www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2005 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2005
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

Words of Truth and Soberness
Acts 26:15-25

Just do an honest and upfront comparison to these verses in Acts 26 and all that follows Paul's commission, and Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15-20 and all that follows that particular commission - is it so obvious that only us 'base' folks can see it?  Have we got our own baptistic wisdom now in our churches that God must make foolish (I Corinthians 1:18-21)

Are we seeing the difficulty of the differences between the tares and the wheat?

We preach a Christ crucified, (Gospels)
but aren't we also to preach a Christ risen (Paul)?


Acts 26:18
Paul's Calling:
 (all by Jesus Christ - today, through the Book (which has the Spirit of God showing us His words, etc. - Jn 14,16)
    To: Turn us from Darkness to Light!
    To: Open our Eyes!
    To: Turn us from Power of Satan unto God!
a.  receive forgiveness of sins
b.  receive inheritance - joint-heir, etc.

Acts 26:18
Sanctified by FAITH that is in Paul & is also in us from Christ!
    That faith is the faith of Christ:
        Gives us access  to God - Faith in...
            Romans 5:1,2
            Romans 3:22
            Galatians 3:22
        Gives us in return His Faith - Faith of...
            Philippians 3:9
            Galatians 2:16
            Galatians 2:20


So, because that is Paul's calling -and that is what we are preaching here in Touchet...
...the way of God more perfectly..
...a more excellent way...

and herein lies the problem - the difficulty - the difference - the source of irritation...

Then we should be DOING...

Acts 26:20
Paul also said that we should DO!
    Repent!
    Turn to God!
    Do Works Meet for Repentance!
        Change your life - from child of darkness to child of light
        "Be the Christian" - that means that in this world of mess, God's righteousness, peace and joy from this Book are what our lives are to be a testimony of.
        "Follow Paul" - things we DO should be different now that we are saved
        "Peace" is suppose to be the result - Philippians 4:9

Just being saved but living life as usual - and then just 'leading others to Christ' - isn't the design, folks!
    We are called to walk worthy!  Ephesians 4:1 -  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called ...
    We are now HIS workmanship, not our own!  Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
    We are to be ZEALOUS of good works, not frustrated over them!  Titus 2:14 - 14: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.


Have we only made serious changes in our talk, but not in our walk?
Have we gone a little ways - then got stopped?
Have we been stuck on the bridge from "FROM" to "TO?"

Or are we just like a lost Jew - Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Or maybe like the typical person today -II Timothy 4:3,4   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Or like the typical Gentile who doesn't read the Bible - Ephesians 4:17-19   This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

They Wanted to Kill Paul
Acts 26:21
As Paul preached what He preached (Romans - Philemon - with application still to Jews as well as Gentiles in Galatians, I & Thessalonians, I & II Corinthians and Romans), they were always trying to kill him!
Acts 23:13
There was a conspiracy against him!
Acts 26:24
Festus said he was 'mad!'

Paul was Obeying His Calling / Vision - to us - TODAY!
Acts 26:19 - Paul said he was only doing what Jesus Christ told him to do - he was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision!
Acts 26:6 - he is only following God - just as the Jews had always done!
Acts 26:22,23 - He preached the Christ the Jews should have known was coming and who is now the risen Christ showing light unto the Jews AND the Gentiles now - through Paul.

Acts 26:25 - He stated that he spoke forth the words of truth and soberness.  And remember what he said in Acts 25:19.  But they refuse to go on with Jesus Christ - who they thought was dead, but is alive as Paul preached - and so they tried to get rid of Paul, too.

Truth and Soberness!
Acts 26:25
This is serious business, folks - not just another alternate lifestyle for Christians to choose or not!

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
Let no man despise thee.
Titus 2:15

It just has to be preached, it is as simple as that!
We are beyond the teaching days - truth needs to be preached - with & through that Book!