Awake Us Now

How do we know what God's will is?

Our Acts story continues: Paul leaves Miletus for Jerusalem and stays at the house of Philip the Evangelist.

A couple days after Paul arrives at Philip's home a prophet named Agabus comes to visit Paul. Agabus takes Paul's belt, wraps it around his own hands and feet and says, "The Holy Spirit says, "In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles." The people gathered in Philip's home pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem after they heard this word, but Paul responds, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart. I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Paul makes it clear that he is willing to risk his life to give glory to His Lord, Jesus Christ.

In Acts 21:14, we read that when the group could not dissuade him they gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

The Holy Spirit had given Paul a warning through Agabus - that he would be captured by the Jewish leaders and then turned over to the Gentiles.

So this is the question: Was Paul disobedient when he decided to go on to Jerusalem? Were the words of the Holy Spirit a warning to say do not go to Jerusalem or could they perhaps be words of warning meant to prepare Paul for what was coming? Could these words be asking Paul's obedience in going to Jerusalem but God in His goodness is giving Paul a heads up of what he will suffer for Christ's sake in obeying.

Theologians are split on this but here are some reasons to see Paul's decision to go on to Jerusalem as being obedient. We will use Bible texts:

Acts 9:15-16 - from Paul's conversion story we hear God tell Ananias that Paul will be a chosen instrument to proclaim God's name to many and God goes on to say, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Paul as Saul had caused many believers to suffer, but as a transformed believer in Jesus - Paul would come to see that suffering would come into his life over and over again. (Beaten, ship wrecks, jailed, and many more difficulties) these were all part of Paul's life. Paul understood suffering.

Acts 20:22-23 - When Paul had announced to the leaders in the Miletus meeting that it was time for him to move on, he said, "I am COMPELLED by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are ahead."

He already knew that difficulties were ahead. The Holy Spirit had already warned him, nonetheless he says he was compelled. This text speaks nothing from God about NOT going - only that ahead were hardships.

Acts 23:11 - Several chapters after today's text, Jesus speaks to Paul, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome."

These are more warning words - no correction for disobedience, but rather kindness and encouragement for Paul - Take Courage! The Lord says! These words are words of kindness to prepare Paul for what more is to come.

What we can learn from Paul: Comfort is NOT job #1. Comfort is not our primary focus. Obedience IS job #1. We are not saved by obedience, but by the death and resurrection of Jesus our Savior. Saved by and through Him alone, by grace. However, when we know Him - we desire to follow Him. Salvation leads us to obedience. God's glory is paramount - What matters MOST is that our glorious God receives glory in each of our lives. In thanks and gratitude for what the Savior bought for us (life forever with God) and so we give Him glory with our lives in response to His gift of salvation to us. God's plan is incredible - our destiny is to be made new - transformed with glorified bodies with Christ forever.

As a result of Paul going to Jerusalem he WAS ACCUSED FALSELY WAS ATTACKED HIS LIFE WAS ALMOST TAKEN HE WAS PUT IN CHAINS SOME PLOTTED TO KILL HIM HE WAS JAILED FOR 2 YEARS THEN SENT BY SHIP BACK TO ROME AS A PRISONER TO APPEAR BEFORE THE EMPEROR

But look at what happened as a result of Paul going to Jerusalem - Paul's Gospel testimony went to: Huge temple crowds Sanhedrin 2 governors King Agrippa Emperor Nero

So to the question: Did Paul disobey by going to Jerusalem? Will we see the Holy Spirit warning as God's way of giving Paul the strength for what was going to happen in Jerusalem, because God wanted to use Paul's difficulties to get the Gospel message to many who otherwise may not have heard.

As Paul walked faithfully before God, God used his faith in remarkable ways.

God uses our faithful walk before Him in remarkable ways as well.

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Scripture: Acts 20:32-38

Pastor continues with the story of Paul's talk with the leadership of the church in a gathering in the town of Miletus - it is Paul's farewell speech to this group of believers. Paul finishes his time with these friends and leaders with them all in prayer together. There are tears as the leaders are grieved at knowing they will not see Paul again. Paul knew he had complete his work here and in the surrounding cities and areas. The chapter closes with them walking him to the ship to leave.

But let's focus on one of the words from Paul's speech as it draws to an end. He talks about our inheritance in Christ.

What does inheritance mean in the Bible? The biblical definition of inheritance is speaking of what God gives to us through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that when we believed in Christ, Christ identified us as His own by giving us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee that Jesus will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people.

1 Peter 1:3-4 tells us of an inheritance that comes to us through the death and resurrection of Christ and is an inheritance that can never perish or fade away.

Jesus' death and resurrection is the heart of our inheritance. BUT there's more!

The Essential Fundamentals of the Faith: 1. Deity - Jesus is true man and true God 2. Death - Jesus, the Lamb of God, through His death, paid for our sins on the cross 3. Resurrection - Jesus' resurrection assures we too shall rise. The resurrection is God's declaration that the sacrifice of Jesus is accepted. 4. Return - Jesus is alive forever more and is coming back. His second coming- He's coming back for us.

These fundamentals are pointed to in the Old Testament, and are fulfilled in the New Testament.

Jesus' return is the heart of Paul's teaching and Christ's return is what assures us of our inheritance.

Are you doubting the Resurrection of Christ? Dr. Gary R. Habermas is a scholar of the resurrection of Christ and has written several books. Here are two we suggest for those wanting to read about the evidence of Jesus resurrection:

"On the Resurrection: Evidences" And "On the Resurrection: Refutations"

Anthony Flew, a renown atheist debated Gary Habermas. Several years later Antony rejected atheism because the evidence for God is convincing.

The evidence for the existence of God and for the resurrection of Jesus is powerful and convincing. Many people have never examined the evidence but instead they have just bought into what they've been told by the world rather than the things they could have discovered.

What does it mean for us that Jesus is alive? What is our destiny? It is NOT as a spirit in heaven. The Bible teaches the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Pastor sites these verses for what the New Testament says about the: Deceased Believers Luke 23:43 - in paradise Philippians 1:23 - with Christ, better by far 1 Thessalonians 3:13-14 - asleep

BUT on our destiny we read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 1 Corinthians 15:22-26, 51-52 Titus 2:13-14 John 5:28-29 that:

1. Jesus will come down from heaven with a trumpet call and a loud voice of the archangel 2. The dead will rise 3. We will be with the Lord forever 4. A new heaven and a new earth 5. Death will be destroyed 6. We will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye - imperishable!

Our destiny is to be raised to life forever with God with transformed glorified bodies in a new heaven and a new earth - ALL things new.

May the truth that we too shall rise anchor us in our faith in God and give us strength in opposition, joy in the face of loss and assurance in the face of death.

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Today's message is a continued study of Paul's farewell words of encouragement and warning to the gathering of church leaders.

Paul shares honestly that he understands his time left on earth is short. He states how he has proclaimed the whole will of God.

What is the Whole Will / Counsel of God? CREATOR - We and the world are intentionally created by a pure, loving, holy creator who shows us how brilliant a Creator / Designer He is. His design points us right back to Him, our Designer.

CONDITION - Our condition is that - All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None of us is righteous.

CHRIST - we all need a Savior and that Savior turns our lives around. Christ is the prophesied Messiah: Deity - God Death - on the cross for us - paid the price of our sin by taking it on Himself that we might be saved. Resurrection - His resurrection ensures our victory over death. We will be raised on the last day when He returns. Returning - He will return and we will have eternal life with Him forever.

Paul encourages the leaders to take care of themselves and the flocks God has given them. They are to be shepherds of the church of God.

Paul warns them of the spiritual war that is all around and to be cautious not to fall prey to the eternal and internal threats against the truth of God's word.

Paul closes by telling them to be on guard because remaining on guard is a life and death matter. Not just a life and death matter temporally (on this earth). It is a life and death matter eternally! (Our eternal destiny). We must be on guard - in Greek this is one word. That word is AWAKE!

We need to wake up to the truth of what God says in the Bible.

BE AWAKE - be prepared because Jesus is coming back!

He will return, so…. Be awake in prayer Be awake in faithfulness to God Do not be deceived!

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Pastor starts today's class by taking a look at Matthew 24:37-39a "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away."

This text is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount of Olives and He is talking about His second coming. Jesus compares what it will be like at the end of time, to what happened at the time of Noah's flood. Noah and his sons built the boat over a long period of time and people could see he was building a huge boat, but they continued doing their regular life things and the flood took them all away. They had not listened to Noah's preaching and warnings. It will be like that at the end when Jesus returns.

In 2 Peter 3:3-10 Peter shares another comparison of what the Second Coming of Christ will be like. There will be a time when God keeps His word once again. There's been a warning that there will be an end - the Second Coming of Christ and it will take place. We are called to be alert, listen and respond and not to ignore that He is returning. We are to be ready and waiting.

Matthew 24 continues with verses 39b-42 "That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 'Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.'"

Pastor zeroes in on the words "one will be taken the other left." The question is taken to where? Believer opinions are: ⁃ Taken for judgement ⁃ Taken to be with Christ

Pastor refers back to a recent teaching entitled "What Happens When I Die?" That teaching can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/live/5L41Ufkiq2w?si=xxcv4CNj2FC-y7XD Part of that teaching is on 1 Thessalonians 4:13- 5:6. These verses are Paul's description of the Second Coming of Christ. Paul makes it clear that when Jesus returns the dead believers will be raised first and those still alive will be caught up with them.

Pastor takes a deeper look at the original Greek text of the word Jesus uses for our translated word "taken." For the "taken" Jesus uses here, the word is paralambanō which means to be taken to one's side, to receive to one's self. It is a positive and affectionate word. It's the picture of the Bridegroom taking His bride (His people) to Himself.

In our day it is like Noah's day and Jesus' day where people are just going on like normal and ignoring God or not paying attention to Him or His Word. But Jesus speaks a word of warning to those not listening and a word of encouragement to believers. In verse 42 He says, "Therefore keep watch!" The greek text for "keep watch" is the word grēgoreō and it means to keep awake! And to be ready for Christ's return!

In closing, Pastor shares a saying he once heard: "Live as though Christ died yesterday, arose this morning and is coming again tomorrow!"

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God's word is compelling and so very practical. It thoroughly equips us and it still speaks to us today.

Today's story takes place in the town of Miletus where Paul is speaking to leaders of the church sharing the difficult challenges and testing he experienced in his three years of mission work in Ephesus. He shares how he humbly did the work God gave him even in the most despairing times he humbly hung on tight to God who brought him through it all.

What can we learn from Paul's speech? 1. Humble Service - we are called to humility before our awesome and mighty God, recognizing all we have and are comes from Him and that we are all in the same condition - sinners. We need a Savior and only God can save us. Humility is needed in understanding this. We are called to serve God in humility and to humbly server others to use our gifts, time, talents, abilities and opportunities that God gives us to serve Him and bless others. Our lives are to be lives of Humble Service.

Paul goes on to summarize what he taught while in Ephesus: that all must turn to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus. He taught the full counsel of God, not just the popular things but also the things that weren't. He did so without camouflaging God's word or avoiding those things that could be heard as upsetting. He spoke the full truth to all.

Repent and believe the good news is the heart of the Gospel message - come back to the living God in the way we live and walk with a change of heart and mind through Christ.

2. Steadfast Truth - Speaking the truth in love - that we need to repent before God. Martin Luther says, "When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said repent, He willed that entire life of a believer be one of repentance." Repentance is a calling - a daily calling to turn back to God, to daily recognize the importance of walking with Jesus. We are not called to simple religion, we are called to a relationship with God through faith in Jesus, God's Son, who died, rose and is coming again! We are to live in this truth and to share that truth with others As the story continues, Paul shares how he will go where God leads even though he does not know what lies ahead. He shares how the Holy Spirit has warned him that prison and hardships are coming but even in the face of this knowledge, Paul follows willingly where the Holy Spirit compelled him to go, regardless of danger and threats ahead.

3. Spirit Directed - we too have a calling from God - to know Him, to rejoice in Him, to receive hi forgiveness in Christ, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to allow the Spirit of God to guide and direct our lives. It's not always easy or comfortable, but it is for our benefit and God's glory.

We are called to listen to the Holy Spirit, walk in the Holy Spirit, to follow the Holy Spirit, to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and show us God's goodness.

Paul's story concludes with him stating his life's aim is to complete the task the Lord Jesus had given him - the task of testifying to the Good News of God's grace.

Pastor shares a personal story regarding this verse, a conversation with a college professor and the place he had this verse inscribed prior to his wedding day. This verse had a profound effect on Pastor life and he shares the impact of visiting the city of Miletus several years ago and being where Paul had spoken these words of Acts 20:24.

Without Jesus we are lost - when Jesus breaks into our lives we are changed!!

4. Life's Commitment - we are to live our lives committed to Jesus. We are to live our lives for Jesus and "finish the race," the course of our lifetime as planned by God.

Our life is a "race." Towards the end of Paul's life he writes the following in 2 Timothy 4:7 - "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." That is our calling, too!

We are to run the race with endurance, to follow Jesus as our Savior and Guide, to honor, worship and praise our Heavenly Father, to listen to the Holy Spirit as He speaks into our hearts, to follow where God leads NO MATTER THE DIRECTION. NO MATTER THE COST.

Scripture: Acts 20:17-24, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

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Today's teaching is on enemy territory and the reality of spiritual warfare. In a fallen world the battle is not between people - it is between the Living God and the powers of darkness, It is between the Body of Christ and those under the spell of the devil.

Ephesus was the center of worship of Artemis and also a hotbed of the occult, magic, eastern religions, drugs, alcohol and many of the same things we encounter in our world today. Ephesus is where Paul carried out some of his most important mission work and it is where God shows us some important lifetime truths through how He worked in Ephesus nearly 2000 years ago.

Where we left off last week was with Paul spending two years teaching daily in the Hall of Tyrannus. Verse 10 of Acts chapter 19 tells us that all Jews and Greeks in the area heard the word of the Lord. Paul and others were training up believers to share their faith and so the Gospel message was shared all over Asia.

During Paul's time in Ephesus he experienced more push back than ever before. God was doing extraordinary miracles through Paul and many were healed physically but Paul was also casting out demons and healing people from spiritual illness.

DIVINE POWER We need to be connected to the Living God. Our faith is not to be a little bit of head knowledge, a song and a prayer. Our faith is to be life changing, it is to be the heart of who we are. Because God was doing amazing miracles through Paul, news traveled that Paul was not only healing physically but also doing spiritual battle and that He was healing in the name of Jesus. Ephesus was a town filled with evil but the DIVINE POWER of God was so obviously being displayed in the miraculous healings done in Jesus' name, that it caused the name of Jesus to be held in high honor and it caused a reaction of believers to openly confess what they had done as part of the evil in Ephesus.

TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY A massive move of God caused people to take Him very seriously. Our faith molds and transforms us because we are delivered from bondage to sin and death. God offers deliverance from the power of the demonic and the things that can so easily destroy our lives.

CLEANING HOUSE People who had practiced sorcery burned their scrolls publicly and the word of the Lord continued to spread and grow in power. as believers changed and non-believers become believers people grew and matured in their faith and suddenly began to realize they needed to do a house cleaning in their lives. God's Holy Spirit is gracious and reveals things to us as we grow and mature in faith. We are not fully mature the moment we believe - It is a life-long process. God's desire is that we clean house in our lives, in our homes, in anything that gets in the way of our love and worship of God, anything that controls us in ways that are dangerous and spiritually defiling. With all the awakening to the reality of the Gospel Power of Jesus and the importance of a God-pleasing life of faith, those who didn't have that faith were began to try to stop all that was happening in Jesus' name.

WORLD VIEWS COLLIDE A worker who made silver shrines to Artemus was very concerned about his economic future in light of the amazing growth of Christianity. And so he spoke out publicly, drawing a crowd and the two sides began to collide.

World views are colliding in our world today. The world view of our culture is: All that matters is me All that matters is what I want All that matters is that you don't stand in my way and say anything to upset me. The world view of the Bible is: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God God sent His one and only Son The Living God took on flesh and brought life and forgiveness through His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. In Jesus there is life, forgiveness and power. The power to live a new life.

And so their two world views clashed then and they are still clashing today.

We are called not to fight with human weapons, but to recognize the reality of spiritual war and to use the weapons of the Holy Spirit: Prayer Trust in God God's Word The power of our testimonies

Today's scripture reading ends with the whole city in an uproar - both sides shouting and many joining in the near riot.

CROWD FOLLOWERS It can be easy to just go along with the crowd Yet God warns us not to follow the crowd. Exodus 23:2 says, "Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong." Wise words for us today!

Scripture: Acts 19:11-41, Ephesians 6:12 and Exodus 23:2

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This week's teaching shows us the importance of growth in faith.

Today's scripture is on the story of Paul's mission work in the city of Ephesus. As he begins to meet people he asks several believers if they received the Holy Spirit when they came to faith in Jesus. Their response was no, that they had never heard of the Holy Spirit.

Sadly, this is much the condition of the christian church in America today. The Holy Spirit has often been ignored.

Paul learns that the Christians there had received John's baptism. They had heard the teachings of John the Baptist and had been baptized in a baptism of repentance. Paul taught them that the One (Jesus) that John had predicted was coming was here and this was Jesus. John had said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Paul fills them in on Jesus, the one John had said was coming. So after hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues.

Today speaking in tongues has become very controversial. How do we deal with spiritual gifts?

Spiritual Gifts

• Expired - A view that many have is that these once were, but have now ended with the end of the apostles and the end of the New Testament. But the TRUTH is that there is NO expiration on the gifs of the Spirit. We are to earnestly desire the gift of the Spirit. (1 Corinthian 12 and 14) And Jesus says in Luke 11:13 "…how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" There is nothing in the New Testament to indicate that these gifts have expired.

• Everyone - People say everyone has to have the same gifts or we all have to have the gift of speaking in tongues and yet the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different believers, that not all have the same gifts.

• Eliminate - Many desire the gifts of the Spirit be eliminated because they are controversial. This attitude is basically trifling with the gifts of God and in effect encourages the church to remain weak and spiritually deficient. However, Paul says to earnestly desire the gifts and don't forbid speaking in tongues. We need to take to heart what Paul says.

The gifts aren't badges to impress others with our spirituality, but they are gifts from the Holy Spirit given to build up the body of Christ, encourage believers and to empower us to carry out the work God has given us to do.

These opening verses of Chapter 19 of Acts - while controversial - show us that the gifts are still very important and require us to take a look at what the Bible actually says about them. We need to make sure we are allowing the scriptures to guide us rather than our own prejudices, our own practices and our own jealousies.

As we continue looking at more of Paul's work in Ephesus where he spent around 3 years, we discover more that we can learn.

In the synagogue, Paul spoke out boldly about the kingdom of God, but after 3 months, individuals refused to believe and began to publicly malign the teachings on Jesus the Messiah. So Pal moves from teaching in the synagogue to teaching daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus for the next two years so that all the Jews and Gentiles who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the God.

Paul was a tireless worker for the Lord, but what was it that he shared with the people of Ephesus? We can discover the answer to this in his epistle/letter to the Ephesians.

The Book of Ephesians

• Messiah - Firstly, Paul concentrated on sharing the Good News of Jesus the Messiah and that through Him we receive every spiritual blessing, we come to know the deep love of Jesus, that we are saved by grace, and to know the fullness of God.

• Maturity - Paul encourages us to grow in our faith, in our knowledge and love of Jesus our Savior. He shares how to not grieve the Spirit of God through impurity, but instead to grow in fellowship with God and to be filled with the Spirit. Paul also teaches to always give thanks for everything and to put on the full armor of God.

In summary of today's text, Christ is to be in the center of our lives and we are to grow up in our relationship with Him. This is God's desire for His children.

We do not want to hold to a form of religion and deny it real power.

• We want to hear the Holy Spirit's testimony
• We want to respond to what the Word of God has to say
• We want to live in a dynamic relationship with Jesus, that we might not only be blessed by Him but may be used by Him to be a blessing for others

The Gospel message of Jesus transforms! It has POWER! We encourage you to read the book of Ephesians.

Scripture: Acts 19:1-10 and 2 Peter 3:18

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God's word teaches endurance: how to face the difficulties and challenges of life. The Bible doesn't tell us we will get through life without difficult days and trials. God's Word gives us encouragement because God's word is true, it is genuine and it speaks directly into our lives.

Paul at Corinth is a story that shows us how God gives His children encouragement even in the most difficult of times, difficult of places and the most trying of circumstances.

Paul went on missionary journey to Corinth (in Greece) a very corrupt seaport city. They had a temple to Aphrodites and Paul found himself very discouraged at the evil he found there. But God brings encouragement in a way that teaches us to see the ways that God ministers to us in the darkest of days.

Observations: Provision: Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla - God provides as he brings people into our lives who will minister and encourage us. Support: Silas and Timothy - God's support through colleagues that helped Paul be able to devote full time effort into preaching the Gospel. Opportunity: Jews from the synagogue didn't want Paul teaching any longer in the synagogue, so Paul went to a man's house next door to the synagogue and there he preached the gospel to the gentiles. Even in the difficulty of being rejected by the Jewish community, God gave Paul an opportunity to teach Gentiles. Assurance: Corinth was a difficult city to share the Gospel, but Jesus speaks by a vision to Paul, saying, "Do not be afraid - Keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you and no one is going to attack or harm you because I have many people in this city." God says this to you and me as well, "Don't give up because I am with you!" So Paul stayed in Corinth a year and a half teaching them the Word of God. Protection: There is dissension between the Jews going to synagogue and the Jews and Gentiles that believed in Jesus as the Messiah. Consequently, after teaching for 1 1/2 years, Paul was arrested and charged with the crime of practicing an illegal cult. They wanted him imprisoned or killed. But Gallia - the court judge - says the one bringing Paul to trial needed to figure things out on their own and that he would not rule on the charges, nor would he punish Paul and Gallia dismissed the case. God knows how to deliver His people! He did it for us at the cross! And the final victory is now ours. We win!

Surprise!: Surprisingly, following the dismissal of the case against Paul, the Jews from the synagogue attack the synagogue leader and beat him up instead of Paul! God's additional surprise is that in 1 Corinthians 1:1 we read that this synagogue leader, Sethenese, becomes a believer in Jesus and part of the house church in Corinth.

And God has surprises for us in the difficult times, too, because our God is a good and gracious God. He loves His children. He is always with us in difficult times and easy times. He brings joy and hope, endurance and assurance to those who call on Jesus, the Messiah, our Savior!

Scripture: Acts 18:1-17, Romans 15:4

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This account takes place on Paul's second missionary trip, on his trip to the city of Athens, A city that prided itself on knowledge and education, learning, culture and the arts. It was also a city filled with idols.

As Paul looked around and saw all the idolatry it just really riled him up and he began passionately sharing the gospel message in the synagogues and even in the market places. He worked to draw people to Jesus and not to idols. His impassioned message caused much interest, but also much controversy.

Paul teaches us to not give up - when we are confronted with issues or by people who reject what we believe we don't give up - we are kind, gracious, we are generous and merciful, but we can be encouraged by Paul's example. In this story we learn that we do not need to hesitate to say what we believe and why.

Paul's persistence cases those listening to become curious. They ask questions and want to know more and more. While they were curious, they were still not wanting to believe. So Paul says that he noticed how "religious" they are, but what they took as a compliment Paul meant as a warning because what is necessary is a relationship with the Living God and not mere religious behavior.

But stating he noticed their "religiosity" was a great starting point for keeping them listening. He tells about all the idols he's seen and points out an altar they have with the world, "to an Unknown God" on it. He points out to this group of people (who despised ignorance and prided themselves on wisdom) and goes on to say that he will tell them about the Unknown God. Paul will make the Unknowns KNOWN!

Today many are influenced by an Unknown God: 1. Never heard of Him 2. Never understood anything about Him 3. Never cared to know about Him 4. Never believe in Him

These were the issues Paul was facing - the same issues we face today.

Paul goes on to say that the God who made the world is not a statue and is not confined to a building. He's not served by human hands (like their idols are) and it is God that gives everything life and breath. God, from one man, made all nations, thus showing His concern for all nations and that God has mapped out each nation's appointed time in history. Nothing that happens on earth happens without God's foreknowledge and without His plan coming to fruition.

Paul's life had been transformed when he came to know Christ, and it is Paul's desire that these people experience that same thing.

1. Talks about the natural knowledge of God which all have instinctively - that we innately know there must be a divine being. 2. Talks about the revealed knowledge of God, that He has revealed Himself as Creator of all and loves us and desires we know Him. 3. Tells them that having natural knowledge and revealed knowledge requires a response, that human ignorance is not overlooked by God.

God calls us to repentance, making a U-turn in our lives and having a changed mind and attitude - re-directed lives. If God truly is God — He cannot be manipulated through statues. We are called to yield to Him.

Paul ends with the story of Jesus Deity, Death, resurrection and Return. Without Jesus and a relationship of faith we are lost.

God is God!

Many listening to Paul repented and received relationship with the Living God through Jesus Christ - the Savior or ALL nations.

The fruit of Paul's efforts were many becoming believers and followers of Jesus because Paul had the courage to share Jesus with them and confront them with TRUE Wisdom.

Scripture for the message: Acts 17:16-34

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In today's class we are going to do a little math! Come along with us as we look at the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments.

The word "Holy Spirit" in the: 1. Old Testament - 3 times 2. New Testament - 90 times

The New Testament which is considerably smaller than the Old Testament uses the word "Holy Spirit" 30 times more frequently.

The word "Spirit" + other expressions for Spirit: 1. Old Testament - 74 times 2. New Testament - 268 times

It is clear that the Holy Spirit is being poured out!

We are in the age of the Spirit! And doing the math makes that very clear! God is at work! May we be attentive!

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