This Memorial Day, we remember our veterans who gave their lives for our freedom. There is no better hero to commemorate than the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life for our freedom and rose from the dead to give us new life. Today we will speak about how we honor Him through the power of our testimonies.
Acts 9:19-31 Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
What is your reputation and how have people known you? In your family? At work? Amongst your friends?
Saul had a reputation but he also had a testimony. We need to begin to live in the power of our testimony.
Revelation 12:10-11 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
If you haven't ever seen real change to separate you from the destructive ways of the world, it begins with meeting Jesus at the cross where He takes not only the punishment for your sin, but by His blood and resurrection from the dead cleanses you from the power of sin as well. We experience this grace in a baptism of repentance.
“The earthly form of Christ is the form that died on the cross. The image of God is the image of Christ crucified. It is to this image that the life of the disciples must be conformed; in other words, they must be conformed to his death (Phil 3.10, Rom 6.4). The Christian life is a life of crucifixion (Gal 2.19). In baptism the form of Christ's death is impressed upon his own. They are dead to the flesh and to sin, they are dead to the world, and the world is dead to them (Gal 6.14). Anybody living in the strength of Christ's baptism lives in the strength of Christ's death.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Question: Once we've been made a new creation, how do we build a memorial to Jesus and honor Him for the battle that He's won for us?
Answer: We begin to testify to His life transforming work!
1) Saul started proclaiming it immediately.
Practical: Look for someone at work or in your neighborhood this week that you can have lunch, dinner or coffee with to tell them what Jesus has done in your life. Everyone loves a story. They may try to argue with your theology, but no one can argue with your story.
2) Your testimony should have three parts:
(Taken from Bill Hybels' Becoming a Contagious Christian)
a) BC (Before Christ) b) Conversion c) AD (After Christ)
3) Be loving and consistent and people will see the change over time, including your spouse, children, neighbors, friends, and co-workers. Make sure that you are the influencer and not the one being influenced. Otherwise regroup with the believers until you have the strength to make a positive impact.
"A POWERFUL MESSAGE FROM GENERAL COLIN POWELL"
The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve.
Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.
An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people.
As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are...
Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you.
Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere...
With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.
"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."
The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad. Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes...do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.
"In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our Friends." "Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them."
"If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters."
“Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude..""
-General Colin Powell
The gospel has the power to set you on a brand new trajectory in life because of the love and grace of God. This Memorial Day let's allow Jesus to either begin or continue a story worthy of His sacrifice and resurrection!
Second City Church- Chicago Fire 2015 Sermon Series