Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts #17

Back to the Beginning:

When Church was Church

*Raising the Dead*

*Acts 9:36-43*

 

READ Acts 9:36-43

 

I'm not going to argue with you today about whether the Dead CAN, Should, Are, raised from the dead today.

Have I seen it happen?

No.

Do I know anyone personally who has done it or been there?

NO.

Can it happen if the Lord desires and we ask in Faith?

YES

 

Did Peter raise this person from the dead?

NO

Who did?  JESUS ~/ God

 

Could anyone have prayed the prayer Peter prayed and have been used by God to bring the woman back?

Perhaps, Most likely if the Lord willed.

So?

We often think it is the work of the Preacher to "do the 'God-stuff' to heal, to save, to counsel, to strengthen

 

I want us to focus though today on our most likely encounter with "dead" people.

That is those who are "dead in their trespasses and sins"

 

Let's use this TRUE story as an object lesson or allegory for what we can do to be used by God in seeing the Dead RAISED.

It seems that we are spending a lot of time lately talking about Soul Winning, Witnessing, Reaching the Lost.

Well … isn't that the first job of the church?

I'm not asking if that's the first thing we DO, I'm asking if that's the first thing we were commanded to do.

So, how are we doing?

If we are going back to the beginning, we've got to take the Challenge, to Witness to, Win, and Baptize.

So what can we learn about the Lost from this Physical illustration when dealing with the Spiritually dead?

Well the first thing we see about this Lady's condition is SHE IS REALLY DEAD.

And we need to see those without Christ as they are …

 

*1.

They Are REALLY Dead** v37*

 

This woman was REALLY dead, she hadn't passed out, she wasn't in a coma she was dead.

They had already washed her body, the beginning stage of burial preparation.

If she wasn't dead, they would have figured it out.

She was dead, ready for embalming and burial

 

  *A*.

*I See dead People*

Well, spiritually speaking, when we look out at this world, we need to "see dead people"

 

But they didn't become sick and died, they were born DEAD

 

  Romans 5:12+

/… sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men … 14 … death reigned … even over those who did not sin by breaking a command … 15 … man died by the trespass of the one man … /

Col 2:13 says that we are /DEAD in your sins and in … your sinful nature/

 

  *B*.

*Destined* for *Hell*

    1.

For those of us who know Christ, the grave is just a portal into Eternal Life

    2.

For those dead in their sin, the grave is a portal to Eternal Separation from God, goodness, and grace

    3.

We don't like to talk about hell, but Jesus has more words in the gospels recorded about Hell than about Heaven

      a.

Mt 3:12 - /unquenchable fire/

      b.

Mt 7:13 - /wide is the gate and broad the road that leads to destruction and many enter it/

      c.

Mt 10:28 /do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell/

      d. 2 Thes 1:9 /they will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power/

      e.

Rev 20:15 /if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire/

 

Let us see those without Christ like this woman … they are REALLY dead

 

The Second thing we can learn from this story is to …

 

*2.

Ask For Help** v38*

 

Mt 12:22 - brought a blind, mute, demon-possessed man to Jesus and he healed him

Mk 8:22 - brought blind to Jesus

Mk 2 - Four men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus

 

And here they sent for Peter

 

  *A.*

*Get* some *Help*

    1.

If you don't believe you are "READY" or equipped, Ask for help from someone else

    2.

If you understand and feel that they are dead, lost, hopeless without Christ, are you going to be stopped by the fact that you don't feel qualified?

3.

If your child or spouse, or friend is sick or injured are you going to leave them alone if you aren't medically trained to meet their needs?

4.

would you leave a stranger laying on the side of the road without at least calling someone?

*B.*

*Lay* the *groundwork*

    1.

build a relationship with them

    2.

build credibility

    3.

invite someone else to come WITH you to witness to your "dead" friend

 

  *C*.

*Learn* to *Witness* from the *Example* of the one who helps you

 

See them as Really Dead

Get Some Help …

*3.

Separate the Dead from the Mourners** *

*vv 39,40a*

 

Peter put the mourners out of the room

 

  *A*.

*Mourners* *Believe* *in* *Death*

    1.

Mourners not only BELIEVE that the dead are dead but believe that they will STAY dead

    2.

Their expectation was for her to STAY dead

 

  *B*.

*Believers* *Separate* *Themselves*

    1.

Separate YOURSELF from the "unbelievers" (don't believe in the Power of God)

 

    2.

Separate the DEAD one from the "unbelievers" -

    3.

build a relationship with them - spend some one on one time with them -

    4.

bring them to the preaching ~/ teaching of the gospel - introduce them to your "believing" friends

    5.

Challenge them to Read books, watch a video, listen to a CD

    6.

OUT of a Trusting relationship, be willing to engage in healthy debate, if you are comfortable, to shake them out of the belief in the "mourners" who would keep them "dead"

 

 

*4.

Seek God's Intervention** v40*

* *

/Peter got down on his knees and prayed /

 

*  A.* *Recognize* that *Only* *God* can *save*

    1.

John 6:44 / no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day/

    2.

John 14:6

    3.

John 6:47 /I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life, I am the bread of life/