A Worshipping and Witnessing Church
A Worshipping and Witnessing Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Acts 16:14-34
Acts 16:14-34
Introduction
Good morning brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today, we begin a new series - A Worshipping and Witnessing Church
As the bride of Jesus, the church ( an assembly of people set apart for God), we are set apart by God to be worshipping people.
As the bride of Jesus, the church ( an assembly of people set apart for God), we are set apart by God to be His witness to the World. To tell people about the loving God who saves sinners.
We long together to become a Worshipping and Witnessing people belonging to God.
But - there are factors that hinders us from becoming a Worshipping and Witnessing people of God!
My prayers is that after the series - the Word of God will create in our hearts CONVICTION and JOY to Worship God and a heart EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit to be faithful WITNESSES of JESUS, proclaiming His Gospel to whoever, whenever, and wherever - even in difficult and fearful situations.
Background:
The Book of Acts records for us the work of the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Jesus Christ.
Before our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ Ascended to Heaven, he gave the disciples a very important command - to be a faithful witness of Christ as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Historical Context: Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey (15:36)
Paul was in Philippi, a city in Macedonia (GREECE), as he was given a vision from God to go to Macedonia (16:9;12) and so Paul and Sila preached the Gospel to a group of women in a riverside on a Sabbath (16:13). and Luke was with them (we read the word “we”, first person plural (vv. 12,13; 16).
Paul founded the church in Philippi and they have become a worshipping and witnessing church, that is why Paul is very grateful for them.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
- participation / partnership in the gospel.
Phil. 4:18-19 they supported Paul’s Missionary Journey (to witness for Christ)
18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
A Series of Witnessing:
Witnessing:
A. Lydia and her family (16:14-15)
B. Slave girl, slave master, and chief magistrates (16:16-21)
C. Prisoners and Jailer (16:25-30)
D. Family of the Jailer (16:31-34)
Worshipping:
Jail (vv.25-26)
14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
The Lord opened her heart to respond - The irresistible GRACE of God.
In Witnessing, our part is to FAITHFULLY proclaim the whole Gospel, it is the LORD who opens and changes the heart.
In Witnessing, our part is to FAITHFULLY proclaim the whole Gospel, it is the LORD who opens and changes the heart.
So Let us not stop witnessing, we do not know who are those hearts that God will touch and open so they will believe the Gospel.
16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”
we are introduced to a slave girl with a demonic power to do fortune tellings.
18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
God’s power working in Paul was stronger than the evil spirit.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities,
20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 21 and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”
PROCLAIMING - the gospel (the good news), but it was foolishness to those who are perishing.
Being Romans - paganism - worship of many Gods - while Christianity - worship of one God - worship Jesus
22 The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely;
Lesson: Slave Girl /Slave Master / Chief Magistrates -
In Witnessing, our faithful proclamation of the Gospel may cause us to encounter hostility (from people or from evil spirits)
In Witnessing, our faithful proclamation of the Gospel may cause us to encounter hostility (from people or from evil spirits)
but let us not stop!
- This reminds us to witness to those who are slaved to sin - pornography, addiction, anger, hatred, unforgiveness. - they are controlled by demonic powers.
25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
Being beaten, jailed, chained - these painful things they experienced did not discouraged them and it did not stopped them from praying and worshipping God.
- The prisoners listened to worship and singing (not crying, not groaning, not complaining, not cursing) - continually singing - imperfect tense -
why did they pray and sing? because they know that God was with them - that God was at work - he was the same God who changed the heart of Lydia, he was the same God who changed the slave girl. God was still in control even when they are inside the jail!
How important it is to familiarize ourselves to the songs of praise? How shall we sing if we don’t know the lyrics of the song?
In our coming to worship every Sunday as a church, do we have a spirit of expectancy to meet the King of Kings?
Is our heart fixed on the truth that God is present in our midst when we are gather together?
We don’t expect unbelievers to sing song of worship to the Lord - dead people don’t sing!
But you??? a person who claim to be a child of God, a new creation, Do you realize what you do during our singing of praise?
Some of You are bored, you are half-awake, your mind is somewhere else! Your eyes is on your phone! Some are late - either intentional or unintentional - regardless - you have missed singing songs of praise to God.
In Worshipping, worship wherever you are and whatever circumstances you are in!
In Worshipping, worship wherever you are and whatever circumstances you are in!
You may not know who’s listening but God will use your prayer and your songs of praise to bring conversion in the heart of the listener! Romans 10:17 faith comes from hearing.
27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”
His main tasks is to guard the prisoners - if they prisoners escapes, he will be responsible.
29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
How would you respond when someone ask you “How can I be saved?”
Believe that Jesus is LORD - master. TRUST and COMMIT your life to Him! (Romans 10:9
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Jesus is the savior to those whom He is Lord!
There is evangelistic potential when we are at worst - even the worst situations are part of God’s plan to carry out His purpose.
There is evangelistic potential when we are at worst - even the worst situations are part of God’s plan to carry out His purpose.
The imprisonment, the earthquake, pagkatang tang sa ilang chain - those are part of God’s plan for the salvation of the Jailer and his family.
God’s intent for the earthquake was not the physical deliverance of his servants, but the spiritual deliverance of the jailer and his family.
Your difficult situation is not an excuse to avoid witnessing for Christ!
In Witnessing, we need to show care. Win them through LOVE, not argument.
In Witnessing, we need to show care. Win them through LOVE, not argument.
Paul could have just let the jailer kill himself so they can freely go out. But he did not, he stopped the jailer from committing suicide! This reminds us to witness to the hopeless, drowning, weary, sick.
How do you witness? Is it by being loving or argumentative?
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
In Witnessing, discipleship should follow after the person believed the Gospel.
In Witnessing, discipleship should follow after the person believed the Gospel.
40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
they saw the brethren - encouraged them.
who are these brethren? before Paul and Silas landed prison, all they had seen were women.
Who are these brethren? Scholars believed that they were the prisoners
closing Illustration: Picture of committed football fans buried in snow.
When the church is faithful in Worshipping and Witnessing, we can witness more and more of God’s miracles - especially the Spiritual Deliverance of people who are slaves to SIN and Darkness.
May this local church, you and I, brothers and sisters, may we become faithful in the area of worship and witness!
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