Keep On Keep'n On

Pastor Randy Bradley
The Book of Acts  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  23:04
1 rating
· 28 views

As Christians, we exist to tell people the Gospel and grow to be more like Christ. When we know that we can keep on keep'n on telling people the good news even when it is rejected, even when are against the Gospel.

Files
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 85
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more