Date:  August 14th, 2011

Speaker:  Pastor Kevin Snyder

Title:  Delivering Life

Text:  Acts: 14 

 

Introduction 

Last week – Russian priest

“Who are we ?  What are you doing here?

We are to be ministers, conveyors of God’s love, and truth, and grace.

 

Object:

hose – transport mechanism….we are the delivery mode….

We are all just hoses.

 

Of what?

Acts 14 identifies the 3 main things we are to steward.

 

3 things we are to steward 

1. CHRIST’S HEALING MINISTRY 

Acts 14: 8 – 10

In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.  

 

Story

Emphasizes man’s condition by repeating  it in 3 ways:

• Crippled in both feet
• Lame from birth
• Never walked

And God uses Paul to heal this man

 

Application

We may not have seen or been the instruments of such a dramatic , instantaneous healing.  But we are  instructed by Scripture to be in this healing, restoring ministry.  We are to be praying, caring, and bringing God’s power into the hopeless situations of life.

We are to care….to pray…to bring the healing power of Christ into the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual brokenness of people’s lives. 

2. COMMUNICATING THE GOOD NEWS

Acts 14: 11 – 20

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Story

After this healing Paul tries to direct these people’s thoughts to the true God and what he designed for their lives.  He basically says “we are hoses.”  The God of the whole earth did this healing, the same God who created the earth, sends the rain, provides our food, and is the source of true joy. 

• He seeks to lift their eyes to the source…to the one who can change their lives….fill their hearts…restore them. 
• He seeks to introduce them to Jesus who loves them, made a way for them to be forgiven & restored, and can empower them to live as they deeply desire.

 

Application

And that is our calling.  We are direction signs…seeking to point people to Jesus.  To let them know that he is the way, the truth and the life.

i.e.

Listened this past week a little bit to the riots in England and all the analysts trying to discern the cause… what I was reminded of the need of this message.

• A message that sees beyond itself and what I want, that cares about people, that respects others…that loves your neighbour as yourself.
• A message that can bring hope to those who see none beyond themselves or this world. 
• A message that bring life  into the vacuum and void that rests in the depths of many hearts.

 

We have been reminded this week by the events of this world that this message of Jesus is not irrelevant, but is the message that can bring hope, and purpose, and security in a world that teeters on the edge of violence and anarchy, hopelessness and economic insecurity and fear.  This message is still the one message that can change the trajectory of a person’s life. 

3.REPRODUCING OTHERS

Acts 14: 23

23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders?a? for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.  

 

Paul & Barnabas were producing “multipliers” not just spectators.

This church wasn’t just about doing ministry but producing others to do ministry.

 

Their end goal is described in 2 Tim 2:2

 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

 

They were bent not just on teaching to one person, but to mentoring that person to be able to pass it on to another.

 

Note the difference:

Today: Sonlife Study:

North American average: 100 people 1 year to bring 1 person to Christ

Looks like:

 

Antioch model: reverse

Think of the difference of these 2 churches:

1 multiplier (1 writer, missionary, evangelist, pastor) will outweigh the production of 10x its numbers…

 

i.e.

Seminary – chinese alliance church – started 22 other churches across Western Canada.

How?

Because their vision wasn’t just to grow bigger but to replicate.

Means: Seek to become a multiplier not just a convert.

 

Application

Your goal as a cn believer is not just to become a believer.  It is not just to hang on to your faith until you die.

Your goal is to become a multiplier. A mentor. 

Often don’t know how –

Key: share what has got you where you are in Christian life 

 

Summary

As Christians we see 3 roles that we have in this world

• Being agents of God’s healing & restoring ministry
• Being conveyors of the person of Jesus Christ who can change their life
• Being reproducers – building up others

 

But in the midst of this calling  we will experience 2 things 

1.High Expectations 

These people thought them to be “gods”.  Spoke in local dialect so didn’t understand right away what was happening.  When they did understand, Peter said, “No, we are just hoses…we aren’t the source.”

 

People may not see us as “gods” but sometimes they put high expectations on us. 

They think…

a. We are good by our own self-effort.  Think they could never be that good. 

And just like Paul & Barnabbas it is important for us to speak up and say, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

“If you see any goodness and love and purity in me it is because of Christ.  You should have seen the raw material before.”

Reason why we need to not just “live” our faith but at times speak it….”give people the reason for the hope that we have.”

 

b.Sometimes they put us on a pedestal. 

Statement Mary said to Jesus: “If you would have come my brother would not have died.”

Sometimes we feel that pressure of expectation.  We feel the need to be “fixers”.

• We have to say something to fix the situation. 
• We have to pray the right prayer. 
• We have to speak the right message. 
• We have to do the right thing.

Times when we think someone’s salvation, marriage reconciliation, problem with their teen, problem in the church or community rests heavily on us.  We feel the pressure to fix people or situations.

But it doesn’t all rest on you

…playing the right note so people can worship

…Saying the right words so people will come to Christ

…Praying just the right prayer so a person is healed

Note: v. 9 – Paul “saw that he had the faith to be healed.”

Friends, the outcome of his healing rested more on the man’s decisions and Jesus than it did on Paul.

 

Truth is you aren’t Jesus.  You aren’t the Messiah.  You can’t fix the people around you.  You can’t heal in and of yourself .

 

Sometimes we develop a Messiah complex and think we can or have to walk on water…put too much on ourselves.

 

In Stephen Ministry there was a fundamental statement: “Christians are responsible for care, God is responsible for cure.”

 

God is the curegiver.  We are just channels of his healing grace…we aren’t the source. 

 

i.e.

Responsible to people not responsible for.

• I am responsible to care, to love, to do the right thing, to share message of Christ…but I am not responsible for your happiness,  your choices, your destiny.  You are responsible for that. 
• When that switches where we feel responsible for …we start getting a Messiah complex.  We start putting pressure on ourselves to be Jesus.  Not called to that.

Called to be a hose….Cns are responsible for care, god is responsible for cure. 

 

2.ANTAGONISM

In this calling you can expect high expectations but also antagonism.

 

2 types described here:

a. Behind your back

14:5 – 6

5 There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6 But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7 where they continued to preach the good news.

 

People don’t always like you as a Christian.  Jesus said “All men will hate you because of me.”  They don’t like you because you don’t join in the parties like you use too, you don’t gossip like you used too, you don’t swear like you used too….one way we make ourselves feel better is by cutting other people down.

We criticize them.

 

As a Christian and as a leader you can expect criticism… 

b. Frontal Assault 

14:19 -20

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

 

How many of you have been stoned? ….maybe wrong question….

Maybe not been physically attacked but perhaps have felt rejection, angry cutting words, been marginalized, ridiculed…

 

 

WRAP UP

Today we have heard the call of 2 of our young adults.  We praise God for that and are excited for them.

 

But we are called. 

• We are called to do the same thing as them in our worlds
• We are called to be hoses…

• People who Minister  Christ’s healing in the brokenness of our world
• People who convey a message of hope, and truth, and life in a world gone awry
• People who reproduce their faith in someone else

 

And in doing that  you will experience as these disciples

• Temptation to take too much on yourself.  To think your the one….to be responsible for  others
• And you can expect to face some opposition

                 -sometimes subtle, sometimes overt.

 

PRAYER RESPONSE

a. Reflect on a Place of brokenness

• Pray for God’s healing
• Listen for whisper – “What action can I do to bring Christ’s healing into that situation?” (card, phone call, visit, give) 

b.Reflect on One of God’s lost kids

• Pray for them
• Ask God for openings to be able to share Christ with them 

c. Reflect on someone in your life that you may influence

• Child, youth, young leader
• What can you do to be a positive force in their life? 

d.Unload burden

• Bring something you feel “responsible for” to Jesus.  Acknowledge he is the only one who can fix the situation or person.  Pray for that. 

e.Pray for strength

• Courage and strength to be faithful to Christ this week and not shrink away because of pressure.

 

Old Hymn – may this be our prayer – very apt in light of our world circumstances

As Channels of thy Healing Grace

As channels of Thy healing grace,

We would be used , O God,

To heal the broken, guide the halt

On paths the Master trod.

May we be channels of Thy love

Where strife and hate abound;

We would proclaim the Master’s way,

Where peace and love are found.

 

Where broken health and waning strength

Are caused by want of food

Give us the heart to share our store

That health may be renewed

Where broken bodies writhe in pain,

And cry for healing balm,

May we be instruments of Thine

To bring Thy soothing calm.

 

When neighbourhoods are broken wide

With hatreds seething deep

Make real through us true unity

Our Father’s will to keep

Where broken nations strain for power

And vie the stars to gain

Use us: our hearts, our minds, our hands

To bring peace again.

 

 Click here to return to sermon page

 

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 14:8-10

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 14:11-20

a Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 14:23

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. 2 Ti 2:2

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 14:5-7

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 14:19-20