Learning from Paul's Consistent Witness

CCC Worship Gathering 6.2.24 Witness series (part 38) Jeff Ehrhardt Learning from Paul’s Consistent Witness Acts 20:17-38 Intro: leaving a spiritual legacy 1 Corinthians 11:1 - Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (ESV) John Paton’s Father’s legacy ‘Though everything else in religion were by some unthinkable catastrophe to be swept out of memory, or blotted from my understanding, my soul would wander back to those early scenes, and shut itself up once again in that Sanctuary Closet, and, hearing still the echoes of those cries to God, would hurl back all doubt with the victorious appeal, 'He walked with God, why may not I?'’ Consistency is the key to a gospel legacy. 1. Marks of Consistency (v.17-27) • Proximity • Humility • Passion • Boldness • Preaching • Spirit-led • Suffering • Endurance Philippians 3:7–11 - But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (ESV) • Faithfulness • Truth 2. Passing the Baton (v.18-38) Careful Attention to Shepherds 1 Timothy 4:16 - Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (ESV) to Flock Vigilance Ephesians 5:14–16 [14] for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” [15] Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (ESV) Trust the Word of Grace Generosity Trust the Lord with the Future 3. The Big WHY (v.28) Conclusion: Jesus is worthy of our lives