Sermon Outline  Feb 3, 2008 Morning Service

Topic: Super Bowl Evangelism - The Story Of Ananias 

Text:    Acts 9:10-14  

Introduction

I.        Why don’t we talk to others more about our faith in Christ?

A.       It’s primarily due to having the wrong attitudes.

B.       But all those wrong attitudes boil down to some very basic questions.

C.      The question comes down to the attitude of “want to”.

II.       This was the problem Ananias faced: He loved God, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to go where God wanted him to go (Acts 9:11-12).

Text

I.        Ananias didn’t want to go to Saul due to outright fear!

A.       Probably the most common reason we don’t share our faith is that we’re afraid.

B.       God counts on us to make a difference in reaching others.

II.       Ananias didn’t see Paul as church material.

A.       Paul wasn’t the kind of guy people would want to sit next to in church.

B.       Even today there are people who are enemies of Jesus.

C.      The only thing that’s going to make any difference in the life of a non-believer is if we tell them about Jesus.

D.      Paul was ready to change only after coming face to face with Jesus.

E.       At most, there are five things your friends need to understand to become a Christian.

1.       Do they believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?

2.       Do they believe they have sinned?

3.       Are they willing to turn away from their sin and make Jesus the Lord of their lives?

4.       Are they ready to lay hold of God’s forgiveness by being baptized in water?

5.       Are they willing to live for Jesus from now on?

Conclusion

I.        Ananias was just your average Christian.

A.       He wanted to serve God.

1.       But he wasn’t a great preacher.

2.       He wasn’t a great personal worker.

3.       Until Luke recorded The Book Of Acts his efforts likely took a back seat to the efforts of Paul.

4.       Certainly since Luke recorded The Book Of Acts his efforts have taken a back seat to the efforts of Paul.

B.       He was also affected by his fears.

II.       The history of God’s relationship with man is full of average people enjoying once-in-a-lifetime heroic moments.

A.       How many great men and women of God were great before they allowed God to use them?

B.       Service to God isn’t a matter of great people doing great things.

1.       It is about people allowing God to do great things.

2.       It is about seizing opportunities to serve God.

first try to encourage and see if the temptation passes.