Sunday Sermon
sunday 3rd May 2009
Acts 9v20-31
Last week we saw how the Lord converted Saul.
He revealed himself to him, spoke to him and brought him new life.
This week we see what then this new convert gets up to!
This is just like a pilot episode giving a taste of what is yet to come!
1) The message.
The first thing we see is that Paul gets the basic message straight.
He preaches, that is tells the news, that Jesus is in fact the Son of God!
That He is in fact is the Christ / the Messiah!
And he did this straight away, there was no hanging about. The moment he became convinced about the reality of who Jesus was, he had to tell others – “immediately”v20.
And look also at where he went to tell the message: the synagogues!
Further, as he boldly went out preaching in this way he grew in power and strength and proved that Jesus was the Son of God / Messiah!
App:
What is news that we are to tell? All about Jesus. Who He is, is all important.
When are we to tell it? Now and always. Now is the day of salvation
What can we expect as we go out telling the message? The whole power and presence of God almighty to go with us! (Mat28v18-20)
2) The reception (of the message)
First of all there was “astonishment” v21. This was because it was Saul who was telling the message, and he was the arch enemy of Jesus and his followers!
Then there was “confoundment” because of Saul’s great apologetic skills v22.
There was planned murder of Saul first in Damascus v23, then Jerusalem v29.
Luke focuses here on the fact that they really wanted to kill Saul.
Presumably for the same reason they killed Stephen – blasphemy.
But this came after many days of proclaiming Jesus the Christ. (the trip to Arabia Gal1v17 probably took place during this time. Meaning that he spent years here!)
App:
Paul was obviously a remarkable man, seen here in the reactions he provoked.
As Gods people on earth we are here with the task of pointing people to God.
We are to be provocative in that we are to be signs of God on earth.
We are the salt and light. We are signs. We are pointers to the Divine, other Kingdom.
Our age is very apathetic and seems blind to God and the spiritual world.
But our task is not to worry about the world and its reaction to us, our task is to live for Gods glory and see what comes. How do we do that? See next point.
3) The church v31.
Finally Luke gives us another summary statement of the churches condition at this time.
It is just one verse but very detailed.
The first detail is Luke is talking about the whole church. Not just one section!
This reflects one of the greatest blessing of the church in those early days.
There were united. It was just one church!
At that time they had peace and were “edified / strengthened/ built up”.
It seems that in the midst of all the persecution there was an oasis of calm!
And during this calm building work went on. That is the time was used wisely. Their faith was strengthened, they would have had teaching and fellowship together, all praising God.
It was a time of spiritual growth and development.
App:
Recognise that there are stages of life. Just as there are seasons of the year so in life we go through differing stages and experiences. We need to be ready to adapt to each stage so that building work can take place in each stage! “edified” literally to build!
Because even though there are differing stages, spiritual grow is always to be looked for.
Further to this unity and building work Luke tells us the general manner of the churches living. They had a certain walk : the feared the Lord, and kept in step with the Holy Spirit.
The outcome of that was there was more growth!
APP: Fear, Encouragement, Growth.
As pilgrims we need a certain walk too. As we go through the various stages of life, what is the key to growth and building? It is living in the fear of the Lord.
This fear involves a recognition of the Glory and power of God.
I means living in such a way that we trust He is always there, watching, near!
Thus our actions will be conditioned to that great thought, “God is hear.”
· We are to be totally different from the world in this regard, Ps31v6, Ps14v1 etc.
But the balance to this fear is the “comfort / encouragement of the Holy Spirit”.
That is the Holy Spirit persistently comes along side to strengthen and support us.
So that we are not overcome by fear, there is the hope, the encouragement to.
The fear and the encouragement make fertile soil for growth.
This may be our problem: we want the growth without the fear and encouragement.
sunday 3rd May 2009
Col 1v15-16
Last time we saw the need to give thanks.
Giving thanks to God is the fuel that keeps the spiritual life burning.
It keeps us focused on Jesus and reminds us of all that He has done for us.
And what awesome things He has done: Qualified, Delivered and Redeemed us!
But how can He do that?
The answer of course is He can do that because of who He is! As Paul now points us to.
Who is the Son of God’s love?
1) he is the image of God. V15.
Other words for image are likeness / form / appearance / portrait / statue.
When Jesus is asked about paying taxes he asks whose image is on the coin (Mat22v20).
but image in all these ways of thinking are cold and lifeless, a portrait, a statue etc.
They are but artistic representations.
To say that Jesus is the image of God means more than that.
We need to go further back to mans creation, where we are told that God made man in his image. That is with the characteristics of God, the qualities of God, the abilities and responsibilities of God, although in a much smaller degree!
That brings us near to what it means when Paul says He is the image of God.
Yet he is far greater than we.
We are made in the image of God but He is the image of God.
In other words in seeing Him, we see God.
But remember that this is not even talking about the physical person of Christ.
Physically he looked just like any of us!
The image is in his character, his nature, his power and specifically as we will see, His creative power, the image is who he is!
App:
Delight yourself in Christ, knowing that there you see God.
There is great paradox here of course. For no-one can see God and live: but we can see God! We can see Christ! And we have to see Him. He has to be our vision, our hope, our inspiration. Without Him there is nothing, in Him there is everything.
2) He is the Firstborn over all creation v15:
· Then we see that as the image of God, he is the firstborn over all creation.
We have seen his relation to God, now his relation to the world is revealed.
He is the supreme One, over creation – not part of it, not created, but over it.
Firstborn literally means the eldest son, but in the context here we have to say that its literal meaning must be something else.
The word “firstborn” can also be used to mean the most important one, the special one!
e.g It was possible for a father to chose his 3rd / 4th son as his “firstborn” because that son pleased him most!
In the NT “firstborn” is always used with reference to Jesus and always points to his unique/supreme position.
Thus, that He is “firstborn over all creation”, point to His unique /supreme place.
Who is Jesus? He is the image of God, he is the firstborn over all creation!
Thus He is able to Qualify us, Deliver us and Redeem us!
3) who is Jesus? He is the Mediator of creation v16.
· He is the one in whom the world came into being.
For any who would be tempted to take Pauls risky words “image and firstborn” and say that He was anything less than Very God of Very God, Paul adds this next astonishing verse!
He says that through this Image, this Firstborn all things were created!
The word for create is only used in reference to God in the NT.
It is only God who creates. Only God can create.
We are being told that in Christ the whole of creation came into being!
Everything was made through Him, all the structures, all the powers, all things visible and all things invisible. All made by Him.
Gen 1v1 tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and then it goes onto explain the calling of the world into being: the picture is of God thinking out the world, separating it up, naming its different parts and rejoicing in it.
Through what Paul adds in this verse we are to know that it was in the Son that God made the world. He was the person of the Godhead through whom creation was birthed!
He was the chosen vessel of Creation.
The Image of God, the Firstborn of God, is the Mediator (channel through which God worked) of the world!
Thus He is well able to Qualify, Rescue and Redeem us!
App:
Note that all things derive from Him.
There is not one fraction of creation over which Jesus is not Lord!
Even the devil and all his minions are all under the power and authority of Christ.
At this moment they have some kind of permitted existence but soon they will be cast into everlasting hell.
Thus we need not fear or worry, Jesus is over all!
4) He is the Reason for the Creation.
· Further we are given a reason for creation.
Sometimes we ask that of God. Why did he make the world?
The answer is, it was made for the beloved Son of God!
Not only is Jesus the One through whom the world came into being, he is also the reason for its existence! The world was made for him!
The world then was made, in him, through him and for him!
Our Lord and Saviour made this world, saved us in the world and all for his sake!
That He Qualifies, Rescues and Redeems us, is all for His glory and praise.
App
Note the progress of revelation in the NT.
We start with Gentle Jesus Meek and Mild at the point of the incarnation.
Then we see his glory be unveiled a little as he moves through the Gospels.
Then we have the cross and the resurrection.
Then in Acts the Ascension, and we have vision of Him at the right hand of the Father.
But now, with Paul we see the Cosmic Christ, we see him as God the Creator.
He is the image of God, the Supreme One, the Creator of all things and the Reason for all things!
How can he Qualify, Deliver and Redeem us? How can he not! With ease, because of who He is! This is the One we worship: He is our focus, our vision, our Lord.
