Download 1 Road Trip Part Six: Powerful Impact By Remy Diederich Text: Acts

RoadTrip
PartSix:PowerfulImpact
ByRemyDiederich
Text:Acts19,20
Outline:
1. ThesesevenattributeswerepresentonPaul’sRoadTrip:
• PowerfulTeaching
• PowerfulMiracles
• PowerfulDemonicConfrontations
• PowerfulPushback
• PowerfulTeamwork
• PowerfulLeadership
• PowerfulImpact
2. ThesearewhatcharacterizethepresenceofGod’sKingdom.
Message
I’mgoingtowrapupourRoadTripseriesthismorning.Ifyouarenewheretoday,we’ve
been following Paul around the Mediterranean Sea as he tells people about Jesus for the
firsttime.
WefindthisstoryinthebookofActs.ImentionedlastweekthatLukewrotethebookand
hisstoriesarefirsthandaccounts.Hewrotedownthestoriesastoldtohimbythepeople
involved.Startinginchapter20,you’llseethathewastherewhentheseeventshappened.
Sothatmakesthesestoriesextraexcitingtomebecausetheyhavesuchanauthenticfeelto
them.
TodayIwanttoshowsomeoftheactionthattookplaceonthisroadtrip.Imean,therewas
never a dull moment. Today, our Christianity can be pretty sleepy. So I’ve outlined seven
powerfuleventsthattookplaceattheendofPaul’strip.I’mgoingtoreadmoreofthetext
than I usually do because I just want you to see, first-hand, what it was like in the early
days of the church. Then I’ll make a few brief comments as to how these events might
happentoday.
ThefirstthingweseeisPowerfulTeaching.
Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus… Paul entered the
synagogueandspokeboldlythereforthreemonths,arguingpersuasivelyaboutthe
kingdom of God...[then] Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had
discussionsdailyinthelecturehallofTyrannus.Thiswentonfortwoyears,sothat
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all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the
Lord.Acts19:1,8-10
Paultaughteverydayfortwoyears.Jesusdidthesamething.Hetaughtallthetime.WhatI
want us to see here is that God works through teaching: through the spoken word. Lives
arechangedbygoodteaching.
What that tells me is that we need to expose ourselves to good teaching. Our world is
constantly preaching to us through television, and music, and advertising. It’s shaping us
morethanwerealizeorwanttoadmit.
SoyouandIneedtocounterbalancethatinputifwewanttobefollowersofJesus.Coming
here once or twice a month and catching a sermon isn’t going to help you become the
personGodwantsyoutobe.IlovetohearpeopletellmethattheylistentoAndyStanley,
orT.D.Jakes,orJoelOsteenonthewaytowork.Ortheycatchthepodcastofoursermons
whentheyareoutoftown.Ihopethat’ssomethingthatyouwilldoaswell.
ThesecondthingweseearePowerfulMiracles.
GoddidextraordinarymiraclesthroughPaul,sothatevenhandkerchiefsandaprons
thathadtouchedhimweretakentothesick,andtheirillnesseswerecuredandthe
evilspiritsleftthem.Acts19:11,12
Youknow,ifPaulenteredmostchurchestoday–atleastintheUnitedStates–Ithinkhe’d
beshockedatthelackofthemiraculous.GodwaswithPaulinaspecialwaytoestablisha
new belief system, meaning that God validated Paul’s preaching through miracles. When
peoplewerehealedanddeliveredfromdemons,peoplecouldn’tdenywhatjusthappened.
Aftertheysawamiracle,IbettheyreconsideredsomeofPaul’swords.MaybeheWASsent
fromGod.
I don’t know why God doesn’t reveal himself in the same dramatic ways today. But the
Bibletellsusthat,“wehavenotbecauseweasknot.”Idon’tthinkit’sGod’sfaultasmuchas
it’sours.Wehavesuchlittlefaith.WehavesuchlowexpectationsforGod.Butifweaskfor
moreIthinkhe’dgiveusmore.
ThethirdthingweseeonthisroadtripisPowerful Confrontations.There’safairlylong
storyinchapter20thattalksabouthowdemonicforcesmanifestedinEphesus.I’llletyou
readthatathome.
ButIwantyoutoseethatwhereverthegospelispreacheditstirsupthedemonic.Idon’t
talkalotaboutthedevilordemons.Idon’tbecausemanyvisitorsherearenewtochurch
andIdon’twanttofreakthemoutbytalkingaboutthedevilontheirfirstdayinchurch.
ButIbelieveinthedevilandhisdemons.Jesusbelievedinthem.Andsoshouldyou.You
should know that there are evil forces out there working against every believer and the
churchatlarge.
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Many people are naive about this and put themselves in situations where they
unknowingly invite demons into their life. This might sound crazy, but I’ve seen people
impactedbythedemonic.
Let me give you one example of what I’m talking about: pornography. People think it’s
harmless. They thinkthey can just do ita littlewithouthurting anything. They are naïve.
Pornographyopensabigdoorforeviltoenter.That’swhyit’ssohardtostop.It’snotjust
theemotionalorphysiologicalaspectsofaddiction.There’saspiritualdimension.Thereis
evilatworktryingtodestroyyouandyourfaiththroughyourhabit.
IfyouwanttotalktomeaboutitI’mhappytodothat.Iwanttogetyouthehelpthatyou
needtobefreetoserveGodcompletely..
The fourth thing we see on this trip is Powerful Pushback. When people turned away
from the demonic world to Jesus, they took drastic action. They weren’t measured. They
didn’ttryto“justtoneitdown”alittle.Theygotridofeveryhintofevilfromtheirlives.
Anumberwhohadpracticedsorcerybroughttheirscrollstogetherandburned
them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to
fifty thousand drachmas.In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and
grewinpower.Acts19:19,20
So,theyburnedtheirscrollsandtheyalsoquitbuyingidols.Thisputabigdentintheidol
makingbusinessintown.EphesuswasfamousfortheirtempletothegoddessArtemisand
thesilversmith’sdidbigbusinessinmakinglittlestatuesofher.
So,whenthetradewasthreatenedbyPaul’spreaching,thetownrioted.
Soonthewholecitywasinanuproar.ThepeopleseizedGaiusandAristarchus,
Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the
theater together.Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples
wouldnotlethim.Evensomeoftheofficialsoftheprovince,friendsofPaul,sent
himamessagebegginghimnottoventureintothetheater.Theassemblywasin
confusion:Somewereshoutingonething,someanother.Mostofthepeopledid
notevenknowwhytheywerethere.Acts19:29-32
WhenpeopleturntoJesusinaradicalway,itmakessomepeoplemad.Itrufflesfeathers
and makes people uncomfortable. Your spouse might leave you. Your parents or friends
mightrejectyou.Yourcompanymightfireyou.Butthesearethekindsofthingsthatcan
happenwhenyouputJesusfirstinyourlife.
Next is Powerful Teamwork. After the riot in Ephesus, Paul started his trip back to
Jerusalemanditmentionshistravelingcompanions:
PauldecidedtogobackthroughMacedonia.HewasaccompaniedbySopaterson
ofPyrrhusfromBerea,AristarchusandSecundusfromThessalonica,Gaiusfrom
Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
ThesemenwentonaheadandwaitedforusatTroas.ButwesailedfromPhilippi
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after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at
Troas,wherewestayedsevendays.Acts20:4-6
PastorStenpointedsomethingouttomethatIthinkisimportant.StentooknotethatPaul
didn’tdoministryalone.Heworkedincommunity.Itwasateam.
I want to encourage you, if you want to take your faith to another level, join a ministry
team.Whenyoudoministrytogether,it’slikebeingpartofafamily.Ourstaffislikethat
hereatchurch.Iseethisintheyouthteamandthechildren’steam.Andyoucanseethisin
the teams we send off to dig wells. The shared experience knits people together in a
powerfulway.
AndnoticehowLukementionsthattherearepeoplefrommanyofthecitiesPaulstopped
in. He selected leaders to travel with him so that when he returned home these leaders
could return to their cities and duplicate the ministry that they saw Paul do. If you are a
leaderhere,Ihopeyouarethinkingaboutwhomyouarementoringtotakeyourplace.If
youaren’taleader,Ihopeyouwillfindsomeonesoyoucanbecomealeadersomeday.
ThenweseePowerfulLeadership.Paulshowedthiswhenhegatheredhisteamtogether
to say good-bye. He called his team together on a beach south of Ephesus. Listen to his
heartforGodandGod’speople.Idon’thavetimetocomment,butIputspecificleadership
qualitiesinthetexthere.
YouknowhowIlivedthewholetimeIwaswithyou,fromthefirstdayIcameinto
theprovinceofAsia(transparency).IservedtheLordwithgreathumilityandwith
tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents
(humility,compassion,perseverance).YouknowthatIhavenothesitatedtopreach
anythingthatwouldbehelpfultoyoubuthavetaughtyoupubliclyandfromhouse
tohouse(boldness,thorough).
IhavedeclaredtobothJewsandGreeksthattheymustturntoGodinrepentance
andhavefaithinourLordJesus(clear,Christcentered).“Andnow,compelledbythe
Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.I only
know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are
facingme(risk-taker,sacrificial).
However,Iconsidermylifeworthnothingtome;myonlyaimistofinishtherace
and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the
good news of God’s grace(faithful). “Now I know that none of you among whom I
havegoneaboutpreachingthekingdomwilleverseemeagain.
Therefore,IdeclaretoyoutodaythatIaminnocentofthebloodofanyofyou.ForI
have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God (responsible).Keep
watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers.BeshepherdsofthechurchofGod,whichheboughtwithhisownblood.I
knowthatafterIleave,savagewolveswillcomeinamongyouandwillnotsparethe
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flock.Evenfromyourownnumbermenwillariseanddistortthetruthinorderto
drawawaydisciplesafterthem.(pastoral)
IneverythingIdid,Ishowedyouthatbythiskindofhardworkwemusthelpthe
weak,rememberingthewordstheLordJesushimselfsaid:‘Itismoreblessedtogive
thantoreceive(hard-working,generous).WhenPaulhadfinishedspeaking,heknelt
downwithallofthemandprayed.Theyallweptastheyembracedhimandkissed
him.Whatgrievedthemmostwashisstatementthattheywouldneverseehisface
again(well-loved).Thentheyaccompaniedhimtotheship.Acts20:18-30,35-38
I share these six attributes with you because it’s easy to let your faith degenerate into a
sleepy religion where you just go through the motions. It’s a religion of convenience that
has absolutely no impact on your life or the lives of others. But Paul’s ministry had a
powerfulimpact.Thatwasthegoalofhisministry:tochangelives.
And that’s my final attribute: Powerful Impact. Tonight we’ll be hearing from about 20
people who are declaring their faith through baptism or confirming their faith. Jenni
PatnodeisoneofthesepeopleandIaskedhertocomeuptodayandreadherstory.She
wasbaptizedasaninfantbutshewantstoconfirmherfaithpubliclytoday.
IhavealwaysbeenaChristianforaslongasIcanremember.So,mystoryisnotoneabout
comingtofaith,butastoryaboutrenewingmyfaithtohaveameaningfulrelationshipwith
God,JesusandtheHolySpirit.IwasbaptizedCatholicasaninfant.Christianitywas,andstill
isveryimportantinmyfamily.Iwasblessedtogrowupinahomewherewesaidourprayers
everynightbeforebedandwenttochurcheverySunday.IwenttoCatholicSchool,andeven
taughtataCatholicSchool.SometimesIhadquestionsaboutwhywebelievedordidthings
thewaywedid,butIwasusuallytoldthatthat’sjustthewaythingswere,soIlearnedvery
earlyonnottoquestionmyreligion.
IwasmarriedinaCatholicChurchtomywonderfulhusbandWestonin2005.Afterstruggling
withinfertility,wewentontohavetwoboys,WarnerandBrayden.Westonrarelyattended
Catholic Mass with me, and I never really pushed it. Every Sunday, I took our two boys to
church by myself, because I wanted our kids to be raised with some sort of Christian
background,andIwentbecausequitehonestly,IwasafraidifIdidn’tgo,Iwouldendupin
hell.Ididn’tlivemylifeFORGOD,Iliveditjusttryingtoavoidgoingtohell.
For months, my sister Heather kept inviting me to check out Cedarbrook with her, and one
day,shefinallyasked,“whywon’tyoucomecheckitout?”AndIremembersaying,“becauseI
amafraidIwilllikeittoomuch…andthenwhat.”Partofmewonderediftherewasanother
waytoknowGod,butIalsohadbeenlivingthiscomfortableChristianlifewhereIjustsaidmy
prayers and went to church for an hour on Sunday. Then, before Christmas in 2014, my
husbandandIfinallyjoinedheratCedarbrookandwelovedit.
SinceIfeltanobligationtomyCatholicchurch,andfearedwhatpeoplemightsay,Istilltook
our boys to the 8:30 mass on Sunday at St. Mary’s, and then Weston would join us for the
10:45 service at Cedarbrook. Easter of that year, we had to make a decision. We chose
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Cedarbrook,andIrememberstandinginchurchthatEasterSunday,andasthebandstarted
toplay,IclosedmyeyesandheardGodfortheveryfirsttimeinmylife.Hekeptsayingtome
veryclearly,“Youarerightwhereyouneedtobe.
You are right where you need to be.” In that moment, I started crying uncontrollably! Poor
Weston looked over and whispered, “Are you really that sad that we didn’t go to Easter
Serviceatourotherchurch?”Afterthat,IknewCedarbrookwaswhereourfamilyneededto
be, but of course that meant getting some push back, actually a lot of pushback, from my
parents. I am sure they were hurt, and they didn’t understand. And that hurt me and was
reallyhard.IalsohadalotofquestionsforRemy!So,thefirsttimeIeveremailedhim,Iwas
sosurprisedwhenherespondedwithananswerotherthan,“that’sjustthewayitis….”SO–I
keptemailinghimandhekeptanswering!
My faith started to grow at a rapid pace. I was thirsty for the word of God, so I joined the
Thursday morning Women’s Bible study where I finally opened the bible that always sat on
my nightstand. I had been working through some anxiety in my life at the time, so
surroundingmyselfwithGodlovingwomen,andreadingthebibletogetherwasthebestplace
Icouldbe.WestonandIstartedtocometochurchtogethereverySunday,whichwasnewfor
ourfamilyandwewoulddotheGoingDeeperquestionstogetherinthecarontheridehome.
Westartedprayingtogether,andinvitedGodintoourmarriageforthefirsttime!Together
ourfaithgrew,andourmarriagegrewonadeeperlevel.Ican’tevendescribehowmuchour
marriageandfamilylifehaschangedinthelastyearandahalf.
WorshipingGodbecameaGETTOinourhouseandnotaHAVETO!IwassoonfireforGod,
thatlastNovember,ItraveledtoNicaraguatodrillawellwithLivingWater,whichwasLIFE
CHANGING! It changed my entire view of the world around me. I learned that God is
EVERYWHERE.Hisloveandwordreacheseveryone–eventovillagesthatdon’thaverunning
water!IsawGodthereeveryday,inthepeopleImet.IrealizedthatGodisSOMUCHBIGGER
thenthechurchIworshiphimin.HisloveisSOmuchgreaterthanthat!Ihadbeentakingfor
grantedsomanythingsandworryingsomuchaboutwhereIfitinandwhatthe“rightway”
was to worship God. And then, on that trip, I felt him. I heard him. I knew he was there in
everything we did, I knew he loved me and the things I was worrying about, were things I
needed to hand over to him. I realized that he has such a bigger purpose for me. He has a
biggerpurposeforallofus.Andworryingaboutallthelittledaytodaythings,andanalyzing
everymoveImadeandWORRYINGaboutwhatotherswouldthinkaboutme,waspreventing
mefromlivingalifeFORGod.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to worship at Cedarbrook! Weston and I finally have
those2a.m.friendswehadprayedfor.3yearsago,ifyouhadaskedusifwewouldevergoon
aMissionTriptogether,weprobablywouldhavethoughtthatwasacrazyquestiontoask–
butinNovember,togetherwewillbegoingtoHonduraswiththeteamfromCedarbrook.And
IamexcitedtoseehowGodwillcontinuetogrowourfaithindividually,andgrowittogether
ashusbandandwife.Godhasalwaysbeenthere,hehasalwaysbeenapartofourlives,but
now we actually have an amazing relationship with him. And today, in front of everyone, I
wanttoreconfirmthatfaith.–JenniPatnode
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This is why we exist as a church. We aren’t here just to give people a place to go on
Sundays,oraplacetoperformsomereligiousrituals.We’reheretohelppeopleconnectto
Jesusandhavetheirlivesdramaticallychangedforgood.
I want to offer a disclaimer. I’m glad Jenni talked about her Catholic upbringing because
that’sherstory.ButifyouarenewheretodayandcomefromaCatholicbackground,Idon’t
wantyoutothinkthatweregularlytrashCatholics.That’snotwhatweareabout.Irealize
thatthisworksbothways.Iwouldn’tbesurprisedifsomeonegrowsupatCedarbrookand
never connects with God. And they wind up in a Catholic church, telling the priest that
churchmeantnothinggrowingupbutnowtheygetsomuchoutoftheCatholicmass.You
see, we are on the same side here. It’s just that sometimes, as young people, we don’t
connecttowhat’sgoingonaroundusandwehavetohearitinanewway.
IalsowanttomentionthatIloveansweringemails.I’dlovetoanswer50emailsafterevery
service.ThatshowsmethatyouarelisteningandwrestlingwithwhatI’msaying.
I bet there are other people here like Jenni. You had some kind of church or faith
experience but it never meant that much. But hearing Jenni today made you realize that
there’smore.
IfyouwouldliketorecommityourlifetoJesus,ormakeafirsttimecommitment,letme
knowaboutit.Filloutthisconnectioncardanddropitattheinformationbooth.Ifitwould
helptomeetwithmeoroneoftheotherpastorstolearnalittlebitmore,putthatonthe
caredandoneofuswillcallyou.Youcanemailmetooatpastor@cedarbrookchurch.net.
GoingDeeper:
Use the following questions for personal reflection and/or to discuss with your family,
friends,andsmallgroup.
1. What’saroadtripthatyou’dliketotakesomeday?Explainwhy.
2. WhathasstoodouttoyouinthecourseofPaul’sroadtrip,andwhy?
3. Which of the seven attributes, Remy mentioned, have you seen in your church
experience?
4. Read Acts 19:8-10. What role has Bible teaching played in your life? How can you
increasetheamountofteachingyoureceivetolearnmoreaboutGodandhisways?
5. ReadActs19:11.Haveyouseenanythingmiraculous,suchassomeonehealed?Why
doyouthinkthemiraculouswassostrongforPaulandoftenabsentinthechurch
today?
6. Read Acts 19:12-20. Why do you think the seven men were so ineffective
confronting the demons? Do you know much about what the Bible says about evil
spirits?Doyoubelieveinthem?Doyoubelieveyou’veseenanysignsofthedemonic
atwork?
7. ReadActs20:1-6.NoticePaul’steam.Haveyoueverworkedinthechurchonateam
toaccomplishaministrytask?Haveyoueverbeenmentoredbysomeoneolderin
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thefaith?Doyouthinkoneorbothofthesewouldbegoodstepstotaketotakeyour
faithtothenextlevel?
8. Read Acts 20:13-38. Paul shares his final word before departing. What strikes you
abouthiswords?WhatprinciplesofleadershipcanyoupickupfromPaul?
9. Pray,askingGodtomanifesthiskingdominyourlifeandatCedarbrookinthesame
wayhedidthroughPaul.
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