🙏 Friday Service @ The Remnant • What Drives a Christian to Do the Work of the Kingdom 🙏

 

🙏 Friday Service @ The Remnant • What Drives a Christian to Do the Work of the Kingdom 🙏

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Today we gather to explore the question of what drives a Christian to do the work of the Kingdom.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be His hands and feet on this earth, but what motivates us to carry out this divine mission? Let's turn to the Word of God to find answers.

Scripture #1: Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Explanation:
Here, Jesus Himself commissions us to make disciples of all nations. Our love for Christ and obedience to His command drive us to share the gospel.

Scripture #2: 1 Corinthians 15:58
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Explanation:
Our assurance that our labor in the Lord is not in vain motivates us. We serve a God of eternal significance.

Scripture #3: Galatians 6:9
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Explanation:
Perseverance is driven by the promise that we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Scripture #4: 2 Corinthians 5:14
"For the love of Christ compels us because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died."

Explanation:
The love of Christ compels us to share His message of salvation with others.

Examples from Scripture:
1. Saul's Transformation - Acts 9:1-19
Saul, a persecutor of Christians, had a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. This encounter transformed him into the Apostle Paul, a passionate missionary for the Kingdom.

2. Zacchaeus' Conversion - Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus, a notorious tax collector, encountered Jesus, and his life was dramatically changed. He repented and promised to repay those he had cheated.

3. The Woman at the Well - John 4:1-42
A Samaritan woman met Jesus at a well, and her encounter with Him led to a powerful transformation in her life. She became a witness to her community, leading many to the Lord.

Saul's transformation is a profound example of how encountering God can dramatically change a person's life. This transformation is described in detail in the book of Acts, specifically in Acts 9:1-19. Let's break down Saul's transformation step by step, with relevant scriptures.

1. Saul's Persecution of Christians:
- Scripture: Acts 9:1-2 (NKJV)
"Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."

Saul, at this point, was a fervent persecutor of Christians. He actively sought out followers of Jesus to arrest and bring them to Jerusalem for trial.

2. The Encounter on the Road to Damascus:
- Scripture: Acts 9:3-5
"As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' And he said, 'Who are You, Lord?' Then the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'"

Saul experienced a blinding light from heaven and heard the voice of Jesus Himself. This encounter left him physically blinded and spiritually shaken.

3. Saul's Conversion and Surrender:
- Scripture: Acts 9:6
"So he, trembling and astonished, said, 'Lord, what do You want me to do?' Then the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.'"

In response to Jesus' call, Saul surrendered and asked what he should do next. He was instructed to go to Damascus, where further guidance would be provided.

4. Ananias' Role in Saul's Transformation:
- Scripture: Acts 9:10-17
"Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' So the Lord said to him, 'Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.'"

Ananias, instructed by the Lord in a vision, went to Saul, prayed for him, and restored his sight. Saul received the Holy Spirit and was baptized.

5. Saul's Transformation into Paul:
- Scripture: Acts 9:18-19
"Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."

After receiving his sight, Saul was baptized and became a follower of Christ. He went on to become the Apostle Paul, one of the most influential figures in the early Christian Church, and a passionate missionary who spread the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Saul's transformation from a zealous persecutor of Christians to a devoted follower of Christ illustrates the profound impact of a personal encounter with Jesus. This transformation demonstrates God's ability to change even the most hardened hearts and turn them into powerful instruments for His Kingdom.

10 scriptures from the Christian Bible that emphasize transformation when becoming a believer:

1. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

3. Ephesians 4:22-24 (NKJV)
"that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

4. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

5. Colossians 3:9-10 (NKJV)
"Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."

6. Titus 3:5 (NKJV)
"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."

7. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

8. 1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV)
"having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

9. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

10. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (NKJV)
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."

These scriptures highlight the transformative power of faith in Christ, emphasizing the renewal of the mind and spirit, becoming a new creation, and being conformed to the image of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.