Prepared to Share Our Faith.

In every marriage, there’s usually one person who always overpacks.

Now, you'd think it would be Pam, right?

But no. When we travel, Pam pulls out the smallest backpack you’ve ever seen. She lays out just the basics—the bare necessities for survival…

I on the other hand.. like to think about the big picture.

What if I spill something on my shirt? What if it rains? What if we get stuck overnight?

Obviously, you need that extra pair of jeans, extra socks, backup shoes—you know, just in case.

Pam has a simple philosophy …and it’s this: “You will always be able to find a washer and dryer somewhere ..”

Now for some of us—that’s not just optimistic. That’s borderline reckless!

And funny enough—it’s exactly what Jesus said when He sent out the 72 disciples in Luke 10.

He says..

Luke 10:3–4 ESV

3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

Jesus doesn’t hand out glossy brochure to make following him-more appealing. Jesus said, “I’m sending you as ..sheep among wolves… .

In other words there is going to be turbulence..You are going to face some hardships some challenges .. obstacles…

It wont be easy…But…. I’ll provide for you...”

And here’s the incredible thing: later on in Luke 22:35, just before the crucifixion, Jesus reminded them of this very moment…

Luke 22:35 ESV

35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”

Jesus reminded them that in that first mission… that practice run… they had exactly what they needed…

During his ministry Jesus was preparing them for what was to come…

Jesus didn’t only teach this he lived it..

Jesus modeled this kind of dependency throughout his ministry . It’s the some kind of trust lived out in the book of Acts.

And it’s the kind trust we’re called to today.

We’re in a series called "Sharing Our Faith"—and we’re walking through the book of Acts.

The book of Acts is the story of the expansion early Church—

It’s has been called the Acts of the apostle of the Acts of the Holy Spirit..

but ultimately it is

How God used ordinary people to take the good news of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

The question is..

How do we get ready to share our faith? How do we get involved..

1. Be prepared to Plant Seeds.

In January, we planted some tulip bulbs in our front garden planters. Nothing fancy—just a few bulbs. Honestly, I didn’t think much of it ..until last month, we stepped outside, and there they were—

beautiful..flowers..

This is what happened between Passover and Pentecost. At Passover Jesus died on the cross was 3 days later resurrected.. but the fruit of that came out at Pentecost …50 days later..

Pentecost marked the beginning of the Church Age. Where on longer where under law but under grace.

The Holy Spirit was no longer reserved for the few…

the prophets, priests, and kings—He was poured out on all believers.

In Acts 2, we’re told that when the Spirit fell on the 120 disciples in the upper room, a mighty wind filled the house, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages..

Pentecost teaches is several things about spiritual harvest. first..that..

1. God had a purpose 

Pentecost was a time when Israel would bring the first fruits of their crops as an offering …to celebrate harvest…

It’s was one of the feasts of Israel that celebrated the 50-day period between the Exodus (Passover) and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.

Sybolized the blessing of the law… but what followed was fruitfulness.as Israel enter Ed the promised Pam’s..

Pentecost …new season of blessings… entering in to the and of promise.

Pentecost marked the beginning of fruitfulness.

Wayne Grudem puts it this way:

"The day of Pentecost was the point of transition between the old covenant work and ministry of the Holy Spirit and the new covenant work and ministry of the Holy Spirit." Wayne Grudem..

That first Eater… was at Passover time when Jesus laid down his life at the Lamb of God… At the cross, Jesus fulfilled the Law; in His resurrection, He gave birth to new life…

Seed planted for the church..

Jesus said in John 12:24

John 12:24 ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

At t the cross that first Easter Passover the seed of died and germinated—

When we looking back to Passover .We see the cross we depend on the saving power of Jesus for redemption. But a t

Pentecost, we celebrate the fruit—

At Pentecost the Spirit , seals our salvation, and equips us to be His witnesses.

Pentecost we learn The purpose for Jesus sacrifice.

Second ..

2. The extent of the Gospel  Acts 2:5–8

Acts 2:5–8 ESV

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

Luke paints a vivid picture. People from every nation who were in Jerusalem.

The Talmud (commentary on Hebrew Scriptures) mentions 70 nations in Jewish dispersion,

The number 70 was symbolic of the whole known world.

When the spirit fell.. the disciples spoke, they spoke in known languages .. The people were bewildered and astonished—because they heard the Gospel in their native tongue. there is some thing about heading the gospel in our own language..

Pentecost teaches us: the Gospel is never confined by language or culture. We learn the extent… on the gospel to all nation..

third we learm

3. God Uses Our Limitations The people were shocked not just because of the languages—but who was speaking them. Galileans were known as unsophisticated, rural folk—fishermen, tradesmen, untrained.

Acts 2:11 (ESV)

Acts 2:11 ESV

11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Part of the miracle at Pentecost..is that these "hill-country fishermen" are now fluently speaking Persian, Arabic, Latin, and more.

Peter Wagner put it this way:

"It would be like West Virginia coal miners preaching fluently to MIT alumni."

God uses our availability

….our focus should be on the message rather then our readiness..

They were simplify declaring the works of God… the wonderful thing is when the spirit moves we have a story to tell…

T/S: How do we get ready to share our faith?

1. Be prepared to Plant Seeds.

 2. Be prepared for the Holy Spirit to soften the Soil.

At Gordon-Conwell Seminary, there’s a beautiful mural in the chapel—a scene of a sower walking across a wide field, scattering seed with open hands. What’s striking is that it’s a timeless mural.

In the foreground, you see Ruth gleaning in a harvest field. Nearby, a Roman soldier stands in the background the cross. In the distant background, two towers are ablaze—perhaps an old our modern tragedy.

Past, present, and future—woven into one canvas.

That’s the Gospel. It’s not bound by time or culture.

It speaks across generations. And in Acts 2,

when they heard the gospel the the crowd asked, “What does this mean?”—

Peter answered

Acts 2:23–24 ESV

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Peter says, “This wasn’t a tragic accident—it was God’s eternal plan.”

Yes, Jesus was crucified by the hands of sinful men,

but behind that was the sovereign hand of God, working out redemption.

And then Peter goes on to draws a powerful contrast— between kING David and Jesus.

Every Jewish listener held King David in the highest regard. He was the gold standard.

But Peter says: David died and was buried—we still know where his tomb is.

But Jesus—Jesus was raised, and His tomb is empty.

David pointed forward to the Messiah, but Jesus fulfilled it.

Jesus is the true and better King—the One death couldn’t hold.

By comparing Jesus to David, Peter established

Jesus as the "true and better David," who not only fulfilled David's prophecies but surpassed him by conquering sin and death itself.

Peter point to a Jesus…

And after proclaiming

The Gospel, Peter doesn’t —he calls for a response:

Acts 2:36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.””

Acts 2:37–38 ESV

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one 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 message should move us..

Peter didn’t manipulate emotion. He didn’t craft a perfect TED Talk. He preached truth. And the Holy Spirit tilled the soil of their hearts.

That’s one of the roles of the Spirit—to prepare the soil for the seed.

This is what happens to the crowd in our text they—cut to the heart—is the Spirit’s work.

R.C. Sproul..

When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, He does so to bring us to repentance and, ultimately, to bring us to reconciliation with God, to forgiveness, to healing, and to cleansing. In other words, when the Spirit of God convicts us of sin, His entire purpose and entire motive is redemptive.

R. C. Sproul

Jesus said in:

John 16:8 ESV

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

N.T. Wright once said:

“The Christian gospel is designed to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” N.T Wright

And that’s exactly what happens here. The Holy Spirit brings conviction—not condemnation—but the kind that leads to life.

Acts 2:41 ESV

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Application:

Jesus once told a parable in Matthew 13. You know it well. A sower goes out to sow seed.

It lands in all kinds of places—on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and on good soil. Only the good soil produces fruit—thirty, sixty, a hundredfold.

When it comes to evangelism—we are the sowers. We scatter the seed of the Gospel, but we don’t control the condition of the soil. Some hearts will be hard.

Some distracted. Some shallow. But some… are ready.

Spurgeon once said..

The same sun which melts wax hardens clay. And the same Gospel which melts some persons to repentance hardens others in their sins.

Charles Spurgeon

And here’s the hope: 

The Holy Spirit goes before us—softening, preparing, convicting.

When we share our faith. We may not see immediate results. But the Spirit is working.

1. Be prepared to Plant Seeds.

 2. Be prepared for the Holy Spirit to soften the Soil.

3.Be Prepared to Connect to the Local Church

Play video of Pams testimony..

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Pam’s wstory reminds us that salvation isn’t just a moment; it’s a journey that unfolds in community.

After Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, the Gospel didn’t just change individual hearts—it began to reshape how people lived together.

The result? The Church was born—not as a building, but as a vibrant, Spirit-filled community.

Acts 2:42–46 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

Notice that word—devoted.

It’s not passive. It means to cling to, to persist in, to keep showing up.

These early believers weren’t casually involved—they were fully engaged. They weren’t just attending services; they were sharing life:

Worshiping together

Learning from Scripture

Breaking bread in one another’s homes

Meeting needs in the community

Praying with and for each other

The Christian life isn’t meant to be lived solo. It’s a shared life:

We share the same Savior

We share the same struggles

We share the same victories

We share the same mission

And we share the joy of living for Him

Acts 2:47 ESV

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

the result if the church being the church …

Those being saved… and add Ed to the churc..

That phrase—"being saved"—is important. It reminds us that salvation isn’t just about a moment in the past. Yes, we are saved the moment we trust Christ—but we’re also being saved every day as the Spirit continues to shape us.

One of our favorite places to visit is IKEA.

It’s fun to walk through those showroom kitchens and living rooms. Everything is color-coordinated.

Not a single pillow is out of place.

But here’s the thing: no one actually lives there.

No spilled coffee. No toys under the couch. No laughter echoing through the hallways.

It’s a display, not a dwelling.

Now contrast that with a real family home.

Sure, it’s a little messy. There might be dishes in the sink, bag on the floor, cereal bowls still on the table from breakfast. But it’s alive. . It’s not perfect—but it’s real.

That’s what the Church is meant to be—not a spiritual IKEA showroom for polished lives, but a living, breathing, grace-filled home where people are being saved.

A place where you come as you are… but you don’t stay that way. Because in community, through the Spirit, we are changed.

We are always in process..

God added to those who were still in process..

“The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

That’s our calling: To be a church that welcomes the broken, celebrates new birth, walks patiently with people in the process

Conclusion

You know the first two letters of Gospel? G–O. Go.

It’s no coincidence. Jesus said it over and over: “Go to the lost sheep…” “Go and tell John…” “Go into the highways…” “Go and make disciples…”

And in the original Greek, that word “Go” is actually “as you are going.” It’s not about a special mission trip—it’s about everyday life. As you go to work, the store, your neighbor’s house... be ready.

Let me tell you when packing light really matters—

That photo was actually a 3 week trip to Europe.. I can tell you,..when We were racing across the airport to catch a connecting flight. I was so glad we packed light. We weren’t dragging giant suitcases through the terminal. We moved fast. We made it.

The same is true when it comes to sharing your faith: travel light.

God has already packed what you need:

His Word and your story — that’s the seed.

His Spirit — that’s your strength.

His people — that’s your support.

Jesus calls us to , “Go.”

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the power of the Gospel—so simple, yet so life-changing. Thank You that You invite us not to sit still, but to go. As we go from this place today, help us to travel light. Remind us that You've already given us everything we need—Your Word, our story, Your Spirit, and the support of Your people.

Give us eyes to see the people around us who are hungry for hope. Give us hearts that are willing to step out in faith. Make us bold in our witness and gentle in our love. And Lord, prepare the soil—soften hearts even before we speak. Let Your Spirit go ahead of us, and may lives be changed, not by our strength, but by Your grace.

We are Your church. Send us. Shape us. Use us. And may You add to our number those who are being saved. For Your glory, and in Your powerful name we pray—Amen.