Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham. When you have a passion about something, you can't keep it to yourself. And the way to change the world, the way to change the culture, is to take the cross of Jesus Christ to the hearts. Of men and women and boys and girls. On today's PowerPoint, Dr.
Graham brings a message about what you can do to truly change our culture.
Now here's Doctor Graham with his message. cross-culture. I want to invite you to turn in your Bibles to the fifth chapter of the book of Acts. The message, the mission. of Jesus Is lived out by the Spirit of God through the early Christians.
And in the passage that we have before us in Acts chapter 5, We see this passion of the early church as. It moves through them upon the city of Jerusalem. We see the reaction of the religious establishment of that time, the very negative. reaction of the religious establishment and yet The disciples, the followers of Christ continue. to share the gospel.
The life, the death. and the resurrection of Jesus. to the degree that They captured their city for Christ. Ultimately, they would spill out to all points of the earth. with the message of the gospel.
And it is said in the scriptures that they turn the world. Upside down.
So, starting with the city of Jerusalem, just as Jesus had told them. And then moving beyond To Samaria, Judea, and then to the uttermost parts of the world. We see the fuel, the fire. the passion and the compassion. of the followers of Jesus.
And even when they face persecution, And we were told never to speak again in the name of Jesus when Satan sought to intimidate them and to silence. The believers and to stop This revolutionary message of Christ. They continued courageously. To share their faith. That's why I'm calling this message.
Cross-culture. Because the Church of Jesus Christ is a cross-cultural mission. It is a revolutionary mission with a revolutionary message. That is, Jesus is Lord. And Jesus is life.
And it is our responsibility to tell the whole world. That story. And so these disciples, Peter and John, are the same. are brought before the council and once again for preaching Jesus, they are called on the carpet. And in verse 27, it says, when they had brought them and set them before the council, The high priest asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?
And look. You have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine. and intend to bring this man's blood On us. Interesting, isn't it? The same controversies of the first century are the controversies of the 21st century regarding the cross and the passion of Jesus.
But notice how Peter responded in verse 29. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior. to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
And we are his witnesses to these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey. Him. We are witnesses. are these things.
The secret of the success, the scope. of their witness and the success of their witness was this simple phrase given to us in verse 32, we are witnesses of these things and so also is the Holy Spirit.
Now what was intended to be a complaint Ends up being one of the greatest compliments you could ever say about a church. You have filled the city with your doctrine. You have captured your city. This city with the message of Christ, with the truth. of the death, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus.
And that is our opportunity. And our responsibility in this day, in this generation, to capture cities for Christ. and beyond our cities, this country, and even the continents. of the world. Unfortunately, many churches experience What those four leopards experienced there in 2 Kings when they were sitting by the gate of the city.
dying of starvation. And they made a radical decision. They said, why do we sit here while we die? These four leopards got up and determined to go inside the city of Samaria and face either life or death. They didn't know which, but they knew they couldn't sit still and die.
So they went into the Syrian city. and the Syrian campground and they discovered that God had sent confusion in the camp of the enemy and everyone had departed. And so these four lepers, they went into a tent and they found gold and they found silver. The bounty. that was left behind, they found clothing, and so they took the gold, the silver, the clothing.
the fine possessions and they hid them. And then they went back into another tent. and they found more gold and silver and clothing and they were about to go hide it and yet they said in 2 Kings chapter 7 and verse 9 What we're doing is not right. This is a day of good news. And we're keeping it.
to ourselves. We have the good news, the greatest good news the world has ever known. It is the good news of Jesus Christ. And it is not right. to keep it to ourselves.
This is a day of good news. And yet The leper's words summarized so often. The attitude of many Christians. Christians who are more interested in keeping the faith. Than giving it away.
Too many times the church has adopted a fortress mentality. and rather than engaging the culture. We have Retreated into some kind of Christian subculture.
Now I am the first to agree that Weird to be Defenders of the faith. and protectors. of families. And Conservatories. of truth.
and morality. And ethics. We are to always protect our families and defend our faith. But these factors are foundational to the ministry of the church, and they must not take the place. Of reaching our neighbors and the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cannot retreat into comfort zones. and into comfortable churches and sit in comfortable pews while people are dying and desperate. Without Jesus Christ. And we always within the church have to be asking ourselves, how can I be salt and light? How can I engage my friends with the message of Christ?
How can I? Be countercultural with the message of Christ. How can I take the cross over? Into my city, into the streets, into my neighborhoods, across the hall at school, across the office at work. How can I share the gospel?
How can I fulfill the great commission personally in my generation? How can I tell people that Jesus is Lord? How can it be the all-consuming obsession and passion of my life? Verse 32 tells us very clearly. We are witnesses of these things, and so also.
is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. How did the disciples capture the city? How did they end up turning the world upside down? by simply being witnesses. You are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message.
Cross culture. Easter is just around the corner, and we want to help you prepare your heart for the season. When you sign up, we will send you a video devotional every day until Easter to remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made so that we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God. Dr. Graham will share a short devotional about the final words that Jesus spoke from the cross and what they mean to us today.
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Now, let's get back to today's message, cross-culture. What kind of witness? Are we to be?
Well, number one, we're to be courageous. Witnesses. Though Satan tried to stop them. Though the religious community of that time Tried to intimidate them. They said, we cannot help but speak of those things which we have seen.
and which we have heard. We must obey God. And not men. And so they were courageous. and consistent in their witness no matter what the opposition.
What we are to do when we share our faith, when we are witnesses, is simply tell what we have seen and what we have heard. Who is Jesus to you? In Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, he said, You shall be. My witnesses, you, yes, you. And that means all of you.
are to be my witnesses. to tell others who he is and what he means. to each one of us. The Bible says in 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 15 and 16, Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect. You know, you can't keep from talking about what matters the most in your life.
Your passion is what you really care about. And when you have a passion about something, when you have something wonderful, especially good news, you can't keep it. to yourself. And the great news of the church. Is that We have a Savior who is born.
and who lived and died and rose again and he lives forever. That's what Peter and John couldn't keep to themselves. They said, we know this is true. This Jesus who died, he's prince, he's savior, he's God, he's redeemer, and he offers forgiveness to all who come to faith in him. That's good news.
That's great news. And the way to change the world, the way to change the culture, is to take the cross of Jesus Christ to the hearts. of men and women and boys and girls. It is a consistent and courageous witness. Peter was put in jail along with John for preaching the gospel.
And back in chapter five. Earlier in the passage, they were released from jail miraculously when an angel of the Lord came to them and looked down at verse 18. They laid their hands on the apostles. This is chapter 5, verse 18. Put them in the common prison, but at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, Go, stand in the temple, and speak to all the people all the words of this life.
Now, the angel did not say, go and organize a political campaign to overthrow Rome. The angel did not say, go and march in the streets against the religious establishment of Jerusalem. What the angel said was what Jesus had previously said, go, stand up, and speak. in the city square wherever you can be heard. In the temple and from house to house, and speak all the words of this life.
Isn't that what people are looking for, life? We have more anxiety, we have more depression. We have more Crime We have so much. To live on and yet so little to live for? People have all the things, the acutaments of life, but they don't have life.
And compared to other generations who have so little, this generation is in deep trouble. And people While they're living, they're just existing. And like dead men walking. They don't have life. And so we have the message of life.
And we're to go and stand and speak this message, and to keep going, and to keep standing. Be willing to challenge the world with the claims of Christ. Non-Christians are not impressed with spinelessness.
Somehow we've gotten the idea that We're afraid to speak up because if we clearly say what we believe, if we really go public with our faith, That people will write us off or alienate us or Be angered by what we say, and we don't want to anger people, we don't want to turn people off, so we just silently go and sit in our churches. But the fact is, quite the opposite is true. It's very rare. If you humbly, lovingly, respectfully speak up and speak out for your faith in a normal and natural way, full of the Spirit of God. Very rarely.
Will people be that offended by your testimony? They may be offended by the message. But interestingly enough, Albert Camus, the noted French existentialist and atheist, at one time he dabbled with the idea of becoming a Christian. But ultimately, he rejected the faith and became one of the greatest critics of the Christian faith. Strange counselor.
Abu Camu, but this is what he said, these wise words just before his death to Christians. He said, the world expects of Christians that they will plant themselves squarely in front of the bloody face of history. We are in need of folk who have determined to speak directly and unmistakably, and come what may, to stand by what they've said. to speak directly and unmistakably. Unusual counsel from an unusual source, but it's good counsel.
To speak directly and unmistakably to our neighbors who are confused, who are anxious, who are afraid, who are empty. Deep down, they're looking for someone who knows what they believe and. Why they believe what they believe. Deep down people will respect you for standing. No matter what.
For Jesus Christ. Many of your friends and mine are trying to make up their minds about Jesus right now. And God is sending us. As His witnesses. Let's be courageous and consistent in our witness.
But there's something else. This witness is a compelling witness. Chapter 5 and verse 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered, hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to the right hand to be Prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin.
That is the compelling message of God's grace and love and forgiveness. And when you're full of Christ, you can't help but share that message. The best evangelism comes out of the overflow of your life and walk with Jesus. It comes in a natural way. Whatever your witness is, be it good or be it bad, it is simply the reflection of who you are.
Earlier The council that opposed them said These are untrained and uneducated men. Yet they recognized they had been with Jesus. And when we know him. When we love him, that love compels us, according to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 14. We are compelled by the love of God, and our faith becomes contagious and infectious when we obey God.
And let me remind you that it is a matter of Christian obedience to share our faith.
Now There's A twofold kind of witness that we see here. One is the go stand and speak kind of witness. Go. Stand. Speak.
But there's another kind of witness that we're told about in the Bible, and that is. Come in here. Remember when uh Andrew met Jesus and he went and found his brother Simon Peter and he said, come and meet the Messiah. And Nathanael was on a search for God, and Philip. Said Come.
And see for yourself, Nathaniel. Who Jesus is. Come and see. Can that immoral woman At Jacob's well, Jesus encountered her at noonday and said, I am the living water, and she received that water and the forgiveness of of sin and she went back into the city. Where she was an outcast, she went back into the city as a brand new believer.
And said, come and meet a man. Told me everything about me. He's changed my life. Come and see. The interesting thing about all three of these encounters, whether it was Andrew or Philip or the Samaritan woman, all three were brand new believers.
They were new Christians. Don't get the idea that somehow you must Learn theology and take a witnessing course or You know, know more of the Bible before you can start sharing your faith. Often the best witnesses are those who have had a life-changing experience encounter with Jesus Christ, and they're simply telling what Jesus has done. And they say, Come and see. You see, all of us can simply invite people to church.
Anybody can do that. Professor Tom Rainier of the Southern Seminary in Louisville has written a book called. the unchurched next door. It's a powerful and surprising book in which he describes who's living next door to us in America now. And They may share your love for their families.
They may share your basic morality and virtues. They go to the same schools. We go, we root for the same sports teams. We're a lot alike. But the unchurched are right next door to us.
Many of them do not know the words of this life. They don't know Jesus. They don't have a personal experience. They may have had some experience with church and religion. And frankly, many of them are turned off by that.
And we hear it all the time, don't we, in today's vernacular and conversations on news and so forth.
Well, I'm not into religion, but I am spiritual. What they mean by that is I've been I've abandoned religious institutions, but I do want to know God. I do want to have a spiritual side to my life. And therefore, we must take. this message of the gospel cross-cultural into our neighborhoods.
The most common story we hear at our church is: I came to Prestonwood because a friend invited me, or because a family member shared their faith with me. There's one final thing, and that is, this witness is a cooperative witness. Verse 32 says, We are witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. We're not on our own. We're not out there to try to be prosecuting attorneys, but simply witnesses in the power of the Spirit.
Acts 1:8, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses. And with the The powerful name of Jesus. We go in the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit and we share our faith. Matthew 10, 20, Jesus gave us this promise. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of the Father who speaks in you.
I tell you when I preach, I expect God to work. When you share your faith. Share your faith expectantly because God the Holy Spirit is going to get on board with you when you start talking about Jesus. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message. Cross-culture.
Your support of PowerPoint Ministries makes a profound impact, helping more people discover the truth and hope of Jesus Christ. And to thank you for your generous gift today, we'd love to send you Dr. Jack Graham's new book, Living Hope in a Hostile World. It's a timely resource that reminds you how to stand firm in faith. Cling to God's grace and live with courage even in your most challenging times.
As you grow in your walk with the Lord through this resource, may you be encouraged to know that your generous support is helping others do the same. Text Febb to 59789. Again, text Febb as in February to 59789. Easter is just around the corner and we want to help you prepare your heart for the season. When you sign up, we will send you a video devotional every day beginning until Easter to remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made so that we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God.
Dr. Graham will share a short devotional about the final words that Jesus spoke from the cross and what they mean to us today. To sign up, just text Cross to 59-789. Again, text Cross to 59789. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today?
Well, we need to remember who the enemy really is. We need to remember that the people we're trying to reach are not the real enemy. even those whose lifestyle we may disagree with. Not long ago I ran into Oliver North in the lobby of a hotel. And you'll recall Colonel North was over with the Marines in Iraq doing reports during the war.
So I asked him about his time there, and he told me about one of his unique experiences. He said, I was on a helicopter involved in the evacuation of the wounded, and our medvac teams were bringing on the wounded. And as they were doing it, it was against all odds. The wind was blowing and howling. It was difficult there in the sands of the desert as they were carrying these wounded soldiers and placing them on helicopters and getting them evacuated for medical treatment.
He said I was in the helicopter looking when a young American soldier who was covered with a chemical suit, weighted down with armor and the rest, and he was struggling to carry a wounded soldier on his shoulder to safety. I watched as he struggled through the sand and through the wind, and he finally got the soldier to the helicopter and laid him down on board at really at my feet, right where I was sitting. and I noticed when he laid the soldier down that the man who was wounded was an Iraqi.
Now there was a reporter on board, a rather cynical reporter, who saw it, and this reporter said to the young soldier, Soldier, Didn't you notice that man is an Iraqi? And this brave, compassionate soldier said, Sir, didn't you notice he was wounded.
Well All around us are people who are who are wounded. broken people. who are scattered on the battlefields of life. Remember, they are not the enemy. They are the people that God loves and for whom Jesus died.
Regardless of their life or their lifestyle, they can be forgiven, cleansed, changed by the power of His love. And it's our responsibility, as the old gospel song says, to rescue the perishing. Care for the dying, snatch them from pity. and sin. and the gray.
And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift of $10 or more to PowerPoint, we will send you Dr. Graham's book, Living Hope in a Hostile World. Just text Febb to 59-789. And join us again next time as Dr.
Graham brings a message on how you can have a faith that doesn't compromise. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.
