CaryCOG | Cary Church of God
Pastor Patrick Jensen brings us today's message: "Salvation as a Crisis Moment"
Acts 16:23-34 NKJV
I. Introduction:
a. The book of Acts was written by Luke the physician
b. He is writing to Theophilus as a supplement to the gospel of Luke.
c. Where the gospel of Luke related the account of Jesus Christ, the book of Acts begins with the Ascension of Jesus, and provides the narrative of the spread of the gospel to the whole world.
d. The passage in Acts 1:8, “and you will be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth,” provides and adequate outline for the entire book.
e. It is clear from certain passages that Luke had accompanied Paul on several of his trips, and thus was an eye witness.
f. What's so remarkable about the book of Acts, is that we find the inclusion of the Gentiles in terms of the narrative. This was an immense shift, as the majority of evangelical efforts prior to Acts was to the Jews.
g. Our text today is nestled in Acts 16, where it begins with the joining of Timothy with Paul.
II. A Crisis can Come At Any Time When Discharging Our Duty.
(Acts 16:23-24)
Quote:
(i) recruits must be skillfully selected;
(2) they must learn to use and care for their arms;
(3) they must be brought to the highest point of physical robustness by daily exercises;
(4) they must as far as possible be taught every situation that can arise in battle and how to meet it;
(5) they must learn to obey orders and not to shirk work.
S. E. Stout
Quote:
It is a provision of Roman law that soldiers who in war violate or fail to carry out the orders of the general shall be punished by death, even if their disobedience has resulted in an advantage.
S. E. Stout
III. A Crisis Can Cause One to Despair For One’s Life
(Acts 16:25-27)
IV. A Crisis Can be the Catalyst for Salvation
(Acts 16:28-30)
Quote:
She was lying on the floor, dreadfully convulsed – torn with the alarms of awakened conscience. She seemed in the deepest despair and darkness. Speaking to her was useless. Her one cry was, “Lord Jesus, have mercy upon my soul this night!” wailed forth in deep agony, as if she felt herself sinking into hell, and saw that none could help her but Jesus.
Barbour Johnstone
Quote:
I reckoned that the most defiled creature…was a better thing than myself, for I had sinned against the Almighty God.
Charles Spurgeon
Lyric:
My conscience felt and owned its guilt,
and plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had spilt
and helped to nail Him there.
John Newton
"In Evil Long I Took Delight"
V. A Crisis that Results in Salvation is also Transformative
(Acts 16:31-34)