“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV) 

• Sunday, February 19 The First Witness
• Sunday, February 26 A Courageous Witness
• Sunday, March 5 A Spirit-Led Witness
• Sunday, March 12 A Reluctant Witness
• Sunday, March 19 A Barrier-Breaking Witness
• Sunday, March 26  A Church-Oriented Witness
• Palm Sunday, April 2 A Cross-Centered Witness

 Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 13:1-3 (ESV)
13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

1. It was “the church at Antioch” that out Barnabas and Saul to be witnesses on the first missionary journey.

Acts 14:19-23 (ESV)
¹⁹ But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

2. God intends for our witness . . .

• To be -centered
• To make
• Who are gathered into
• With recognized, qualified .

Acts 14:24-28 (ESV)
²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

3. At the end of the first missionary journey, Barnabas and Saul gave a to the church that sent them out.

Acts 15:36-16:5 (ESV)
³⁶ And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

16 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

4. God intends for local churches to grow and .

5. The NT word for “church” is ἐκκλησία [ekklesia /ek·klay·seeah/] and means “an .”

6. God expects each of us to be an “all in” of a local church.
   Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27, ESV)

7. Jesus is committed to the church – and we should be too!
   I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18b, ESV)

“strive to excel in building up the church.”
(1 Corinthians 14:12b, ESV) 

 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV) 

• Sunday, February 19 The First Witness
• Sunday, February 26 A Courageous Witness
• Sunday, March 5  A Spirit-Led Witness
• Sunday, March 12 A Reluctant Witness
• Sunday, March 19 A Barrier-Breaking Witness
• Sunday, March 26 A Church-Oriented Witness
• Palm Sunday, April 2 A Cross-Centered Witness

 Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 10 (ESV)
10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³ About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

1. Even very and “devout” people need to hear the gospel and follow Jesus.
2. God is often at work in the lives of those to whom he sends us to witness.
3. God sometimes speaks through and , but always through his .

⁹ The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.
¹⁷ Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate ¹⁸ and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. ¹⁹ And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” ²¹ And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” ²³ So he invited them in to be his guests.
The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

4. While spiritual leaders should be respected and followed (cf. Hebrews 13:17), they should never be given the that belongs only to God (cf. Acts 12:21-23).

³⁰ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³² Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
³⁴ So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

5. person is created in the of God (Genesis 1:27); so, they should be treated with dignity, respect, and love, and should be recipients of our witness.
6. Our witness should focus on Jesus’ death, resurrection, and offer of to all who trust him.

⁴⁴ While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

7. Our witness should call for a response of repentance, faith, and .

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV) 

• Sunday, February 19  The First Witness
• Sunday, February 26  A Courageous Witness
• Sunday, March 5  A Spirit-Led Witness
• Sunday, March 12  A Reluctant Witness
• Sunday, March 19   A Barrier-Breaking Witness
• Sunday, March 26  A Church-Oriented Witness
• Palm Sunday, April 2  A Cross-Centered Witness 

Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 9 (ESV)
¹⁰ Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

• Ananias was a witness.

¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 

• The Lord Ananias’ concern. 

¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and taking food, he was strengthened. 

• The Lord used Ananias’ .

Concern #1: I don’t know what to say.
Response: Be .

“¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”
(1 Peter 3:14-15)

• Know the .
  • For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, ESV)
• Know your . (Acts 22:1-21)
• Know good . 

Concern #2: I may mess it up.
Response: Give yourself .

“²⁴ Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. ²⁷ And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, ²⁸ for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.” (Acts 18:24-28, ESV)

Concern #3: They probably already know the gospel.
Response: Evangelism can be part of a .

“⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-6, ESV) 

Concern #4: They may not want to hear the gospel.
Response: Be faithful. Trust the Lord with the .

“And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.” (Matthew 10:14, ESV)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV)

• Sunday, February 19 The First Witness
• Sunday, February 26 A Courageous Witness
• Sunday, March 5 A Spirit-Led Witness
• Sunday, March 12 A Reluctant Witness
• Sunday, March 19 A Barrier-Breaking Witness
• Sunday, March 26 A Church-Oriented Witness
• Palm Sunday, April 2 A Cross-Centered Witness

Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 8 (ESV)

⁸And Saul approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. ³ But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

⁴ Now those who were scattered went about preaching [euangelizo] the word. ⁵ Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed [kerusso] to them the Christ. ⁶ And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said [lego] by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was much joy in that city. . . .

¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached good news [euangelizo] about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

1. God often uses something to bring about something in the accomplishment of his larger purposes.

2. God sometimes transforms those most opposed to the gospel into bold for Jesus and the gospel.

3. Sometimes our witness will be to the (mass evangelism).

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. ²⁷ And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ²⁸ and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
³³  In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

³⁴ And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news [euangelizo] about Jesus.

4. Sometimes our witness will be to at a time (personal evangelism).

5. Our personal witness will be most effective when . . .
(1) We follow the prompting of God’s .
(2) We begin with good .
(3) It includes .
(4) It focuses on the person and work of .
(5) It calls for a response of repentance, faith, and .

³⁶ And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel [euangelizo] to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

6. Those who respond to our witness by trusting and following Jesus will experience great .

The Romans Road to Salvation (ESV)

1. Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
2. Romans 6:23a: “For the wages of sin is death,”
3. Romans 5:8: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
4. Romans 6:23b: “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
5. Romans 10:9: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
6. Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
7. Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
8. Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
9. Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV) 

• Sunday, February 19, The First Witness
• Sunday, February 26, A Courageous Witness
• Sunday, March 5, A Spirit-Led Witness
• Sunday, March 12, A Reluctant Witness
• Sunday, March 19, A Barrier-Breaking Witness
• Sunday, March 26, A Church-Oriented Witness
• Palm Sunday, April 2, A Cross-Centered Witness

 Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 4 (ESV)

4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, ² greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

1. We should not be if there is opposition or resistance to our witness.

⁵ On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶ with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. ⁷ And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. ¹¹ This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. ¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

2. Our witness should be clear that salvation is found in Jesus Christ .

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” ¹⁸ So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, ²⁰ for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. ²² For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

3. Even when there is to be silent, our witness must not .

²³ When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,

“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?

²⁶      The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

²⁷ for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰ while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

4. We should ask God to give us in our witness.

 

5. A courageous witness will be .

¹⁷ But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy ¹⁸ they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. . . .

⁴⁰ and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. ⁴² And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:17-18, 40-42, ESV)

• The Greek word for “witness” is martus/martureo, from which we also get our English word “martyr” – “a person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs.”

 

• The first Christian martyr is (cf. Acts 6-7).

 

• The second named martyr in the book of Acts is , the brother of John (Acts 12:1-12).

 

6. A courageous and costly witness will others and will be by God.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:12a, ESV).

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
– Jesus (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Sunday, February 26        A Courageous Witness
Sunday, March 5                A Spirit-Led Witness
Sunday, March 12              A Reluctant Witness
Sunday, March 19              A Barrier-Breaking Witness
Sunday, March 26             A Church-Oriented Witness
Palm Sunday, April 2         A Cross-Centered Witness

Goals of the series:

• That every follower of Christ at Ingleside will become a better-equipped and more-active verbal witness for Jesus.
• That every Inglesider will invite someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus to our Easter weekend outreach on April 8-9.

Acts 2 (ESV)

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
⁵Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

1. The first witness occurred days (7 weeks) after the weekend of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
2. The first witness was by the Holy Spirit.
3. The first witness miraculously enabled people from many to hear the gospel in their “own native language.”

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸ even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
²⁰ the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
²¹ And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

4. The first witness included of God’s people – young and old, males and females.

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty
works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵ For David says concerning him,

“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
²⁶ therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
²⁷ For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
³⁵ until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

5. The first witness emphasized:
   (a) The crucifixion – Jesus’ death for sins on the cross
   (b) The resurrection – Jesus was raised bodily from the grave
   (c) The ascension and exaltation of Jesus at God’s right hand
   (d) The trustworthiness of Scripture
   (e) God’s in salvation

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

6. The first witness called for a response: “ and be in the name of Jesus Christ.”

7. The first witness promised of sins and the of the Holy Spirit. 

Five Bible Basics about Serving

1. was a servant . . . and if I follow him, I should be a servant too.

²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant [diakonos], ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served [diakoneo] but to serve [diakoneo], and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28, ESV)

2. follower of Jesus should serve in the body of Christ so that the church will be built up.

¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry [diakonia], for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-12, ESV)

Ministry = Service
Every member should be a minister!

3. I should serve where I am and where I am needed.

¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve [diakoneo] one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves [diakoneo}, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV) 

4. I should serve with the God provides. 

5. I should serve for the of others and for the of God. 

The Servant (Deacon) Word Group

• Diakonos (noun): servant, 29 times in 27 verses
• Diakonia (noun): service, 34 times in 32 verses
• Diakoneo (verb): to serve, 37 times in 32 verses

What are the passages that tell us about deacons?

Philippians 1:1 (ESV)
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons [diakonos]:

1 Timothy 3:1-13 (ESV)

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [episkope], he desires a noble task. ² Therefore an overseer [episkopos] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³ not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴ He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, ⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷ Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

⁸ Deacons [diakonos] likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁹ They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons [diakoneo] if they prove themselves blameless. ¹¹ Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons [diakonos] each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. ¹³ For those who serve well as deacons [diakoneo] gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 

1. Deacons must have –. (v. 8)
2. Deacons must God’s truth with strong and sincere conviction. (v. 9)
3. Deacons must be and demonstrate a proven pattern of godly living before serving. (v. 10)
4. Deacons must have wives, marriages, and families. (vv. 11-12)
5. Deacons who serve well will be with respect from others and stronger faith. (v. 13)

Acts 6:1-7 (ESV)

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution [diakonia]. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve [diakoneo] tables. ³ Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry [diakonia] of the word.” ⁵ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. ⁶ These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. ⁷ And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

6. Deacons should be men with a good reputation and who are full of faith, full of the Spirit, and full of . (vv. 3, 5)

7. Deacons should serve . (v. 1)

Steps in the presentation and approval process:

• December 20, 2022 – Overseers approved the proposal.
• January 11, 2023 – The proposal was presented to current Deacons and former Overseer Chairmen.
• January 29 – “Town meeting” for questions and comments from congregation was held.
• February 22 – Vote by church at Semi-Annual Church Conference

Wisdom for Men: Proverbs 5

(1) A wise man upholds God’s for sexuality.

¹ My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
    incline your ear to my understanding,
² that you may keep discretion,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.
³ For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil,
⁴ but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
    sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵ Her feet go down to death;
    her steps follow the path to Sheol;
⁶ she does not ponder the path of life;
    her ways wander, and she does not know it.

(2) A wise man is not by the allure of sexual sin.

⁸ Keep your way far from her,
    and do not go near the door of her house…

(3) A wise man avoids moving adultery.

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
    and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
¹⁹ a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated always in her love.
²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman 

(4) A wise man his marriage by intimacy with his wife. (cf, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5)

²¹ For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ponders all his paths.
²² The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
²³ He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is led astray.

(5) A wise man is .

• Resource for parents:
  God’s Design for Sex by Stan Jones and Brenna Jones.

Wisdom for Women: Proverbs 31

(1) A wise woman pours herself out for the benefit of .

¹⁰ An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.

(2) A wise woman hard to provide for others.

²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.

(3) A wise woman is caring and .

 ²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.    
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.

(4) A wise woman helps her husband .

²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

(5) A wise woman prioritizes over appearance.

 

 

God is honored and I am more likely to succeed in my work when . . . 

1. I am eager to .

⁵ Let the wise hear and increase in learning, (1:5a, ESV)

⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. (9:9, ESV)

¹⁴ A wise person is hungry for knowledge,
while the fool feeds on trash. (15:14, NLT)

¹⁵ Wise men and women are always learning,
always listening for fresh insights. (18:15, MSG)

⁵ Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength. (24:5, GNB)

 

2. I develop a strong .

²³ Hard work always pays off;
mere talk puts no bread on the table. (14:23, MSG)

diligent [ dil-i-juhnt ] 1 constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything. 2 done or pursued with persevering attention; painstaking. Synonyms: 1 industrious, assiduous, sedulous. 2 indefatigable, untiring, tireless, unremitting.

 ⁴ A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich. (10:4, ESV)

²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be put to forced labor. (12:24, ESV)

3. I choose not to be a .

sluggard [ sluhg-erd ] 1 a person who is habitually inactive or lazy. 2 a slothful person; an idler. See slug. 1 any of various snaillike terrestrial gastropods having a shell or only a rudimentary one. 2 a slow-moving animal, vehicle, or the like. 3 a person who is lazy or slow-moving.

(1) Do I lack ? Yes No

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
⁷ Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
⁸ she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest. (6:6-8, ESV)

(2) Am I when I should be working? Yes No

⁹ How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man. (6:9-11, ESV)

¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed. (26:14, ESV)

(3) Do I fail to do the right at the right ? Yes No

⁴ The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing. (20:4, ESV)

(4) Do I make ? Yes No

¹³ The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!” (22:13, ESV)

(5) Do I refuse to put forth even effort? Yes No

¹⁵ The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. (26:15, ESV)

(6) Do I think I it ? Yes No

¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly. (26:16, ESV)

4. I do my before I in.

² Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
³ People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord. (19:2-3, NLT) 

5. I learn to do things .

²⁷ Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house. (24:27, ESV)

²⁷ First plant your fields;
then build your barn. (24:27, MSG)

6. I make my a success.

¹⁸ As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,
so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded. (27:18, NLT)

¹⁸ If you care for your orchard, you’ll enjoy its fruit;
if you honor your boss, you’ll be honored. (27:18, MSG)

(1) Very person –  passion

(2) Very person – passion

(3) Very person – passion

(4) Very person – passion

(5) Very person – passion

Source: Gordon MacDonald, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion.

7. I my work to the .

³ Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established (16:3, ESV)

If I am wise . . . 

1. I will recognize the of my words.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits. (18:21, ESV)

²¹ Words kill, words give life;
they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. (18:21, MSG)

. . . the power to or me.

³ Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (13:3, ESV)

¹⁴ Wise words bring many benefits,
and hard work brings rewards. (12:14, NLT)

. . . the power to or to .

¹⁸ There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (12:18, ESV)

¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (12:18, NIV)

¹⁸ Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal. (12:18, GNB)

2. I will let my words be .

¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (10:19, ESV)

²⁷ A truly wise person uses few words;
a person with understanding is even-tempered.
²⁸ Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent;
with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
(17:27-28, NLT)

²³ Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble. (21:23, NLT)

3. I will choose with care the of my words.

¹¹ A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (25:11, ESV)

¹¹ The right word at the right time
is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, (25:11, MSG)

²³ Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (15:23, NLT)

4. I will choose with care the of my words.

My words should be . . . 

      A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (15:1, NIV) 

          Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. (15:4, GNB)

     Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones. (25:15, NLT)

   Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (16:24, ESV)

5. I will not use my words . . .
   

(1) To my own .

² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips. (27:2, ESV)

(2) To to or about others.

²² Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight. (12:22, ESV)

(3) To others.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin. (26:28, ESV)

⁵ A flattering neighbor is up to no good;
he’s probably planning to take advantage of you. (29:5, MSG)

(4) To others.

⁴ Gentle words are a tree of life;
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (15:4, NLT)

6. I will use my words to offer . . .

(1) An occasional piece of constructive

²³ In the end, people appreciate honest criticism
far more than flattery. (28:23, NLT)

(2) An abundance of

²¹ The words of the godly encourage many,
but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense. (10:21, NLT)

²⁵ Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up. (12:25, NLT)