus being Messiah, and about how we should live?

and this is Luke’s point in this passage - Accurate and good about Jesus, but so far incomplete - He had a weakness:

I wonder if we recognize that there are such people here -Like John Wesley,a missionary to the American Indians in Georgia, where he utterly failed.

Forced to return to England he wrote, "I went to America to convert the Indians; but, oh, who shall convert me?"

Not all was lost, however, because in his earlier travels to America he had encountered some Moravians whose living faith deeply impressed him.

So upon his return to London he sought out one of the leaders and, to use Wesley's words, was "clearly convinced of unbelief, of the want of that faith whereby alone we are saved."

On the evening of May 24, 1738, Wesley wrote in his journal:

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans.

About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.

I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Like Abraham Kuyper.

Little different because not just incomplete but believing, but unconverted, even though knew so much, Widow lady visit - Pietje Baltus “That rascal may as well stay a way, I don’t care for him… Asked about pile of potatoes, not come to talk about that eternity, made, for…comfort.

such joy peace, spiritual insight - becomes born again - goes onto powerfully serve the church in compromising time.

Powerfully even forges -political consensus becomes PM - but now converted why?

Not evangelism or even direct witness, but life of discipleship shared with that lady!

Like Abraham Kuyper.

Little different because not just incomplete but beliveing, but uncoverted, even though knew so much, Widow lady visit - such joy peace, spiritual insight - becomes born again - goes onto powerfully sreve the church in compromiing time.

Pwefully even forges -political consensus becomes PM - but now converted why?

Not evangelism or even direct wtiness, but life of discipleship shared with that lady!

What does Luke mean, only the knew the baptism of John.

That was enough for baptism for apostles, it was enough for Apollos didn’t have to be baptized again and already had the Spirit.

But as we’ll see John baptism like the baptism into Jesus was all about the Messiah, but Apollos knowledge and experience of Jesus Christ, was primarily of his persona and teaching before the Cross.

The reality of Christ’ death, of atonement of his resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven, to receive the Holy Spirit - and then shower it down on his disciples on earth with gifts - Apollos didn’t know anything of this.

He didn’t know what a disciples of Jesus must hold dearly too, no church yet in Alexandria - didn’t know when Jesus rose after making atonement - to go and baptize the nations in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, didn’t know about Pentecost - about Jesus reigning from heaven and sending His Spirit!

But now here is the drama in the story, who did?

There is remarkable woman Priscilla taking lead in private teaching, but as a team Aquila - but like Paul no gifts of oratory - If a seminar or weekend conference, everyone would raving a Apollos, not tentmakers who work with hands, but charismatic speaker with so much learning.

But watch now, what A& P do - don’t publically rebuke him in the synagogue, don’t say hot shot - wish I had his privileged education, - They rejoice in young disciples progress, amazed at God’s work, but they also take him into their home, privately explain what he had’t yet learned about Jesus as sacrificial lamb, the worth of the Cross blood f Christ as sacrifice makes new and adopt by God, spoke of Christ resurrection and the promise of his return, of Him sending us out but not with our own learning or power, but with the Spirit and His gift.

I wonder if with one and another here, we are satisfied with religious talk, moral and emotional support, or whether as disciples of living Christ we - press on to have gospel of Jesus applied to our lives.

How we deal with our sin, what strength and peace and guidance to get through struggle and trial, what esteem and worth find in Christ not in others.

This is what it means to grow as disciples!

But what would you do if you were Apollos, and these friends wanted to disciple you in the truth and gospel of Jesus? who are you to teach me, no what a mark of humility let me learn the way of Christ more accurately from you.

Scary to open yourself up to others, ie.

teenager camp shalom.

Prayer partner here, Bible study group.

Even family devotions around our tables, stop to pray and discuss!

This is the what’s more of discipleship - Apollos as learned as he was - never thought he arrived, A& Pr eager to share in their humble way and not be in the lime light.

Even the new Christians in that synagogue in Ephesus, eager to play part in some one like this helping others!

Networking going on.

Priscilla and Aquila just came from Corinth in province across Aegean Sea Achai.

Now Apollos heads there but with others commending and writing letter of introduction; hey get to know welcome this guy, let him teach , let him live the Christian life, serve together with him.

He gets there and what do we read - just teaching in powerful way?

No. Something has changed compared to how he came to Ephesus.

Luke is empahsizing - no longer in twighlight of follwoing Jesus as some OT prophet, spiritual guru, or moral teacher; but all about Grace in Jesus - Living Jesus - faith in HIs Work of Atonementa nd REsurrection and Rising to establish new kingdom!

And well placed to go to those who don’t yet belive and from the Scriptures to show them Christ!

Luke is emphasizing - no longer in twilight of following Jesus as some OT prophet, spiritual guru, or moral teacher; but all about Grace in Jesus - Living Jesus - faith in His Work of Atonement and Resurrection and Rising to establish new kingdom!

And well placed to go to those who don’t yet believe and from the Scriptures to show them Christ!

Well congregation, the church is made up of disciplining relationships, in your are you content with just religio and morals, or are we growing together in how grace and Jesus Himself, the lamb of God, working radical forgiveness and acceptance, conquering death and victory over temptations, risen to guide and direct Spirit filled life, build His church, even His kingdom !

A new holiness, a new full revelation direction - with that kind of faith, grace witness, and discuss - are we strengthening each other in that grace?

Do you have people in your life at different points in their relationships with God.

Do you seek to discern and not judge, but discern and walk beside?

We must be faithful in giving witness as we ca, seek opportunities to share with those who haven't heard, and those who haven’t understood! but that has to flow out of the main business of our lives following Jesus as disciples and growing in the grace he really works among us here in his church!

Overflow to world we live in through relationships!

I am thinking about you in young peoples unique temptations and opportunities face, thinking of you growing families.

Thinking of you those here with Christian friendship, of widows That’s what will happen if vulnerable to offer your strengths and weaknesses here in discipleship!

But Luke wants to underscore that you will only be able to do this being disciple and discipling others, if you have been baptized into Christ and are living in the power of His Spirit!

B. Disciples bear the Name and Revelation of Christ to Others, being indwelt, empowered and gifted by the Holy Spirit!

The example of the Disciples of John the Baptist

Here is a sharpened focus on what it means to truly be a disicple of Christ and not just a Christian in name.

And if that sounds snobby to you.

That some are “believers” only in name consider the experience of these disicples of John the Baptist and how Paul discipled them.

Notice unlike a snob, Paul welcomes them as disciples.

We don’t know how much about Jesus they knew nor how little, but they are in synagogue or in the fellowship of P & A with other bleievers and Paul loves that they are there.

As we approach Christmas and other holidays this should be a lesosn to us.