Whatever Comes Next
To be useful ambassadors of Christ we cannot be impeded by closed doors, instead we must trust our sovereign God and embrace the opportunities before us whatever they might be.
Acts
Undeterred
God’s effective ambassadors must resolve to definitively call people to respond to Christ and be faithful to respond to their responses.
Prepared for Eternity
We are motivated to boldly proclaim the gospel when we understand the horrendous problem of sin and death, prizing the gracious forgiveness God made possible through the risen Christ.
Ultimate Realities
Fruitful ambassadors of Christ are enthralled with their Savior who fulfilled the Scriptures and sacrificed himself to purchase our eternal redemption.
Imperfect Previews
Useful ambassadors of Christ need to see earthly blessings as imperfect previews of the forthcoming realities to be graciously granted in God’s eternal kingdom.
Open Doors for the Word
We must see ourselves as Christ’s ambassadors always prepared and looking for opportunities to talk about God’s word and his plan of salvation.
Divine Authority
We must never forget that it is the omnipotent God who enlists each of us to serve him and advance his truth in our generation.
Anything, Anyplace, Anytime
God has planned a specific set of purposes for our generation and will personally work to enlist you to accomplish a set of them for his glory.
Earthly Powers & God’s Sovereignty
Earthly powers will always be subject to the sovereign judgment of God, our job is to humbly serve the King of Kings and promote his greatness throughout the earth.
Victories & Vindication
Our prayer lives ought to be an exercise in bolstering our confidence in God’s plan, power and purposes amid this seeming chaotic world.
Suffering & Solidarity
We must never forget that the church is destined for violent opposition from earthly authorities, but we can gain the necessary strength and patient endurance through a fervent prayer life.
Shared Struggles & Mutual Aid
We ought to always be attuned to the practical needs of God’s people, ready to do what we can to demonstrate the love of Christ in tangible ways.
Distinctions, Diversity & Devotion
God will strongly support and unify the church devoted to Christ, responsive to her leaders, and engaged in his work.
Scriptural Reasons & Reasonable Explanations
Knowing Christians will have sincere and ardent disagreements, we should be ready when needed to employ reasoned and scriptural explanations in pursuit of Christian peace and unity.
Cornelius: The Life Changing Message
God is at work preparing people for their engagement with his gospel message which we should always be ready to deliver with conviction, hope, and expectation.
Cornelius: Family & Friends
Our conversion to Christ and our subsequent work of sharing the gospel ought to impact and involve a network of friends and family members.
Cornelius: Reluctant Evangelists
As with those God used to bring us to repentance and faith in Christ, we cannot let any barriers – theological or practical – get in the way of us sharing the gospel.
Cornelius: Drawn to Seek God
We must value and celebrate the pre-Christian grace of God, which he clearly demonstrates in drawing people to a receptive hearing of the gospel of Christ.
City of Joppa: Prepared by a Godly Example
We must appreciate and pursue the evangelistic power of a selfless, sacrificial, and generous Christian life.
City of Lydda: Amazed by God’s Power
Repentance requires a discernment of and submission to God’s incomparable power.
Saul: A New Family
We must see the importance of being a highly-committed and fully-invested participant of a healthy (albeit imperfect) church knowing it is an indispensable part of the Christian life.
Saul: New Challenges
We must willingly embrace the new and difficult challenges that will necessarily accompany our new life in Christ.
Saul: A New Purpose
We must never let fear or pain distract us from boldly following God’s revealed will for our lives, knowing that the Lord’s fruitful plan for our lives is always best.
Saul: Fighting God
To fully appreciate the grace of Christian regeneration we need to recall the futility and plight of our pre-Christian rebellion against God.
Courage to Be Identified with Christ
Christians should boldly and enthusiastically seek to be identified with Christ in water baptism and in our ongoing and unabashed work of evangelism.
Knowing How the Scriptures Use Us
We must intently study the Bible so we are competent to guide others in God’s truth which can lead them to forgiveness and new life in Christ.
Showing Up for Divine Appointments
We ought to always be ready and willing to obediently respond to God’s sovereign direction when he leads us and prompts us to engage non-Christians with the gospel.
The Challenges of Discipleship
As we advance the gospel, we must be ready to faithfully confront and correct those we lead to Christ, knowing that everyone will be tempted to fall into costly and corrupting sins.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
We should rely on and revel in the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, who works to empower and embolden us as God’s redeemed children to effectively represent him in this world.
Calling People to Repentance
Advancing the gospel must include a careful explanation of biblical repentance which calls everyone to a lifelong penitent submission to the King of kings.