A Place Of Influence

Romans 1 v 1-17

• Rome was a place of influence. People from around the world would come to Rome.
• Rome was mainly made up of servant/slaves and rich people who had great power and influence.
• Paul saw Rome as a brilliant opportunity to recruit great influencers from the city to the faith. He knew if these people came to faith they would have a massive impact for the Kingdom of God.
• Paul is inspiring and challenging the church in Rome.
• He first focuses on the gospel and the message of the cross.
• Paul wants the simplicity of the cross to break through to people’s lives in Rome.
• How bold are we when we go out to love others and bring the good news?
• Paul identifies how the gospel is made possible by presenting Jesus as the only mediator and way to God.
• People want to become Christian; people want to respond to the gospel.
• We should share the message and show the love because of the salvation we have received. 
• We shouldn't just care about our own salvation we should be concerned with other peoples too.
• There is life changing power in the cross.
• 'The same power that raised Christ from the grave lives in me today.'
• Psalm 68 v 28 & 35 - "²⁸ Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before... ³⁵ You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people."
• Changed lives bring hope to others because they are powered by the Holy Spirit.
• Wherever we are we have some sort of influence with peers, our leaders and the people we lead, this could be work, school, university, family...
• God wants us to use our influence to give people an opportunity to encounter God and accept the cross.
• Rome was a tough place to be, but God doesn't call us to a tough or hard place he calls us to impossible situation because only by His power can we overcome in these impossible places and situations.
• Will you use your influence?

Living The Adventure

Are we living the adventure God intended us to live?

• Acts 27 v 39 – 28 v 10
• Paul was a prisoner under Roman command as a prisoner, they were traveling to Italy.
• Paul was still supporting many churches and people through his letters even though he was a prisoner.
• Paul was shipwrecked and then bitten by a snake. But this granted him an audience with the leader of the island.
• What opportunities did this detour give Paul?
• What problems and failures could have slowed him or stopped him?
• How much did Paul rely of God to be in control?
• God gives us plenty of opportunities, what makes the difference is when we take them.
• Paul had a great but unexpected opportunity. He made the most of it.
• But how can we best be ready for the unexpected opportunities?
• 1.  We need to prepare well.
• Jesus teaches us about preparing ourselves for living the life by modelling it as a child, Luke 2 v 46 – “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”
• We need to prepare ourselves by spending time in God’s word and prayer to strengthen our relationship with him.
• 2.  We need to do the day in, day out living out lives for God.
• This is what Jesus talked in Matthew 22 v 37-39 – “³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
• 3.  We need to go the extra mile.
• Jesus also talked about going the extra mile, Matthew 5 v 41 – “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
• These three things prepare us for the unexpected opportunities.
• If we make the most of all the opportunities that come our way then we will be ready for the unexpected ones.
• Paul was ready for the unexpected opportunity to pray for Pubilus and see God heal him. Paul was ready to lead people on the island to faith. Paul was ready to pray for all others on the island.
• Are you ready for the unexpected opportunities?
• We all fail; it’s what we do next that matters.
• Paul could have seen what had happened as a failure because he hasn’t got where he thought he was going.
• Paul was nearly killed, ship wrecked and bitten by a poisonous snake but he saw the opportunity in the failure.
• We can fail forward. Paul made a decision to fail forward. Failing forward is all about seeing where it went wrong and trying it again avoiding or changing those areas. If we don’t fail forward we remain in the fail but if we fail forward and it again we can become a success.
• Romans 8 v 28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• How can you fail forward?
• Paul knew God was in control and that is why he had a peace about all that went on that day.
• Whatever storms or snakes you hit in the coming years, be assured in the fact that God is in control.
• When we try to take control, that is when it gets messy and we get trapped in lots of problems.
• How can God use these storms in our lives, to help you on the adventure?
• How will we best live the adventure?

Productivity

How can we be more productive Christian's?

• Titus 3 v 12-15
• This is the end of the three pastoral letters, Paul is soon to die and this information and teaching is invaluable to Timothy and Titus as they lead in the churches.
• Paul just kept giving as he sent one of his close friends either Artemas or Tychicus.
• Paul encourages Titus to be generous to Zenas and Apollos as they go on their way.
• Paul finishes the letter by mentioning those people specifically but focuses on being devoted to God and doing His good works will lead to productive lives. 
• When Paul was talking about doing the good works of God I think this covered a wide spectrum of things i.e. miracles (healings, multiplication...), helping the needy, supporting others, honouring and supporting our leaders, using our gifts and so on.
• How can we best be productive at doing God's good works?
• I think we need to do three main things.
• 1.  We need to prepare well.
• Jesus teaches us about preparing ourselves for living the life by modelling it as a child, Luke 2 v 46 – “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”  
• We need to prepare ourselves by spending time in God’s word and prayer to strengthen our relationship with him. We need to prepare well. 
• We need to prepare for the opportunities to do well and do it knowing what God wants you to do in that situation.
• 2.  We need to do the day in, day out living out lives for God. 
• This is what Jesus talked in Matthew 22 v 37-39 – “³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” 
• This could be just going to school or work and sharing your faith, loving others and serving others. 
• I could just train missionaries and pastor them but if I do it without the presence and purpose of God then it has a lot less effectiveness. 
• How we live our day to day lives as Christians effects how we take the opportunities to do good.
• 3.  We need to go the extra mile. 
• Jesus also talked about going the extra mile, Matthew 5 v 41 – “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”
• We all have different opportunities come our way where we have time to think and decide whether to do this as our extra mile. 
• Whatever it is we have the opportunity to go the extra in love.
• Jesus wants us to do good as our extra mile.
• I believe these three things will help us to be productive in doing Good, because if we continuously miss opportunity to good then our productivity will go down.
• The question is - which of the three areas do I need to work to be more productive for the Kingdom of God?