Building the Church
Building the Church • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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The Rest of the Story
The Rest of the Story
Good morning - I hope all had a good week
I survived the opening of Epic - and now have 2 little granddaughters running around my house
How did you see God move this last week?
Today we are beginning a new journey.
The book of Acts.
Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke.
Luke showed the words and acts of Jesus while Acts shows what we are supposed to do with it.
Some have named it the Acts of the Apostles or some the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
Either way - we view acts as the continuation of the story
THIS book is to the Gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. In the Gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying: in the Acts we see it bringing forth much fruit
The Rest of the Story
The Rest of the Story
All agree Luke wrote it probably between AD 60-65
It covers the birth and growth of the early Church, about 30 years.
I begins with Jesus’ ascension and ends with Paul’s imprisonment.
Acts is the only NT book, outside the Gospels, that does not have a a closing or benediction.
It is as if it is a continuing story.
Many will say we need to be the Acts church or I want an Acts church
We really can’t. Different time and culture. Not sure we would want to be.
But the power and purpose are still here today.
Acts calls us to be witnesses
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Witnesses of -
Lord’s life, Lord’s message, Lords’ people , Lord’s word, Lord’s sovereignty
We will see how this was played out through the birth and expansion of the early church, and how it should be still today.
But first, we need to start, or better yet continue the story
Let’s pray.
Preparation
Every journey begins with prep, every new task requires preparation.
This is what we see in Acts 1
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.
Jesus is going back over the plan and I believe restoring them
Remember they all ran - how would they be able to do this
But He tells them they will be able to accomplish this huge task
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.”
God’s way often means we wait
Preparation
What was the promise?
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.
So often we try to get ahead of God
His timing is perfect
Nothing of lasting impact can we do outside His power.
Mobilization
His way not our agenda
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 in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Mobilization
Honor the past but focus on going forward
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.”
Implementation
Acknowledge the sins of the past
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,
16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
Implementation
Trust God for the future
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Building the Church
Building the Church
Over the next weeks we will see this backwater movement spread out to a global.
My hope is we see the Church not as an organization but a living growing organism.
We do not want a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world.
-G.K. Chesterton
Next week - Acts 2
Let’s pray
