Believing for the Next Story

Believing for the Next Story

Pastor Aaron Sutherland

God invites us to approach our future not just seeing all the brokenness of the world, but adding to that brokenness a belief in the one who overcomes the world.

I. GOD’S NEXT STORY LIGHTENS THE DARKNESS

Acts 17:22-23

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

We change nothing until we realize something is wrong.

Revelation should always lead to transformation.

II. GOD’S NEXT STORY COUNTERS THE COUNTERFEITS

Acts 17:24-28

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’"

A counterfeit loses its power in the presence of that which is authentic.

III. GOD’S NEXT STORY REDEEMS THE LOST

Acts 17:29-31

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.  In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”  When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed.

Our first glimpse of God is often seen through the life of a friend.

John 6:29

This is the only work God wants from you: believe in the one He has sent.

Discussion Questions

1. Have you seen God’s light impact darkness? What are some examples?

2. What counterfeits in your life have you seen God replace with that which is genuine? 

3. What parts of your story has God used to impact the stories of others?

4. How has God changed the way you view your future?