To Be Continued

Greeting

Matthew 5:6 KJV 1900

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Tell someone: “I SHALL be filled!”

I want you to make sure that you stop by the LifeGroups info table for some specific details.

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Text

Acts 2:37–47 KJV 1900

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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To Be Continued...

There is much that I have to say over the next few Wednesday nights. And it is going to pertain to what is getting ready to take place in this church.

I am going to talk a lot about the “why” behind LifeGroups. This is a massive step for our church. It’s a step of faith.

But I also believe it’s a step of obedience.

We have committed that we are going to obey God. In Scripture. In lifestyle. When He talks to us, we’re going to hear and respond.

And I believe HE HAS SPOKEN TO US. He HAS given us a vision we are following here.

Bro. James Wilson wrote a song called “Not Finished,” and some of the words are:

“When God Opens a Door No one can shut it, No one can shut it No devil from hell can stop What God has started When God gives you a Word It’s ever settled, It’s ever settled No devil from hell can block What God has promised”

I want you to know that we are embarking on something today that, because God has spoken it… because God opened opened the door - IT. CAN’T. BE. STOPPED!

IF GOD SPOKE IT, IT’S EVER SETTLED!!!

Things To Be Continued

There is a word that pops up more than once in our text that I want to highlight: CONTINUED.

The apostles understood that Jesus was the one who had established the Church, not them! And He ordered it HIS way. They did not want to tarnish that. They did not want to try to adjust God’s structure or create some cheap inauthentic version of the original masterpiece.

And so… THEY CONTINUED.

Acts 2:42–47 KJV 1900

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The way I read this, is that they continued in some things, and because they did, God performed many things before them due to their continuing!

There are some things “to be continued…”

Continue in what?

Doctrine

Fellowship

Breaking of bread

Prayers

In the temple

Breaking bread from house to house

Praising God

And what happened because of that?

Fear came upon every soul

Many wonders and signs were done by the apostles

God added to the church daily such as should be saved

You know what I think I ought to do? CONTINUE!!!

I don’t want to try and change the formula or try and make God’s plan “better” in how I see it! He is the ALMIGHTY and the OMNISCIENT God!

I have to let HIM be God and I’ll be the Church! And if I’m going to be the Church… the Church CONTINUED!

I believe we’re going to see many wonders and signs! I believe we’re going to watch as God adds to His church! IT WILL HAPPEN! …but I’ve got a job in all of this: my part is to continue!

...

And so, as I have said, I’m going to say several things about what we’re getting ready to do. But today, I want to speak about the evangelistic aspect in all of this.

So, I’m going to challenge you today. Probably several times.

We’re going to expand our thinking about reaching our field of harvest. It is OUR field!

I’ve preached a lot recently that a child of God must posture themselves as a child of God. Not an outcast of God.

Here’s something else: a farmer who expects a great harvest will posture themselves as a farmer who will have a great harvest.

“How do you mean???”

Well, he’ll keep planting the seed as he should. He’ll also make sure that the combine harvester is oiled up and ready to roll and the grain bins have enough space and are ready to be occupied.

John 4:35 KJV 1900

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

We’re going to believe that what we have planted is going to spring forth! And if we believe that, we’re going to make space for what is coming!

And that’s why we are going to do things this year like putting work into the extra room we have on our second floor! Grain bins need expanded!

LISTEN: The attack is not on our harvest. It’s on our seed.

Fruit has seeds.

There are times that something like a pear tree will be found out far and away from all other pear trees. The reason for that is that a bird has eaten from a tree elsewhere and processed it out here. And now… a new tree grows.

Inside the fruit is yet more seeds. And if a child of God is supposed to bear the fruit of the Spirit… somewhere in there are some seeds to be planted!

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The Church Must Leave the Building

“North American churches won’t see the revival that’s desired until North American churches learn how to have a move of God in their homes.”

Dan McCleod

Bishop Wright’s Testimony

There’s a large Apostolic church up north that God told the pastor one day: “Take the seats out of one of your buses. Talk to the school about renting out a space outside. Get portable PA equipment.” The Pastor faced some opposition, but the purchases were made. Not long after, the snowstorm of the century hit. He was overseas and got the phone call: “Pastor, the weight of the snow and ice has collapsed the roof on our building.” God had orchestrated it all. From there, revival broke out due to their obedience to “go out.”

The Church is Not a Building

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV 1900

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Matthew 16:18 KJV 1900

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

“Upon this rock” is referring to Peter as a part of the 12 PEOPLE that Jesus would build His Church upon.

“I will build” …

… “The Lord added to the church daily”

The Church is not merely a building - it’s a PEOPLE! It’s a “house not made with hands” as Scripture says.

The Church is wherever we are!

Into Our Homes

And our home should be a reflection of who we are on Sunday morning. It’s the will of God!

Raising the Standard

Numbers 2:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

So the tribes set up in the east, then the south, then the center, the west, and then the north. At the end of the second chapter of Numbers, with verse 34:

Numbers 2:34 KJV 1900

34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

I have come today to declare that we must raise the standard of our home.

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Notice the Lord commanded them to raise the standard of your house around the tabernacle. We have to create a culture of conviction within our own homes.

While the church house should be the center of our lives, we must have the same or even greater convictions within our own home.

Hear me when I say this…

The church will never be able to resurrect what the home is crucifying.

And Satan will have a very hard time destroying what has been taken home to be rooted deep.

Beyond Our Homes - To the World!

But also, this has to go beyond our homes and into our world!

Let me tell you what’s cannot happen: we are not trying to take everyone we have here at the Church and just split them up to different locations on Wednesday night. Our objective is to see new faces present. And WE WILL!

We need to see LifeGroups as a MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY!!!

We have a world to reach!!!

Matthew 28:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mark 16:15 KJV 1900

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Notice: it was not said that they should wait on the world to come to church. It was said, “Go ye into all the world!”

Why?

Romans 8:19 KJV 1900

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

“Farming to the Fenceline”

I believe that what God wants us to do is to farm to the fenceline. And by that, I mean that we need to maximize all the people, resources, and opportunities we are given.

Every person that we encounter is a God-given appointment!

Some people we see periodically (the dry cleaner, store cashier, the UPS man). Some we see pretty often (neighbors, sports enthusiasts, coworkers). And some are friends and family, part of our inner circles.

All of these people are at different places along their spiritual journey, and understanding each one’s spiritual state is important in reaching them.

And so, we have to recognize every outreach opportunity that God puts in our lives.

God used intentional interactions from Sis. Kierstin and Sis. Barbara to reach Sis. Lexie Jade. Outreach opportunities were recognized there.

Sometimes we create these opportunities intentionally with people we know.

And other times, the Holy Ghost uses spontaneous opportunities, even with people we don’t know.

Bro. March is a God-called evangelist. He’s a great part of the five-fold ministry. And I admire the way he reaches out to people. He takes advantage of opportunities.

Now, I fully believe that harvest is going to come without us beating the ground trying to make it happen. “The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved...”

…BUT… harvests don’t come without seeds being planted in a field somewhere.

WE are the farmers. And THIS is our field. What I am preaching is, let’s farm to the fenceline in our field!

We could leave ten feet between the seed and the fence, but if we plant more seed in those ten feet (taking advantage of and recognizing every opportunity)… you don’t see LESS harvest by planting more seed - we’re bound too see MORE!!!

“Farming to the fenceline” also means maximizing our talents and gifts. You’ve got unique attributes that are going to allow you to reach certain people (i.e. comedy, sports commonalities, common interests, empathy).

Look at what you have that you can use in how God made you. Think of your testimony. Can you tell your testimony right now? Know it and use it to reach someone! It’s how we continue!

People who need God are more likely to open up to us if we open ourselves vulnerably to them. Sharing the way God haas been important in our positive and negative experiences will increase trust from people with some of the same experiences.

Every Christian has 168 hours per week. And part of that is doing “church stuff.”

And we offer programs, events, and opportunities at church among other believers, and that’s awesome. But that’s not the “farming to the fenceline.”

Because the nonbelievers we’re tasked with reaching… they aren’t spending their time at church. So… if Christians only spend all their available time at church, how are we going to build relationships with non-christians?

I can tell you how: “Go ye into all the world!”

LET’S GO!

When the Ethiopian eunuch wanted to understand scripture, Stephen didn’t just say, “Well come to Bible study on Wednesday night at church.” He began ministry right then and there!

Conclusion

My friend Bro. Marcus Harris got ahold of me at HYC in the middle of an altar. I’m so used to releasing things on other people and ministering to other people - but this time, he did some ministering and releasing to me: “Enlarge his territory! Cause fruit to spring forth! Let them see the Kingdom expand!”

GOD SHOWED ME IN A VISION A GREAT MOVE OF GOD IN SOMEBODY’S HOME, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE PRESENT WHO DID NOT HAVE THE HOLY GHOST!