Notes for Counter Move

1. Counter Move Acts 17:1–15 2. Key Concepts Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 3. Key Concepts …always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you… 1 Peter 3:15b 4. Counter Move Wrestling History 5. Working the plan Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths 6. Working the plan (continued) reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 7. Have a plan, Work the plan Synagogue Scriptures Conclusions 8. UNAMBIGUOUS This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ 9. Win the meet And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 10. Winning is rewarded For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 2 Thessalonians 2:19-20 11. QUESTION Can you reason from the scriptures? 12. Basics Sinful man Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin Separates Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 13. Holy God This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 14. Man’s efforts Good works Religion Morality 15. Our efforts fail For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6 16. Jesus Christ John 3:16–18;36 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” 17. Last week Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. Acts 16:31 18. Faith in Jesus …in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12 19. Finish …that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9–10 20. Strategy Make a plan Work the plan Know the Word Use the Word 21. The opponents But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 22. Lies and more lies When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 23. Better than last match They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 24. Counter Move The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 25. A different crowd Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 26. Different type of people “Nobel-minded” a willingness to learn and evaluate something fairly Received and researched 27. A Reasoned Faith Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 28. Question Can you reason to salvation? 29. WDJD Would you consider yourself a good person? Do you keep the Ten Commandments? Judgement-If God were to judge you by the Ten Commandments would you be innocent or guilty? Do you think you would go to Heaven or Hell?   30. CCRAFT Concern-Does that concern you Cross-Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead Repentance-Confess and forsake all sin. Faith-More than a belief, trust in Jesus for salvation Truth-The truth of God’s Word 31. Chased them down But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 32. Time to move on Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there. Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him 33. Our Take-Away Be led Be prepared Be expectant Be flexible 34. Counter Move Let’s Pray