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Are you committed? Acts 18: 1-8
Paul leaves Athens and goes to Corinth
Aquila with wife Priscilla are kicked out Rome by the emperor
Paul goes to see these guys and since they were both tent makers, they stayed and worked together
Paul is doing the usual – reasoning and debating in the synagogue every Sabbath day – Persuade Jews to turn to Christ
Silas and Timothy come down – takes over and now Paul can devote himself 100% to preaching
- Someone stepped in to be a supporting role
The Jews kept on rejecting God, and so Paul is done
- I have spoken the truth and if any of you get lost it’s not my fault
From there on, he went to the Gentiles
- A man named Titus Justus – A worshipper of God
People come to Christ when they heard him. There was change!
- My attitude (selfishness or empathy)
Here we see Aquila and Priscilla having been kicked out of Rome have to start a new life
They have to find a new “normal”
Have you ever moved from one country to another? Was it out of will or were you forced to move?
Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if there is any [a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Interesting Paul did not go to the native, someone who lived there a long time
Sometime, the best place to be is with the people that have already experienced what you have, they know where you have been
Are you committed?
We have to watch out for our brothers and sisters
In the last days- we will have to resolve in our hearts that it’s not an individual survival but that we are willing to stand together, and that starts today
2 Timothy 3:1-5- But know this, that in the last days [a]perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Are you committed to your Christian brothers and sisters so that we can endure?
Don’t ignore what Aquila and Priscilla did, they didn’t preach the message like Paul did, but they did their part
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
We all have an assignment. It may look different but it does matter in order to advance the kingdom
Are you committed to where God has called you or are you a cry baby, Do you whine about your life so much that you can’t realize that a city is about to be taken over for Christ through your household?
God has allowed your situation and now He is using it for good – He turns all things good for those who love Him.
- Stand in place
Vs 5: When Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul devoted himself to preaching full time
They guys took over and started to support Paul financially
We see Silas and Timothy being consistent in assisting Paul, it’s not something they have started today. They are committed to supporting Paul always for the sake of the Kingdom
We have to be committed to advance the Kingdom of God
The story of Nehemiah,
He is cup bearer, but he is faithful in what he does
He hears the story about the ruin of Jerusalem – and because of the love for God and God’s people, a door is open
He has favor with the King- Because of his obedience of where he is- he gets the kings security and resources
Nehemiah, rebuilds the wall of Jerusalem
The neighbors are threatening him but he stands his ground
Nehemiah 4:1-2 – But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”
It didn’t stop there, they were threated and attacked numerous times
Nehemiah 4:16- 18 – So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders [a]were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
They were committed – Are you committed even when the battle seems big?
Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
The building of the wall is not an individual ideal or a small group of people – Special Ops
It was the whole community.
Especially where there is great danger and need, we are supposed to come together
We don’t get together as tribes but we are of one church.
We stand together, we build our part – The family’s built their parts – And then they joined together
What if it was time to join the parts of the wall and your family was busy doing other stuff that they didn’t finish their wall.
This would cause the safety of the community
Are you endangering our community? – our church? Are you building, are you committed to build?
Silas and Timothy held their spot so Paul could accomplish what he was called to do.
What have you been called to do? Are you committed?
Psalms
33:18-19 – Behold,
the eye of the Lord is on those
who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,19 To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in
famine.
- Are you giving it everything you have?
Acts 18:5-6 When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled [a]by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Paul shook his saddle – ONLY after trying everything…
You don’t get to dismiss people based on one or two interactions
I cry for your hearts – to do all that I can to bring you to Christ
Paul educated then” Urged” with them and they knew the truth …they were not rejecting the truth based on lack of knowledge, but they did it out of rebelliousness
When we read this verse, we are quick to dismiss people, to think that we have done everything to bring them to Christ but
Have you been ship wrecked, have you been bitten by snake, stoned – all the name of reaching people’s hearts?
Have you ever considered that this could be for you? You are the one that has refused to follow the Word of God:
- Pastor Matt had been pleading with you so you can change your heart
- Other Pastors and preachers have been doing the same
- Multiple opportunities at bible study, church events, one of one, marriage counselling, coffees, name it…yet you refuse to die to self and still hold on to your selfishness
Let this be an eye opener “Examine me Lord and let me know “
- Some of you doesn’t matter whom we send, you have refused to get into the boat even though the water is deep
My life – and I see how Christ Pursued me. I rejected Him time and time again.
Jesus is not asking you to do something He hasn’t done before
- He left heaven and came to a foreign land
- He had to do worldly work – be a carpenter
- He was rejected, people shook their dust off their shoes, He was mocked and hailed insults
- He was killed, took your place. Stood in place for you so that you can be Alive
You are not being asked something that has not been done before, someone else stood in place for you and I.
Are you committed like Jesus was/is committed to you?
“Mighty Cross”
“……Oh the cross of Jesus Christ
He’s the reason I’m alive
For His blood, has set me free
It will never lose, its power for me….”
Please play this song:
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