God Works Through People

GOD DOES HIS WORK THROUGH PEOPLE

And the Lord shouted down:

Saul of Tarsus, have I got a job for you!

You'll be persecuted and hated and

shipwrecked and put in prison.

BUT, you'll open blind eyes and

bring people to ME!

And your letters will echo on down

through the centuries until I Come Again!

        Lacey

    “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.  Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.   And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’”  Acts 26:15-18 (NLT)

    1. Apostles had a hard job

    “Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.  We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.  We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.”  1 Cor 4:11-13 (NLT)

    a) Paul's credentials.

    “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham?  So am I.   Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.”  2 Cor 11:22-23 (NLT)

    b) Jewish opposition.

    “The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.  But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.” Acts 14:1-4 (NLT)

    2. But God's protection and blessing

    “Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.   One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!  For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”  So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.”  Acts 18:8-11 (NLT)

    “That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”  So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.”  Acts 16:9-10 (NLT)

    3. The Gospel Paul preached.

    “Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning.  I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.”

Gal 1:11-12 (NLT)

    “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.  After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.  Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.  Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.”  1 Cor 15:3-8 (NLT)

    “Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.  Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses?  Of course not!  You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?”  Gal 3:1-3 (NLT)