{"id":43,"date":"2009-02-23T16:34:15","date_gmt":"2009-02-23T16:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=43"},"modified":"2009-02-23T16:34:15","modified_gmt":"2009-02-23T16:34:15","slug":"sunday-january-11-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/?p=43","title":{"rendered":"Sunday, January 11, 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

How the Word of God Grows<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Acts 12:1-24<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Introduction\u201d\u201d<\/span><\/em>We\u201d\u2122re part of the Kingdom of God\u201d\u201da non-political, based in Heaven, Christ-following empire that has no earthly headquarters and reaches into every nation, every language, every sphere of geo-political diversity, and every economic strata.\u00a0 <\/span>God Himself powers this Kingdom with the Holy Spirit and the simple Message of Jesus.\u00a0 <\/span>And it is always on the move . . . whether perceived by humanity or not.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 13:31-32 [READ]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 23-25\u00a0 <\/span>[READ]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 16:15-18 [READ]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The church\u201d\u00a6 is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God\u201d\u2122s kingship.
\n– Lesslie Newbigin<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

*Every Christ-follower must \u201cbe bold and courageous to spread the word of truth and leave the outcome to God\u201d <\/span><\/em><\/strong>(Piper).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

HOW<\/span><\/span><\/strong> can we do this?\u00a0 <\/span>By realizing just how sovereign our God is and what that means in our lives!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Turn to Acts 12 (we\u201d\u2122ll read as we go this morning).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Our God is sovereign over . . .<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>EXECUTIONS<\/span><\/span><\/strong> (READ 1-2)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus to James and John:\u00a0 <\/span>Mark 10:39\u201d\u201d\u201cYou will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This chapter records the fulfillment of Jesus\u201d\u2122 prophecy that James would die because He was a Christ-follower.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

James was martyred NOT because God couldn\u201d\u2122t<\/span> save him, but because God had greater purposes<\/span> for His own glory!<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Philippians 1:14\u201d\u201d\u201c . . . and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tertullian:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe multiply whenever we are mown down by you; the blood of Christians is the seed of the church.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Jerome:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Summary of the 12th<\/sup> chapter of Acts is found in verse 24\u201d\u201d\u201cBut the Word of God grew and multiplied<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Life Lesson:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Sometimes God works most when we perceive His presence the least<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 <\/span>Sometimes difficulty and\/or persecution reduce life to what is eternal\u201d\u201dwhich for Christ-followers is spreading the Message of Jesus.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>ESCAPES<\/span><\/span><\/strong> (READ 3-19)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

God takes Herod\u201d\u2122s prize-prisoner right from under his nose!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Herod wanted self-exaltation, even if it meant persecuting Christians (verse 3).\u00a0 <\/span>But God made a joke at this<\/em> attempt of Herod\u201d\u2122s, in answer to the prayers of the church<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Piper:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSome bear witness through death, others through life . . . God sends His angel to show Herod that not even with four squads of soldiers (v. 4) can he keep the one God decides to free.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Verse 24\u201d\u201d\u201cBut the Word of God grew and multiplied<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Life Lesson:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>According to His plans and purposes<\/em>, God works in answer to the prayers of His people<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>EATEN-BY-WORMS-DEATHS<\/span><\/span><\/strong> (20-23)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAn angel of the Lord\u201d\u201d\u201dearlier, to deliver Peter; HERE, to kill Herod!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Piper:\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf a man lifts himself up against God, he becomes weaker than a worm.\u00a0 <\/span>It is insane to commit treason against the Creator of the universe.\u00a0 <\/span>You can\u201d\u2122t win!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel 2:21\u201d\u201d\u201cAnd He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings . . . .\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel 4\u201d\u201dNebuchadnezzar\u201d\u2122s pride and God\u201d\u2122s power to humble him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Life Lesson<\/span><\/span>:\u00a0 <\/span>God CAN handle those who oppose Jesus and His followers.<\/em><\/strong> That doesn\u201d\u2122t mean that He always will.\u00a0 <\/span>But, if it fits His sovereign purpose, He can and will!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Conclusion\u201d\u201d<\/span><\/em>\u201cGod turned the tables entirely on all that Herod was trying to by killing James and arresting Peter\u201d\u201dhe made the word of God grow and multiply\u201d (Piper).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew 13:33 [READ]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A small seed, a pinch of yeast\/leaven\u201d\u201da Christ-follower\u201d\u201da group of Christ-followers\u201d\u201dthat simply tells other the Message of Jesus<\/em> . . . <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The result?\u00a0 <\/span>The Word of God grows and multiplies in the hearts and lives of those who hear and, by God\u201d\u2122s grace, trust Jesus as Savior with a faith that surrenders to Him as Lord\/Master<\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How the Word of God Grows Acts 12:1-24 \u00a0 Introduction\u201d\u201dWe\u201d\u2122re part of the Kingdom of God\u201d\u201da non-political, based in Heaven, Christ-following empire that has no earthly headquarters and reaches into every nation, every language, every sphere of geo-political diversity, and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-messages"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43\/revisions\/44"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.crossroadchristianfellowship.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}