Fellowship Bible Church - Mullica, Hill N.J.

“Together, strengthening you to change your world for Christ.”

Changing Your World for Christ Requires Purpose (17:1)

What’s the idea? Paul did not haphazardly approach influence. He was strategic.

You cannot be everywhere at once. But wherever ever God has you, what’s your plan to impact your world for Christ? Don’t over think this. For some, their plan might be:

- I’m at home taking care of my kids all day. My plan for influence my world for Christ is to show Christ’s love to my kids and share the gospel as much as possible.
- I’m an office manager. My plan for influencing my world for Christ is to love my kids and wife and to build bridges with three co-workers to share the gospel.

It was not possible to be everywhere at the same time – he had to choose. But Paul wasn’t going to allow the paralysis of analysis to stop his ministry in people’s lives.

He had to evaluate where he could make the most impact for the gospel, and he had to make a decision to get there.

Changing Your World for Christ Requires Patience (17:2)

What’s the idea? God’s timetable is different from ours. Trust His timing.

Sometimes we want to undue in a few months mistakes that we have been contributing to over the course of years or even decades. Doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes these things need time.

Are you willing to allow God’s grace time to work and heal? It could take a long time – but are you willing to make that investment? What about with your kids? A parent? A friend? If what God wanted to do in your life was going to be spectacular, but He wanted to take decade to do it – could you be ok with that?

Changing Your World for Christ Requires Proving (17:3)

What’s the idea? We have to present the truth of God’s Word – not our great ideas.

· “Reasoned” is the Greek word that gives us the English word “dialogue”. It was a discussion where Paul would have fielded questions from the hearers. But what was the basis for his reasoning? The Scriptures.

· “Explained” means to “open up completely”.

· “Proved” means “to place beside” – it’s the concept of presenting this idea alongside this idea. What was he explaining and proving? The facts from the Old Testament that Jesus had to suffer and rise from the dead. The basis of Paul’s presentation was not his carefully crafted ideas – his basis was the Scriptures.

Changing Your World for Christ Requires Trust in the Process (17:4)

What’s the idea? Some accepted, some did not. Anticipate that going into it.

Changing Your World for Christ Requires Persecution (17:5)

What’s the idea? Invading enemy territory? You will always be met with resistance.

Persecution is foreign to us here in the western church. But I fear what that says about the western church. What did Paul say to Timothy about this? “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”