The Power of Connection

May 19, 2024 
GRAND PARKWAY BAPTIST CHURCH

Neil McClendon, Lead Pastor

The Power of Connection
Acts 17:1-9

1. Connect with people, v. 1

Gospel capacity + Gospel responsibility = Gospel experiences

2. Connect people to the story of God, v. 2-3

Helpful verbs in telling the Story of God…

a) reasoning- to mingle thought with thought
b) explaining- to cause one to open their mind  
c) proving- to place evidence before

3. Connect people to the intellectual integrity of the Faith, v. 3-4

Two things Paul labored to prove...

1) that Christ had to suffer

 a) because sin must be punished
 b) because God must be understood to as holy

2) that Christ had to rise from the dead 

 a) the resurrection proves the deity of Christ

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…”

                - Romans 1:1-4

 b)  the resurrection affirms God’s acceptance of Jesus’ death in your place and for your sins

4. Connect people to the King, v. 5-9


Mental worship…

How comfortable are you in having a Gospel conversation? 
When is the last time you had what you would consider a “Gospel experience?”
Do you know the Story of God or just some stories from the Bible? 
How would you summarize the story of God in thirty seconds? 
How would you explain to someone the difference in being religious or “spiritual” and actually having a relationship with God?