Weekly Sermons

Calling all Paracletes              Acts 9:17-31

Paraclete is a Greek word that means “One who comes ____________________” of another.

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an ADVOCATE with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous One.                      -I John 2:1

John 14:16-17

2 Cor. 7:5-7

Believers who ‘came alongside’ Saul:

I.          Ananias and the ________________ Church for a few months      V. 17-25

When believers act courageously in spite of their ________________ and fears, it inspires the same in other believers! 

2 Corinthians 11:32-33

When other believers stand, do we stand with them?

How humbling this must have been for Saul: he was led into Damascus as a blind man and smuggled out like a criminal!                                                                   -Warren Wiersbe

II.         Barnabas and the ________________ Church for a few weeks      V. 26-29

Barnabas met with Saul, believed him, and brought him to church. They didn’t trust Saul, but they did trust Barnabas. Barnabas became the ___________________ to Saul’s acceptance in the church.

Then after 3 years I did go up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, and I stayed with him 15 days. But I didn’t see any of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother…Afterwards, I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I remained personally unknown to the churches in Christ; they simply kept hearing: “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.                -Galatians 1:18-24

The real action in the church happens throughout the week as mature believers befriend and spend time with new believers! But too often we only hang out with the people we already know, ______________ Peter/Paul type moments!   

Acts 8:40                    

The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.                                                                               -Acts 21:8-9

III.        Philip and the __________________ Church for a few days           V. 30-31

Undoubtedly there was some forgiving that needed to be done! Can you picture Saul asking Philip to forgive him for being part of the death of his friend? Can you see Philip ______________________ love, forgiveness and fellowship to Saul?

What if Ananias, and Barnabas, and Philip and other believers hadn’t come alongside of him and invested in him in the few years, the few months, the few days they had together?