The Well

God prepares the hearts of men and women from every nation to receive the Gospel. God worked through Philip, and an Ethiopian official became a follower of Jesus. In this message from Acts 8, Pastor Lutzer introduces us to Philip, who put God first in his appointments. Even today, God's still sending, guiding, and working through us.

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Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. 

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We’re being challenged to be ready to respond to Gospel assignments. How does one become ready? Great question. We’ll explore it in this study.

Colossians 4:2-6

Here we see the ugliness of sin unveiled, the judgment of God revealed, and his mercy poured out. We see judgment on Sodom and mercy and salvation in the rescue of Lot and his undeserving family. Tragically, salvation from Sodom does not purge sin from the heart, as the sin of Lot’s family so vividly illustrates.

If you were to get lost in a forest, would you rather have a hand-drawn map made by a child or a detailed map of the area with major bodies of water and nearby roads? Clearly, the second option would help you find your way out of danger and back to civilization, while the hand-drawn map would be inaccurate and lead you astray. Well, Pastor Jeff puts it bluntly today, when he reminds you that your heart is an imperfect guide for your life. If you want to navigate the world safely, you need God’s map to be your guide.

Anne shares from Hebrews 11.

Scripture reveals we were not only created on purpose, but for a purpose. And while that purpose may bring opposition, it also brings authority and sends us forward.

Notes:

Luke 4
  
Why do you exist?
Why were you created?
 
The Bible says we were not only created on purpose,
but that we were created for a purpose.
 
Luke 1:3 (NLT)
 
Luke 1:4 (NLT)
 
What is God’s purpose?
 
Luke 4:14–30
 
#1 Purpose Brings Opposition
 
Before you accomplish the purpose of God, you need to have the Spirit of God.
 
Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV)

Luke 4:18–19 (NKJV)
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
 
Jesus doesn’t just bring comfort.
He claims authority.
He is the Messiah.
 
Luke 4:30 (NKJV)
Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
 
Luke 4:30 (MSG)
But He gave them the slip and was on His way.
 
Living for God’s purpose brings opposition.
 
Live for God’s purposes rather than your own.
 
Luke 4:31–37
 
#2 Purpose Carries Authority
 
Opposition is confirmation that we are on the right track.
 
Sometimes opposition is correction.
Sometimes opposition is immaturity.
Sometimes opposition has consequences.
 
"The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him."
—D.L. Moody
 
But Jesus isn’t just authoritative, He’s compassionate.
He’s not just powerful, He’s loving and merciful.
 
Luke 4:38–44
 
#3 Purpose Sends You Forward
 
Jesus had authority in the synagogue,
compassion in the home, and
mercy in the streets.
 
Luke 4:43 (NKJV)
but He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."
 
What is your purpose?
 
—

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In order to follow God completely, you need to recognize that His ways are higher than your own and that His plans supersede yours. There will be times in life where His plans line up with yours, but there will also be times where His answer to you is “no”, and you watch your enemy or rival receive the victory that you had been praying for. Pastor Jeff doesn’t want you to be discouraged when that happens; he wants you to remember that all will be made right at the end of days.