Awakened to the Gospel - Awaken

City Church Tulsa

Awakened to the Gospel 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 April 14, 2024 Acts 17:1-3 1When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” Whenever the gospel is preached 1. Some people will get angry 2. Some people will elevate that anger to the level of persecution 3. Some people will embrace the message and give their lives to Jesus Acts 17:5-9 5But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. The Gospel Cycle: · Good News Brought to You · We modeled it · Good News Received By You · You Modeled It · Good News Went Out From You Genuine conversion changes our direction Genuine conversion changes our affection Bonhoeffer – Discipleship God honors some with great suffering and grants them the grace of martyrdom, while others are not tempted beyond their strength. But in every case it is one cross. It is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering that everyone has to experience is the call which summons us away from our attachments to this world. It is the death of the old self in the encounter with Jesus Christ. Those who enter into discipleship enter into Jesus’ death. They turn their living into dying… Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death. · Transforms idols (Repentance) · Turn to God (Faith) · Turn our lives over to God (Service) Genuine conversion changes our reflection Is the Good News ringing out from my life? Have I turned from my idols? Am I speaking about and looking forward to Jesus’s return?