Alexandria Covenant Church
Living for Jesus and doing what is right in the eyes of God can lead to rejection, false accusations, and being misunderstood. How we respond to criticism and accusations is sometimes the only thing we can control in the midst of a big misunderstanding in life. And when we live to please God rather than people, regardless of the outcome, we can be sure that God will be glorified.
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God can do amazing things through ordinary people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit was given to all believers and the church was born. The church is God's chosen instrument in the world for sharing the good news about Jesus Christ. The book of Acts is all about the unhindered movement of God throughout the world as the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed through the church. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the early church was an unstoppable movement that proclaimed the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ as the only way to eternal life. Today, the church empowered by the Holy Spirit is called to continue God's redeeming work in the world by fulfilling God's mission of making Jesus known to the ends of the earth.
Acts of the Apostles 21:17-26 NLT
Sermon Points:
1. A God-Centered Celebration (v. 17-20a)
2. A Great Big Misunderstanding (v. 20b-22)
3. A Gospel Driven Plan (v.23-26)
Supporting Texts:
• 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
• Philippians 2-3
Challenge: No one likes to be misunderstood. Misunderstandings can be unpredictable, difficult to navigate, and sometimes end in uncertain or uncontrollable circumstances. Yet, our reaction to misunderstanding is ours to decide. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Live to please God and don’t compromise the gospel.