Empowered by the Gospel: Unity, Leadership, and Faith
Summary
The sermon begins by discussing the power of the gospel and its ability to reach even those deeply entrenched in legalism, such as the priests in the temple. The speaker emphasizes the transformative power of the word of God, which can convert even the most devout followers of other religions. The sermon also introduces Stephen, a bold preacher of the Gospel, and encourages Christians to proclaim the word of God with faith and power.
The speaker then discusses the concept of delegation and leadership within the church, drawing parallels to Moses delegating tasks to others. The apostles in the early church also appointed leaders to oversee different groups of people, emphasizing the importance of unity in the church. The speaker criticizes churches that focus on putting on a show and bringing in the best bands, instead of prioritizing the gospel. They emphasize that God chose men, specifically the foolishness of preaching, to spread the gospel.
The sermon then delves into the need for deacons in the early church, based on Acts chapter 6. The apostles recognized that they needed help in managing the day-to-day operations of the church, so they called upon the multitude of disciples to choose seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, to be appointed over this business. The chosen deacons, including Stephen, were prayed for and had hands laid on them by the apostles. As a result, the number of disciples multiplied, and Stephen performed great wonders and miracles among the people.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of trusting Christ as one's savior, stating that this is the most important thing a person can do, even more important than finding their place in the church. The speaker emphasizes that church membership alone does not save a person, but rather it is their belief in the gospel that matters. They urge the congregation not to let this opportunity pass and invite anyone who does not know Christ as their savior to make that decision today.
The sermon concludes by discussing the opposition faced by Stephen as he preached and taught about the gospel. Despite the false accusations against him, Stephen continued to preach and fulfill God's calling. The speaker concludes by emphasizing that God has given everyone a role in the church, comparing it to the different parts of a body, and encourages the congregation to pray and discover their purpose in serving God.
Key Takeaways:
- The gospel has the power to reach even those deeply entrenched in legalism, demonstrating the transformative power of the word of God. This power is not limited by religion or stronghold, and there is no one that it cannot reach. [49:33]
- Delegation and leadership within the church are crucial for its growth and unity. Just as Moses delegated tasks to others, the apostles in the early church also appointed leaders to oversee different groups of people. This unity is essential for the church to be united in its mission. [17:43]
- The role of deacons in the early church was significant. They were chosen for their honesty, faith, and wisdom, and their appointment led to the multiplication of disciples and the performance of great wonders and miracles among the people. [04:59]
- Trusting Christ as one's savior is the most important decision a person can make. Church membership alone does not save a person, but rather it is their belief in the gospel that matters. [30:28]
- Despite facing opposition and false accusations, Stephen continued to preach and fulfill God's calling. This serves as a reminder that Christians may face opposition, but they must continue to fulfill their God-given roles in the church and in the world. [27:02]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Acts 6:1-15
- Matthew 28:18-20
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the main issue that led to the appointment of deacons in the early church? [03:04]
2. How did the apostles respond to the complaints about the neglected widows? [09:34]
3. What were the qualifications for the men chosen to be deacons? [11:22]
4. How did Stephen's actions and character impact the early church and those around him? [23:37]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why was it important for the apostles to delegate responsibilities to others in the church? [10:09]
2. How does the appointment of deacons reflect the importance of unity within the church? [18:55]
3. What does Stephen's boldness in preaching the gospel, despite opposition, teach us about fulfilling God's calling? [27:02]
4. How does the transformative power of the gospel, as seen in the conversion of the priests, demonstrate its reach beyond legalism and other strongholds? [22:23]
#### Application Questions
1. The apostles prioritized preaching and prayer over other tasks. How can you prioritize your spiritual responsibilities in your daily life? [09:34]
2. Reflect on a time when you faced opposition for your faith. How did you respond, and what can you learn from Stephen's example? [27:02]
3. The early church grew through unity and delegation. How can you contribute to unity and effective delegation in your church community? [18:55]
4. Stephen was described as being full of faith and the Holy Spirit. What steps can you take to be more filled with faith and the Holy Spirit in your daily walk? [23:37]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of trusting Christ as one's savior over church membership. How can you ensure that your faith is rooted in a personal relationship with Christ rather than just church activities? [30:28]
6. Think about the different roles within your church. How can you discover and fulfill your unique purpose in serving God? [29:57]
7. The gospel has the power to reach anyone, regardless of their background. How can you share the gospel with someone in your life who seems unreachable? [22:23]
Devotional
Day 1: The Transformative Power of the Gospel
The gospel has an incredible ability to reach even those deeply entrenched in legalism, demonstrating the transformative power of the word of God. This power is not limited by religion or stronghold, and there is no one that it cannot reach. [49:33]
Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt the transformative power of the Gospel in your life. How did it change your perspective or actions?
Day 2: Unity and Leadership in the Church
Delegation and leadership within the church are crucial for its growth and unity. Just as Moses delegated tasks to others, the apostles in the early church also appointed leaders to oversee different groups of people. This unity is essential for the church to be united in its mission. [17:43]
1 Corinthians 12:12 - "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ."
Reflection: Consider your role in your local church. How can you contribute to the unity and mission of the church?
Day 3: The Significance of Deacons
The role of deacons in the early church was significant. They were chosen for their honesty, faith, and wisdom, and their appointment led to the multiplication of disciples and the performance of great wonders and miracles among the people. [04:59]
1 Timothy 3:13 - "Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus."
Reflection: Reflect on the leaders in your church. How do their actions and character reflect the qualities of the early deacons?
Day 4: Salvation Through Faith, Not Membership
Trusting Christ as one's savior is the most important decision a person can make. Church membership alone does not save a person, but rather it is their belief in the gospel that matters. [30:28]
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Reflection: Reflect on your faith journey. How has your understanding of salvation through faith, not works or membership, evolved?
Day 5: Perseverance in the Face of Opposition
Despite facing opposition and false accusations, Stephen continued to preach and fulfill God's calling. This serves as a reminder that Christians may face opposition, but they must continue to fulfill their God-given roles in the church and in the world. [27:02]
2 Timothy 4:5 - "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."
Reflection: Think about a time when you faced opposition or hardship in your faith journey. How did you persevere and continue to fulfill your God-given role?
Quotes
"The most important thing you can do is trust Christ as your savior. It's more important than finding your spot in the church because if you're not saved, it doesn't matter how plugged in you are at church, you're not going to heaven." [30:28]
"I think if we want someone to have a leadership position in the church, they should have a good report in the community, in the church, and out of the church. When people see them, they should go man there's something different about that guy." [11:59]
"The mission is to go into every land and preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to spread the good news to the world. Often times we find our churches not doing that right, we're up here and we're putting on a show, we're bringing in the best bands and we're doing all those different things. That's not what this is about, it's about the gospel." [19:31]
"The word of God is a crucial part of making disciples. We can read a bunch of books about discipleship, but if you missed out on the Bible, you missed out on discipleship because what is discipleship supposed to do? Supposed to make you more like Christ." [20:40]
"Stephen did absolutely nothing wrong, he went and he preached and he did exactly what God had called him to do." [28:14]
"The apostles say hey there's no point in us doing a job that other spiritual people can do when God has called us to pray and to preach the word of God... it wasn't a question of position but of priorities." [09:34]
"I think about there were many sincere and godly priests in Jerusalem like Zacharias... it's likely that those priests were converted to Christianity... the word of God has power over every religion... God used his word to reach priests that weren't even a part of this Christianity." #!!23:01!!#
"Stephen was a bold preacher of the Gospel... as Christians we should do the same thing... we should boldly proclaim the word of God... because we should be full of faith and power." #!!23:37!!#
"They couldn't resist his wisdom in the spirit by which he taught... and what if this guy is for real like what what if he what if what he's preaching is true and so they they're having a hard time getting it out of their minds and so they would have been convicted by his teaching because of the power behind it." #!!25:20!!#
"They hired witnesses to lie about him as well... they went and they told the counsel that Steven was blashe against the temple and the law... they even went so far to say that they heard him say that Jesus was going to destroy this place and change the customs of Moses." #!!27:02!!#
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