Empowered by the Holy Spirit in Trials
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound ways the Holy Spirit works through us, especially during times of persecution and difficulty. We began by acknowledging the presence of the Holy Spirit and the importance of yielding to His guidance. Reflecting on Acts chapters 8 and 9, we saw how the early church faced severe persecution, yet the Holy Spirit used these trials to spread the gospel far and wide. The persecution in Jerusalem scattered believers to places like Samaria, where Philip preached and many came to faith. This scattering was not a setback but a divine strategy to fulfill Jesus' command to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
We also delved into the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, who, despite feeling like an outsider, encountered the gospel through Philip's obedience to the Holy Spirit. This encounter led to his conversion and baptism, illustrating that God can use us in unexpected places and ways. Similarly, we examined the dramatic conversion of Saul, who went from being a fierce persecutor of Christians to one of the most influential apostles, Paul. His transformation underscores that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that an amazing conversion should lead to an amazing life and ministry.
The key message is that the Holy Spirit is still at work today, just as He was in the early church. We are called to be obedient, to carry Jesus with us wherever we go, and to trust that God can use us to make a significant impact. Whether we are in a time of personal difficulty or facing external challenges, the Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses and to spread the gospel. Our lives, transformed by the Holy Spirit, can be a powerful testimony to those around us.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Holy Spirit Uses Persecution for Growth: Persecution in the early church led to the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem. When we face trials, it may be God's way of using us to reach new people and places. Our response to difficulty can be a powerful witness to others. [55:33]
2. God Can Use Us in Unexpected Places: Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch shows that God can use us in the most unlikely situations. We must be obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading, even when it doesn't make sense to us. Our willingness to follow can lead to life-changing encounters for others. [01:11:44]
3. No One is Beyond God's Reach: Saul's conversion to Paul demonstrates that even the most unlikely individuals can be transformed by God's grace. This reminds us that we should never give up on anyone, as God's power to change lives is limitless. [01:20:04]
4. Our Lives Should Reflect Our Conversion: An amazing conversion should lead to an amazing life and ministry. If we have truly been transformed by Jesus, it should be evident in how we live and serve. Our daily lives should be a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. [01:24:29]
5. The Holy Spirit Empowers Us for Mission: The early church's reliance on the Holy Spirit is a model for us today. We must depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance, power, and effectiveness in our mission. Doing God's work in our own strength will always fall short, but with the Holy Spirit, we can achieve great things for His kingdom. [01:07:23]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[47:13] - Holy Spirit's Presence
[48:24] - Invitation to Obey
[49:19] - Call to Lay Burdens Down
[50:45] - Return to God
[51:12] - Prayer and Worship
[54:22] - Acknowledging the Worship Team
[55:33] - Persecution and the Holy Spirit
[56:46] - Witness in Difficult Times
[58:13] - Story of Laura Bush
[59:45] - Acts 6 and 7 Recap
[01:01:04] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[01:03:24] - Scattering of the Church
[01:06:05] - Preaching in Samaria
[01:11:44] - Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
[01:20:04] - Conversion of Saul
[01:24:29] - Living Out Our Conversion
[01:28:35] - Call to Transformation
[01:33:45] - Final Invitation and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 8:1-8
2. Acts 8:26-40
3. Acts 9:1-19
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the result of the persecution in Jerusalem according to Acts 8:1-4?
2. How did Philip's obedience to the Holy Spirit lead to the Ethiopian eunuch's conversion? (Acts 8:26-40)
3. Describe Saul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. What immediate changes occurred in his life? (Acts 9:1-19)
4. How did the early church respond to the persecution they faced? [55:33]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the scattering of the believers in Acts 8:1-4 demonstrate God's sovereignty in using difficult circumstances for His purposes?
2. What does Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch teach us about the importance of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading? [01:11:44]
3. In what ways does Saul's dramatic conversion in Acts 9:1-19 illustrate that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace? [01:20:04]
4. How should the transformation in Saul's life challenge our understanding of what it means to live out our faith after conversion? [01:24:29]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a personal difficulty. How did you see God at work in that situation, and how did it impact your faith? [55:33]
2. Have you ever felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something that didn't make sense at the time? How did you respond, and what was the outcome? [01:11:44]
3. Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can Saul's conversion story encourage you to pray for and reach out to that person? [01:20:04]
4. In what ways can your daily life reflect the transformation that comes from knowing Jesus? Identify one specific area where you can be more intentional about living out your faith. [01:24:29]
5. How can you depend more on the Holy Spirit for guidance and power in your personal mission? What steps can you take this week to be more attuned to the Holy Spirit's leading? [01:07:23]
6. Identify a specific challenge or trial you are currently facing. How can you use this situation as an opportunity to witness to others about your faith in Jesus? [56:46]
7. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your life and ministry are empowered by the Holy Spirit rather than relying on your own strength? [01:07:23]
Devotional
Day 1: Persecution as a Catalyst for Growth
Description: The early church faced severe persecution, which led to the scattering of believers from Jerusalem to other regions like Samaria. This scattering was not a setback but a divine strategy to spread the gospel, fulfilling Jesus' command to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. When we face trials, it may be God's way of using us to reach new people and places. Our response to difficulty can be a powerful witness to others. The Holy Spirit uses these challenging times to grow and expand His kingdom. [55:33]
Acts 8:1-4 (ESV): "And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word."
Reflection: Think of a recent trial or difficulty you have faced. How might God be using this situation to spread His message through you? What steps can you take to be a witness in this challenging time?
Day 2: Obedience in Unexpected Places
Description: Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch is a powerful example of how God can use us in the most unlikely situations. Despite feeling like an outsider, the eunuch encountered the gospel through Philip's obedience to the Holy Spirit. This encounter led to his conversion and baptism, illustrating that God can use us in unexpected places and ways. We must be obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading, even when it doesn't make sense to us. Our willingness to follow can lead to life-changing encounters for others. [01:11:44]
Acts 8:26-29 (ESV): "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go over and join this chariot.'"
Reflection: Is there a situation or place in your life where you feel out of place or unsure? How can you be more obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading in that situation? What might God be calling you to do there?
Day 3: No One is Beyond God's Reach
Description: Saul's dramatic conversion to Paul demonstrates that even the most unlikely individuals can be transformed by God's grace. Saul went from being a fierce persecutor of Christians to one of the most influential apostles. This transformation underscores that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. We should never give up on anyone, as God's power to change lives is limitless. This story encourages us to have faith in God's ability to transform even the hardest hearts. [01:20:04]
Acts 9:3-6 (ESV): "Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.'"
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can you pray for their transformation? What steps can you take to show them God's love and grace?
Day 4: Living Out Our Conversion
Description: An amazing conversion should lead to an amazing life and ministry. If we have truly been transformed by Jesus, it should be evident in how we live and serve. Our daily lives should be a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. Saul's transformation into Paul led to a life dedicated to spreading the gospel and serving others. Our lives, too, should reflect the change that Jesus has made in us, impacting those around us. [01:24:29]
Galatians 1:23-24 (ESV): "They only were hearing it said, 'He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.' And they glorified God because of me."
Reflection: Reflect on your own conversion experience. How has your life changed since then? What areas of your life still need to reflect the transformation that Jesus has made in you?
Day 5: Empowered by the Holy Spirit for Mission
Description: The early church's reliance on the Holy Spirit is a model for us today. We must depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance, power, and effectiveness in our mission. Doing God's work in our own strength will always fall short, but with the Holy Spirit, we can achieve great things for His kingdom. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses and to spread the gospel, just as He did with the early believers. [01:07:23]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own strength rather than the Holy Spirit? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to empower you for the mission God has given you? What practical steps can you take to depend more on the Holy Spirit daily?
Quotes
1. "I've come to believe, over the years, that most people don't really pay attention to our lives and our witness as Christians when we're going through good times. When you got a good job and a new house and driving a new truck and you're running around and you get to take vacations and your life is glorious, doesn't seem like a lot of folks pay attention as you witness for Jesus. But here's what I do know. When you're going through difficulty, when one of your teenagers goes crazy, and it seems like they all do, when your family's in a time of struggle, when you've lost your job, when things are getting difficult at home, when you're in a situation where you're home, can I tell you, the people around you, that's when they're watching to see, is Jesus really real in your life?" [55:33] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The persecution you're going through may be the very means of the Holy Spirit moving through your life and the needs around you. See, I've come to believe, over the years, that most people don't really pay attention to our lives and our witness as Christians when we're going through good times. When you got a good job and a new house and driving a new truck and you're running around and you get to take vacations and your life is glorious, doesn't seem like a lot of folks pay attention as you witness for Jesus. But here's what I do know. When you're going through difficulty, when one of your teenagers goes crazy, and it seems like they all do, when your family's in a time of struggle, when you've lost your job, when things are getting difficult at home, when you're in a situation where you're home, can I tell you, the people around you, that's when they're watching to see, is Jesus really real in your life?" [55:33] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The whole book of Acts is about what the Holy Spirit of God can do through us as the church when we allow him to. So I'm grateful for the singers while ago and the voices and the ability to play an instrument because I can't play a kazoo. But here's what I do know. It's not the voices and the instrument that make the difference. It's the spirit of God, the anointing of God that's on them and moves through the church. It's still the spirit of God that makes the difference today. And even in times of difficulty and persecution, it's the spirit of God that makes the difference in those moments in our lives." [01:01:04] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You don't know where God's going to use you. You think God's put you in some place that's dry and a desert and it's the sun's out and it's hard and it's a difficult place to live for Jesus. You don't know where God could use you. You're not standing beside a dirt road in the Middle East somewhere, but wherever you are, listen to me. I don't care who you are. If you're a believer, God can use you where you are. You may say, well, I've been through some difficulty. My family's died. Somebody here's gone. This is, I've lost my job. God can use you where you are." [01:12:55] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The amazing conversion ought to lead to amazing life and ministry. In your life this morning, the amazing, can you remember when you got saved? Can I just ask you a point blank question? I don't know. You don't have to answer me out loud, but look around in your heart. Cause there was a time when I'd have sat where you sat and the preacher asked this question. I would have been the one going, Hmm, I got to think about that for a minute. Do you know for certain that you've trusted Jesus Christ as your savior? Do you know for certain that you're saved?" [01:20:04] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "If you're a believer, God can use you where you are. Will anybody say amen? That's you. That's not you. Oh, I know God could use Philip because he's in the New Testament. So are you. I believe we still live in the days of the book of Acts. It may be, chapter 3,492, but we better be in where the Holy Spirit's working still in the New Testament church. At least that's where I want to be. I want to be in a New Testament church where the Spirit of God, where the Word of God reigns supreme and everything is directed by the Holy Spirit of God and God still uses us to see people saved and discipled and ready for heaven one day." [01:14:32] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "You can be a missionary in the school system. You may not be able to go and preach Jesus out, but boy, you can present Jesus in such a way that you can do use that as a mission field to present Jesus through the way you live and the conversations you have. You can cause those conversations to happen. A lot of folks in the healthcare industry, you can cause those conversations to happen. You can go to Harvard Clinic or Atrium or Advent or wherever you're at in independent dot box. You can go there and you can be a missionary for Jesus where you are." [01:24:29] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "The whole reason you're sitting here this morning, hearing this sermon is Jesus is trying to speak to you. The Holy Spirit's trying to speak to you to say, God wants to do something in your life. It's not for me to preach a sermon. It's for you to hear the spirit of God say, I want to do something in you. And you say, well, I'm too young. No, you're not. David was probably a teenager when he killed Goliath. Well, I'm too old. Moses was 80 when he led the children out of Egypt into the promised land. You ain't too young. You ain't too old. You're not male or female. Cannot stop you from serving God. If you give yourself to God, he will do incredible things through you." [01:18:58] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "The persecution you're going through may be the very means of the Holy Spirit moving through your life and the needs around you. See, I've come to believe, over the years, that most people don't really pay attention to our lives and our witness as Christians when we're going through good times. When you got a good job and a new house and driving a new truck and you're running around and you get to take vacations and your life is glorious, doesn't seem like a lot of folks pay attention as you witness for Jesus. But here's what I do know. When you're going through difficulty, when one of your teenagers goes crazy, and it seems like they all do, when your family's in a time of struggle, when you've lost your job, when things are getting difficult at home, when you're in a situation where you're home, can I tell you, the people around you, that's when they're watching to see, is Jesus really real in your life?" [55:33] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The whole book of Acts is about what the Holy Spirit of God can do through us as the church when we allow him to. So I'm grateful for the singers while ago and the voices and the ability to play an instrument because I can't play a kazoo. But here's what I do know. It's not the voices and the instrument that make the difference. It's the spirit of God, the anointing of God that's on them and moves through the church. It's still the spirit of God that makes the difference today. And even in times of difficulty and persecution, it's the spirit of God that makes the difference in those moments in our lives." [01:01:04] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Sep 22, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?