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Explore the dangerous and acceptable responses to the Gospel. Discover the importance of personal commitment and the significance of sin, salvation, heaven, hell, and baptism. Challenge yourself to examine your own response to the eternal presence of God.
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30 July, 2017 What is YOUR response?
Highlights of Trail Rides teaching • Dangerous responses to the Gospel • Acceptable responses to the Gospel • Challenge to our prayer lives
…the Great King, the Almighty God… had a light… alight to shatter the darkness.
The Holy Bible Not Just Another Book!
God has given humanity ample opportunity to know about Him by means of nature, the human conscience, Jesus Christ, and through the Bible. Humanity has no excuse whatsoever for rejecting God. Unknown
? ? • What is SIN? • What does it meant to be “saved”? • Heaven and Hell • Can I be saved and lost? • What is baptism? ? ?
Heaven and Hell E t e r n a l Presence of God Separation from God
What is YOUR response?
Emphases of Trail Rides teaching • Dangerous responses to the Gospel
Felix – Acts 24 • Festus – Acts 25 • Agrippa – Acts 26
Felix – Acts 24 22 …Felix…commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.
24And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning thefaith inChrist [the Way].
25 Now as he [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
26 Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.
27 But after two years PorciusFestus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favour, left Paul bound.
Dangerous response No. 1 “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”
Felix – Acts 24 • Festus – Acts 25
Festus – Acts 25 9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favour, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?”
10So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.”
11For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!”
Dangerous response No. 2 No personal commitment (not the same as “no response”)
Felix – Acts 24 • Festus – Acts 25 • Agrippa – Acts 26
Agrippa – a Jew in religion, but totally devoted to Rome. Various historians
Acts 26 2 “I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
3especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
24 Now as he thus made his defense, Festussaid with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!”
25But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.
26 For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
Dangerous response No. 3 Almost – but no!
“Almost persuaded” now to believe;“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive; Seems now some soul to say, “Go, Spirit, go Thy way, Some more convenient day on You I’ll call.”
Emphases of Trail Rides teaching • Dangerous responses to the Gospel • Acceptable responses to the Gospel
Psalm 1399 23Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties;24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,And lead me in the way everlasting.
Luke 18 13And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Luke 18 (As Jesus approached Jericho) 39Then those who went before warned him [Bartameus] that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”