Power to Evangelize

Acts 1:1–11 NIV

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this 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 be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Swindoll - A famous artist once was asked to paint a picture of a dying church. It was expected that he would paint a small and humble congregation in a dilapidated building. Instead, he painted a stately edifice with a rich pulpit and magnificent windows--and near the door, and offering box, marked "Missions," with the contribution slot blocked by cobwebs.

A Church that ceases the mission, ceases to be the Church.

13 - We fear evangelism.

Rebecca Pippert - “Christians and non-Christians have something in common. We’re both uptight about evangelism. Christians are afraid of offending. Non-Christians are afraid of being assaulted.

Yet, here in this Passage we find that once again Jesus is calling us to do the very thing we are afraid to engage in.

We need a savior, we need Jesus - Ask for timing for when Jesus restores the Kingdom.

Jesus responds with “You will be my witnesses.”

Option 1 - Don’t worry about the timing, Just be on mission.

Option 2 - This is the means for establishing the Kingdom

We are called to be Witnesses - But notice the progression from Close to Far. -

Jerusalem - The Center of the people of Israel people.

Judea - The Homeland of the people of Israel

Samaria - The enemy half-breads of Israel, “Northern Tribes.

The ends of the Earth - All Nations

Daniel 7

-Daniel Dreams of 4 beasts

-Lion with Eagles Wings, whose wings are plucked and looks more human later.

-Looked Like a Bear with three tusks in its mouth

-A Leapard with four birds wings on its back and four heads

-the Fourth had ten horns.

-According to Daniel’s interpretation these were 4 kingdom’s that would ravage the earth and eventually be overthrown by an “Ancient One” who looked like a Son of Man coming on the Clouds of Heaven, and God would give Dominion over to the Holy Ones (Israel).

-A Closer Look, however shows that the Ancient One would be given dominion over all peoples, nations, and languages.

Zechariah 14

6 On that day there shall not be either cold or frost. 7 And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the Lord), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.

8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.

9 And the Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

So, it really is not an a option if Jesus is our Lord and we are taking our direction from him.

Let’s not cede good words to the enemy. The Enemy wants to sow fear - It means Proclaiming Good News - And therefore, it is Good.

It was brought up that people may not have come to an Evangelism Prayer meeting because it used the word Evangelism.

When someone critiqued his method of evangelism. “I like my way of doing things better than your way of not doing them.”

— D.L. Moody

Preaching Professor - "Preach the Gospel, Use Words when necessary." - St. Francis of Assissi - Professor, "Notice it took words to express that."

We are called to be Witnesses - Close and Far - I want to focus on close...

So How does Jesus deal with our fear?

14 - Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit.

Emil Brunner, Swiss Theologian - "A church exists by mission as fire exists by burning."

And the Mission exists by the Holy Spirit as Fruit is produced through watering of its tree.

- Acts is the sequal to the book of Luke - What Jesus began to do and teach., Acts is what Jesus continues to do and teach - But Jesus is taken up in this opening chapter.

-He is going to do and teach through the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel is all connected, but a major or the primary act that Jesus was going to do according to John the Baptist

Luke 3:16 LEB

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than I am is coming, of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus had to show us what a Spirit-Filled life was like during his life, He had to die on the cross to atone for our sin, be raised from the dead to sit at the Father’s right hand so that atoned for people could have the Spirit of God dwelling in them.

What does the Holy Spirit Do?

15 - The Holy Spirit powers our mission close and far.

The Holy Spirit does a whole number of things, but in this passage the emphasis is in Empowering our Bold Witness.

Power vs. Domineering - Giving Reason for the Hope we Have vs. Forcing people to hear a speech they didn't sign up for.

- This Power includes Healing the Sick - The Power to Pray, Delivering people from Evil, The Power to Share Good News, and the Power to live like live like Jesus ie fruit of the Spirit. - The Power to Love, Joyful, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Goodness, Faithfulness - The Power to Love to not boast, to not envy, to humility, to honor others, to not be self-seeking, to not be easily angered, to keep no record of wrongs, to not delight in evil, but rejoice with the Truth, the power to protect, trust, hope, and perservere.

Many of the great revivals starts with prayer - waiting on the Holy Spirit. -For our mission and for our missionaries - Prayer meeting coming up.

1. The call to spreading the good news of Jesus starts at home. And it’s a mission for the entire church. It’s a communal call. Writing on this passage, Trevin Wax says, “A third way the Great Commission can be misconstrued is by picturing this command of Jesus as primarily individualistic rather than communal. Individual Christians are envisioned leaving home for foreign fields in order to share the Gospel. Of course, this kind of cross-cultural ministry is, indeed, a part of what it means for the Great Commission to be fulfilled. But we do well to remember that this Commission is given for all the disciples. In fact, each of the gospel-commissioning texts (Matt 28:16–20; Luke 24:45–49; Acts 1:4–8; John 20:19–23) is given to the disciples as a group. The followers of Jesus constitute a new people, and this people’s identity is constituted by this disciple-making agenda” (Trevin Wax, “Five Things about the Great Commission We Get Wrong” [blog], The Gospel Coalition, March 22, 2018, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/5-ways-get-great-commission-wrong/).

Outreach Value

We believe that we are commanded to “go out and share the gospel of His love and salvation to those around us and out into the world.” We will encourage a Christ-like Hope both in our inner life and the community around us. The Holy Spirit empowers us to reach out to a world around us desperate for hope and love.

Measurement Questions:

* Are we listening to the Holy Spirit and answering His call?

* Are we intentional in sharing the gospel with those we are in contact with?

* If so how are we celebrating this?

* If not what steps can we take to be intentional about reaching out?

Reaching out to neighbors.

- Life Skills Peer Support - praying with a lady who then was healed.

- Youth Group going to Guatamala

- Ministry to ARM

Another Amazing Block Party

So what should we do?

16 - Receive the Spirit.

1. Application: How do we act not just as “nice” people but as kingdom disciples in our neighborhoods? We can follow a few small starting points: we walk, we eat, and we pray. Block off a thirty-minute time period to walk your neighborhood. Notice who’s outside and what’s going on. As you walk, pray for the people you know and the people you don’t know, perhaps as you pass by their houses and the people pass you by. Create a walking habit and build relationships. With the neighbors you know, consider inviting them in your home for a meal. Creating a regular habit of hospitality allows you to build relationships for the kingdom of God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you see your neighborhood as a mission field.

Blessing Strategy Card

Conclusion: