1. Progressively Called Out Acts 6:8-7:60 (pew Bible p840-842) Meeting Our Challenges Head On  Old Testament  The story of God reaching to fallen man  Abraham—chosen by God as founding father  Jacob—Israel—12 sons  Chosen People  Chosen to show God’s glory to fallen man  Called “ekklēsia—The Called Out”  Called out of their houses for a purpose

2. Progressively Called Out Meeting Our Challenges Head On  The New Testament  The continued story of God reaching out to fallen man  Apostles chosen by Jesus as founding fathers  The Bride  Chosen to show God’s glory to fallen man  Called “ekklēsia—The Called Out”  Called out of their houses for a purpose

3. Progressively Called Out Meeting Our Challenges Head On  ekklēsia—The Called Out  Used 114 times to describe the church  Used in v38 to describe Israel after they were saved from slavery in Egypt What is the purpose that we are called to? To show God’s glory to fallen man! How are we to do this? Go and show!

4. Progressively Called Out Meeting Our Challenges Head On  Understanding our spiritual heritage  Rejecting the anointed  Rejecting the relationship

5. Progressively Called Out  Understanding our spiritual heritage— v1-8  All starts and ends with God’s glory—6:15; 7:2 & 55 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them— Romans 9:4  God’s glory had departed  From the tabernacle—1Samuel 4:19-22  From the temple—Ezekiel 10:3-19  From the people—400 silent years

6. Progressively Called Out  Understanding our spiritual heritage—v1-8  Abraham—called because of his faith  Before the Law  Before circumcision  Before the tabernacle  Before the temple  Before he went to the “Promised Land/Israel” Abraham was saved by grace through faith, before the things held so near by the religious leaders.

7. Progressively Called Out  Understanding our spiritual heritage— v1-8  The Jews confused:  Physical descent with spiritual experience  National heritage with personal faith  Circumcision with inner purity Ritual had taken the place of the enjoyment of reality!

8. Progressively Called Out  Rejecting the anointed—v9-36  Joseph and Moses  Both were called to deliver  Both were rejected the first time  Both married Gentile wives while exiled  Both were accepted by the people the second time  The prophets and their message was rejected  They rejected Jesus The Jews will recognize Jesus when He returns!

9. Progressively Called Out  Rejecting the relationship—v37-53  Ten Commandments—repeatedly broken  God dwelt with them—worshiped idols  Made an outward show of worshiping God  Inwardly they worshiped the surrounding gods  Built the temple for God—it became their idol

10. Progressively Called Out They had:  Rejected the Father in the Old Testament  Rejected the Son by rejecting Jesus  Now the were rejecting the Holy Spirit by rejecting Stephen, coming in His power

11. Progressively Called Out “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit?—NLT Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost—KJV Unwilling to bow to the leadership of the Holy Spirit!

12. Progressively Called Out Instead of seeing God’s truth as seed that produces fruit and more seed, the religious leaders “embalmed” the truth and refused to accept anything new.—Warren Wiersbe

13. By the time Jesus came to earth, the truth of God was encrusted with so much tradition that the people could not recognize God’s truth when He did present it. Man’s dead traditions had replaced God’s living truth— Warren Wiersbe

14. The Result  Stephen killed—died praying for his accusers  Jesus stands up—the only time we see Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand  Cheering for His hero?  Standing, showing His support of Stephen?  Ready to welcome him home?  The church moves out—no longer a sect of Judaism—Christ followers  A move from Jerusalem to the Gentiles

15. Progressively Called Out In 1948, Auca martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus.” Two years later, he wrote: “I must not think it strange if God takes in youth those whom I would have kept on earth till they were older. God is peopling Eternity, and I must not restrict Him to old men and women.”

16. Progressively Called Out Like Stephen, Jim Elliot and his four comrades were called on January 8, 1956, to “people Eternity” as they were slain by the people they were seeking to reach. What has happened to the Aucas since then is proof that the blood of the martyrs is indeed the seed of the church. Many Aucas are now Christians. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

17. Progressively Called Out The face of the church is forever changing  God never changes  Throughout the Bible He was progressive in reaching man  How He reached out changed  The church is still changing Will we allow Jesus to use us progressively?

18. Progressively Called Out Living Jesus, Living Hope—progressively seeking to bring glory to God by reaching out!