Adventure for Christ
Acts 15:25-26 “Our beloved Barnabas and Paul.” I: Hazard: 1. A chance. 2. Exposure to danger or harm. 3. Something risked or staked. Gamble. 4. To put the risk of being lost. 5. To venture. (A gambler will often stake every Earthly thing he has on chance and be willing to lose hours of rest and sleep.) You may have to face the wildest of beasts, the tongue. II: Men that Live Haphazardly. 1. Men of Venture. 2. Men of Pleasure. 3. Men in search of wealth. 4. Men in search of knowledge. 5. Men that are willing to take a chance. III: “Hazarded Their Lives:” (Heb. 11) 1. “Here the stakes were life.” 2. Barnabas staked his life and all that he had. 3. Paul put his life up as the Stake. 4. At Damascus they conceited to kill him. 5....
Procrastination, Ignorance, Scorn
Acts 24:24-29, 26:24, 29 I: Felix and the Voice of Procrastination. 1. Paul reasoned of righteousness. 2. Paul reasoned of temperance. 3. Paul reasoned and Judgment to come. 4. Felix tumbled: His conscience was stirred. 5. “Go thy way for this time.” Not now. 6. “When I have a convenient reason.” 7. “I will call for thee.” II: The Voice of Ignorance, Festus. 1. His loud mouth drowned out the voice of truth. 2. He was rude, he was ignorant, he was wrong. 3. He was willfully ignorant of the truth. III: King Agrippa and the Voice of Scorn. 1. He became scornful to cover the Truth. 2. He chose to remain just as he was. 3. He scorned the words that he knew he ought to...
Receive Ye the Holy Spirity
Acts 18:24-19:12, Matthew 28:19-20 I: The City of Ephesus: 1. Called the Light of Asia. 2. A busy Seaport with extended docks. 3. Famous for Literature and Art. 4. Her Principle Glory was the Temple of Artemis, which ranked as 1 of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World. Its walls and pillars were of gleaming marble, the interior was fitted with ivy; Cypress and Cedar. It’s length was 425 ft. and its width was 220 ft. Its stately columns numbered 127 each erected by a King. They were 60 ft. high. The Temple was 220 yrs. in building. The enormous cost was shared by the whole of Asia. The Chief Treasure was an image of Diana, the female goddess. 5. Here was the Dark Cloud of Oriental Magic and a city worshiping Immortality. II: Appolos, the Young Preacher....
Seeking A More Convenient Time
Acts 24:24-27 We live in a day of people seeking convenience. God’s work goes undone because His people seek a convenient time to do it. Souls are in Hell today because they sought a convenient time to be saved. Our jails are being filled today with young men that Mother and Dad failed to find a convenient time to take them to the house of God or to instruct them right. We are cursed with a rash of convenience; we have become a self-centered in thought and action, finding no time for God. I: Felix Listened to Paul Concerning the Faith in Christ. 1. He sent for Paul with a hope of personal gain. 2. He was dressed in fine robes and his beautiful Jewish wife set by his side. 3. Paul came in ragged prison clothes with chains upon him, but witht he fire of God...
Spiritual Catarats
Prov. 29:18, Acts 26:6-19 When our vision of Mans last condition and God’s Plan to save him becomes dim, we become lukewarm in our service. When we lose a vision of the Churches responsibility to a lost world, our hearts grow cold to her needs to meet her responsibility. The Urgency of our mission is lost and we are content to dewll in the house by the side of the road. Like the little dog in Northern California last week, that was confused as to how to help his drowning master. While help tried to reach him, the dog fought to keep them away. I: Without A Vision People Perish. 1. Abraham’s vision remained clear, Lots became near sighted. 2. Jacob allowed his vision to become dim and God wrestled with him all night. 3. Israel longed for Egypt when...