Influencing Others | Acts

Sermon Summary: Emphasizes the Christian calling to influence others for good and godly purposes in a dark world. Using Acts 19:23-41 as the primary text, Pastor Joe contrasts godly influence (exemplified by Paul the Apostle) with ungodly influence (represented by Demetrius the silversmith). The message stresses that believers must first be influenced by God through daily time in prayer and Scripture before they can effectively influence others. The sermon highlights that God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes, regardless of whether they're called to influence many or just a few. Christians are reminded they possess peace, joy, and love that the world cannot have apart from Christ, making them distinctively different and positioned to be lights in darkness.

Description:

Grateful for Lord's Amazing Grace for Us | The Lord is Worthy of All Our Praise and Glory | May Our Light Shine in this Dark World | We Are Sinners Saved By God's Grace | May the Wicked Change Their Hearts | Called to Influence Others for Good & Godly Things | Pastor Joe Remembers Sharing Gospel in Nursing Homes | Leading Residents to Christ Sharing the Good News | Lonely Never Visited Lady Accepted the Lord and Was so Delighted to Be Sister in Christ She Wanted to Pray Again to Accept the Lord | Next Week when Pastor Joe Visited the Lady was with the Lord | Paul in Ephesus on His 3rd Missionary Journey | Many Accepted the Lord but Opposition Rose | Mighty Word of God Brought Both Revival and Commotion of Distrust | The Name of Jesus Draws Big Attention Today | Both Interest & Distrust | The Believers Were Called the Way | The Word of God Gives Us Power | The Enemy and Flesh is Real | Only Jesus Gives Us True Peace | Power of Prayer Even for a Parking Spot | Only God Brings Us Joy | God is Love | Silversmith Demetrius Made Idols of Diana the goddess of Fertility Influencing Many Badly | Paul's Witness Cost Him Business | Some People Just Pretend They Are Christians but Their Language Betrays Them | Beware of Evil Influence | Walk with Wise to Be Wise | Russian President Spreads Rumors Trump Will Trigger End of the World if America Claims Greenland | Paul Turned Many from Idols Telling Them the Truth | Pastor Chuck Smith Taught for 48 Years and his Small Church Grew into 1800 Calvary Chapels World Wide | Walk in Your Calling & Influence Many | Pastor Chuck Used in Powerful Ways to Simply Teach the Word of God Verse by Verse | Demetrius was Fearful to Go Out of Business | False Worship Under Attack | Big Turn Out to Men's Breakfast Yesterday | Speaking Against Anger & Pornography | Big Problem of Today - Get Out of the Trap | Who the Son Sets Free is Free Indeed | Demetrius Filled Up All City with Confusion & Wrath | They Got Hold of Paul's Companions | Paul Warned by Friends Not to Go to the Gathering of the Mob | He'd Get Killed | His Friend's Influence Saved Him | Called to Share the Love of Christ | Comfort & Build Each Other Up | Alexander Wanted to Speak but the Crowd Shut Him Down Because He was a Jew | City Official Claimed Diana Fell Down from Zeus to Quiet the People | Charge Them in Court Lawfully | Roman Government Could Question the Riot | The Clerk Dismissed the Assembly | Many Good Influencers of Our Community Go to Our Church | We Are in This Race Together | Help & Influence Each Other | Warn the Unruly | Comfort the Discouraged | Uphold the Weak | Be Patient with All |

Key Points:

Believers are called to influence others for good and godly purposes, not to be influenced by the world
We must be daily influenced by God through prayer and Scripture before we can influence others
Jesus is "the way" - the way to eternal life, the way of peace, the way of joy, and the way of love
Paul the Apostle influenced entire regions through faithfully teaching God's Word
Some are called to influence many people, others to influence just a few - both are equally important
The world cannot have true peace, joy, or love apart from Christ
One person can make a tremendous difference - God has no respecter of persons
Believers must know their calling and walk in it to be effective
The church should lift up those who fall rather than compete with one another
We are saved by grace through faith, not by being "good enough"

Scripture Reference:

Primary: Acts 19:23-41 (The riot in Ephesus over "the Way")
Supporting: Psalm 112 (Characteristics of the righteous)
John 14:6 (Jesus as the way, truth, and life)
1 John 4:8 (God is love)
Psalm 16:11 (Fullness of joy in God's presence)
Proverbs 13:20 (Walking with wise men)
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (Comfort and edify one another)
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Warn the unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak)

Acts 19:23- | Psalm 112 | John 14:6 | John 14:27 | Psalm 16:11 | 1 John 4:8 | Proverbs 13:20 | 1 Thessalonians 5:12 | 1 Thessalonians 5:14 |