Who Can I Reach? - Bringing Influenceable People to Christ (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

When we come to church:

 

1. Are we thinking about others or about ourselves?  v. 19

2. Are we willing to go out of our way to make others feel welcome in our church.  v. 20-21

 

3. Do we realize that the little things we do to make people feel welcome can help win some of them to Christ?  v. 22

4. Do we realize that the real reason we are here is to spread the gospel?  v. 23

Who Can I Reach? How to Bring a Hostile Man to Christ (Acts 6:8-15, 54-60; 9:1-20)

1. Saul, who later went by his Roman name Paul, got saved on the road to Damascus when God spoke to him out of a blinding light. Acts 9:1-9

2. God sent a reluctant disciple named Ananias to tell Saul what he must do. Acts 6:1-7:60

3. Some say that Stephen may have set an example that led to Saul's conversion. Acts 6:1-7:60

a. Stephen was chosen to be one of the first deacons (servants). Acts 6:1-7.
b. Stephen was a man full of faith and power. Acts 6:8
c. Stephen was a man of great ability in the Scriptures. Acts 6:9-10
d. Stephen was a man who did not back down under persecution. Acts 6:11-14
e. Stephen had a heavenly countenance about him. Acts 6:15
f. Stephen preached a great sermon that explained the fulfillment of God's plan through the Jews was in Jesus Christ. Acts 7:1-53
g. Stephen saw a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:54-57
h We know that Saul saw these things about Stephen's life because he watched over the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death. Acts 7:58
i. Saul saw Stephen forgiving the very ones who were putting him to death. Acts 7:59-60
- Saul saw forgiveness versus revenge, even in the face of death.

God did not give up on Saul who later preached in Asia and what is modern day Europe.  We may be saved because of the example Saul saw in Stephen.