Sermon Tone Analysis

Spirit-Filled Church

(Acts 4:31-37)

August 22, 2021

Read Acts 4:31-37 – A cartoon shows a people walking out of a church.

One says to another, “That was our contemporary service.

Next is our traditional service following by a classical service and a casual service with sports emphasis.”

No wonder we’re confused about what church is all about!

Well, this morning, we have another version to consider.

How about a Spirit-filled church?

Where God reigns and the Spirit leads.

What’s that look like!

After the first persecution of P&J, the church gathered to pray and all were “filled with the HS.”

So right away, we see a Spirit-filled church is characterized by prayer.

Prayer first, middle and end.

Always prayer.

The results that follow provide a pattern for our own little portion of God’s church worldwide.

We see that Spirit-filled believers are characterized by their Words and by their Works.

Characterized by Their Words

Many things define Spirit-filled words – words that are encouraging rather than critical; truthful rather than hedging; kind rather than harsh; helpful rather than complaining.

Harsh, judgmental words are not Spirit-driven.

But the words Luke highlights here even deeper meaning.

They 31d) “continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

33) “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all.”

Look.

Spirit-filled people speak God’s Word – the good news of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

They do it boldly, even where it’s not popular.

And they do it graciously – not harshly.

We often quote St. Francis of Assissi who may or may not have said, “Share the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.”

But the truth is, words are necessary.

Moral actions without words don’t mean much.

Someone asks, “How do you stay sane with the chaos in your life?”

Instead of saying, “Yeah, it’s difficult,” how about, “Jesus keeps me sane.”

“Oh, really?

How does that work?”

And you’re soon presenting the gospel.

Someone asks, “Why church?” “Bc I love Jesus.”

Simple!

It can be inviting a person to church or Bible study – helping a friend in need, and in Jesus’ name.

Giving a tract or book.

Can we do that boldly?

Boldness comes from the indwelling HS and knowing the results are His to produce; ours is but to get Christ into the conversation.

Boldness also comes from knowing the facts: why Jesus could die for others (His perfect live, and divine nature); knowing the evidence for His resurrection (empty tomb, eyewitness testimony, especially from women, changed lives of skeptics, etc.)

These increase confidence and get conversations started.

Another bold step?

When people have problems – ask if you can pray for them.

They’ll never say no.

So just a short prayer can speak of the living Jesus.

In Radical, David Platt tells of meeting 2 brothers in India, Anil and Hari – living in an area of extreme poverty where Christ is almost unknown.

Anil is a school admin; Hari a chicken farmer.

They love their jobs but wanted others to know Jesus.

They decided to go to an unreached village, walk into town and say to the 1st person they met, “We are here in the name of Jesus, and we would like to pray for you.”

Crazy?! Maybe.

But at the 1st village they entered, a man approached, and Anil began: "I am here in the name of Jesus…" Before he finished, the man interrupted and said, "Jesus?

I’ve heard a little of him.

Can you tell me more?" Could they?! Within a few weeks, 20 people came to faith in Christ.

Within 3 years, 350 churches were planted in 350 villages – bc two Spirit-filled men gave “testimony to the resurrection of the LJ and great grace was upon them all.”

It’s not always that easy.

But as we pray for HS boldness, the results may shock us as well.

Characterized by Their Works

But it’s not just words.

The presence of the Spirit is also seen in the extraordinary, unworldly love He places in Spirit-filled hearts.

A. They Were Unified – They were “of one heart and soul” --among thousands of people?

How sweet this fellowship must have been!

There was an unbreakable bond there around their relationship with Christ.

That doesn’t mean they agreed on everything.

Often we define unity as all having common opinions.

Everyone out of the same mold, like the Stepford wives.

But that is not the picture.

Real unity has great diversity.

What makes unity beautiful is not that everyone looks alike and thinks alike; what makes unity beautiful is when people from widely diverse backgrounds with highly divergent interests, abilities, personalities and resources are working together toward one common goal – becoming like Christ and sharing Him with the world!

That’s unity.

Diverse people headed the same direction!

A sign outside a school in Ipswich, NH read, “You are unique – just like everyone else.” Funny, yes.

But it expresses a great truth.

We are all unique.

There’s never been another You!

Yet the beauty of the Xn faith is how God molds all great diversity into unity of people having “one heart and one soul.”

I want to be a part of that.

And we can.

The Spirit within is never at odds with Himself, so the more we give up control to Him, the more He will lead us in our own diverse way to be one with the great whole – the body of Christ.

That’s not easy.

We all think our way is best.

But here are our orders: Phil 2:2-4: “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

3) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4) Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

That’s our orders.

Not insist on your own way bc you’re right, but consider the rights and interests of others first.

Hard, yes, but so worth it.

Imagine hitting a tennis ball.

Think how all body parts function together to do that?

Yet each does something different to make it all work.

The brain analyzes angles and extrapolates speed and distance.

The eyes zero in on the target.

The arm positions the racket, and the legs rush to the spot.

Then in one coordinated effort, you strike the ball.

Different functions – one end goal.

But if the arms say, “Not today,” or the lungs refuse to expand or the feet say, “We’re going to the pool”, you’re done!

There’s no beauty in the parts doing their own thing.

Neither in the body of Christ.

But when it’s “one heart and one soul,” we picture the Trinity working in perfect harmony.