Acts 20 Study - Day 8 "No Hesitation"

Hello Everyone,

I pray that your New Year is going well so far.  We have now  reached day eight of the Acts 20 Bible Study.  Let's get started.

"NO HESITATION"

SCRIPTURE

Acts 20:25-27

New International Version (NIV)

25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

OBSERVATION

Paul is about to depart Miletus.  He knows he will not see them again.  He lets them know that he is innocent of the blood of all men, meaning that if someone had not accepted Jesus Christ it was not his fault and this is why, because he did not hesitate to proclaim the whole will, or counsel, of God.  

Can we say that we have not hesitated in proclaiming the whole will of God?  What is it that makes some of us hesitate to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Is it fear or lack of knowing what to say?

APPLICATION

How can we stop hesitating when it comes to sharing the gift of Jesus Christ?

First, we must pray and ask God to give us holy boldness by His Spirit, so we can spread the gospel without fear.

Second, we need to study how Jesus and the disciples witnessed to unbelievers.  Keep in mind St. John 3:17, Jesus said that He came not to condemn the world but to save it. Therefore we must remember that it is not our job to condemn anyone!  It is our job to witness to them out of love and kindness.

There are also great books on how to effectively witness in this present age. However great those how to books are, the Bible is still the best one to follow.

Third, remember there is power in numbers.  Consider joining your churches witnessing team.  Jesus sent the disciples out in twos.  When you go out to witness in groups you can encourage each other.  However you still need to be comfortable witnessing on your own.

PRAYER

Dear God our Father, thank You for redeeming and saving us through the death, burial and resurrection of Your son Jesus Christ. Help us not to hesitate to share the the Good News. Give us Holy Boldness and courage in Jesus' name we pray.  Amen. 

Acts 20 Study - Day 7 "Finish the Race and Complete the Task"

Hello Everyone,

Keep praying for the makeover we discussed on day 6.  Watch for to change you from the inside out.  

Let's begin day 7.

"Finish the Race and Complete the Task"

SCRIPTURE

Acts 20:22-24

New International Version (NIV)

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

OBSERVATION

There is so much to pull out of these three verses.  We will go over a few points but I encourage you to study on your own and meditate on the word.

1.  Paul says that he was compelled by the spirit to go to Jerusalem.  Back in Acts 20:2, 3 and 19, Paul says that he was being plotted against by the Jews and he was trying to avoid them, so you know it had to be the Holy Spirit that was compelling him to go to Jerusalem because he was not going to go.  Let's take a moment to look at Paul's obedience to God. The very place Paul was trying to avoid going to God said go!  Do we obey God when he wants us to do something we have purposely avoided or feared doing?  Paul's obedience when he doesn't know what will happen to him is amazing to me.  For those of us who are planners at heart, we struggle with not being able to know what is to happen next. (We have to rest in Jeremiah 29:11)

2.  Paul then talks about how the Holy Spirit warns him of what is to come.  (Acts 20:23) The Holy Spirit will warn you as well.  How you ask?  All I can say is that He will and you will defiantly know it is Him.  You must stay plugged into God through prayer and fasting to keep the lines of communication open between you and God.

3.  Knowing full well the dangers before him, Paul said his life is worth nothing as long as he, "may finish the race and complete the task..." (Acts 20:24)  WOW!!! Are we that committed to God and the task that He has given us to do? Regardless of the dangers, ridicules and misunderstandings we have a job to do.  The task Paul had, we still have to this very day, we are to "testify of the gospel of God's grace." (Acts 20:24)

If you are not sure of how to describe grace to someone here is an acronym by the late Pastor Adrian Rogers;

G - gifts

R - received

A - at 

C - Christ 

E - expense 

When we testify of God's grace we are testifying of the gifts of redemption, salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

APPLICATION

We know that all Believers in Jesus Christ have the purpose of sharing the gospel of God's grace.  Also each one of us has an individual task that God created us for.  Ask God to reveal yours to you.    

Look for opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with someone each day. Let them know that if they repent of their sins God will forgive them.  Then they confess that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead. Then they can ask Jesus to come into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior and they will be saved.  Hallelujah!

PRAYER

Dear God our Father, thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ.  Thank You for sending Him to save us through His death, burial and resurrection.  God help us to live for You and witness to others about Your grace.  Help us to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God, help us to "finish the race and complete the task." (Acts 20:24) In Jesus' Name.  Amen. Thank You God.