Forty-fifth Street Baptist Church Weekly Sermons

Jan 24, 2021

1/17/2021
SERMON SERIES:

“RENEWED”

Speaker: Pastor Sparks

Scripture: Eph. 2:10; Acts 9:1-18

-Are you & The Lord ok?

-Do you know what your purpose is in The Lord, and are you living it?

-So many things in our life require renewal (drivers license, passport, vows, professional licenses, etc), so it only makes sense that we renew relationship—especially ours w/ The Lord

-Your purpose & vocation aren’t typically the same thing; it can be, but it doesn’t have to be

• Don’t confuse level of employment with worth of purpose!

God Made You On Purpose & For a Purpose

1. • Don’t ever think you’re “self-made”; you can’t make yourself because you didn’t make yourself!
   • When we use what God has given us in service to Him, we should be excited & happy when doing it!
   • Finding purpose has no age limit! 
2. You May Be Suffering From a Misplaced Purpose
   • What you’re doing may not be what you need to be doing; that doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but maybe just that you can be much more impactful elsewhere (not job, but purpose)
3. You May Experience a Divine Disruption
   • Sometimes God will allow something to happen that seems—initially—as a negative, but it turns out being exactly what you need to get you where you’re supposed to be!
4. Others May Have to Help Guide You to the Path to Purpose
   • Don’t neglect help from those who can help you get to the next level of your life
   • You aren’t meant to “go it alone”! 
   • Who is the Ananias in your life?
5. Renewed Purpose Will Always Align w/ What God Has Already Stated in the Bible
   • God’s not going to let your “come up” benefit only you; 
   • Renewed purpose for our lives is something we can’t do on our own; God’s not going let your “come up” be something you can do without Him
   • Renewed purpose is confirmed thru obedience; step out on faith and trust Him to get you where you’re supposed to be!

Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

SERMON SERIES:
“RENEWED”
Speaker: Pastor Sparks
Scripture: Luke 19:1-10; Psalm 51:10-12

-Your age has nothing to do w/ how “advanced” you are in your spiritual walk

-If you feel like life has been dumping on you, know that you’re not alone—AND—scripture is filled w/ people who had their fair share of issues!

    A Renewed Spirit is a Clean Spirit (Psalm 51)
        How clean is your spiritual filter? Sometimes, we feel detached & bogged down simply because our “filters” have too much junk in them
        The more we allow “little things” to add up, the more—over time—we get clogged up
    Jesus Initiates Conversation & Conversion (Luke 19)
        In the story of the blind man sitting by the road (Luke 18) & Zacchaeus (Luke 19), what these two men have in common—despite their economic differences—is that religious folks tried to keep them away from Jesus
        After having been looked down on his whole life (bc of his stature & profession), Jesus looked UP at Zacchaeus
        The fact Jesus “came to that spot” (the tree Zacchaeus was in) signifies that Jesus knows—and can meet us—exactly where we are!
        Jesus also honored Zacchaeus by calling his name; the name of a person who was looked down on all his life by others, was called by Jesus
            Be careful trying to witness to folks when you don’t even have a relationship w/ folks; you trying to turn somebody on to Christ could actually have the opposite effect. Be relational, not confrontational
    Sincere Change Requires Repentance
        Zacchaeus was saved the second he dropped down out of the tree! Don’t make it more difficult than it has to be, all you gotta do to get Jesus is accept Jesus, and the second you do...you’re saved!
        Zacchaeus made the personal decision to give away half his possessions bc he knew he’d gotten it by cheating folks! He made the decision to SHOW he was a new person!

        Outward actions show inward change!

Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks