Pastor Cho's Sermon Outline - Yoido Full
Gospel Church - Seoul, KoreaPaul’s Conversion and Confession Acts 26:9 ~ 26:23 2003-05-11
As a devout Pharisee, Paul led a strict life based on the Law and participated in the persecution of the Church, imprisoning and killing Christians. On his way to Damascus from Syria, hand-carrying the declaration of the high priest to arrest Christians, he met Christ, was converted, and called to be an apostle to witness to the Gentiles. He then became the target of severe persecution as he confessed his salvation and his calling as a messenger of the Gospel. Through his testimony, we can understand what we must witness to others. Why did God call Paul? Why does God call us?
I appointed you as a servant and as a witness (Acts 26:16,17). God forbade Adam and Eve to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because He wanted them to become His messengers. They challenged His authority, tried to become their own masters instead of God's servants, and were driven from the Garden. Mankind was created to serve God. Jesus was a model in doing God's will (Philippians 2:5-8). We are not masters of ourselves. Our time, possessions, and lives belong to God (Hebrews 3:5,6; Romans 14:8; Acts 22:14,15). We must witness of Christ's virgin birth (Matthew 1:20-23), His historic ministry of preaching and healing (Matthew 4:23), His resurrection following death (1 Corinthians 15:3,4), and about the meaning of His suffering (1 Peter 3:15). Are we truly acting like God's witnesses wherever we go?
I am sending you to open their eyes. Adam and Eve were created to see the spiritual world, but their sin blinded their eyes to it. Through faith in Jesus, the spirit is revived even as the eye becomes opened to the spiritual world (Isaiah 42:6,7; John 3:3; Ephesians 1:17-19). Through Jesus, the darkness of sin is changed to the light of forgiveness, righteousness, and glory (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:8,9). Emptiness is changed to meaningfulness and worth, and the despair of death to the light of hope of the resurrection and the eternal kingdom (Ephesians 2:4,5). The world was handed over to Satan after Adam and Eve's sin (Luke 4:5,6; 1 John 5:19), but through Christ's redemption on the Cross, heaven was brought upon this world (Colossians 2:13-15;1:13,14). What is the result of being a servant and witness for God?
So that they may receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. A person becomes a new creation in Christ and establishes a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4). We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9; Galatians 4:6,7; 3 John 1:2). We have been saved to witness to lost souls throughout the world, so that the kingdom of God on earth can be expanded, and so that everyone can enjoy the blessings that Jesus has prepared for us.
Heavenly Father, You have called us out of darkness into light to make us Your servants and witnesses, so that all may hear of You and can receive Your blessings.
Daily Bible
