What Happened Next #10 Acts 9:1-19 Being Converted

Acts 9:1-19 What Happened Next? Being Converted 19/7/15 8/10 Allesley

Mk6:30-34,53-56

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

 5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Being Converted: My Story “Out of the Blue”

Being Converted from Resistant to Responsive. Saul! On one hand we might be reassured that God does not need the Church to act to convert people. All we need is a series of blinding flashes! Why doesn’t that happen? Is it too expensive, too difficult, too straightforward for God? No. It’s not the best way! The church is God’s “best way” of proclaiming the gospel! Saul is only where he is on the road to Damascus because of the Church. He has been provoked by Christian people acting in the power of the Holy Spirit. Tongues, preaching the Word, healing, proclaiming Jesus is alive. Generosity. Self sacrifice of Stephen has provoked Saul beyond endurance. Do you think Saul would have been so angry “breathing out murderous threats” if they had kept their religious views to private Sunday morning meetings?

Saul has something to teach us today. Conversion! From being outside and resistant to the Good News of Jesus he becomes responsive to Jesus voice and to His church. He too is baptised into the Family.

Being converted from cool to hot – from interest to commitment.

For some people talking about Jesus, or any religion, just leaves them cold.

But many people are interested in spirituality/ religion. But who has an interest in religion (i.e. an investment)?

The old illustration of the Full English Breakfast: The chicken is cool, it has an interest in a fried breakfast – but the Pig is Hot, fully committed!

Saul is at least committed. He's putting his money where his mouth is. No hypocrisy here like those who join the stoning but then just go back to work. He is Hot on the trail. The believers who are not frightened off have a commitment they find it Hot – I wonder how many just decided play it cool, to keep it quiet after Stephen's stoning?

What about us? Cool or Hot? Baptism reminds us about commitment, not interest. Its Hot not Cool.

Being converted from Lifestyle Choice to Living Lord. Big to Small.

In the Bible, and in most anthropological studies, human beings are individuals who are members of a family, a tribe, a community. The “belonging” is very important in being fully human. In out days this is constantly being undermined. Margaret Thatcher famously said “There is no such thing as Society: there are only individuals”. She reflected a growing individualism and a disintegration of human society. People are more and more looking for “my way, my fulfilment, a personal journey at the expense of the corporate identity. This is not God's Way.

Saul pursued those who were in “the Way”. He was following in “the Way” as they fled away from Jerusalem.

But when he met Jesus, his true state was revealed. Not leader but a follower of God’s trail. Not a hunter but hunted by Jesus; Not clear sighted but blind. Not independent individual but one needing the Church he was trying to destroy to come and restore him. Saul, asks “Who are you – Lord”. He has stopped being a lord. He has become small. That's what Paul means. When we baptise someone we are not acknowledging a lifestyle choice, we proclaim that someone is part of the Body of Christ the living Lord. We celebrate the fact that we need Him and one another.

Being converted to a new relationship.

See how Jesus knows his name, calls him by name. Twice. He is known as an individual.

See how Saul’s first question is relational, based on finding out more about Jesus; “Who are you?”

Saul may have seen Jesus in the flesh – we don’t know. But now he begins a new relationship with him. Relationships are such a pain sometimes. Your lives are inextricably mixed. “Till death do us part”. That’s what the Church should have with Jesus. That’s what we should be doing – living in the everyday presence of the risen Jesus along with all our sisters and brothers. That's why Baptism is so important. I am not just an individual. I am more than that. I am part of the family of God and I need you, as you need me, to grow into the fullness of the likeness of Christ. The family likeness. No one can do this alone.

• God can act in your life – and mine “out of the blue” - he's been at work all along. Not Resistant but Responsive.
• Don't be Chicken – not just interested but committed to Jesus and His .He does not want you to be “cool” but “hot”
• Be Small – depend on Him and on one another.
• Listen – He is calling your name. Invest in this New Relationship.

What happened next?

People, families, communities, society were all affected – and continue to be affected by this irresistible force.

We call it “Love”

What Happened Next #8 "Don't Solicit Celebrity" Acts 5:1-11

What Happened Next #8 “Don't Solicit Celebrity” Acts 5:1-11

Go walks alongside us

Ready to hear

Ready to speak

Ready to act

He sets us free

Use your freedom wisely.

Who are your Spiritual Heroes? Who have you seen live? Whose books do you read? Who do you search for online? Whose TV channel is on your favourites list. Who do you try to sit by in church?

Some of mine: John Wimber, David Watson, Rob Bell, Bill Vanstone, CS Lewis. And I'd like to add Jurgen Molttmann, Hans Kung, Kart Bart, because that will make me look less lightweight. Because, like it or not, we do care what we look like to others. It's good to be attractive.

Living in the power and presence of the Spirit is very attractive: that first Pentecost outpouring of people praising God in “my own language” attracted thousands to faith. These first miracles of the disciples and the extravagant generosity of the newborn church attracted many to be “added to their number”. Its great for evangelism, but is there a danger that we want to be "attractive" rather than obedient?

To be inspired by a good example – witnessing, praying, serving, healing, giving – is brilliant. We all have people whom we have tried to emulate. Above all we try to emulate Jesus: to “be Christ to others”. Its not hubris. It's a laudable if not completely achievable aim. But remember that Jesus is not a celebrity. His acts of service; His teachings; His miracles; His death and resurrection are not done to boost His popularity (which is the goal of celebrity, isn't it?). They are done to save, to heal, creation.

In the early church this danger of celebrity is opposed in a very dramatic fashion. This couple are attracted to the example of extravagant generosity that they see around them They see how God is praised, what goodwill is earned among the people, how those acts of generosity stand out – and they want that acclamation too. They too go and sell some valuable property. They too want to lay this at the apostles feet. So what's the problem?

Q's: How do we know that our urges are from the Holy Spirit?

Are our acts of service done for God or for our own sense of worth?

Do we really feel that God is walking alongside us all the time?

Will I die if I get it wrong?!!!

1. Will this action help in the establishment of God's rule? Is it like Jesus? LJPPKGFGS?

2. Is this mostly for God or for my own reputation?
3. Remembering that the Holy Spirit is right alongside me, am I still comfortable with it?
   

The problem with Ananias and Saphira is not what they decided to give. It was their land. When they sold it it was their money. They could give as much or a little as they wanted to. But it seems that they proclaimed themselves as more “extravagantly generous” than they were. They wanted the acclaim for themselves rather than for their Lord. Generosity makes you feel good about yourself, yes. Nothing wrong with that. But it can't be the reason. Have you ever been the recipient of a favour when the helper tells you in so much detail how costly and sacrificial they are being that in the end you'd rather they hadn't bothered. The “working my fingers to the bone” approach?

But much more importantly they were pretending. They were pretending to be “in the Spirit”. They didn't really think that God was walking alongside them, knowing the deepest longing of their hearts, wanting to bless them in every way, wanting to make them whole in his love. They thought that the Spirit realm was somehow distinct from the everyday. It is not. Incarnation means God as a human being. Immanuel means “God with us”. Pentecost means the Holy Spirit of God poured into our hearts here and now, here to stay. So remember;

Go walks alongside you

Ready to hear

Ready to speak

Ready to act

He sets you free

Use your freedom wisely.

What Happens Next #7 "Practice Extravagant Generosity" Acts 4:32-37

What Happened Next #7 - Practice Extravagant Generosity Acts 4:32-37

Q. How do I let the holy Spirit into my wallet or purse.

A. Open your wallet and repeat after me “Help Yourself” (Spike Milligan). “All things come from you and of your own do we give you” (C of E Communion Service).

Pass around a £20 note. See if gets back to the front! Why would it? “It doesn't belong to me.”

What happens when HS comes? We respond. Personal & Social Restoration. Talk about Jesus. Bold action in the face of opposition. Get together to pray then - Extravagant generosity.

Extravagant Generosity is a Kingdom Issue.

This weeks Alpha Course reminded me of the priority of Jesus teaching on The Kingdom. His message, now entrusted to the disciples was, “The Kingdom of God is near” and Kingdom here means, not some geographical or political area but where ever God has His way, where His rule is established. Salvation, Justice, Peace, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Healing, And in Jesus teaching this is both “now” and “not yet”.

OT view: We live in the evil Present age. THEN The New Age begins when the messiah comes then everything is made perfect.

Jesus view: We live in the evil Present Age. Jesus comes. The New Age is inaugurated. There is a transition period as the Kingdom invades and overcomes. Jesus returns and the New Age is complete.

This is called "inaugurated eschatology".

This transition might be a straight line graph as everything steadily becomes more holy.

It might start very quickly and slowly taper off until perfection is reached.

It might start slowly but then grow exponentially.

It might be a combination of progress speeds.

It might even go up and down perhaps? We don't know. But we have to live in it, And we are here to work for, to pray for, the coming of the Kingdom.

Our expectations of God, our experience of God, our obedience to God , our relationship with God,

Our witness, our prayer life all need to come more and more into God's rule, God's kingdom as individuals, church and society. GOD RULES OK.

Sometimes the last thing to come under God's authority is our finances. – we need to practice extravagant generosity. From £Mine to £Yours

Extravagant Generosity is a Freedom Issue

It may be that this “now and not yet” takes off really well for your worshipping, for your Bible study, for your praying, for your fellowship together. But sometimes our giving gets trapped by our worldly values, it lags behind. Our voices say that “all I need is you” or “you are my everything” or “All I am I give to you”. Our prayers acknowledge that we depend on God for our well being, our health, our direction in life. Our study gives us greater store of conviction about the truth of God's love for us shown in all the He has given for us in Jesus.

Then we come to church and put £10 or £5 or sometimes something that goes “clink” in the offering. Well what does extravagant giving look like? Is is extravagant to spend £100 on a meal for two at a Restaurant? Is it extravagant to spend £100 on a pair of jeans? Is it extravagant to spend £100 on a makeover? So, if you take home £1000 a monthly tithe is £100, 2000 - £200 and pro-rata. and anything above this might be considered extravagant. Only the first disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit didn't do that. That's what the Pharisee and Sadducee did. Those who rejected Jesus. Those who didn't have the Spirit. The others, our forebears in faith, did things a bit differently. They gave. No limit. To those in need. Acts 4:34-5 “There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money, and put it at the apostles feet, and it was distributed to anyone as they had need”. They were free. As Jesus taught “Freely you have received. Freely give.” If you don't know that you have been given then it is hard to give.

Extravagant Generosity is a Blessing Issue.

Jesus spoke about this in Luke 21:4 “All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’ This woman who put in her last 5p was considered more generous that the wealthy who gave fortunes in a public manner because she gave extravagantly “all she had to live on”. Its not the amount – its the attitude. Its not how much – its how generous. Its not about getting it right to earn more brownie points – its about making sure that you are living in the freedom of God's Kingdom where He will provide. So we make a mistake when we talk about 10% or 5% and when we excuse those living on pensions or benefits as if they are excluded from extravagant generosity. Its not an obligation. Its a blessing and a joy that sets you free.

Extravagant Generosity is a Holy Spirit Issue.

We are not saying “Do more of this to get more HS power” - that's a common mistake in the church. We just need to know that in the Kingdom “all things come from you and of your own do we give you”

We just need to know that so we have freedom to respond so that no one is in need.

We just need to know that in Jesus God will also give us every blessing. Rom 8:32 “He who did not spare his only Son but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.”

This is the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

So when God says “Open your wallet and repeat after me” We can joyfully respond 'Help Yourself!'”