Means and Method

That was beautiful. Thank you so much. Leave for singing that for us. Very, very touching and Pat. Thank you for being here and sharing with us all that God is doing at options Women's Center and I do encourage all of you to stop back with Pat after the service, she'll be at the guest service and when she has a lot of information to pass out and if you have any questions, she wants to be able to be available for you. Well, I am excited that I am able to have the opportunity to share God's word from Acts chapter 2 today with you. And I have to tell you that when Pastor Mike told me that I was going to be sharing from X2 that I began jumping up and down and clapping.

Okay, only on the inside but that counts. Right? But no, we are going to continue our study and acts here in Chapter 2, but briefly I want to talk about Pastor Mike's message. Last week. It was a very, very helpful message. He laid the groundwork for us, reminding him reminding us of the importance of Acts and that Luke had written acts and other two. I believe two main points that I took away from his message and we were reminded that our mission is to be Christ Witnesses, who make disciples that grow in obedience to him. And we also learned that one of the early church is primary methods for carrying out. This mission was prayer. And specifically corporate prayer, right? And when they pray together, it created Unity within the body.

well, today and asked to will be recognizing the god-given means given to carry out his mission through the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church,

We will also identify another key method used to carry out God's Mission through the proclamation of the Gospel. So we have the means and we have the method. Taking these things into account, our time together will be focused on answering three questions. First to be reminded of who we are as Spirit-filled members of Christ's body. And then we will focus on what we are to be and do as the church based on this model that we see in Acts chapter 2. And finally, we will explore how to functionally live out the essential attributes of the early Church in the present day in the here. And now you and me Evangelical Free bible church. So we're aiming to answer three questions, who are we What are we to be in do, and how do we do it? Like Ice. Let's begin. Please turn the Acts. Chapter 2 and I'll begin reading and verse 1.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound, like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house, where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit. Enable them I believe it is worthwhile. Noting, the incredible significance of this Festival known as Pentecost. The word Pentecost in the Greek, it means 50th. And on the 50th day, following the Passover celebration, the Jewish feast of Pentecost, also known as the Festival of first fruits was observed and it was observed as a means for them to give, thanks for the first fruits of the wheat Harvest For That season.

So in order for us to really appreciate Pentecost, I think we need to trace God's timeline together so Jesus died on a Friday during the Passover, right? Danny Rose to life three days later and then Jesus spent 40 days as the resurrected Christ with his disciples and then he gave them this command. For one occasion while he was eating with them, he gave him his command, do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift. My father promised, which you have heard me speak about for John, baptized with water but in a few days, you will baptize with the Holy Spirit. And after Jesus said those he ascended into heaven. 2. Simple math tells us that Jesus spent three days in the Tomb, 40 days with the disciples, which means he spent seven days as the resurrected Lord, and he ascended to heaven to his right hand of the father that equals 50 days. And on that particular 50th day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples.

Another major spiritual Milestone and this is recognized as the first fruits of all the spiritual riches that Believers will have one day when we were with the Lord. The Apostle Paul would later say it this way, not only. So, but we ourselves to have the first fruits of the spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship the Redemption of our bodies. I'm just completely blown away by the Lord's. Perfect timing. And this is one of those times where I'm floored. God does not do things haphazardly. His ways are not random. Instead, the Lord's ways are calculated exactly. According to his will, This was the perfect time according to God's plan and purpose to fulfill his promise to send the Holy Spirit.

All the disciples gathered together in one place. Each one receive the Holy Spirit. They were immersed, or baptized with the spirit. and from this point in time, on every person who believes in Jesus Christ, as their own personal, Lord and savior, Is gifted the Holy Spirit. And the spirit confident, Wells that person and this happens only once at the time of conversion. And you also were included in Christ. When you heard the message of Truth, The Gospel of your salvation when you believed you were marked in him with a seal the promise. Holy Spirit.

And when the scriptures talk about being filled with the spirit in the New Testament, apart from this particular text here and asked you, for it means, a Believer has yielded to submit it to the spirit and therefore, they are led by controlled by the spirit. Their hearts Allegiance is to him alone.

The Apostle Paul wrote.

Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery, instead, be filled with the spirit. See, we're not to drink too much and be controlled by alcohol. Instead we are to yield too and be controlled by the Holy Spirit. We are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The moment we believe in Jesus as our own personal Lord and Savior, the spirit that dwells us and remains with us. Right, we did not lose the spirit. We don't need to be refilled. With the Holy Spirit. Now, we continue being filled rolled by the spirit as we trust and Obey in him day by day.

What's pick up reading here, again, in Acts 25.

Now, there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard the sound a crowd came together and bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken, utterly amazed they asked aren't all these who are speaking galileans. Then how is it that each of us hears them in our own native language? Parthians Mead, elamites residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia of pontus and Asia by Gia and pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Visitors from Rome both Jews and convert to Judaism cretans and Arabs, we hear them declaring the wonders of God. In our own tongue amazed and perplexed. They asked one another. What does this mean? Somehow ever made fun of them and said, they have had too much wine.

Now, the disciples filled with and enabled by the Holy Spirit, were given the means to carry out the mission. They began speaking in all the different languages represented on this map. Now, I don't know if you all can see the lines that are converging to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is just a bunch of deer and I hope you can see that because it's really amazing. He's at this time Jerusalem in Jerusalem, there were God-fearing Jews from every nation, attend Pentecost. again, we recognize God's calculated and perfect timing here by looking at this map, Look at all the people groups that were present at Pentecost. Look at how far the gospel would reach. Through the got through, God's means of sending the Holy Spirit.

Then Peter stood up with the 11 raised, his voice and address the crowd. Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem. Let me explain this to you. Listen carefully to what I'm about to say. These people are not drunk as you suppose. It's only 9 in the morning. No, this is what was spoken by. The prophet Joel. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people, your sons and daughters, will prophesy your young men will see Visions your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women. I will pour out my spirit in those days and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below blood and fire and Billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to Darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Peter saying here, look, this was God's plan all along and Joel's prophecy is evidence of that. Now there are other Old Testament passages that point to a time we got Spirit would be poured out like here and Isaiah 40. 434, I will pour water on the Thirsty land and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your Offspring and my blessing on your descendants and again, and Ezekiel, I will no longer hide my face from them for I will pour out my spirit on the people of Israel. Declares the Lord And in the New Testament, there are passages that talk about this here in the Gospel of John.

On the last and greatest day of the festival. Jesus, stood and said in a loud voice. Let anyone who is thirsty. Come to me and drink, whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of Living Water will flow from within them by this. He meant the spirit whom those who believed in him for later to receive Up to that time. The spirit had not been given since Jesus had not been glorified. And when the advocate comes whom I will send to you from the Father, the spirit of Truth to goes out from the father. He will testify about me and again, but when he the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own, he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Scripture is clear about God's plan to pour out his holy spirit on his people. and now that the promise has been fulfilled, who are we? Ask God's Spirit-filled people, who are we? Well, if you accepted Jesus Christ, as your own personal Lord, and Savior, you're in 12th with the spirit. Your neighborhood by the spirit, led by the spirit, you are Servants of the Lord, most high.

You are engaged to be Christ's bride.

Given the Holy Spirit as a sort of like spiritual engagement ring, if you will, that's Wrapped Around Your Heart. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing your inheritance in the heaven. You are a member of the body of Christ. A building block of the church.

And you are a temple of the Lord filled with the fruit of the spirit. You are filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This was barely scratches the surface of who we are in Christ. But I encourage you remember think on and praise God for the gift of the holy spirit is to you.

Continuing in our passage, Peter goes on addressing the crowd, applying God's method of proclaiming the Gospel. Karen verse 29.

Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently, that the patriarch David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on those that he would Place one of his Descendants on his throne seeing what was the, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah that he was not a band into the realm of the dead nor did his body. See the K God was raised, God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all Witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God. He has received from the Father, the promise, Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now. See and hear.

For David did not Ascend to heaven. And yet he said the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Therefore let all Israel be assured of this. God has made this Jesus whom you crucified. Both Lord and Messiah. And when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other Apostles Brothers. What shall we do? Peter replied, repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, The Promise is for you and your children. And for all who are far off for all whom the Lord, Our God will call with many other words, he warned them and he pleaded with them to save yourselves from this corrupt generation

Those who accepted his message were baptized and about 3,000 were added to their number that day.

Peter sirmon initiate at the beginning of the church age. The church experienced. Amazing and amazing birth through, God's means the Holy Spirit. And explosive growth through God's method, the proclamation of the Gospel. A new dispensation or. Of time in which God deals with his people had begun. Christ's finished work on the cross, had fulfilled, the requirements of the law and ushered in a new age of Grace, where God now works in and through us. His church.

By enabling us with the holy spirit's power to fulfill his mission.

This is exciting news. New Testament writings go on to explain how in the Old Testament, the church was concealed The gospel. The good news about Christ was concealed and how this mystery came to be revealed. And I think one of the greatest passages about this is found in Ephesians 3 1, For this reason, I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for the sake of you Gentiles. Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace, that was given to me for you. That is the mystery made known to me by Revelation. As I've already written briefly in regard to this, then you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ which was not made known to people in other Generations as it has now been revealed by the spirit to God's Holy Apostles and Prophets, this mystery is that through the gospel. The Gentiles are heirs together with Israel members together of one, body, and shares together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all of God's people. This Grace was given me to preach the Gentiles the boundless Riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God who created all things. His intent was that now through the church. The manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the Heavenly realms. According to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus, our lord in him and through faith in him, we may approach god with freedom and with confidence.

This is the very best of news for us. Amen. This just gets me excited. This mystery, the gospel and the fruit of the Gospel. The church was mightily revealed here at Pentecost. We are heirs together with Israel members together of one body shares together in the promise of Jesus Christ, and in him and through faith. In him, we may approach god with freedom and with confidence.

Praise Him.

Baloo continued writing about the early church. Specifically what these Believers did when they met together beginning of verse 42?

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and the prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at The Many Wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the Believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need every day, they continued to meet together in Temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad. And since your hearts, Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people and the Lord added to their number daily, those who were being saved.

These last few verses here in Acts chapter 2, they formulate the DNA of Christ Church. This is it. And those who identify as Christ followers have been given a Biblical model of how the church is to function.

So, what exactly are we to be in? Do based on this model?

This is a summary statement. I wouldn't say a summary sentence because I have I think misused commas and semicolons here. So this is a kind of a fire hydrant kind of statement. So try to take it in, I'll go slow. Yes, seven, and two semicolons later. Here we go. The church is primarily a continual Gathering of Believers in Christ who devote themselves to sound teaching of the Holy scriptures to Fellowship to the breaking of bread, including the sacrament of communion and baptism and to prayer growing in their knowledge of love for and obedience to their lord. Jesus Christ, bringing glory to God in and through the church while praising God and enjoying the favor of other believers.

No, but I am deeply persuaded as we meet together. In these ways, we are equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to love God and others with the love of Christ.

This love has been worked up were in our relationship with the Lord fulfilling the great commandment. It is work inward among members of the church, fulfilling the church is purpose and I want a quote, Ephesians 4 16. The church is purpose, causing the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love.

And this love is also worked out worked as we proclaim the gospel to a lost world. A method used to fulfill the Great Commission.

Now, we would likely all agree that all this sounds good, and right to be doing as the church. But how do we functionally live out the essential attributes of the early Church in the present day? In our church here, you have BC. What does this look like for you and me?

We have opportunities to live out some and sometimes of all of the essential qualities of the early church I Believe by participating serving and attending and some of the following ways. Sunday, morning prayer group at 8:30 here on a Sunday morning, talking about corporate prayer last week. That is one way that you could join in corporate prayer, is to come in a little bit early in and see what that is, and how God does unify the body through prayer.

Sunday, school, these things are happening in our Sunday School classes and we have plenty of room downstairs for you.

Discipleship communities. Discipleship, communities are small group Ministry.

These things are happening in our small groups. We are women's Bible studies on Wednesday mornings and Thursday. Evenings the men meet here every Saturday morning and these things are taking place.

Men's half day Retreats are offering for some men. There are so many ways to serve in the church where these things are happening as well. And you may not even think that, you know, your your mind's not there, you're thinking, well, you know, you're serving. But I have to tell you that some of the greatest times of Fellowship have been times when we've gathered together for work projects here at the church, raking leaves, painting, whatever. There's some great opportunities for us to connect with one another and have Rich Fellowship in times. When you normally wouldn't think that is the case, There are so many ways to serve in the church. I have a whole list here and I'm not going to name every single thing, but there are a lot opportunities for us to connect and opportunities for us to live out the attributes that the early church has given us here.

And here's the thing. That's just opportunities that are organized programs and events of the church.

There are so many other ways. To work these things out. Organically as you have conversations with people as you come to church on the Sunday morning and maybe I see Nick and I say, hey, Nick and I would love to have you and Kathy over for dinner some evening. We you know, don't get a chance to really connect and want to get to know you better maybe spend some time in prayer and would love that, you know, and there are other opportunities for us to reach out and have people be a part of our lives and we can be doing life together, having Rich, times of Fellowship, you know what, it's like here on a Sunday morning. It's kind of busy, and there's a lot going on and sometimes you get a chance to, to say Hi, how are you doing? But then you turn your back and walk away because you never gave him a chance to say, actually how they're doing, right? Because you got to get on to the next thing I'm convicted of that. I have a lot of things going on a Sunday morning and really what I want to be doing is connecting with all of you. That's where my heart's at. Relational Ministry is my wife and eyes passion. And I just want to encourage all of you that that, that is something that God Delights, and he wants to use us to that end. Now. with that said, I also need to share that while I was studying for this spending time with the Lord and reflecting on all of you, our church as a whole I was filled with joy.

because many of you are doing these things, And I believe our church as a whole.

We're strong. We're strong in this area of living out. The characteristics attributes of the early church. I really believe that. And so I've been praising God, and thanking God for you over the past couple weeks. But here's the thing we can't settle. We can't be content where we're at. I know.

We need to ask.

What's our next step? What steps?

Can you take to make continually meeting together with other believers a priority?

In what ways can you devote yourself to sound teaching of the Holy scriptures to Fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer?

What steps must you take in order to trust and obey the spirit? In these particular areas and continue being filled with the spirit.

Well, what I want to do is just take a couple minutes, maybe a minute. I just have just a silent time for all of us to really meet with the Lord, just bow your heads and pray and seek him and then I will close us in prayer. But really take this as an opportunity to meet with our Lord about these things. Thank him for all that he is doing at our church body to lead us and guide us and he's ways and also seek him to see. Okay, what's next? What next steps might you have for me, let's just take a minute.

Father, I thank you.

I thank you so much for this body of Believers that you have instilled in their hearts. The importance. A gathering together.

You have helped us every step of the way.

And now, Lord were asking that, you would continue that work in us and through us.

As your church. And that we would continue to bring you glory and honor.

Father, we ask that you would lead us and guide us. As we yield to the spirit. Submit to him. And trust him day by day.

I can't father, we thank you for your faithfulness as our great High Shepherd to always be there for us, and all these ways mightily at work drawing us to yourself.

We really just want to praise you right now. Thank you. For loving us in those ways.