Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Reading
- Do you find it easy to be open?
- You need to be wise as some will despite you
- There must be openness in the Church
- To encourage others
- To encourage prayer
- Consider the apostle Paul - explanation
- There were many things that pressed upon him
- God used weak people
- The strength of the gospel lies in the power of God and not the power of the speaker
- He shows his own weakness but the greatness and majesty of God
- Today we live with great technology
- God's power is not in the medium but the message
- Overview:
- The Man
- The Manner
- The Message
The Man
- Paul was their father in the faith - afterwards Apollos and other preachers came
- Paul came to them as a simple preacher
- Paul was their spiritual father
- Acts 18 - Paul goes first to the Jews and then to the Greeks
- God is with us - who can be against
- Paul knew God's power
- Paul stayed for 18-24 months
- Paul preached the cross of Christ
- His one desire was to know Christ
- He was a humble man
- A weak and fearful man - but one sent by God, a father in the faith, one who loved Jesus Christ above all
The Manner
- Paul was a highly knowledgeable man but never showed off his intellect or knowledge
- v4 - He simply declared the truth of God in the power of the Holy Spirit
- He did not rely on gimmicks
- He was not outwardly impressive but depended upon God
- He prayed much
- He loved much
- Through Christ he could do all things
- Have we lost our confidence in preaching?
- Is the word of God central?
- Paul preached sincerely with passion
- v4 - he came in the demonstration of the Spirit, not with persuasive words of human wisdom
- The word was received with much assurance
The Message
- v2 - Focused on the person and the work of Jesus Christ
- He preached the resurrection
- He preached the judgment
- The apex of his preaching was Christ crucified
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
- Have you become proud - come to the cross
- This message secured people's salvation
- A message of grace
- Forever and ever with the Saviour
- A message that mattered for all eternity
- A simple message?
- 1 Cor 6:20 - he addresses ethics
- He addresses marital problems - by the cross
- Paul reminded them of their beginning
- Example of 'great' preachers
- When the church has tried to us gimmicks - it has never been blessed
- When the church prays for humble preaching - great things happen
Closing Remarks