Transformative Power of the Gospel: An Inclusive Mission

Devotional

Day 1: God Uses Persecution for His Purpose

Description: The early church faced severe persecution following the stoning of Stephen, leading to the scattering of believers. This scattering, which seemed like a setback, was actually part of God's divine plan to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem. Through these challenging circumstances, the believers were able to fulfill Jesus' command to be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This teaches us that God can turn our trials into opportunities for His glory and our growth. When we face difficulties, we can trust that God is at work, using our circumstances to advance His mission and deepen our faith. [04:06]

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 challenge you have faced. How might God be using this situation to advance His mission and grow your faith?

Day 2: The Gospel is for the Outsiders

Description: Philip's mission to Samaria highlights the inclusive nature of the gospel. The Samaritans, who were considered outsiders and marginalized by the Jews, received the gospel with joy. This demonstrates that God's love transcends social and ethnic boundaries. As believers, we are called to reach out to those who are marginalized and considered outsiders in our society. We must be willing to share the hope of the gospel with everyone, regardless of their background or social status. [10:55]

Acts 8:5-8 (ESV): "Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city."

Reflection: Who are the "outsiders" in your community or social circles? How can you reach out to them with the love and message of the gospel today?

Day 3: The Gospel Reaches the Seekers

Description: The encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch illustrates that the gospel is for those earnestly searching for truth. The eunuch was reading the book of Isaiah and seeking to understand its meaning when Philip, guided by the Holy Spirit, approached him and explained the good news of Jesus. This divine appointment shows that God orchestrates opportunities to meet the spiritual needs of those who are genuinely seeking Him. As believers, we should be attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading and be ready to share the gospel with those who are searching for truth. [15:00]

Acts 8:30-35 (ESV): "So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: 'Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.' And the eunuch said to Philip, 'About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?' Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus."

Reflection: Are you aware of someone in your life who is earnestly seeking truth? How can you be a guide to them, sharing the good news of Jesus?

Day 4: The Gospel Transforms the Religious

Description: Saul's conversion is a powerful example of how the gospel can transform even the most fervent religious zealots. Saul, who later became Paul, was a fierce persecutor of Christians, yet God reached out to him and changed his heart. Ananias' obedience to God's call to minister to Saul shows that we must be willing to share the gospel with those who may initially seem hostile or indifferent. This transformation demonstrates that no one is beyond God's reach and that His grace can change even the hardest of hearts. [19:02]

Acts 9:17-19 (ESV): "So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened."

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who seems hostile or indifferent to the gospel? How can you pray for them and be open to opportunities to share God's love with them?

Day 5: The Gospel is for Those Counted Out

Description: Peter's interaction with Cornelius underscores the inclusivity of the gospel. Cornelius, a Gentile, was previously considered unclean and unworthy by Jewish standards. However, God revealed to Peter that the gospel is for everyone, breaking down the barriers of ethnicity and religious tradition. This inclusivity is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to bless all nations through his descendants. As modern-day believers, we are called to embrace this inclusivity and share the gospel with all people, regardless of their background or past. [24:52]

Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "So Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'"

Reflection: Are there any prejudices or barriers in your heart that prevent you from sharing the gospel with certain people? How can you ask God to help you overcome these barriers and embrace the inclusivity of the gospel?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the transformative power of the gospel as depicted in the Book of Acts, focusing on how God uses even the most challenging circumstances to advance His mission. We began by revisiting the stoning of Stephen and the subsequent persecution that scattered the early church. Despite the fear and chaos, God used this scattering to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem, fulfilling Jesus' command to be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

We examined how the gospel reached various groups of people: the outsiders, the seekers, the religious, and those who had been counted out. Philip's journey to Samaria exemplified how the gospel is for those marginalized by society. His encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch illustrated that the gospel is for those earnestly searching for truth. Ananias' mission to Saul (later Paul) showed that even the most fervent persecutors and religious zealots are not beyond God's reach. Finally, Peter's interaction with Cornelius demonstrated that the gospel is for everyone, including Gentiles who were previously considered unclean.

The overarching theme is that the gospel is inclusive and powerful, capable of transforming lives regardless of social, religious, or ethnic barriers. As modern-day believers, we are called to continue this mission, reaching out to those who are marginalized, searching, religiously confused, or counted out. We must be ready to share the hope within us, acting with boldness and love, just as the early church did.

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Key Takeaways

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2. The Gospel is for the Outsiders: Philip's mission to Samaria shows that the gospel is for those marginalized by society. The Samaritans, considered outsiders by the Jews, received the gospel with joy, demonstrating that God's love transcends social and ethnic boundaries.

3. The Gospel Reaches the Seekers: The Ethiopian eunuch's encounter with Philip highlights that the gospel is for those earnestly searching for truth. God orchestrates divine appointments to meet the spiritual needs of those who are genuinely seeking Him.

4. The Gospel Transforms the Religious: Saul's conversion illustrates that even the most fervent religious zealots are not beyond God's reach. Ananias' obedience to God's call to minister to Saul shows that we must be willing to share the gospel with those who may initially seem hostile or indifferent.

5. The Gospel is for Those Counted Out: Peter's interaction with Cornelius underscores that the gospel is for everyone, including those previously considered unclean or unworthy. This inclusivity is a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to bless all nations through his descendants.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:26] - Fear and Persecution
[04:06] - God's Plan in Persecution
[05:05] - Jesus' Command to Spread the Gospel
[06:12] - The Gospel for All People
[07:27] - The Outsiders
[09:21] - Philip in Samaria
[10:55] - The Ethiopian Eunuch
[15:00] - Divine Appointments
[17:05] - The Religious
[19:02] - Saul's Conversion
[20:22] - Ananias' Obedience
[22:24] - The Great Commission
[23:59] - Those Counted Out
[24:52] - Peter and Cornelius
[27:05] - The Inclusivity of the Gospel
[28:09] - Fulfillment of God's Promise
[29:24] - Modern-Day Application
[30:33] - The Mission Continues
[32:48] - The Call to Love
[33:44] - Preaching the Gospel
[35:51] - Closing and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the immediate result of Stephen's stoning for the early church? ([02:26])
How did Philip's mission to Samaria demonstrate the inclusivity of the gospel? ([10:55])
What was the significance of Ananias' obedience in ministering to Saul? ([19:02])
How did Peter's interaction with Cornelius challenge Jewish customs and beliefs? ([24:52])

Interpretation Questions

How does the scattering of the early church due to persecution illustrate God's ability to use difficult circumstances for His purposes? ([04:06])
In what ways does Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch show that the gospel is for those earnestly searching for truth? ([15:00])
What does Saul's conversion teach us about God's power to transform even the most unlikely individuals? ([20:22])
How does Peter's vision and subsequent meeting with Cornelius expand the understanding of who can be included in God's family? ([27:05])

Application Questions

Reflect on a challenging situation in your life. How might God be using it to advance His mission or grow your faith? ([04:06])
Who are the "outsiders" in your community that you can reach out to with the gospel? What steps can you take to engage them this week? ([10:55])
Think of someone you know who is earnestly searching for truth. How can you create an opportunity to share the gospel with them? ([15:00])
Is there a person in your life who seems hostile or indifferent to the gospel? How can you approach them with the same boldness and love that Ananias showed to Saul? ([19:02])
Are there any social, religious, or ethnic barriers that you need to overcome to share the gospel more effectively? How can you start breaking down those barriers? ([24:52])
Identify one person who has been "counted out" or marginalized. What specific action can you take to show them that the gospel is for them too? ([27:05])
How can you prepare yourself to be ready to share the hope within you, acting with boldness and love, just as the early church did? ([29:24])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Fear can silence Christians but God calls us to boldly proclaim the gospel in every circumstance no matter the outcome." [02:26] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The gospel is for all people. wasn't just for the Jews in Jerusalem. It's for everyone. The gospel's for the outsiders. for the believers. Those who were, shunned by the Jews. Those who were pushed to one side by Jerusalem. gospel was for those who were searching for Jesus." [06:12] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus will answer the cry of anyone who's calling upon his name. The gospel reaches the religious now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias the Lord said to him in a vision Ananias and he said here I am Lord and the Lord said to him rise and go to the street called straight and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul for behold he is praying." [17:05] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The gospel reaches out to those that have been counted out. Those that have been told they will never get to know Jesus. They've done too much. They're sinners. They're ungrateful. They're unclean. They're not Jewish." [23:59] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We have to preach the gospel. We have to speak it. If we don't speak it, how will they hear it? If they don't hear it, they'll never know about it. also we have to act it out. We have to love the unlovable. We have to love those that have hurt us. Why? Because we heard Jesus and he loved us so much that he went to the cross." [33:44] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "God had a mission. The Bible tells us that God turns around those things that the enemy meant for evil. turns them around for good. For the good of those that love him. For the good of those that love him. It looks like an evil situation. Stephen stoned, now dead. The church persecuted. not safe to be a Christian in Jerusalem." [04:06] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The disciples and the apostles, the early church, were really good Christians. They'd obeyed what Jesus said. Wait in Jerusalem. They'd forgot the little word until. Until they were endued with power from on high. And unfortunately, they needed to be moved out. Now let me make this clear. I do not believe that God sent that suffering. But I absolutely believe that God knew it was coming. That God had a plan that encompassed it. That God allowed it. God turned it around." [08:22] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The gospel reaches the religious now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias the Lord said to him in a vision Ananias and he said here I am Lord and the Lord said to him rise and go to the street called straight and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul for behold he is praying and he has seen a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." [17:05] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "One key word, small word that is in most of these sentences. Most of these passages. Is go. Before the scattering. Before the dispersal. It was all about Jerusalem. Jesus said go. Be my witnesses in Jerusalem. Judea. Samaria. The ends of the earth." [23:06] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We still have the same mandate we still have the same mission go make disciples of the nations go make disciples of the nations baptizing them in the name of the father son and the holy spirit teaching them to obey all that i have commanded and we still have that guarantee that seal that promise holy spirit that gives us the boldness to be different to speak words of power and authority to speak the right word at the right time in the right place we're still his church the gospel is free and we're still his church." [32:48] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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