Acts Chapter 7:14-34

Got off the chain.

You have the power to change you and what you mean yet spectator will you be part of the event.

Only you can answer that question. God knows what's around the corner, for he knew what was around the corner from you know what's around the corner for you. You really don't. You may have plans and plans are good, but you have no idea what God wants to do with your life really in detail, but God knows and even today, God was to prepare you for God.

Most of her.

God wants us to grow as we follow him he will lead others into a faith. A lot of times we think will I get saved and that's it. That's the beginning. A lot of people in here that I've asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins. That's all great start. Only ask your real direct pointed question what are you doing with you growing in your faith are being used by God to reach others welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. While we are all broken vessels, God still desires to use our life to reach others today pastor David explains how God wants to use you to reach the lost. As he continues in the book of acts chapter 7 now here's David McGee with part four of his teaching Stevens address. Chapter 7 finds us discussing Stephen Seaman was a man who was a deacon if you will, and he served tables and because he was willing to faithfully serve in those small things God continued to raise him up, and God continued to do more and more wonderful things through him, and then in chapter 7 we found steam and just given a an incredible teaching in front of the Jewish leadership. So again we see that model is he who is faithful in small things will be raised up in ministry.

That's an important thing for us to remember.

So will pick it up with acts chapter 7 verse 14 and speaking about the life of Joseph and this is sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him. 75 people. So Jacob went down to Egypt and he died. He and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Haim or the father number 17 but when the time of the promise drew near with God and sworn to Abraham the people group and multiplied in Egypt. Verse 18 to still another king arose who did not know Joseph this man dealt treacherously with her people and oppressed our forefathers making them expose their babies so that they might not live verse 20 at this time Moses was born and was well pleasing to God and he was brought up in his father's house for three months but when he was sent out Pharaoh's daughter took him away and brought them up as her own son Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. Now when he was 40 years old. He came into his heart to visit his brother and the children of Israel and send one of them suffer wrong. He defendant and avenge them he was oppressed, struck down the Egyptian Moses.

I believe new. He'd been called to deliver the people better.

I think there was an inkling I think is this burden. I think he knew anyone know any did as soon as he felt like he had this burden. He started out doing how to start out accounts about he figured he'd take them out. Take a whole injection out whole Egyptian army out one by one. I got out of his way. That was his point was I got God had a plan much better than the plan of Moses.

But see, here's the thing. When I see this time after time in ministry, you can't just depend upon your plan and your abilities as you step out to serve the Lord, because if you do it your way to go well. Let's back up even before ministry. What about salvation, what about salvation. Salvation is a free gift from God by grace were say is what this book tells us wasn't me. It's unearned unmerited favor from God. In order to receive that grace. We need to you come to Jesus and Jesus, will you forgive me Jesus yes and he forgives what most of us do. At that point. Well then we set out to earn that forgiveness that we were just you just given the forgiveness I track on earning pattern.

That's what we do we start the paint pictures and put parameters in well you don't keep your forgiveness. You do this and this and this and this and that you blow that forgiveness.

It was so freely given to you. You can lose it just like that that was a problem in the church of Galatian. Here's what Paul said to them in Galatians 3 verse three says, have you lost your senses after after starting your Christian lives in the spirit.

Why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort.

I know none of us struggle with this. I share with them, warming up for the 11 o'clock audience. Are you not now everyone of us can struggle with this and here's where it can become even more frustrated is when God burrows a vision and you search to stir your heart towards accomplishing something and then immediately know what we do start doing it myself not less than the stuff they contest us do. We can do like Jesus in the New Testament when he would tell a man get up and walk her blind man look at this, so we have to wait on the intelligence and that's the way the Christian life CR forgiveness comes because we asked for them because we been so good because there's a spark of innate human goodness and God look around a guy I got mostly good saving is not the way that happens every one of us is separated from God to God saves us by his grace God calls us by his grace that we think okay now are saved by grace but then God chooses us to do certain spiritual things because you know because were just better work were good people. That's a tendency. Dance don't know the church often thinks that God saved us because were good people and the people that aren't saved yet. Well, they're bad people and that's father not St. Lucie is a true no doubt they just don't know that the only difference if you think about the only difference between us and them is that we set up prayer to ask forgiveness overset is humbling now that leads to other life differences in Eau Claire choices you know are more in line with Scripture, but the distinctive differences we've asked to be forgiven and they have it. So how can we get to the place where we look down your nose at the truly twisted but that does happen. Not in this church with other churches I have read about that that happened happens in this church we been forgiven through grace we been called to serve. Through grace we do that with people in the ministry, especially to realize that we think all there really spiritual so God put them in a ministry tell you something. As a pastor.

It's not that I arrived at some spiritual plateau that God said will know he's deeply spiritual and ingrained menstruation is a good man. Your so God said look at me in my life and said you know currently if I do something and that Yahoo to get the glory because everybody's going know any match what God likes to do the last thing I want to show you is it somehow earned a place of ministry. I'm sorry you can earn something like that.

It's given God's grace calls us forth in the service in my paint a picture that if you arrive at some spiritual plateau, then God can begin to use you and what you just heard is God can't use you right now the six this that the other sorry. That's far from the truth will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a couple minutes to pray for some cities in our listening audience, today specifically Grants Pass Hines John Day Junction city Kino Lakeview, Medford, Oregon, Lord, we thank you for the cities and the people who are listening now got even those who might not be listening. We lift up everyone will we pray that your Holy Spirit would draw them into a personal relationship with Jesus that they would put their faith in him. Father we pray that they will get plugged into a Bible teaching church will we pray that you get the pastors in the city's wisdom on how to make disciples and how to encourage everyone that God brings Lord, we pray for the city leaders, mayors, father, the police chief to Fire Chief Louis pray that we would be an encouragement to them.

Recognizing the serious responsibilities that they have father we pray that the church globally in the cities would walk in unity and Lord, we thank you for what you're doing. In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 25 Moses, for he suppose that his brother would've understood that God would deliver them by hand, but they did not understand. The next day he appeared the two of them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them sent men your brother why do you want one another. Verse 27 but he did, his neighbor wrong question why Satan who made you a ruler and a judge over us is interesting to stop here for said who made the ruler and a judge over us with the King James, the new King James is who made you a ruler and a judge or master who had made Moses a ruler and a judge over them. God had all of you. If you're in leadership when encourage was on where you're headed towards leadership. Moses, who I believe was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time have a lot of trouble leading people rejected his leadership so people rejected the leadership of Moses where we ever surprised when people reject leadership in churches or in their jobs this year is Moses again.

Probably one the greatest leaders of all and enter going you a ruler and a job in an interesting thing and it Moses saw the injustice Moses wanted to fix it was a good thing. But the way he went about fixing it was wrong. I think there's a lesson for the church and there's a lot of stuff that we see a lot of social injustices that you know what that I do believe the church needs to be involved with. But we need to make sure that were addressing the situations in the right way and think Stephen here is making the point to them that you know what you do and really follow most right here to Jewish people decided they weren't going to follow continue. Verse 20. Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday Moses, but not officially, but something else knows what he did. Verse 29. Then, at the same Moses fled became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons, and when 40 years of past names of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire to Bush in the wilderness of Mel Sinai, Moses was in the desert for 40 years is interesting when you think about it, because Moses had all when he was still in Egypt that he was ready to be the deliver me. He was educated he had obvious leadership skills. Was he ready, absolutely not. And Moses probably walked around the desert thinking this is just a waste of time people down there.

They need to be delivered here I am walking around in the desert you feel like you wasted time in your life. Most of us have first option to make maybe you feel like you wasted some years and wasted some time. Well, maybe you have no idea God can redeem that you may, academically, mentally understand what I just said but no, I mean God can redeem see my life.

It's kind of an interesting thing because I can look at music is such an obvious thing that I use for my own good. My own gain and for the pleasure of the world, but the things I learned about music. The things I learned about production and sound in all their things now uses for his court was a parallel with Moses on wander around the desert for 40 years. Was he doing for 40 years wandering the desert is looking after livestock. Why do you look after life that we take the places where they can grace taken places where they can get water. How was God going to use that word.

And Moses leave the children of Israel through 11 through the desert and as he led him. He probably said all we go over here is a great pastor over here on after we go there. I know whether some water will go up here and there someone you knew all these things while because he had wasted all that time in the desert.

God can take whatever you think of your life in terms of wasted time or wasted years God can redeem that but let me suggest something that you don't continue to wait for God to redeem that you begin the step out McGinnis serve the Lord and he will begin to use even those wasted days wasted years while see how God can do that again let's look again at who God is using in this story Abraham often lied about his wife, Jacob, who was always cut bills and get ahead of God. Mountain Jake and scheming and then Moses who experts of Egypt to was a murder and God used somehow now we can replace the thinking that God only uses the distinguished members of society is really weird. Everything about. But here's the thing.

Life lesson God wants to use you to reach others.

God wants to use you to reach others.

What is yellow personal startle prying go from preaching the meddling. What is your reason. What is your excuse for not stepping on serving the Lord. If you don't want to be finding yourself in another place go out really thirst to see the water but I'm really thirsty, but it's really hard change. Allow God to change you, as God wants to change God has the power to change you will you be yet spectator will you be part of the adventure. Only you can answer that question God wants to use you nothing is holding you back, except you see the sad truth is we are our own worst spiritual and we like to think in terms of people hold us back.

Will this person's illness back my spouse hold me back.

My parents only back together only back person that holds us back. The most sit in your chair right but God has a plan for that. God knows what's around the corner for you.

He knew what was around the corner for Moses. Do you know what's around the corner for you. You really don't. You may have plans and plans are good, but you have no idea what God wants to do with your life really in detail, but God knows and even day, God was to prepare you for God. Most of her. The life lesson here, God wants us to grow as we follow him and he wants to leave.

He wants us to lead others into a faith in him. God wants us to grow as we follow him. He wants us to read others into a faith in him. A lot of times we think will I get saved and that's it. That's the beginning. A lot of people in here that I've asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins.

That's awesome's great start. Let me ask your real direct pointed question what are you doing with you growing in your faith are being used by God to reach others theologically speaking, there's justification just about never did something wrong and that your sins are forgiven. The moment you pray that prayer, but there isn't working, called sanctification in the sense of I am being saved. I am being changed and that's a process that all of us should be in the final process glorification. I will be completely save one day I will never, I will struggle with sin and we are in that sanctification phase were to be growing. God's doing something in our life is change in us. He desires to changes why because he wants to make us Jack of his blessing and object of his glory, you know what people do with jewelry.

They polish it up. Why do they do that so that people can see how beautiful it is exactly the understand that's what God desires to do with us. A lady that before she puts on a necklace she goes outside cheap smears mud all over. As you know she's going to church at she cleaned to show it off.

Now this is this is going be hard understand are to grab God was to show you all what he says in his word he said we are his work and ship record pulling that's where we get our word for people created in Christ Jesus for good works. Sure you picture something will glass rocks Arthur's interesting which actually know what those are other documents may not be honest about saw one of those on the ground outside noise stop picking up things my broken coke bottle. What happens after that dominance, well, looks like some like that so many takes that stone sits and works let's and they sit and they cut that's done and they polish that stone and and perhaps at that time and had a mind I don't think it does. Or so I don't think it does. It makes it there and go all my goodness he's got to stop me pieces of myself. A small floor there's a madman that has a hold of me. Something happening. What's going on really good jewelers making that into a beautiful, far more beautiful than it ever. That's what God is doing in our lives and so often we like them at all like other phases of me falls all over the ablation. God won't let me do this anymore. Will let me do that like doing that you can trust he knows what is and if you allow him to work in your life at some point he will present you and say look, there's more workmanship was not perfect every time another flaw look at thing of beauty in a thing of grace. That's what he desires to do a the weird thing is we want to fight against that God knows us better than we know ourselves what to do an awesome thing in our lives and we want to find. Don't fight with the Lord wants to do in your life, jump out and joining back to verse 30 and 140 years of past mingle of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire Bush in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. When Moses sought. He marveled at the site, as he drew near to observe the voice of the Lord came to him, saying, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, Moses trembled in their not look in the Lord. Send them take your sandals off your feet to the place where you stand is holy ground. As is an interesting thing depart for just a minute the ground we stand is holy is the ground that were standing on now holy. What kind is but probably not for the reason you think it is because this is a church is because if you asked Jesus to forgive your sins, you now stand righteous in his sight so everywhere you go. You're standing on holy ground. Verse 34 us surely seen the oppression of my people who are named in Egypt.

I heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now, I will send you to Egypt is also verse tells us a lot of things tells us God's all this people going through things in Egypt and I'm sure some of God, waiting to deliver us. God was waiting for the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Amalekites and all these people to come to patiently waiting and after 400 and some years sitcoms will deliver my people, but he saw the problems, and understand God sees your struggles and God knows your fears maybe other people don't understand you maybe other people don't understand your struggles may be other people don't enter any fears but God seems sees your loneliness easier pain. What does God want to help me with those things I want to do more to take them from friend. You know for sure that your sins been forgiven.

You can know right now only just a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

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As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the book of acts