Remove Kryptonite
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Superman and Kryptonite. Superman, the biggest and strongest of superheroes, had only one weakness: kryptonite.
This rock made him weaker than a child and enemies could do whatever they wanted with him.
Even a tiny stone of kryptonite could transform the mythical Superman into a weak man.
The only way to recover superpowers was to "ward off the kryptonite".
Paul and discouragement. The kryptonite of the children of God, especially of the servants of God, is discouragement.
If Satan’s arsenal of weapons were restricted to a single one, it would be discouragement.
C. S. Lewis
When we are discouraged, our praise, our singing, our service to God, is visibly weakened.
In this passage, Paul seems to be doing well, he seems like the apostle we all know and have learned to appreciate, if it weren't for the fact that the Lord appears to him in a vision to encourage him:
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
No one had noticed Paul’s discouragement except the Lord.
This is why God prepares a series of events for Paul that will serve to remove the "Kryptonite", the discouragement from the heart of His servant.
Maybe, as with Paul, no one noticed your state of deep discouragement, but God knows everything!
Sermon's outline. How does God remove Paul's kryptonite? The Lord renews his servant's courage through 4 steps:
The Affection of Friends (Acts 18:2-5);
The Enthusiasm of New Converts (Acts 18:5-8);
The Fellowship With God (Acts 18:9-11);
The Humiliation of Enemies (Acts 18:12-17).
N.1 - The affection of Friends
N.1 - The affection of Friends
There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
New and Old Friends. In just 4 verses Luke tells us that Paul is surrounded by opposition, but is also surrounded by the affection of new (Aquila and Priscilla) and old Friends (Silas and Timothy).
The book of Proverbs reminds us of the benefit of having a wise friend to counsel us:
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
We don't know what Silas and Timothy said to Paul, but we can get an idea from the apostle's reaction:
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
Weak, fragile and disappointed, this is the spiritual condition of those who do not cultivate healthy, true, wholesome, spiritual friendships.
Tonight let yourself be surrounded by the affection of brothers and sisters in Christ who love you and want to take away the "kryptonite" of discouragement you carry around your neck.
The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.”
C. S. Lewis
N.2 - The Enthusiasm of New Converts
N.2 - The Enthusiasm of New Converts
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
Enthusiasm is contagious. After being mistreated by the Jews of Corinth (Acts 18:6), Paul immediately goes to the house of Titius Justus (Acts 18:7).
Shortly thereafter the Lord will also save the synagogue leader Crispus with all his household (Acts 18:8).
Once again we note the universality of the Gospel, capable of transforming anyone: a Gentile and a synagogue leader.
In this episode however, we can see how the enthusiasm of a new disciple can be so engaging, overwhelming!
I believe there is nothing more engaging than the excitement that a life transformed by the power of Jesus brings.
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (American Essayist)
N.3 - The Fellowship With God
N.3 - The Fellowship With God
One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
At the right moment. There are 6 visions received by Paul in the Book of Acts, always appropriate to encourage the apostle in the darkest moments of his ministry.
Having communion with God is the best medicine to remove discouragement from our hearts.
In this vision Paul receives:
A command: he continues to preach the Gospel;
A memory: I AM with you Paul (as I was with Moses, Joshua, etc...);
A promise: no one will hurt you;
A reason: the reason is more important than ourselves and is to see people surrendered to the Lord.
N.4 - The Humiliation of Enemies
N.4 - The Humiliation of Enemies
Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” So he drove them off.
Humiliated by God. Let's put ourselves in the shoes of Paul's enemies: more and more people in Corinth believed in Jesus (Acts 18:8).
With the inclusion of the new proconsul of Achaia Gallio, the Jews wanted to take advantage of his inexperience to have Paul judged and punished.
However, Luke tells us that, just when Paul was about to open his mouth and defend himself from the slander of the Jews (Acts 18:14), Gallio sent them away from the tribunal (Acts 18:16) because he understood that Paul had not committed any crime.
This is the God we serve: the Lord who will defend our cause and we will be safe:
Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
God will give us courage and strength. She was a very discouraged woman because of her sterility.
No one could console her: friends, family, ... even her husband could not lift her from that state of depression and discouragement.
However, God will answer her prayer by giving her a son who she will consecrate to the Lord.
Anna will later compose a beautiful song. Here is a phrase that particularly encouraged me:
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
