Acts: God’s Story Continues

We are the Church (For the Sake of the World)

Luke/Acts

Acts 1:1–5 “I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.””

This Fall Wed. series will take us through the book of Acts using this theme: We are the Church for the Sake of the World

The church is God’s people, saved by Christ and formed by the Holy Spirit, caught up in God’s great plan of salvation for all the world.

Principle: There is often a disconnect between the mission of Jesus and the life of the Church that claims his name.

Notice what Luke says the mission of Jesus was (v.3) - the Kingdom of God

Jesus came showing us how we were meant to live (v.1), who we were created to be (v.8)…then he gave us the Holy Spirit to make that possible!

Jesus came showing you who you were created to be, who you are! Then he gave us the Holy Spirit to make you alive in Christ!

In Acts, the Holy Spirit is the main Character, not the Church or Paul, or the Jerusalem Council.

Acts is often referred to as the “Acts of the Church.” But the church is not the main character.

The Holy Spirit has what my teenage daughter calls “Main Character Energy” - my daughter would cringe if she heard me say that; if you’re older than 20 and you don’t know what that is you can google it

The Holy Spirit is the main character in Acts, the Church is just the supporting cast.

Truth: You are a continuation of this book! Acts ends in a cliff-hanger, not resolved. Because the God’s story of salvation continues in you!

Two things I want to point out the Holy Spirit does in your life:

Awakens you to Salvation (passive)

Empowers you to Live God’s Purpose for your Life (cooperative)

Without the Holy Spirit…

Religion is dead.

Bitterness & Disappointment consume our lives.

Christianity becomes domesticated by the culture around it.

The Church becomes inward focused rather than mission-driven.

The Power of the Holy Spirit Works in Two Direction on the Church [Dry Erase board]

A Centripetal Force (Black Hole Force) - Pulling the world into God and Salvation

I was just minding my business, but God was setting me up!

John 6:44 in the Bible says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the Last Day".

The Greek word translated as "draw" in this verse is helkuo, which can mean "to drag" literally or figuratively.

A Centrifugal Force (Tornado Force) - Launching the Church out from Salvation and into the World

Matthew 28:19–20 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

What commands (action words) do you see in this passage?

Note that there is only one explicit imperative in the Greek text, matheteuo (“make disciples”). Go, Baptize, and Teach are all supporting commands in the Greek.

The emphasis for the church is not primarily on going (action/doing). Matthew’s emphasis is on the formation of discipleship.

It’s why our measure of fruitfulness comes from how many people in our church family are serving and how many are connected in groups/fellowship.

These are our Last Days - You have been invited!

Acts 2:14–22 “Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will even pour out my Spirit on my servants in those days, both men and women and they will prophesy. I will display wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below: blood and fire and a cloud of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Somebody say, “It’s not about me!”

You have been invited to get in on what God is doing in the earth TODAY.