The Church Begins

Thank Gary Eck (Journal)

Introduction

Where have you experienced the power of something?

Taking a ride in the white mustang after work that did a wheelie

Watering the grass with a firehose

Niagara Falls

Stunt plane

We remember moments we experience the power of something.

The Church begins with Jesus. (1-3)

Acts 1:1-3

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

The author of the book of Acts is Luke, the same man who wrote the third Gospel that bears his name.

The book of Acts is basically a second volume to the Gospel of Luke

And Luke addresses his work here to the same person to whom he had addressed the Gospel of Luke, a man by the name of Theophilus.

Don’t know much about Theophilus - may be person - may be title for a group of people (Luke - “most excellent”)

Based on what Luke writes in Luke 1, it would seem that Luke is writing to Theophilus to help convince Theophilus

Luke refers to his first work as dealing with “all that Jesus began to do and teach”

Jesus’ Works and Words

Luke’s Gospel shows that Jesus is who he claims to be - the Son of God.

This is what sets Christianity apart from other religions.

We’re not talking about a religious set of rules - philosophy and ideas.

We’re talking about a man - and not just a man that gave us a good example to follow

While the world wouldn’t need a historical Buddha to have Buddhism, it must have a historical Christ to have genuine Christianity.

Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in Acts (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Jesus taught the truth about life and God. He backed up his words with his life, his miracles, and ultimately his resurrection from the dead.

If we do not do the works and teach the words of Jesus then we are not a church!

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God

Jesus is alive and he is king!

This is why the church comes together. This is why we gather EVERY Sunday!

This is where the church began. This is where Granger Missionary Church began.

The start of the Church is described here, but the Church starts with Jesus.

Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church and Christianity

There can be no Christianity apart from Christ.

Acts 20:28

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Jesus bought the Church with his blood

He empowers the Church with His Spirit

He commissions the Church with His message

He sends the Church in His name

We must be very careful in ever thinking the church is ‘our church.’

We are building His Kingdom, not our kingdom

The Church is the bride of Christ - DON’T MESS WITH MY WIFE!

Jesus is in every verse of Acts 1:1-11

Acts is a continuation of what Jesus is doing

Acts of the apostles

Acts of the Holy Spirit

ILLUST - better than the original? - most movies have bad sequels - Not Acts! It’s the start of something new. . .

How many like new things? You’re the first to get the new iPhone, you love the new car smell, you love meeting new people, and trying new foods.

How many like what’s familiar? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Routine is the spice of life.

Acts 1:4-5

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Church begins with a new power. (4-5)

Promised Power

John 14: 16-17, 26

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Spirit’s Power

Romans 8:11

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

God has given us the power we need to do what he has called us to do.

God has given YOU the power you need to do what he has called YOU to do.

There is more than enough power (like a firehose to water grass)

ILLUST - When I work on cars, I want to use as many power tools as possible. Why struggle to take off a lug nut with a wrench when you can use an impact gun (IMPACT and GUN) to remove the lug nut with little struggle.

So many of us both personally and as a church try to accomplish what God is calling us to do under our own power while we have a toolbox full of the Spirit’s power at our disposal.

Delayed Power

Why did they need to wait? Perhaps it was to remind them that they needed God’s power to accomplish the mission.

I imagine they were excited and ready to go.

They had seen the risen Jesus, they had a story to tell.

They had just spent a 40-day intensive learning session with Jesus, yet Jesus told them to wait for the Spirit’s power.

Notice what they did while they waited:

Acts 1:12-14

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,. . . 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, . . . All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

I doubt this new thing called the Church could have been effective if the apostles were not expecting God to do something, waiting, wanting, devoted, changed by Jesus.

*when was the last time you were empowered to do something

We can try every new program and church fad, but until we become a people empowered by the Spirit through prayer, we will accomplish little of any value.

WE are constantly on a stretch, if not on a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel. ...The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. . .

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer.

 Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999).

Acts 1:6-8a

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses

The Church begins with a (re)new(ed) purpose. (6-8a)

The apostles were essentially asking if now Jesus was planning on building the kingdom of the people of God.

Jesus redirects them and tells them the power they will receive was not so they might become royalty in their own kingdom, but witnesses for God’s expanding Kingdom.

Witness = Martyr

How much do we really wish to give all we have for God’s Kingdom? And how much would we rather establish our own?

I had used “Mission” instead of purpose but we not all of us are called to be “professional” missionaries, but we are called to take all of the places, spaces, and roles that God has placed us and make them purposeful.

This is not a new purpose but a renewed purpose

Isaiah 49:6

6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

This is what we call God’s redemptive plan for history.

Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, end of the earth

Jerusalem - Yes

Judea - OK

Samaria - What?!

End of the Earth - NO

The purpose has started.

. . . a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went,

ILLUST - Remember your first time driving alone? - OK, it’s all on me now.

I wonder what these guys were thinking:

Wait! We have a ton of questions.

What will this “Holy Spirit” do? What kind of power will it be? When will it happen?

Why Samaria? How will we get to the ends of the earth?

Young adults spend longer in college than these men spent with Jesus and yet Jesus left the entire plan of redemptive history in their hands.

Never had a more important assignment been given to a less qualified group of people. (J D Greear)

Why would Jesus leave this plan for the Church - for the spread of the gospel?

Things we know:

Jesus left this plan to the Church on purpose.

Jesus does not want this plan to fail.

Jesus KNOWS this plan will succeed.

Jesus knows that the Church has everything it needs to be successful. - Even with all of the unanswered questions.

The success of the

The purpose is God’s (and ours).

There is no plan B for salvation!

You are here because someone took their role in God’s purpose seriously.

Who is not here yet that will be as we become more purposeful

How exciting is is to think that we we are doing what Jesus did - In fact, we will do greater things than Jesus!

“It is not so much the case that God has a mission for his church in the world, as that God has a church for his mission in the world. Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission – God’s mission. Chris Wright” ― Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission

That which has been done in spiritual matters can be done again, and be better done. This was Christ’s view. He said “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” The past has not exhausted the possibilities nor the demands for doing great things for God. The Church that is dependent on its past history for its miracles of power and grace is a fallen Church.

 Edward M. Bounds, Power through Prayer (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999).

This mission is one with accountability.

The purpose is not finished!

ILLUST - demographic report

There are approximately 130,000 people living within a 15 min. driving radius to Granger MC. 80,000 state they have little to no connection to a church! What if we could focus on connecting just 1% over the next 10 years? That would be 800 people! With God’s help over the next decade, we could make a significant Kingdom impact in our local community.

How many are here from another church? We are not here to sit and settle but to be SENT with a purpose.

God is doing a new thing here at Granger

The Church begins with a new perspective. (9-11)

Acts 1:8b-11

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Jesus is coming back!!

ILLUST - coaching soccer - teaching kids not to watch or wait for the goal - go!

Everything points to Jesus and is for Jesus

he is not simply the historical founder, he’s our present boss, and our future king!

The church has a historical foundation, a present mission, and a future glory

God has put you in a place for a purpose with his power.

are we purposeful, powerful, and on mission?

ILLUST - someone come up and stand and stare

What if the apostles stood there waiting?

How would the gospel be spread? How would you have ever heard of Jesus?

Think of the pain, the demons that would have been left unchecked, if they had just stood and stared.

They stood and stared into heaven while the new purpose had started. Silly right?

How many people

“Men and women of Granger, why do you sit waiting for heaven? Jesus is coming back (and you have a purpose to finish)!”

It’s not because of me. We jumped on board because we saw God was already at work and there are many that I meet weekly recognize God is at work here and do we have questions we know God is doing something and we want to be a part of it join him on his mission.

Conclusion?

God has placed me __________________

to accomplish His purpose with ____________________

with His power of the Holy Spirit which He has already given me.

I want us to cry out to God to do a new thing - to do a renewed thing and I don’t want us to stop until he does it.

I want us to cry out to him in desperation, in expectation, in celebration, power.

I want to look more like the early church - fully devoted to God, fully devoted to each other, fully devoted to taking the gospel of Jesus.

I long to see the Church plant churches, souls saved, I want to see healings, baptisms, marriages restored.

Like you, I have questions, I don’t know what exactly all this looks like, how it will all work out, what new things there will be, what things will be renewed.

But I do know this:

Jesus continues to do new things in and through his followers and he wants to do them here.