Jesus Lives! Now What?
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I love the book of Acts. It is the perfect picture of the power of the Holy Spirit ALIVE in the church. The way the church is suppose to be, ALIVE & with PURPOSE (even shaking things up) CHANGING THE WORLD with the message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
It is sometimes called the Acts of the Apostles, or the Acts of the Spirit. It shows man praying, witnessing, preaching and teaching. It shows suffering for the Lord. It shows the power of the Holy Spirit working through man. It shows how God poured out His Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended into heaven. We see this power within us as we change the world for the Glory of God.
Today in our time together I want to just share about a few of the events that took place during forty days after the resurrection.
The disciples did not have a mass delusion or suddenly become able to see a ghost - Jesus had risen, just like He said.
Now they are with him, and that is where we pick up.
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Proof
Proof
everyone is looking for proof - let me just give you a little help here. It is not always on the believer to defend out faith. There is more proof that Jesus lived, died, and rose again - then there is to prove any great leader ever lived throughout history.
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
LUKE ACKNOWLEDGES THE ONE THAT FUNDED HIS WORK, AND NOW HE IS WRITING THE BOOK OF ACTS - HE IS LETTING US KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED -NEXT-
2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
INFALLIBLE PROOFS = THERE IS NO WAY TO DENY.
40 DAYS OF INFALLIBLE PROOF THAT JESUS IS ALIVE. HE SHOWED HIMSELF TO AT LEAST 12 DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE AFTER THE RESURRECTION.
JESUS WAS DOING ONE THING - AND IT REMAINS THE CHEIF TASK OF THE CHURCH TODAY:
TEACHING THINGS PERTAINING TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
WE TOO, ARE TO BE PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
THE CHURCH’S PURPOSE IS TO SERVE KING JESUS AND HIS KINGDOM. - THIS IS OUR MISSION.
JESUS IS TEACHING THEM HOW TO CONTINUE HIS WORK - BUT HE TOLD THEM TO WAIT FOR POWER -LUKE 24:49
49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
WITH THIS POWER THEY WOULD CONTINUE THE WORK OF CHRIST ON EARTH AND EVEN CHANGE THE WORLD.
POWER
POWER
YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT POWER. YOU CAN PLUG A LAMP IN - BUT WITHOUT POWER IT WILL NOT WORK. YOU CAN FLIP THE SWITCH - BUT WITHOUT POWER NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.
THE POWER COMPANY HAS PROMISED THAT WHEN WE HIT THE SWITCH POWER WILL BE THERE. WHEN WE LOSE POWER WE FLIP RIGHT OUT - THINGS IN THE FRIDGE GO BAD, WE WORRY WHEN THE POWER WILL RETURN…
WHEN WE LOSE POWER WHAT DO WE DO? WE CALL THE POWER COMPANY - SAME IS TRUE IN OUR CHURCH AND IN OUR LIVES.
WE HAVE NO POWER WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
THEY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AND JESUS TOLD THEM NOT TO GO ANYWHERE - POWER IS ON THE WAY - JUST WAIT.
THEY WERE IN NO HURRY, PRAYING 10 DAYS.
THERE ARE NO SHORT CUTS TO OBTAIN GOD’S POWER - IT REQUIRES PRAYER.
V5 - MANY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO USE THIS VERSE TO SAY WE NO LONGER NEED WATER BAPTISM. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT WHAT THIS PASSAGE TEACHES.
ALL OF THE DISCIPLES WERE BAPTIZED, JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, ALL BELIEVERS ARE TO BE BAPTIZED IN LIKE MANOR - FULLY SUBMERGED IN THE WATER.
BAPTISM IS A SYMBOL OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND IS DOING IN YOUR LIFE.
IT IS NOT FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS IT ALL TOGETHER, NOT SOMEONE ASSUMING THEY ARE “DONE SINNING”
NO WHERE IN SCRIPTURE DO WE FIND ANY CRITERIA OTHER THAN BELIEVING THAT JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE AGAIN, AND PLACING YOUR FAITH IN HIM FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
SOMETIMES WE MAKE THINGS TOO HARD. WE ADD TO IT, WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMS AND OUR WAYS, AND OUR TRADITIONS AND GET PIPPING MAD IF THEY ARE CHANGED YET - ARE NOT WHERE IN SCRIPTURE.
THIS PUTS US IN THE CATEGORY OF LOVING OUR OWN TRADITIONS OVER THE WORD OF GOD.
THE BIBLE PUTS IT LIKE THIS:
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
REPENT & BE BAPTIZED.
SEE THE BIBLICAL PROGRESSION (ALL AT ONCE)
REPENT - BE BAPTIZED - JESUS FORGIVES YOUR SINS - YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AT THAT VERY MOMENT OF SALVATION.
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
ONE MORE TIME: BELIEVING IN FAITH THAT JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS, WAS BURIED, ROSE AGAIN, AT THE TIME YOU REPENT AND BELIEVE - YOU ARE SAVED. NOW YOU SHOULD FOLLOW IN BAPTISM.
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
JESUS IS TELLING THAT POWER IS COMING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A FEW DAYS. JESUS NEVER DISCOUNTS OR DISCONTINUES WATER BAPTISM.
BAPTIZED - LITERALLY MEANS TO BE PUT UNDER. JESUS IS LITERALLY TELLING THEM IN JUST A FEW DAYS - YOU WILL BE PUT UNDER THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
THESE GUYS ARE JUST NOSEY. THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THEY WILL FINALLY BE FREE FROM ROME.
JESUS, IS THIS THE TIME WHEN YOU WILL RULE FROM THE THRONE OF DAVID - IS THE KINGDOM YOURS (OURS) WHILE IT WAS NOT TIME FOR THIS YET - IT WAS ABOUT TIME FOR THE POWER OF THE KINGDOM TO ARRIVE - THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JESUS DOES ANSWER THEM IN VERSE 7 - IT’S NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR SEASONS - THOSE ARE IN GOD’S CONTROL.
THIS IS WHY MUST MUST LIVE READY AND BE READY FOR JESUS TO RETURN AT ANY MOMENT.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
HERE IS THE PROMISE OF OUR POWER.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
JESUS IS SETTING THEM UP TO CHANGE THE WORLD - AND HE HAS DONE THE SAME FOR EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER.
WITNESSES TO *ME*
WE ARE EMPOWERED FIRST AND FOREMOST TO BE *A WITNESS FOR JESUS AND THE GOSPEL* NOT SPEAK IN TONGUES, NOT HEAL THE SICK, NOT RAISE THE DEAD, NOT HOLD SERVICES, - TO BE HIS WITNESS.
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH - SOME HAVE TROUBLE CROSSING THE STREET.
CHURCHES WOULD NOT BE IN DECLINE IF WE TOOK THIS SERIOUSLY.
PROMISE
PROMISE
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
I CAN’T HARDLY GET THROUGH THIS. YOU BETTER HEAR ME WELL CHURCH. THIS PORTION OF SCRIPTURE SHOULD EITHER SCARE YOU TO DEATH OR BRING YOU GREAT PEACE AND ASSURANCE.
V9 - AFTER HE GAVE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS JESUS ASCENDED INTO THE CLOUDS AND THEY WATCHED HIM GO UP.
THEY WERE AFRAID - THEY HAD BEEN LEFT WAS THEIR THOUGHT - THEY WOULD NOW BE DOING THE WORK OF JEUS AND FACING GREAT PERSECUTION.
THEY STOOD THERE LOOKING UP INTO THE SKY
2 MEN IN WHITE SHOW UP “WHY ARE YOU LOOKING UP IN THE SKY?”
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
THEY ASSURE THEM - JUST LIKE YOU SAW HIM GO, HE WILL COME AGAIN. (IN LIKE MANNER)
SO MUCH TODAY - THE PROOF, THE POWER, THE PROMISE.
I PRAY THAT YOU ARE SECURE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM YOUR LIFE, THAT YOU HAVE FOLLOWED IN BAPTISM, THAT YOU ARE LIVING A LIFE PLEASING TO HIM.
IF NOT I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME - I AM DOING WHAT PETER DID IN ACTS 2:40
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
PETER WARNED THEM - I AM WARNING YOU.
HE PLEADED WITH THE - I AM PLEADING WITH YOU.
BE SAVED AND FOLLOW JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR AND BE BAPTIZED.
Jesus will come again; He promised to return—John 14:1–3
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Paul tells of the manner in which He will come—1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
His coming will be unexpected.—BE READY!
Are you ready? Are you living according to the standards of the Bible? If not, you are not ready to meet Christ. His coming could take place at any moment—be ready!
HE IS RISEN - HE IS COMING AGAIN - WE LIVE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
CAN YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT?