1. There are people in our world who are searching for God or spiritual guidance.
2. Lots of people use lots of ways to search for and allegedly find God.
3. Tonight we want to think about seeking spiritual guidance; how do we and others find God?
OUR STUDY WILL BE SOLELY BASED UPON THE BOOK OF ACTS BECAUSE IN THIS BOOK WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS GROUPS THAT “FOUND GOD.”
a) Our first reference comes from the text already cited—Acts 2.
b) Jews from many places (Acts 2:5) had come together in the city of Jerusalem.
c) Because these people were Jews, they surely thought they had found God in the past.
d) They had the Law of Moses and even the temple in Jerusalem.
e) As this chapter shows, sometimes religious people need to “find God.”
f) In this case, religious people did have this need and Luke tells us how this need was met.
2) Acts 2:4 – READ.
3) People learned about God as the apostles spoke in various languages (dialects—tongues).
4) What these people heard was not a bunch of mumbo jumbo; it was an understandable message.
5) Verse 16 – READ.
a) Acts 2:40 says Peter used “many other words” to “exhort” those who heard him.
b) On this day God was found by and through the preaching of the gospel (Scriptures).
c) This is the first time we read about conversions in the book of Acts.
d) What about a little later—how did others find God?
6) Let’s turn over to the next chapter, Acts 3:11-4:4.
a) Gospel preaching was used on this occasion as well.
b) Peter reminded the people about how they had treated the Lord (verse 13).
c) Peter said “repentance” and a “turning again” were needed (verse 19).
d) He said God could be found, but He could be found by following the apostle’s message.
e) It sounds like preaching was the key tool in helping people find God.
7) This is exactly right, and Acts 6:7 makes this interesting point:
8) “The Word of God increased.”
a) An interest in the Scriptures (oral information at this time) grew and grew.
b) People understood the value and the necessity of preaching so more and more listened.
c) If there were other ways to God, we must ask why interest in the Scriptures continued to rise.
9) Thus far the examples have been in groups; what about individuals?
a) In the last 150 years a lot of religions have been formed while seeking God.
b) A man or a woman was searching for God and supposedly received a special revelation.
c) Either an angel appeared with new information or some type of vision was received.
d) There is nothing wrong with privately searching the Scriptures.
e) If we do that, how will God make contact with us?
10) We have answer in Acts 8.
a) Acts 8:27 tells us about a man who was very religious.
b) He had come to Jerusalem all the way from Ehiopa to worship God.
c) This man wanted to do what was right and he was reading the Scriptures.
d) A preacher showed up an asked him a question – verse 30 – READ.
11) Sometimes people use the right source to find God but need some help using it.
a) Here was a man who needed assistance; he did not understand what he was reading.
b) Did God clear things up for him, and if so, how did God do that? This man did receive help.
c) The help was not accomplished by an angel. He received no miraculous help.
d) A man with knowledge of the gospel showed up because he was heavenly sent.
e) Then these two men sat together and studied the Word of God.
f) Here is how God helped a man find spiritual guidance.
g) Does God use or not use this same technique today? He does.
h) Jesus said “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mk. 16:15).
i) We are to make “disciples of all the nations” (Mt. 28:19).
j) God works through us and His word so the great commission were given.
12) I today’s’ world there are lots of claims about how God or the Holy Spirit just seemed to descend upon a place.
13) This is not what we find when we look at Acts.
14) Just a few verses earlier we read about people in Samaria.
a) These people were interested in spiritual things, and they did find God.
b) How did they find salvation?
c) Acts 8:12 – READ.
d) Paul once said faith comes by hearing the Word of God—listening to the Bible.
e) Again and again the book of Acts illustrates this point.
15) Almost all know who the apostle Paul was.
16) How did Paul find God in his own life?
17) Someone might refer back to the time when the Lord stopped him on the road.
18) What heaven did got this man’s attention, but this was not how he found God.
19) Acts 9:6 says he was told to enter into the city and would there “be told what to do.”
a) Paul could only find God by teaching.
b) Most also know who Corneilus was.
c) Corneilus saw a vision (10:3).
d) He was told that someone needed to come to his house—the apostle Peter.
e) There is no doubt Corneilus received a vision, but did the vision save him?
20) We know the answer to this question from Acts 10.
21) Peter was asked to come and he quickly responded – verse 29 – READ.
22) Peter showed up and basically said, “What do you want from me?”
23) We could take the answer from Acts 10, but let’s use the second account – Acts 11:14 – READ.
24) An angel and vision didn’t save Coneilus. Coming into the presence of Peter didn’t save him.
25) Acts 10 says Corneilus was praying and making charitable contributions. These acts didn’t save him.
26) Corneilus did many of the things people today do trying to find or trying to please God.
a) He only found God after hearing the Word of God.
b) There were “words” he had to “hear” and obey.
27) Acts 11:19-21 refers to three things: preaching, speaking about the Lord, and finding God.
28) God and His word go together; we cannot find God without the gospel.
29) The gospel (good news) is our link to God, but many want some other type of link.
30) A common attitude seems to be, “Well, it is a book of good news, but we want something more dramatic.”
31) This book is called the “Spirit’s sword”; that sounds pretty significant.
a) In places like Acts 13:49 Paul went into synagogues and preached.
b) We would do well to ask why this was done.
c) What was Paul trying to accomplish?
d) If God will reach out to people aside from His word, why preach the gospel & create problems?
e) We may also ask these questions:
f) If God uses other means to reach people, where does the gospel rate?
g) Is it equal to the other methods, less than the other methods, or better than the other methods?
h) If there are various methods, are not some Christians special?
32) If I was taught by the Word of God and someone else got a vision, who got the better deal?
33) Would a “vision conversion” be superior to a “I just had to have the Bible” conversion?
34) We know about Paul and Silas being in jail, Acts 16.
35) Before this they helped convert a woman named Lydia.
a) Acts 16:14 says the Lord “opened this woman heart.”
b) Lots of folks jump on this verse and say, “MIRACLE!”
c) Before we start writing some books on that subject, let’s ask another question.
d) How was the heart opened?
e) Opening things generally requires tools; is there any mention of a tool?
f) At the end of the verse we read about “the things spoken by Paul.”
g) It was the message of the gospel that opened the heart.
h) Lydia heard information she liked and she welcomed it.
36) Later, as mentioned a moment ago, we have two preachers in jail.
37) There was an earthquake, but this great event didn’t save the jailor.
38) Verse 32 says the evangelists “spoke the word of the Lord” unto this man.
a) Why did they do that?
b) Why not point to the earthquake as a sign of salvation?
i) Today many would tell us, “I received a sign of salvation.”
c) “There was an event at a certain time and it proves God saved me.”
d) Here was a great event but it was in no way related to the man’s salvation.
e) Until he heard the Word of God he was lost.
39) Paul came to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-2) and he again taught the people.
40) It is the gospel that saves us; Paul “reasoned from the Scriptures.”
41) Acts 17:22 has some people who met up with some very religious people.
42) He said the people were worshipping the “true God in ignorance.”
43) How did God save these people?
a) Did he send down a lighting bolt and destroy the pagan images?
b) Did He use visions and dreams?
c) He did what He does today—He communication salvation through His word.
d) Today people may read and study that word or we may help them find the truth.
44) Acts 18:5-8 tells us how the church at Corinth started.
45) God did not send in supernatural signs to special people.
46) Paul came and he preached the gospel.
47) When Paul later wrote these Christians (1 Cor. 15:1-4), he reminded them of his preaching.
48) Jesus once said “and they shall all be taught of God.”
49) The Lord knew what He was saying.
50) We find God, we learn more about Him, and we better understand His word by studying the Scriptures.