Keep On Keep'n On
Notes
Transcript
1
KNOWING YOUR REASON FOR
EXISTENCE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT
• A CHRISTIAN WHO DOES NOT
KNOW WHY HE EXISTS
• IS A LITTLE LIKE ALICE IN THE
FAIRY TALE ALICE IN
WONDERLAND
• ALICE ASKED THE CHESHIRE CAT
• "WOULD YOU TELL ME PLEASE, WHICH
WAY I OUGHT TO GO FROM HERE?"
• "THAT DEPENDS A GOOD DEAL ON
WHERE YOU WANT TO GET TO," SAID
THE CAT.
• "I DON'T MUCH CARE WHERE," SAID
ALICE.
• "THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH
WAY YOU GO," SAID THE CAT.
• IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR
PURPOSE IS.
• IF WE DON'T KNOW OUR REASON
FOR EXISTENCE.
• THEN IT DOES NOT REALLY MATTER
WHICH WAY WE GO.
• IT DOES NOT REALLY MATTER WHAT WE
DO.
• IN LIFE, IT IS VITAL THAT WE
UNDERSTAND OUR PURPOSE AS
CHRISTIANS.
• OUR REASON FOR EXISTENCE AS
FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST…..
• WE EXIST AS CHRISTIANS TO TELL
OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS
• AND GROW TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS
CHRIST
• WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE WILL
KNOW
• THAT WE NEED TO GO WHERE
THERE ARE PEOPLE
• WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST. AND
WHEN WE GO THERE,
• WE NEED TO TELL THEM THE
GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS
• TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT
• AN ACCOUNT OF PAUL AND
BARNABAS TAKING THE GOSPEL
• TO SOME FOLKS WHO DO NOT
KNOW JESUS CHRIST
• TURN TO ACTS 14:1
• NOW THIS EVENT MIGHT SOUND
FAMILIAR
• IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE EVENTS
LUKE JUST WROTE ABOUT
• WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT
WHEN THE BIBLE REPEATS
SOMETHING
• THAT MEANS IT IS IMPORTANT
• IN THIS CASE LUKE IS REPEATING
• THE CONCEPT OF PRESENTING THE
GOSPEL
• SOME FOLKS ACCEPT IT, SOME
REJECT IT
• PERSECUTION OCCURS AND THE
CHURCH GROWS
• THIS SET OF EVENTS HAPPENS OVER
AND OVER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
• THE REASON LUKE KEEPS TAKING
ABOUT THIS
• IS THAT HE WROTE THIS BOOK TO
EXPLAIN HOW THE CHURCH
GREW
ACTS 14:1–2
IN ICONIUM THEY ENTERED THE
SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS
TOGETHER, AND SPOKE IN SUCH
A MANNER THAT A LARGE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE BELIEVED,
BOTH OF JEWS AND OF GREEKS.
BUT THE JEWS WHO
DISBELIEVED STIRRED UP
THE MINDS OF THE
GENTILES AND EMBITTERED
THEM AGAINST THE
BRETHREN.
WE GOTTA KEEP ON KEEP’N ON
• WE DON’T STOP SHARING THE
GOSPEL WHEN WE HAVE A BAD
RESPONSE
• THIS ACCOUNT STARTS THE SAME
WAY THE LAST ONE DID
• THEY COME TO A TOWN, THEY GO
TO THE SYNAGOGUE
• AND THEY PREACH GOD’S WORD
• BUT WAIT A MINUTE, LAST TIME
THEY DID THIS
• THEY ENDED UP GETTING
CHASED OUTTA TOWN…
• SEE, HERE’S THE THING
• OUR REASON FOR EXISTENCE IS
• TO PREACH GOD’S WORD, NOT
BASED ON HOW PEOPLE
RESPOND
• NOT BASED ON THE OUTCOME
• THE TRUTH IS THE GOSPEL
UPSETS SOME PEOPLE
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18
FOR THE WORD OF THE CROSS
IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE
WHO ARE PERISHING, BUT TO
US WHO ARE BEING SAVED IT
IS THE POWER OF GOD.
• SOME PEOPLE CALL US FOOLISH
• SOME CHASE US OUTTA TOWN
• SOME PLACES ARE STARTING TO
ARREST FOLKS
• JUST FOR PREACHING THE
GOSPEL
• AS LONG AS THERE ARE FOLKS
• THAT DON’T KNOW JESUS
CHRIST
• WE KEEP ON KEEP’N ON
• CAUSE SOMETIMES GOD USES
US TO REACH PEOPLE
WE GOTTA KEEP THE FAITH
• WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IF WE
KEEP SHARING SOME WILL
ACCEPT IT
• LUKE SAYS THAT WHEN PAUL
AND BARNABAS PREACHED
• IN THE SYNAGOGUE
• A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
BELIEVED, BOTH OF JEWS AND OF
GREEKS.
• NOW, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT
THE PURPOSE
• OF THE BOOK OF ACTS TO SHOW HOW
THE CHURCH GREW
• SO THAT MAKES THIS STATEMENT THAT
• A LARGE NUMBER BELIEVED….
REALLY IMPORTANT
• IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE
NOTICE
• IT WAS BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS
WHO BELIEVED
• LUKE IS WRITING THIS BOOK TO A
FELLA NAMED THEOPHILUS
• A ROMAN OFFICIAL, THE SAME
FELLA HE WROTE THE BOOK OF
LUKE TO
• IN THIS ONE STATEMENT WE SEE
THE CHURCH GROW
• IN NUMBER, IN GEOGRAPHIC
AREA AND IN NATIONALITY
• THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE PAUL
AND BARNABAS KEPT THE FAITH
• THEY KEPT PREACHING THE
GOSPEL
• EVEN AFTER GETTING RUN
OUTTA TOWN
• EVEN AFTER BEING REJECTED
WE GOTTA EXPECT REJECTION
• WE NEED TO KNOW THAT IF WE KEEP
SHARING SOME WILL REJECT IT
• AND BOY DO PAUL AND BARNABAS GET
REJECTED HERE
• THE JEWS WHO DISBELIEVED STIRRED UP
THE MINDS OF THE GENTILES AND
EMBITTERED THEM AGAINST THE
BRETHREN.
• THERE ARE A COUPLA INTERESTING
THINGS HERE
• FIRST, WE HAVE THIS IDEA THAT
THESE PEOPLE
• DISBELIEVED, THIS IS AN ACTIVE
REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL
• THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN
FAILING TO BELIEVE
• THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE
AGAINST THE GOSPEL
• AND SECOND, BECAUSE OF THIS
THEY STIRRED UP THE MINDS OF
THE GENTILES
• THIS IDEA OF STIRRING UP IS TO
MAKE SOMETHING
• START TO HAPPEN AND THEN
INTENSIFY THAT THING….
• THE MINDS OF THE GENTILES WERE
NOT AGAINST THE GOSPEL
• UNTIL THESE PEOPLE TURNED THEM
AGAINST IT
• THEN THEY INCREASED THE
INTENSITY OF THE GENTILES
• BEING AGAINST THE GOSPEL TO THE
POINT
• WHERE THEY WERE EMBITTERED
AGAINST IT
• TO BE EMBITTERED MEANS TO HAVE
HOSTILE FEELINGS
• THAT LEAD TO MISTREATING
SOMEONE…
• THE JEWS WHO DISBELIEVED THE
GOSPEL
• DID NOT JUST REJECT WHAT PAUL
AND BARNABAS PREACHED
• THEY ACTIVELY INCITED PEOPLE TO
HATE AND MISTREAT
• ANYONE WHO DID ACCEPT THE
GOSPEL…
• ARE WE PREPARED FOR THAT?
• WHEN WE GO TALK TO SOMEONE
ABOUT THE GOSPEL
• I THINK WE ARE READY FOR THEM
TO REJECT IT
• YOU KNOW… WE UNDERSTAND
THEY MIGHT NOT BELIEVE
• BUT ARE WE REALLY READY FOR
THEM TO
• ACTIVELY INCITE PEOPLE TO HATE
AND MISTREAT US?
• I KNOW I WAS NOT READY WHEN I
STARTED TALKING
• TO KIDS ABOUT JESUS AT
SKATEBOARD PARKS
• AND THANKFULLY THERE WERE NOT
THAT MANY PEOPLE
• THAT “DISBELIEVED” IN THIS WAY
• BUT I HAD A FEW THAT TURNED
SOME KIDS AGAINST THE GOSPEL
• A FEW THAT WENT TO THE CITY
EMPLOYEES THAT RAN
• THE SKATEBOARD PARK AND MADE
THEM TELL ME I COULD
• NOT DO A BIBLE STUDY INSIDE THE PARK
• NOW, I AM A LITTLE MORE AWARE
• OF HOW PEOPLE CAN TURN AGAINST
THE GOSPEL
• AND HOW WE ARE CALLED TO RESPOND
WHEN THEY DO
ACTS 14:3–4
THEREFORE THEY SPENT A LONG
TIME THERE SPEAKING BOLDLY WITH
RELIANCE UPON THE LORD, WHO
WAS TESTIFYING TO THE WORD OF
HIS GRACE, GRANTING THAT SIGNS
AND WONDERS BE DONE BY THEIR
HANDS.
BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE
CITY WERE DIVIDED; AND
SOME SIDED WITH THE
JEWS, AND SOME WITH THE
APOSTLES.
WE GOTTA RESPOND
• IN RESPONSE TO PERSECUTION PAUL
AND BARNABAS
• STAYED AND BOLDLY PRESENTED
THE GOSPEL
• WHEN IT SAYS THEY SPOKE BOLDLY
THIS MEANS
• THEY SPOKE OPENLY, THEY DID NOT
HIDE
• THEY SPOKE WITH CONFIDENCE, THEY
KNEW THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
• THIS WORD LUKE USES ALSO IMPLIES
THEY SPOKE THIS WAY
• REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS LISTENING
• PAUL WILL LATER WRITE:
ROMANS 1:16
FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE
GOSPEL, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF
GOD FOR SALVATION TO
EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES, TO THE
JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE
GREEK.
• THIS IS WHY PAUL AND BARNABAS
SPOKE SO BOLDLY
• THEY WERE NOT ASHAMED OF THE
GOSPEL
• AND THIS BOLD RESPONSE TO
PERSECUTION WAS NOT BRIEF
• THE TEXT SAYS THEREFORE THEY SPENT
A LONG TIME THERE SPEAKING BOLDLY
• THIS PHRASE MEANS AT LEAST
WEEKS… MAYBE MONTHS
• THIS WAS A LONG SUSTAINED
BOLD RESPONSE
• WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE
WILL BE TIMES
• THAT WE NEED TO BE BOLD AND
PERSISTENT
• TIMES THAT WE NEED TO NOT BE
CONCERNED WITH WHO MIGHT
HEAR US
• TIMES THAT WE ARE NOT ASHAMED
OF THE GOSPEL
• BUT TO DO THAT
WE GOTTA LEAN ON GOD
• PAUL AND BARNABAS WERE
FAITHFUL
• THEY SPOKE GOD’S WORD
BOLDLY IN THE FACE OF
PERSECUTION
• BUT NOTICE THAT IT WAS
• THE LORD, WHO WAS TESTIFYING
TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE,
GRANTING THAT SIGNS AND
WONDERS BE DONE BY THEIR
HANDS.
• IT IS POWERFUL WHEN WE GIVE
OUR TESTIMONY
• BUT… WOW… WHEN GOD GIVES HIS
• IT IS VASTLY MORE POWERFUL
• IN THIS CASE GOD GAVE HIS
TESTIMONY
• BY PROVIDING SIGNS AND
WONDERS
• THAT WERE DONE THROUGH THE
HANDS OF PAUL AND BARNABAS
• DOES GOD STILL DO THIS
TODAY?
• YES, HE CERTAINLY DOES
• IN MONGOLIA A WOMAN IN
OUR GROUP
• PRAYED FOR A YOUNG BOY WHO
HAD LOST
• SIGHT IN ONE OF HIS EYES
• TWO DAYS LATER WE VISITED THIS
YOUNG BOYS MOTHER
• SHE ASKED WHY WE PRAYED FOR
HER SON
• WE SAID BECAUSE GOD CALLS US TO
LOVE AND CARE FOR ALL PEOPLE
• SHE THEN BROUGHT THE BOY
OUT AND TOLD US
• THAT HIS SIGHT HAD RETURNED
• THE WHOLE FAMILY ACCEPTED
JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR…
• GOD DOES GRANT MIRACLES
THAT TESTIFY
• TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE….
• EVEN WHEN GOD TESTIFIES TO
THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL
WE GOTTA EXPECT DIVISION
• THE GOSPEL AND EVIDENCE FOR IT
WILL DIVIDE GROUPS OF PEOPLE
• LUKE DESCRIBES THIS HAPPENING
WHEN HE SAYS
• BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY WERE
DIVIDED; AND SOME SIDED WITH THE
JEWS, AND SOME WITH THE APOSTLES.
• PEOPLE LOVE TO TAKE SIDES
• NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE
• SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA BE ON ONE
SIDE
• AND SOME FOLKS ARE GONNA BE
ON THE OTHER
• IF YOU WANNA SEE DIVISION IN
ACTION JUST LOOK AT FACEBOOK
• THERE IS ALOTTA TALK ABOUT HOW
DIVIDED OUR NATION IS TODAY
• BUT DIVISION IS NOTHING NEW
• MORE THAN 2000 YEARS AGO
• THESE PEOPLE WERE DIVIDED BY THE
GOSPEL……
• THE WORD OF TRUTH ALWAYS DIVIDES
• JESUS HAD SAID IT WOULD
LUKE 12:52
FOR FROM NOW ON FIVE
MEMBERS IN ONE HOUSEHOLD
WILL BE DIVIDED, THREE
AGAINST TWO AND TWO
AGAINST THREE.
IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE TWO
SIDES TO EVERY STORY,
• BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT THERE
ARE TWO SIDES TO A SHEET OF
FLYPAPER,
• AND IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE
TO THE FLY WHICH SIDE HE
CHOOSES.
• IT MAKES AN EVEN BIGGER
DIFFERENCE
• WHAT WE DECIDE ABOUT THE
GOSPEL
• DO WE SIDE WITH THOSE WHO
OPPOSE THE GOSPEL?
• OR DO WE SIDE WITH THOSE WHO
PREACH THE GOSPEL?
• IF WE SIDE WITH THE APOSTLES
• WE NEED TO BE VERY AWARE
• OF WHO HAS SIDED WITH THOSE
WHO OPPOSE THE GOSPEL
ACTS 14:5–7
AND WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS
MADE BY BOTH THE GENTILES
AND THE JEWS WITH THEIR
RULERS, TO MISTREAT AND TO
STONE THEM,
THEY BECAME AWARE OF IT
AND FLED TO THE CITIES OF
LYCAONIA, LYSTRA AND DERBE,
AND THE SURROUNDING
REGION; AND THERE THEY
CONTINUED TO PREACH THE
GOSPEL.
WE GOTTA BE READY
• BE PREPARED FOR PEOPLE TO ACT
AGAINST THE GOSPEL
• NOW, IN MULLIN TEXAS, IN 2019… IT
IS NOT TO LIKELY
• THAT BOTH THE GENTILES AND THE
JEWS WITH THEIR RULERS,
• WILL ATTEMPT TO MISTREAT AND
TO STONE US
• BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE WILL
NOT HAVE FOLKS OPPOSE US
• IF WE SPEAK BOLDLY ABOUT GOD’S
OFFER OF SALVATION
• WE MIGHT RUN INTO SOME POLITE
REBUKE..
• SOMEBODY MIGHT ASK US TO TONE
IT DOWN
• OR BACK OFF A LITTLE… OR LEAVE
THAT JESUS STUFF IN CHURCH
• WE MIGHT EVEN HAVE SOME LESS
THAN POLITE RESPONSES
• THEY MIGHT CALL US NAMES, NOT
INVITE US TO FAMILY FUNCTIONS
• TALK ABOUT US BEHIND OUR
BACKS….
• IF WE KEEP IT UP… IT IS LIKELY WE
WILL FACE SERIOUS OPPOSITION
• SOME FOLKS HAVE LOST JOBS,
LOTSA FOLKS HAVE BEEN SUED
• MANY WHO SPEAK OUT FOR THE
GOSPEL HAVE BEEN THREATENED
• WE DO NOT NEED TO WORRY
ABOUT THESE THINGS
• WE DO NOT NEED TO BE AFRAID
• BUT WE DO NEED TO BE
PREPARED
• WE NEED TO KNOW THE
OPTIONS OF HOW WE CAN
RESPOND
• SOMETIMES IT IS BEST TO STAND
FIRM, BE BOLD
• AND IN SOME CASES
WE GOTTA KEEP MOV’N ON
• IN SOME CASES, WALKING AWAY
IS THE BEST OPTION
• I REMEMBER BEING CALLED A
COWARD FOR WALKING
• AWAY FROM A FIGHT AS A KID
• WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
• THAT OVER AND OVER IN THE BOOK
OF ACTS
• WE SEE SITUATIONS WHERE THOSE
PRESENTING THE GOSPEL
• DO WALK AWAY.. AND NEVER ONCE
DOES THE BIBLE SAY
• ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THESE PEOPLE
WHO CHOOSE TO WALK AWAY
• FREQUENTLY THEY HAVE STAYED
FOR SOME TIME
• AND PRESENTED THE GOSPEL,
MADE THE OFFER OF SALVATION
• AND THEN AT SOME POINT THEY
HAVE CHOSEN TO WALK AWAY
• IN THIS CASE WHEN THEY BECAME
AWARE
• THAT PEOPLE WERE SEEKING TO
MISTREAT AND STONE THEM
• THEY FLED TO THE CITIES OF
LYCAONIA, LYSTRA AND DERBE,
AND THE SURROUNDING REGION;
• SEE, I THINK PAUL AND BARNABAS
UNDERSTOOD THAT
WE GOTTA KEEP ON KEEP’N ON
• TO STOP PREACHING THE GOSPEL
IS NEVER AN OPTION
• SOMETIMES THE BEST THING WE
CAN DO IS STAY
• AND BOLDLY SPEAK THE GOSPEL
• SOMETIMES THE BEST THING WE
CAN DO IS MOVE ON
• BUT STOP’N IS NEVER AN OPTION
• ONCE BARNABAS AND PAUL GOT
TO LYCAONIA, LYSTRA, AND DERBE
• THEY CONTINUED TO PREACH THE
GOSPEL
• THE WAY THIS IS WORDED IS REALLY
AMAZING
• IT DOES NOT MEAN THEY PREACHED
IT SOMEPLACE ELSE
• AND WHEN THEY GOT HERE, THEY
CONTINUED TO PREACH
• IT MEANS ONCE THEY GOT HERE,
THEY PREACHED CONTINUALLY
• THEY GOT TO THIS REGION AND
PREACHED OVER AND OVER AND
OVER…
• OUR PURPOSE, OUR REASON
FOR EXISTENCE IS TO
• TELL OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS
OF JESUS CHRIST
• AND TO GROW TO BE MORE LIKE
HIM
• WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THIS
PURPOSE
• WE WILL BE MUCH MORE
CONSISTENT
• AND PERSISTENT
ONE DAY THE EVANGELIST GEORGE
MULLER
• BEGAN PRAYING FOR FIVE OF HIS
FRIENDS.
• AFTER MANY MONTHS, ONE OF
THEM CAME TO THE LORD.
• TEN YEARS LATER, TWO OTHERS
WERE CONVERTED.
• IT TOOK 25 YEARS BEFORE THE
FOURTH MAN WAS SAVED.
• MULLER PERSEVERED IN PRAYER
UNTIL HIS DEATH FOR THE FIFTH
FRIEND,
• AND THROUGHOUT THOSE 52 YEARS
HE NEVER GAVE UP HOPING
• THAT HE WOULD ACCEPT CHRIST!
• HIS FAITH WAS REWARDED, FOR
SOON AFTER MULLER'S FUNERAL
• THE LAST ONE WAS SAVED.
• ONE OF THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT IS
PATIENCE
• PATIENCE IN PRESENTING THE
GOSPEL
• IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
THINGS AVAILABLE TO US
• WE MAY NOT PREACH LIKE BILLY
GRAM
• WE MAY NOT ALL DEBATE LIKE
THE APOSTLE PAUL
• BUT WE CAN ALL PATIENTLY KEEP
ON KEEP’N ON
• AND CONTINUE TO BRING GOD’S
OFFER TO THOSE WHO HAVE
NOT
• TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST
WHEN ALICE FOUND HERSELF IN
WONDERLAND
• SHE HAD NO IDEA WHERE SHE WAS
GOING
• SHE DID NOT HAVE A PURPOSE OR A
PLAN
• SO, WHEN SHE CAME TO A FORK IN
THE PATH
• IT REALLY DID NOT MATTER WHICH
WAY SHE WENT….
• WHEN WE COME TO A FORK IN THE
ROAD…
• A SITUATION WHERE WE MUST
DECIDE IF
• WE ARE GOING TO TELL OTHERS
THE GOSPEL
• OR KEEP OUR MOUTHS CLOSED AND
PLAY IT SAFE…
• IF, WE AS CHRISTIANS, KNOW OUR
PURPOSE,
• IF WE KNOW OUR REASON FOR
EXISTING
• WE CAN HAVE A PRETTY EASY TIME
DECIDING WHICH WAY TO GO
• WE CAN KEEP ON KEEP’N ON
DOWN THAT ROAD OF SHARING
THE GOSPEL
• KNOWING THAT SOME WILL
ACCEPT THE GOSPEL
• AND SOME WILL REJECT OR EVEN
• DISBELIEVE, THE GOSPEL
• THEY MIGHT STIR UP OTHERS
AGAINST US….
• SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS
WE NEED TO RESPOND
• BY SPEAKING BOLDLY AS GOD
TESTIFIES
• OTHER TIMES IT MIGHT BE THE BEST
THING
• FOR US TO MOVE ON DOWN THE
ROAD
• AND KEEP ON KEEP’N ON
SOMEPLACE ELSE..
• NO MATTER WHAT WE NEED TO BE
PATIENT
• AS WE FULFILL OUR PURPOSE OUR
REASON FOR EXISTENCE
• BY TELLING PEOPLE THE GOSPEL
MESSAGE
• THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVES
THEM
• AND WANTS AN ETERNAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM
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