A Public Faith PART III
Dr. Timothy Keller
13 October 2013
Psalm 73:1-3, 12-26
1Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the propensity of the wicked.
12This is what the wicked are like--
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
14All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
15If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
16When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19How suddenly they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered.
22I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25Whom have I in heaven by you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
WHAT IS DOUBT?
--Disorientation that can happen to anyone as it has to this Psalm author.
--Can be away of spiritual progress.
--Doubt led Thomas to greater faith.
--Active, not passive, doubt leads us to question and think about things.
CAUSES OF DOUBT
--Fact--seeing bad behavior pay off.
--Personal experience that feels like every day ends in punishment.
--Doubt and faith is a mixture of thinking and experiences.
WHAT TRANSFORMS DOUBT
--Experience--going to where God feels real--church, community.
--More than just thinking things through--requires actions.
--Thinking through things--heart of all doubt is in faith.
--Even non-believers believe they are right.
Faith on Trial
about Psalm 75
DM Lloyd Jones
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Sickness Unto Death
Public Faith PART II
Dr. Timothy Keller
06 October 2013
Ecclesiastes 2: 9-26
9I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heard not pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
12Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly.
What more can the king's successor do
than what has already been done?
13I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
14The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.
15Then I said to myself,
"The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
What then do I gain by being wise?"
I said to myself,
"This too is meaningless."
16For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;
the days have already come when both have been forgotten.
Like the fool, the wise too must die!
17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
24A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
THE THOUGHT EXPERIMENT WITH A LESSON
--Author is a professor questioning things.
--Looking at "life under the sun" life on earth without regard to eternity or God
--Is life satisfying under these terms?
--Ways to live life seculary:
Sensual Pleasures--chasing after the wind, you can feel it, but can't grab it.
Wisdom--Using human reasoning to find meaning in life without recourse to God.
Work is meaningless because he hated having to leave everything to someone that comes afterwards that might not be as wise--all of your life is anxious and working like crazy.
The same fate overtakes the philosopher and the fool.
REPETITION IN ECCLESIASTES
--Under the sun....
Meaningless is the lesson if life is only these things we can know under the sun.
--Atheists allow people to decide what meaning is--regognizing that life is random.
--Meaningless can be self defined; it must be discovered as something bigger than you--beyond the self.
EXISTENTIALISTS
--If we're here by accident and your destiny is meaningless, then so is your life.
VERSES 24-26
--Looking at life with God in the center
--Suddenly, everything is a gift
--Your identity isn't just obeying God, but pleasing Him.
--Obey God out of adoration.
ROMANS 8
--Gift of futility
--Meaningless world grounded in hope.
--On the cross, Jesus was inserting himself in our life--that's true love.
Dr. Timothy Keller
06 October 2013
Ecclesiastes 2: 9-26
9I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heard not pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
12Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly.
What more can the king's successor do
than what has already been done?
13I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
14The wise have eyes in their heads,
while the fool walks in darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.
15Then I said to myself,
"The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
What then do I gain by being wise?"
I said to myself,
"This too is meaningless."
16For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;
the days have already come when both have been forgotten.
Like the fool, the wise too must die!
17So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
24A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
THE THOUGHT EXPERIMENT WITH A LESSON
--Author is a professor questioning things.
--Looking at "life under the sun" life on earth without regard to eternity or God
--Is life satisfying under these terms?
--Ways to live life seculary:
Sensual Pleasures--chasing after the wind, you can feel it, but can't grab it.
Wisdom--Using human reasoning to find meaning in life without recourse to God.
Work is meaningless because he hated having to leave everything to someone that comes afterwards that might not be as wise--all of your life is anxious and working like crazy.
The same fate overtakes the philosopher and the fool.
REPETITION IN ECCLESIASTES
--Under the sun....
Meaningless is the lesson if life is only these things we can know under the sun.
--Atheists allow people to decide what meaning is--regognizing that life is random.
--Meaningless can be self defined; it must be discovered as something bigger than you--beyond the self.
EXISTENTIALISTS
--If we're here by accident and your destiny is meaningless, then so is your life.
VERSES 24-26
--Looking at life with God in the center
--Suddenly, everything is a gift
--Your identity isn't just obeying God, but pleasing Him.
--Obey God out of adoration.
ROMANS 8
--Gift of futility
--Meaningless world grounded in hope.
--On the cross, Jesus was inserting himself in our life--that's true love.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Why a Public Faith?
A Public Faith: PART I
Rev. Leo Schuster
29 Septermber 2013
John 4:27-42
27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.
42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
SPRING OF PUBLIC FAITH
--Spring of Living Water becomes a public declaration for her.
--She posed a question, but didn't get in their faces.
--Discovering the wellspring should lead to natural sharing.
FOOD OF A PUBLIC FAITH
--God's food should guide your life, not cultural "food".
--Why don't we share?
--Pride--church as an exclusive club, but it's really a motley group.
--Fear of how we look or that we're offending.
SURPRISE OF A PUBLIC FAITH
--Levels our pride because we're all in a desert.
--Cast out our fear and enslavement by what others think of us.
Let love squeeze out fear--If God went public, why wouldn't we?
Rev. Leo Schuster
29 Septermber 2013
John 4:27-42
27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.
39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.
42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
SPRING OF PUBLIC FAITH
--Spring of Living Water becomes a public declaration for her.
--She posed a question, but didn't get in their faces.
--Discovering the wellspring should lead to natural sharing.
FOOD OF A PUBLIC FAITH
--God's food should guide your life, not cultural "food".
--Why don't we share?
--Pride--church as an exclusive club, but it's really a motley group.
--Fear of how we look or that we're offending.
SURPRISE OF A PUBLIC FAITH
--Levels our pride because we're all in a desert.
--Cast out our fear and enslavement by what others think of us.
Let love squeeze out fear--If God went public, why wouldn't we?
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Finishing Well
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXX
Dr. Timothy Keller
30 June 2013Acts 28: 30-31
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ--with all boldness and without hindrance.
2 Timothy 4:6-22
6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering and the time for my departure is near. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
9Do your best to come to me quickly, 10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescnes has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.
14Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
16At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held agaist them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory fo ever and ever. Amen.
19Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletys. 21Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters. 22The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
What does it take to finish well?
LIFE IS A STRUGGLE
--2Timothy 4:6-8
--Life is training and self-control.
--Life is a struggle against the natural sins of the ego and self centeredness.
--I'm here for you
--Only through love and service do you escape the ego.
DEATH IS AN ADVENTURE
--1 Thessalonia 4:13
--Don't grieve without hope.
--God didn't invent the world with suffering and death--came from the Fall.
--We should be angry and grieve over death.
HISTORY IS A MASTERPIECE
--Sometimes God rescues you from suffering and sometimes through suffering.
--Romans 8:28
--Book of Job
--All things work together through God.
GOSPEL CAN'T BE STOPPED
--Acts ends abrubtly because it's not the story of Paul---but of the Gospel.
--Gospel is alive--breaks free and finds a way.
STRENGTH OF GOD'S PRESENCE
--v.16-17-- Friendship and presence of God required to finish well.
--Jesus becomes vulnerable for us; we weren't abandoned.
--v.21 - Come before winter--Don't put things off.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
The Lord in the Storm
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXVIX
Dr. Timothy Keller
23 June 2013
Acts 27:13-34
13When a gentle sound wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrthis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.
27On the fourtheenth night we were still being driven acorss the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31Then Paul said to the centurion and soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he asid, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food--you haven't eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head."
PARADOX OF THE STORMS
--God is 100% in charge yet we are still 100% responsbible for what we do.
--God orders what comes to pass through our free choices.
--What I do matters and has consequences.
--Paul isn't passive--He's calm, not panicked.
PURPOSE OF THE STORMS
--Better off surviving the storms.
--Good news of suffering; Bad things that happened to Joseph laed to great things.
--Genesis 50:20 - Evil that God allows was meant for good.
--Horrible things that was done to Jesus accomplished salvation for the world.
--Romans 8:28
--Unless you suffer, you really don't posses your soul.
PRESENCE OF THE STORMS
--Same experience that makes someone can break others.
--Presence of God allows us to survive
--Because we walk with God
--The God to whom I belong.
--Jesus was consumed by the ultimate storm so that we can be saved.
Dr. Timothy Keller
23 June 2013
Acts 27:13-34
13When a gentle sound wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrthis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.
27On the fourtheenth night we were still being driven acorss the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31Then Paul said to the centurion and soldiers, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. "For the last fourteen days," he asid, "you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food--you haven't eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head."
PARADOX OF THE STORMS
--God is 100% in charge yet we are still 100% responsbible for what we do.
--God orders what comes to pass through our free choices.
--What I do matters and has consequences.
--Paul isn't passive--He's calm, not panicked.
PURPOSE OF THE STORMS
--Better off surviving the storms.
--Good news of suffering; Bad things that happened to Joseph laed to great things.
--Genesis 50:20 - Evil that God allows was meant for good.
--Horrible things that was done to Jesus accomplished salvation for the world.
--Romans 8:28
--Unless you suffer, you really don't posses your soul.
PRESENCE OF THE STORMS
--Same experience that makes someone can break others.
--Presence of God allows us to survive
--Because we walk with God
--The God to whom I belong.
--Jesus was consumed by the ultimate storm so that we can be saved.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Persuading the King
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXVIII
Rev. Leo Schuster
16 June 2013
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you Lord?'
"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may recieve forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentence by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God as helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
29Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment."
32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE (v.25-26)
--Miracles authenticate Jesus's teachings
--Happened in plain sight--"not done in a corner"
--Jesus's claims were over the top by claiming to be the way to God.
BIBLICAL EVIDENCE (v.27)
--Paul didn't invent anything new; he was unpacking the Old Testament.
--Understanding the Bible is understanding yourself.
--v.29 Belief can be a short or long process.
EXPERIENTIAL AND EMOTIONAL SENSE (v.29)
--New Person - truth of Jesus reinvents us.
--New Perspective - to live as Christ did.
--Freedom to fearless and courageous.
--When living through Jesus, life doesn't control us because of our position in Christ.
--New Power - through the sacrifice on the cross.
Rev. Leo Schuster
16 June 2013
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you Lord?'
"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may recieve forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentence by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God as helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane."
25"I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
29Paul replied, "Short time or long--I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment."
32Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE (v.25-26)
--Miracles authenticate Jesus's teachings
--Happened in plain sight--"not done in a corner"
--Jesus's claims were over the top by claiming to be the way to God.
BIBLICAL EVIDENCE (v.27)
--Paul didn't invent anything new; he was unpacking the Old Testament.
--Understanding the Bible is understanding yourself.
--v.29 Belief can be a short or long process.
EXPERIENTIAL AND EMOTIONAL SENSE (v.29)
--New Person - truth of Jesus reinvents us.
--New Perspective - to live as Christ did.
--Freedom to fearless and courageous.
--When living through Jesus, life doesn't control us because of our position in Christ.
--New Power - through the sacrifice on the cross.
The Conversion of Paul
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXVII
Rev. Leo Schuster
09 June 2013
Acts 26: 2-23
2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4"The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you Lord?'
"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may recieve forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentence by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God as helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
PAUL WAS LOST IN LIFE
--Good credentials and a strict Pharisee (Jew).
--Convinced that he was right and obsessed with making others see it (v.9 and v.11)
--Sincere, but sincerely lost.
--Thought being saved came from actions in life.
--2Corintians 5:17 - Being a Christian is not being a better person, but a new one.
--Comes from the outside and moves in.
MET THE LORD OF LIGHT
--Sudden force eruption of light when Jesus met him.
--Jesus found Paul - not vice versa.
--Change is on God's terms not our own.
--v.14 Kicking against God's direction and plans for us.
--How are we resisting Jesus's reign.
LIGHT OF LIFE
--Appeared in the midst of Paul's darkness.
--Jesus identifies with us individually.
--Gave Paul a new purpose in life to lead others to him.
--2Corinthians 4:6
--Light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ.
Rev. Leo Schuster
09 June 2013
Acts 26: 2-23
2"King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4"The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9"I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you Lord?'
"'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may recieve forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19"So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentence by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God as helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
PAUL WAS LOST IN LIFE
--Good credentials and a strict Pharisee (Jew).
--Convinced that he was right and obsessed with making others see it (v.9 and v.11)
--Sincere, but sincerely lost.
--Thought being saved came from actions in life.
--2Corintians 5:17 - Being a Christian is not being a better person, but a new one.
--Comes from the outside and moves in.
MET THE LORD OF LIGHT
--Sudden force eruption of light when Jesus met him.
--Jesus found Paul - not vice versa.
--Change is on God's terms not our own.
--v.14 Kicking against God's direction and plans for us.
--How are we resisting Jesus's reign.
LIGHT OF LIFE
--Appeared in the midst of Paul's darkness.
--Jesus identifies with us individually.
--Gave Paul a new purpose in life to lead others to him.
--2Corinthians 4:6
--Light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ.
Monday, June 10, 2013
The Trials of Paul
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXVI
Rev. Leo Schuster
02 June 2013
Acts 23:11
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
Acts 24:10-26
10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up the crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything in accordance with the Law that is written in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
17"After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 18I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. 19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. 20Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin--21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: 'It is concering the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'"
22Then Felix who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." 23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
24Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." 26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
How Paul dealt with his trials and how we can as well.
HAND OF GOD
--Always at work.
--Paul is told by God that he has to go to Rome.
--Paul escapes death often.
--Trials weren't abandonment by God, but Him at work.
--God's plan unfolds.
--Ephesisans 1:11 (written by Paul)
--God is at work in the details of our lives.
--Romans 8 - Working for those who love him; Fix our eyes on the unseen.
HELP OF GOSPEL
--"I am the Way".
--All prophets spoke about the Way being an embodiment of Jesus.
--Paul interprets his trials through the lens of Jesus.
--Gospel encourages us to be humble servants of society.
--Jesus so loved the world that he gave himself to the world.
--Personal trials--Life isn't always about finding comfort--its often about enduring.
--Jesus is the way to endure--not other distractions.
--Believing in Jesus means having nothing yet possessing everything.
HOPE OF GLORY
--Suffering
--Perserverance
--Character
--Hope
Rev. Leo Schuster
02 June 2013
Acts 23:11
11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
Acts 24:10-26
10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up the crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything in accordance with the Law that is written in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
17"After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 18I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. 19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. 20Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin--21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: 'It is concering the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'"
22Then Felix who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. "When Lysias the commander comes," he said, "I will decide your case." 23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs.
24Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." 26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.
How Paul dealt with his trials and how we can as well.
HAND OF GOD
--Always at work.
--Paul is told by God that he has to go to Rome.
--Paul escapes death often.
--Trials weren't abandonment by God, but Him at work.
--God's plan unfolds.
--Ephesisans 1:11 (written by Paul)
--God is at work in the details of our lives.
--Romans 8 - Working for those who love him; Fix our eyes on the unseen.
HELP OF GOSPEL
--"I am the Way".
--All prophets spoke about the Way being an embodiment of Jesus.
--Paul interprets his trials through the lens of Jesus.
--Gospel encourages us to be humble servants of society.
--Jesus so loved the world that he gave himself to the world.
--Personal trials--Life isn't always about finding comfort--its often about enduring.
--Jesus is the way to endure--not other distractions.
--Believing in Jesus means having nothing yet possessing everything.
HOPE OF GLORY
--Suffering
--Perserverance
--Character
--Hope
The Gospel and Courage
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXV
Dr. Timothy Keller
26 May 2013
Acts 22:1-22
1"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
8"'Who are you, Lord?' I asked.
"'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10"'What shall I do, Lord? I asked.
"'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.' 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, becuase the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12"A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14"Then he said: 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
17When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. 'Quick!' he said. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.'
19"'Lord, I replied, 'these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
21"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised ther voices and shouted, "Rid the Earth! He's not fit to live!"
SET-UP
--Paul speaks to the Roman commander in formal Greek which shows his status.
--Speaking in Aramaic means he's a Jew and it was the language most people would understand.
--Aramaic was also not their native language, so it required some attention.
SOURCES OF COURAGE--HUMILITY
--Look away from yourself is a form of humility.
--V.3 shows his Jewish background
--V.16 shows how all, even the most devout Jews, are lost.
--A joyful humility.
--Real courage is doing the right thing even when you are afraid.
SOURCES OF COURAGE--HOPE
--Courage is looking to hope in Jesus Christ.
--Real courage isn't the absence of fear, but the presence of hope.
--Be careful not to deaden your heart to love--lowering expectations.
--Should be a feeling that nothing can hurt me because of infallible hope.
--Death is just the gardener that will lead to a better end.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Dr. Timothy Keller
26 May 2013
Acts 22:1-22
1"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." 2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
8"'Who are you, Lord?' I asked.
"'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10"'What shall I do, Lord? I asked.
"'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.' 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, becuase the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12"A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14"Then he said: 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
17When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking to me. 'Quick!' he said. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.'
19"'Lord, I replied, 'these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
21"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised ther voices and shouted, "Rid the Earth! He's not fit to live!"
SET-UP
--Paul speaks to the Roman commander in formal Greek which shows his status.
--Speaking in Aramaic means he's a Jew and it was the language most people would understand.
--Aramaic was also not their native language, so it required some attention.
SOURCES OF COURAGE--HUMILITY
--Look away from yourself is a form of humility.
--V.3 shows his Jewish background
--V.16 shows how all, even the most devout Jews, are lost.
--A joyful humility.
--Real courage is doing the right thing even when you are afraid.
SOURCES OF COURAGE--HOPE
--Courage is looking to hope in Jesus Christ.
--Real courage isn't the absence of fear, but the presence of hope.
--Be careful not to deaden your heart to love--lowering expectations.
--Should be a feeling that nothing can hurt me because of infallible hope.
--Death is just the gardener that will lead to a better end.
Hebrews 12:1-3
The Gospel Ministry
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXIV
Dr. Timothy Keller
19 May 2013
Acts 20:17-37
17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When the arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greek that they must turn to God in repentence and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
25"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with how own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
What should a Gospel Church look like?
TRUTH (v.20-21)
--To know God, you can't just believe what you want to.
--Bible's account of God is true.
--If the Word comes from God, it makes sense that parts of it would offend some cultures; otherwise, it would have been designed to make everyone happy.
--Helpful truth (v.32--which can build you up)
--Disease of the soul means the Word isn't dwelling richly in you.
--Worrying is a sign that we think we are smarter than God.
--Deuteronomy 29:29
--Truth is preached publicly (sermons) and house to house (small groups).
--Recognize authority of leaders but they are tender and joy can be shared.
--Hebrews 13:17
TEARS
--To be "with" people means to be exposed.
--We often seek to achieve salvation by our actions.
--In doing so, we can never be honest with others and self as we are always saving face.
--Either be stuck on ego inflation or self loathing.
--Having God in our lives removes the need for performance based approval.
--Allows you to be weak and honest as we rememberd Jesus humbled on the cross.
--Tears allow humility in our Truth so as not to become oppressive and judgemental.
TIES
--Friendships aren't as self absorbed as romantic love.
--Same things amaze, motivates, and awes them.
--Possibility of being friends with someone where all you have in common is Christ.
BIG PICTURE
--Paul is walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
--Christ faced horrible suffering at the end of life.
--In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, as weak human, asked his friends to pray with him.
--Jeusus experienced ultimate loneliness so that we could be together.
Dr. Timothy Keller
19 May 2013
Acts 20:17-37
17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When the arrived, he said to them: "You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greek that they must turn to God in repentence and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
25"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with how own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
36When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.
What should a Gospel Church look like?
TRUTH (v.20-21)
--To know God, you can't just believe what you want to.
--Bible's account of God is true.
--If the Word comes from God, it makes sense that parts of it would offend some cultures; otherwise, it would have been designed to make everyone happy.
--Helpful truth (v.32--which can build you up)
--Disease of the soul means the Word isn't dwelling richly in you.
--Worrying is a sign that we think we are smarter than God.
--Deuteronomy 29:29
--Truth is preached publicly (sermons) and house to house (small groups).
--Recognize authority of leaders but they are tender and joy can be shared.
--Hebrews 13:17
TEARS
--To be "with" people means to be exposed.
--We often seek to achieve salvation by our actions.
--In doing so, we can never be honest with others and self as we are always saving face.
--Either be stuck on ego inflation or self loathing.
--Having God in our lives removes the need for performance based approval.
--Allows you to be weak and honest as we rememberd Jesus humbled on the cross.
--Tears allow humility in our Truth so as not to become oppressive and judgemental.
TIES
--Friendships aren't as self absorbed as romantic love.
--Same things amaze, motivates, and awes them.
--Possibility of being friends with someone where all you have in common is Christ.
BIG PICTURE
--Paul is walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
--Christ faced horrible suffering at the end of life.
--In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, as weak human, asked his friends to pray with him.
--Jeusus experienced ultimate loneliness so that we could be together.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The Gospel and Idols
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXIII
Dr. Timothy Keller
12 May 2013
Acts 19:23-41
23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: "You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."
28When they heard this, they wer furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's travelling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
32The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34But when they realized he was a Jew, the all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
35The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Fellow Ephesians, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
PERVASIVENESS OF IDOLS
--Gospels are opposed to idolatry.
--Demetrius' summary if idolatry - gods made by human hands.
--Acts 17:29
--Expressive Individualism - American attitude of defining God as we want to.
--Idolatry-What makes me happy--What are we looking at instead of God to face life.
--Idolatry is the good things we turn into ultimate things--family, carreer, and looks.
--Something we make as our hope and meaning.
WEAKNESS AND POWER
--Idols control people
--City clerk speech--people, not God, are disrupting the social order because of the violence surrounding the idolatry.
--Can you value what you do without your work?
--We're all trying to be justified be something we're doing.
--When we depend on others, we'll kill them with our expectations and be disappointed by their imperfections.
--Idols are like gods that make convenants with you--if you fail it, it will punish you.
COST OF SMASHING IDOLS
--Jesus paid the cost for our adultery.
--Idolatry is spiritual adultery.
--Don't need to love things less, but need to love God more.
Dr. Timothy Keller
12 May 2013
Acts 19:23-41
23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: "You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty."
28When they heard this, they wer furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's travelling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.
32The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34But when they realized he was a Jew, the all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
35The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Fellow Ephesians, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
PERVASIVENESS OF IDOLS
--Gospels are opposed to idolatry.
--Demetrius' summary if idolatry - gods made by human hands.
--Acts 17:29
--Expressive Individualism - American attitude of defining God as we want to.
--Idolatry-What makes me happy--What are we looking at instead of God to face life.
--Idolatry is the good things we turn into ultimate things--family, carreer, and looks.
--Something we make as our hope and meaning.
WEAKNESS AND POWER
--Idols control people
--City clerk speech--people, not God, are disrupting the social order because of the violence surrounding the idolatry.
--Can you value what you do without your work?
--We're all trying to be justified be something we're doing.
--When we depend on others, we'll kill them with our expectations and be disappointed by their imperfections.
--Idols are like gods that make convenants with you--if you fail it, it will punish you.
COST OF SMASHING IDOLS
--Jesus paid the cost for our adultery.
--Idolatry is spiritual adultery.
--Don't need to love things less, but need to love God more.
Monday, June 3, 2013
The Gospel to the Philosophers
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XXII
Rev. Leo Schuster
5 May 2013
Acts 17:16-34
16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see the city that was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God--fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to and unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship--and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by human design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."
32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33At that, Paul left the Council. 34Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areaopagus, also a woman namaded Damaris, and a number of others.
WHAT PAUL SAW
--A city full of idols.
--Paul was distressed and overwhelmed just as the city was overwhelmed by idols.
--What do we see in our city? Money--a heart full of idolotry.
--We need to reorder our love and our priorities.
WHAT PAUL DID
--He engaged and reasoned with people--didn't declare--didn't proclaim.
--Looked for a bridge to overlap with people - v.23
--Unknown god from v.23 suggests something is missing.
--Speaking winsomely--cheerfully, light hearted charm.
WHAT DID PAUL SAY
--v24-28: God needs to be at the center of our hearts.
--God can't be contained by ideology or temples.
--We can't reenvision God for our own needs.
--We can't domesticate God.
--God us near and will judge.
--What makes us feel like a loser or what makes us happy--these are our idols.
--Repentence gives God access to us.
RESULTS
--some sneered, but some followed.
--Let's keep talking.
Rev. Leo Schuster
5 May 2013
Acts 17:16-34
16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see the city that was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God--fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to and unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship--and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by human design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."
32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33At that, Paul left the Council. 34Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areaopagus, also a woman namaded Damaris, and a number of others.
WHAT PAUL SAW
--A city full of idols.
--Paul was distressed and overwhelmed just as the city was overwhelmed by idols.
--What do we see in our city? Money--a heart full of idolotry.
--We need to reorder our love and our priorities.
WHAT PAUL DID
--He engaged and reasoned with people--didn't declare--didn't proclaim.
--Looked for a bridge to overlap with people - v.23
--Unknown god from v.23 suggests something is missing.
--Speaking winsomely--cheerfully, light hearted charm.
WHAT DID PAUL SAY
--v24-28: God needs to be at the center of our hearts.
--God can't be contained by ideology or temples.
--We can't reenvision God for our own needs.
--We can't domesticate God.
--God us near and will judge.
--What makes us feel like a loser or what makes us happy--these are our idols.
--Repentence gives God access to us.
RESULTS
--some sneered, but some followed.
--Let's keep talking.
How the Gospel Changs Lives 2
Acts-The Gospel in the City: PART XXI
28 April 2013
Dr. Timothy Keller
Acts 16: 20-40
20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
22The crowd joined in the attactk against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he recieved these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisorners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole household.
35When it was daylight, the magisrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." 36The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered taht you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."
37But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trail, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themsleves and escort us out."
38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease tham and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and ecnouraged them. Then they left.
JAILER
--Tortured Paul and Silas by locking them in stocks.
--v.25 Saw Peace and Joy in the face of suffering (singing and praising)
--v.27 Saw Kindness and Forgiveness in the face of cruelty.
--Instead of fleeing when the prison broke open, Paul stayed in jail and made everyone else stay too
--Jailer was about to kill himself because he thought he had let them escape.
--By staying, they essentially forgave the jailer for his brutality.
FORGIVENESS
--Evil was repaid with good.
--Forgiveness is a self renunciation of your right to deserve pay back, revenge.
--Their ability to forgive showed the jailer that they had something he didn't.
--v.29; jailer's response, as a man of action, was what must I do?
--The answer isn't a list of things to do, but to believe in what Jesus has done for you.
--Just look to Jesus.
THREE MARKS OF GOSPEL FAITH
--Makes you compassionate
--Makes you committed to ministry and community--baptism is public acknowledgement.
--Joy
ACTS 16 IN SUMMATION
Lives changed by the gospels:
1)Lydia--Affluent, Asian, Upper Class, Spirtually open, Rational, Gentle.
2)Slave Girl--Deranged, Greek, Lower Class, Demonically hostile, Intuitive, Mental.
3)Jailer--Blue collar, Roman, Middle Class, Indifferent, Concrete Relational, Brutal
--Gospels are for everyone as illustrated by the differences between Lydia, slave girl, and jailer.
--There's not just the type of people that need Christianity.
--Unifying power on the face of the Earth.
--Church developed through women, slaves, and Gentiles as evidenced by Lydia, slave girl, and jailer.
--True Freedom--if your greatest hope in life is God's love, then no suffering can hurt you
--By being in chains, Paul showed what true freedom is.
--He also walked in the footsteps of Jesus
28 April 2013
Dr. Timothy Keller
Acts 16: 20-40
20They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
22The crowd joined in the attactk against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he recieved these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisorners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole household.
35When it was daylight, the magisrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." 36The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered taht you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."
37But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trail, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themsleves and escort us out."
38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease tham and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and ecnouraged them. Then they left.
JAILER
--Tortured Paul and Silas by locking them in stocks.
--v.25 Saw Peace and Joy in the face of suffering (singing and praising)
--v.27 Saw Kindness and Forgiveness in the face of cruelty.
--Instead of fleeing when the prison broke open, Paul stayed in jail and made everyone else stay too
--Jailer was about to kill himself because he thought he had let them escape.
--By staying, they essentially forgave the jailer for his brutality.
FORGIVENESS
--Evil was repaid with good.
--Forgiveness is a self renunciation of your right to deserve pay back, revenge.
--Their ability to forgive showed the jailer that they had something he didn't.
--v.29; jailer's response, as a man of action, was what must I do?
--The answer isn't a list of things to do, but to believe in what Jesus has done for you.
--Just look to Jesus.
THREE MARKS OF GOSPEL FAITH
--Makes you compassionate
--Makes you committed to ministry and community--baptism is public acknowledgement.
--Joy
ACTS 16 IN SUMMATION
Lives changed by the gospels:
1)Lydia--Affluent, Asian, Upper Class, Spirtually open, Rational, Gentle.
2)Slave Girl--Deranged, Greek, Lower Class, Demonically hostile, Intuitive, Mental.
3)Jailer--Blue collar, Roman, Middle Class, Indifferent, Concrete Relational, Brutal
--Gospels are for everyone as illustrated by the differences between Lydia, slave girl, and jailer.
--There's not just the type of people that need Christianity.
--Unifying power on the face of the Earth.
--Church developed through women, slaves, and Gentiles as evidenced by Lydia, slave girl, and jailer.
--True Freedom--if your greatest hope in life is God's love, then no suffering can hurt you
--By being in chains, Paul showed what true freedom is.
--He also walked in the footsteps of Jesus
How the Gospel Changes Lives: 1
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XX
Dr. Timothy Keller
21 April 2013
Acts 16:1-19
1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumsized him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and gerw daily in numbers.
6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the woman who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her house. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
19When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.
First verses talk about the Cultural Flexibility of the church and its urban qualities.
People changed by the gospel
LYDIA
--wealthy businsess owner; purple cloth
--Cosmopolitan
--worshipper of God
--v.14 Lord opened her heart to being attracted to God's message.
FEMALE SLAVE
--Both a longing and repulsion towards God.
--Anything that you love more than God controls you.
--Paul, out of annoyance, banished the demon.
IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH
--Lydia was a pillar of the first church--met in her home.
--Willingness to open their homes for Christian meetings.
We are incapable of believing the gospel without God's help.
If I loved thee, thou must have loved me first
God found us, not the other way around.
Gospel is so true that it is infinitely flexible.
Jesus was infinitely beautiful and powerful, but gave that up.
Dr. Timothy Keller
21 April 2013
Acts 16:1-19
1Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumsized him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and gerw daily in numbers.
6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the woman who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her house. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
19When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.
First verses talk about the Cultural Flexibility of the church and its urban qualities.
People changed by the gospel
LYDIA
--wealthy businsess owner; purple cloth
--Cosmopolitan
--worshipper of God
--v.14 Lord opened her heart to being attracted to God's message.
FEMALE SLAVE
--Both a longing and repulsion towards God.
--Anything that you love more than God controls you.
--Paul, out of annoyance, banished the demon.
IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH
--Lydia was a pillar of the first church--met in her home.
--Willingness to open their homes for Christian meetings.
We are incapable of believing the gospel without God's help.
If I loved thee, thou must have loved me first
God found us, not the other way around.
Gospel is so true that it is infinitely flexible.
Jesus was infinitely beautiful and powerful, but gave that up.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Clarifying the Gospels
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XIX
Rev. Leo Schuster
14 April 2013
Acts 15:1-11, 22-29
1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the customs taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they travelled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believer. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders amont the believers. 23With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with out dear friends Barnabas and Paul--26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
GRACE THAT FREES
--Controversy over circumcision.
--Paul is sent to deal with it.
--Grace is good news in light of bad news.
--Grace is getting what we don't deseve.
--Rule of law becomes a burden and a yoke because we fail.
--Matthew 23:4
--Our identity is grounded in what God thinks of us.
FREEDOM THAT LOVES
--Be sensitive.
--Higher goal is love and respect.
--Don't be dismissive.
--Obey God even when it's hard.
--Don't allow the dilution of the gospel by worldly things.
LOVE THAT PURIFIES
--Love of Jesus purifies us.
--Friends in which we can be completely honest and transparent.
Rev. Leo Schuster
14 April 2013
Acts 15:1-11, 22-29
1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the customs taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they travelled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believer. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders amont the believers. 23With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with out dear friends Barnabas and Paul--26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
GRACE THAT FREES
--Controversy over circumcision.
--Paul is sent to deal with it.
--Grace is good news in light of bad news.
--Grace is getting what we don't deseve.
--Rule of law becomes a burden and a yoke because we fail.
--Matthew 23:4
--Our identity is grounded in what God thinks of us.
FREEDOM THAT LOVES
--Be sensitive.
--Higher goal is love and respect.
--Don't be dismissive.
--Obey God even when it's hard.
--Don't allow the dilution of the gospel by worldly things.
LOVE THAT PURIFIES
--Love of Jesus purifies us.
--Friends in which we can be completely honest and transparent.
The Gospel for the Pagan
Acts-The Gospel in the City PART XVII
Dr. Timothy Keller
07 April 2013
Acts 14:8-23
8In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15"Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from those worhtless things to the living God, who made heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crownd from sacrificing to them.
19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
21They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
Ministering to the polytheistic
LOVE THE NEEDY
--Paul preaches and heals--ministry through words and deeds.
--Pour yourself out to the needs of our neighbors.
--Give money and time away.
IDENTIFY IDOLS
--v.15 Turn from worthles things--they promise fulfillment but leaves us empty.
--Everyone lives for something and its mastering you--makes you angry, etc.
--God will satisfy you and if you fail, he will forgive.
ENDURE HARDSHIPS
--If life is about finding happiness, then suffering disrupts that.
--Suffering is part of Christ.
--When you suffer, you become like him.
Our longings are fulfilled through Jesus.
Dr. Timothy Keller
07 April 2013
Acts 14:8-23
8In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15"Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from those worhtless things to the living God, who made heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crownd from sacrificing to them.
19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
21They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
Ministering to the polytheistic
LOVE THE NEEDY
--Paul preaches and heals--ministry through words and deeds.
--Pour yourself out to the needs of our neighbors.
--Give money and time away.
IDENTIFY IDOLS
--v.15 Turn from worthles things--they promise fulfillment but leaves us empty.
--Everyone lives for something and its mastering you--makes you angry, etc.
--God will satisfy you and if you fail, he will forgive.
ENDURE HARDSHIPS
--If life is about finding happiness, then suffering disrupts that.
--Suffering is part of Christ.
--When you suffer, you become like him.
Our longings are fulfilled through Jesus.
But God Raised Him (Easter Sunday)
Acts-The Gospel in the City PART XVII
Dr. Timothy Keller
31 March 2013
Acts 13:26-31
26Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are ready every Sabbath. 28Though they found no proper grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people
Acts 13:38-39
38Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain inder the law of Moses.
RESURRECTION
--Was preached as a fact and a fulfillment.
--How much evidence do I need for the truth of the resurrection?
--Doctrine fulfilled our deepest longings.
--It speaks of a future.
FUTURE
--That is certain.
--That is personal.
--That is unimaginably wonderful.
Resurrection proves that the Cross paid for our sins and provides the body and life you never had.
Dr. Timothy Keller
31 March 2013
Acts 13:26-31
26Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are ready every Sabbath. 28Though they found no proper grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people
Acts 13:38-39
38Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain inder the law of Moses.
RESURRECTION
--Was preached as a fact and a fulfillment.
--How much evidence do I need for the truth of the resurrection?
--Doctrine fulfilled our deepest longings.
--It speaks of a future.
FUTURE
--That is certain.
--That is personal.
--That is unimaginably wonderful.
Resurrection proves that the Cross paid for our sins and provides the body and life you never had.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
The Gospel Church
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XVI
Dr. Timothy Keller
24 March 2013
Acts 11: 19-27
19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21Then Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22News of this reached the church in Jersusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
27During this time some prophets came down from Jersusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood ip and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gifts to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 13:1-3
13Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Ministry of Barnabas
WHAT IT IS
--v.23: Sympathetic, loving, and insistence on the Truth.
IMPORTANCE
--Intense, personal ministry to people.
--Be surrounded by people who are characterized by Truth and Love.
--Insecurity: we're always self-justifying.
--Your sin is usually the one you see the least.
--We need help from other people.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
--Encouragement
--Transparent enough about your own struggles so that people open up.
--But not so transparent where it's only about me.
HOW DOES JESUS FILL PEOPLE WITH COURAGE TO DO THIS
--First Advocate is Jesus Christ: speaks FOR you TO God
--God sees us as beautiful through Jesus
--Second Advocate is the Holy Spirtit: speaks TO you FOR you.
--Talks to you about Jesus.
--Look at what Jesus has done for you.
--Why are you so upset or worried?
--GROUND YOUR IDENITY IN JESUS CHRIST TO FACE ANYTHING.
Dr. Timothy Keller
24 March 2013
Acts 11: 19-27
19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21Then Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22News of this reached the church in Jersusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
27During this time some prophets came down from Jersusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood ip and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gifts to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 13:1-3
13Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said." 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Ministry of Barnabas
WHAT IT IS
--v.23: Sympathetic, loving, and insistence on the Truth.
IMPORTANCE
--Intense, personal ministry to people.
--Be surrounded by people who are characterized by Truth and Love.
--Insecurity: we're always self-justifying.
--Your sin is usually the one you see the least.
--We need help from other people.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
--Encouragement
--Transparent enough about your own struggles so that people open up.
--But not so transparent where it's only about me.
HOW DOES JESUS FILL PEOPLE WITH COURAGE TO DO THIS
--First Advocate is Jesus Christ: speaks FOR you TO God
--God sees us as beautiful through Jesus
--Second Advocate is the Holy Spirtit: speaks TO you FOR you.
--Talks to you about Jesus.
--Look at what Jesus has done for you.
--Why are you so upset or worried?
--GROUND YOUR IDENITY IN JESUS CHRIST TO FACE ANYTHING.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
The Gospel to the Roman
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XV
Rev Leo Schuster
17 March 2013
Acts 10:25-44
25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."
27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
30Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remmebered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John had preached---38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39"We are all witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him received forgiveness of sins through his name.
44While Peter was still speaking thse words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS
--Successful and well respected person.
--Still must have been incomplete and made new.
RECONVERSION OF PETER
--Always failing and sinning.
--Just as there are many layers and skins to us.
WHAT'S NEEDED
--v.36, The Lord of All
--v.39 Puts everything back together...
--As he will put us back together.
Rev Leo Schuster
17 March 2013
Acts 10:25-44
25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."
27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
30Cornelius answered: "Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remmebered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John had preached---38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39"We are all witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him received forgiveness of sins through his name.
44While Peter was still speaking thse words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS
--Successful and well respected person.
--Still must have been incomplete and made new.
RECONVERSION OF PETER
--Always failing and sinning.
--Just as there are many layers and skins to us.
WHAT'S NEEDED
--v.36, The Lord of All
--v.39 Puts everything back together...
--As he will put us back together.
The Gospel to the Pharisee
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XIV
Dr. Timothy Keller
10 March 2013
Acts 9:1-11, 17-18
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on hi s journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord callled to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarus named Saul, for he is praying.
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. he got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
Elements of Conversion
COLLISION (v.1-5)
--We need a God that is not a product of our needs.
--Saul had a collision with the true God--not with the God he constructred.
--God finds you.
--John 3:20-21
DARKNESS (v.6-9)
--Saul was blinded so he could think about things.
--Rethinking of his life and what he thinks of God.
--Conviction of sin and recognition that life falls apart.
EMBRACE (v.17-19)
--Ananias accepts Saul in the Lord's name.
--Lay down the burden of life at the feet of Jesus.
--Results of conversion.
1) Intimacy with God--prayer to a real person.
2) Sacrificial - Put God and others before me.
3) Community.
Dr. Timothy Keller
10 March 2013
Acts 9:1-11, 17-18
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on hi s journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord callled to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.
11The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarus named Saul, for he is praying.
17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. he got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
Elements of Conversion
COLLISION (v.1-5)
--We need a God that is not a product of our needs.
--Saul had a collision with the true God--not with the God he constructred.
--God finds you.
--John 3:20-21
DARKNESS (v.6-9)
--Saul was blinded so he could think about things.
--Rethinking of his life and what he thinks of God.
--Conviction of sin and recognition that life falls apart.
EMBRACE (v.17-19)
--Ananias accepts Saul in the Lord's name.
--Lay down the burden of life at the feet of Jesus.
--Results of conversion.
1) Intimacy with God--prayer to a real person.
2) Sacrificial - Put God and others before me.
3) Community.
The Gospel to the African
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XIII
Rev. Leo Schuster
03 March 2013
Acts 8:26-40
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his month.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or somoeone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Philip - A Jewish man with a Greek background introduces an African to Jesus Christ.
Becomming and Being a Christian.
TRAVELLING SEEKER
--Eunuch travelled a long way to worship.
--Probably spiritually empty.
--Eunuchs not allowed in Jewish temples.
--Like him, we're all lost travellers.
MYSTERIOUS STORY
--Solving the mystery of the Bible and mystery of ourselves is found in Jesus Christ.
--Don't allow pride to keep you from asking others questions.
RENEWING SIGNS
--Baptism - washed and new.
--Baptism is a sign pointing to Jesus.
--The past defines us, but baptism allows us to fight back the past.
Rev. Leo Schuster
03 March 2013
Acts 8:26-40
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his month.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or somoeone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Philip - A Jewish man with a Greek background introduces an African to Jesus Christ.
Becomming and Being a Christian.
TRAVELLING SEEKER
--Eunuch travelled a long way to worship.
--Probably spiritually empty.
--Eunuchs not allowed in Jewish temples.
--Like him, we're all lost travellers.
MYSTERIOUS STORY
--Solving the mystery of the Bible and mystery of ourselves is found in Jesus Christ.
--Don't allow pride to keep you from asking others questions.
RENEWING SIGNS
--Baptism - washed and new.
--Baptism is a sign pointing to Jesus.
--The past defines us, but baptism allows us to fight back the past.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Gospel to the City
Acts: The Gospel in the City PART XII
Dr. Timothy Keller
24 February 2013
Acts 8:1-8
1On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.. 8So there was great joy in the city.
9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was gien at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.
ORGANIC MISSION
--Persecution ensued after the execution of Jesus.
--Apostles scattered and preached the word.
--Unified movement around the truth of the Gospels.
--Grass roors movement.
--The word was spread by lay people.
URBAN MISSION
--City was the hub where ideas were spread.
--Countryside tended to worship the old gods at first.
EMBODIED MISSION
--Human misery is complex.
--Historical context is that Jews and Samaritans hated each other.
--Philip, a Jew, preachign to Samaritans talked about things and releived them of their miseries.
--If they see the deeds, they tended to believe the word.
--Baptism is a public statement to live like Christians.
Undertanding God -- My chains were off and my heart was free.
Dr. Timothy Keller
24 February 2013
Acts 8:1-8
1On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.. 8So there was great joy in the city.
9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was gien at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money.
ORGANIC MISSION
--Persecution ensued after the execution of Jesus.
--Apostles scattered and preached the word.
--Unified movement around the truth of the Gospels.
--Grass roors movement.
--The word was spread by lay people.
URBAN MISSION
--City was the hub where ideas were spread.
--Countryside tended to worship the old gods at first.
EMBODIED MISSION
--Human misery is complex.
--Historical context is that Jews and Samaritans hated each other.
--Philip, a Jew, preachign to Samaritans talked about things and releived them of their miseries.
--If they see the deeds, they tended to believe the word.
--Baptism is a public statement to live like Christians.
Undertanding God -- My chains were off and my heart was free.
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