Reactions to the Preached Word
A. GOD INTENDS TO SAVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE GOSPEL ( Rom. 1:16-17 ).
B. IT MUST BE PREACHED.
1. Great Commission’s goal ( Mark 16:15 ).
2. How can they believe except they hear ( Rom. 10:13-15 ).
3. God’s plan ( 1 Cor. 1:21 ).
C. AN INTELLECTUAL PROCESS.
1. Where does faith come from? ( Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31 ).
2. That is not to say you must have a high IQ ( 1 Cor. 1:26 ).
3. God’s appeal is an appeal to reason ( Acts 17:2; John 6:44-45 ).
D. NOT ALL PREACHING IS PLEASANT ( 2 Tim. 4:2 ).
E. BEFORE THE WORD CAN WORK IT MUST BE RECEIVED ( 1 Tim. 2:13 ).
F. WE MAY PROFIT FROM A STUDY OF THE VARIOUS REACTIONS PEOPLE IN
THE BOOK OF ACTS HAD TO THE PREACHED WORD.
A. OPEN MINDED çè NARROW MINDED.
B. THE RESULT OFTHIS ATTITUDE:
1. Many believed ( vs. 12 ).
2. Even those who didn’t, but listened called “noble.”
A. STEPHEN SAW THE NEED TO “GET TOUGHT” ( vs. 51-53 ).
B. THEY “GOT TOUGH” BACK ( vs. 54-60 ).
C. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT THEY TOOK PERSONALLY WHAT STEPHEN
SAID. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO APPLY TO SELF.
D. THE PROBLEM – WRONG REACTION ( 2 Cor. 7:10 ).
A. PETER REASONED TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS.
B. THEY WERE CONVICTED è “PRICKED IN THEIR HEART.”
A. THE SIMPLE GOSPEL ( vs. 8-12 ).
B. COULD NOT REFUTE IT ( vs. 13-14 ).
C. SOUGHT TO SUPPRESS IT ( vs. 17-21 )
A. SOME MOCKED ( vs. 32 ).
B. SOME WERE MERELY CURIOUS ( vs. 32 ).
C. BUT SOME BELIEVED ( vs. 34 ).
A. JEALOUSY PROVOKED THEM TO RUDENESS ( vs. 45 ).
B. THE WORDS OF BARNABAS ( vs. 46 ).
A. FELIX ( Acts 24:25 ).
B. FESTUS ( Acts 26:24-29 ). AGRIPPA – “With but little persuasion.”
A. Acts 2:41; 8:12.
B. THE EUNUCH ( Acts 8:36 ).
C. THE JAILOR ( Acts 16:33ff ).
D. CRISPUS ( Acts 18:8 ).
E. PAUL ( Acts 22:10, 16 ).
A. HOW DO YOU REACT?
B. I HOPE PERSONALLY!
C. WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?