A Good Start

by Derek Helt 

Text: Acts 9:26–31

Topic: Why getting off to a good start is crucial for any venture.

Big Idea: Four principles to get off to a good start in bringing others into relationship with Jesus.

Keywords:  Beginnings; Evangelism; Growth; Spiritual formation; Spiritual growth; Witnessing

Introduction

·        The early days of any new venture are the most risky, and getting off to a good start is crucial.

·        What happened in the transition years between Saul the persecutor and Paul the apostle shows us the elements of a good beginning.

Transition: Acts 9:26–31 shows us four principles for getting off to a good start.

Beginning well means facing up to the past.

·        Illustration: A man claims his wife gets "historical" during arguments.

·        Galatians 1:18

·        Paul's past actions had consequences when he began his ministry.

·        When we make bad choices in life, the consequences of those choices usually come back to haunt us.

·        If we learn from our mistakes and are forgiven for them, we can move forward and forgive ourselves.

·        By facing up to our past, we get a better understanding of who we are and why we do things.

            -            Illustration: Helt recounts how his daughter’s shyness on the first day of school reminded him of his shyness, and how he had to face that trait in himself.

Beginning well means developing trust.

·        It takes time to develop trust.

·        Illustration: One sign at an English Inn says, “Please introduce yourself to the other guests since are all one big happy family. Another says, “Please do not leave valuables in your room.”

·        Like Barnabus, we can build trust in the church by taking risks.

Beginning well means being willing to sacrifice.

·        Illustration: “We have smoothed the cross and sanded it and polished it and hung it in our sanctuaries and forgotten what it means.  We fashioned it out of gold and silver and hang it around our necks, but we have forgotten what it means.”

·        At Paul’s conversion, he was told that he would suffer.

·        Acts 9:15–17

·        We are called to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus—that means sacrifice.

Beginning well means staying focused on the goal.

·        Like Paul, our goal should be to tell other people about the gospel.

·        We can easily get focused on programs, buildings, or friendships and get sidetracked from our goal.

Conclusion

·        Illustration: Helt tells a story about an old man who tried his best to help load the church van, even though he was not physically able.

·        Christians can use these Paul's four principles to get off to a good start in accomplishing the goal of telling the gospel to the world.