A crowd is a large number of people who may or may not have intentionally gathered together.
An audience is a group of spectators who have gathered to listen or to view and are providing the opportunity to be heard or seen.
A participant is a person who takes part in, has a share in, or participates.
Throughout the New Testament, we see effort to move people from crowd to audience to participant.
Jesus in John 6
- The crowd (6:1-25)
- The audience (6:26-66)
- The participants (6:67-69)
Peter in Acts 2
- The crowd (2:1-13)
- The audience (2:14-36)
- The participants (2:37-47)
Paul in Acts 17
- The crowd (17:16-17)
- The audience (17:18-31)
- The participants (17:32-34)
Humanity in 2014
- The crowd (Matt 7:13)
- The audience (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 24:24-25; Matt 7:21-23; Josh 24:15)
- The participants (Matt 7:24-25; Luke 9:23; Matt 6:33; Rev 2:10)
The bottom line: God wants to move you from the crowd to the audience to the group of participants (Col 1:13-14). Which group will you choose to be a part of this week?
This sermon was delivered on September 14, 2014.
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