Beyond the Upper Room
Beyond the Upper Room • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 7 viewsThe Upper Room was not the finish line. It was a launching pad
Notes
Transcript
Acts 4:23-31
Acts 4:23-31
And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Everyone loves the Upper Room experience. Being in a place where you experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is like nothing else you could ever experience. Unfortunately, most of the time today when revival hits and people are overwhelmed with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they just go back to their normal lives and normal church services. They go back to me, my four, and the door. They go back to being content inside their church walls and do very little with what was given to them.
We have all seen revival stir a church for the 3.5 or 7 days that an evangelist comes. People get fired up, they talk about how things are going to change, how they are going to see their church grow, how they are going to see the lost saved and lives changed. But, talk is about as far as it goes. Within a few weeks, it is back to the same old, same old.
THAT WILL NOT BE OUR STORY!!!!
The outpouring of Acts 2 was not the finish line. It was a launching pad for the New Testament Church. It was the launching pad for 120 men and women to go out and turn the world upside down with the gospel of the Kingdom.
The 120 people in the Upper Room did not just go back to their normal lives. They did not just go hide inside their church buildings, hold hands and sing “kum ba yah.” No, they went out and set the world on fire.
If Acts 2 was the Outpouring, then the rest of the book of Acts is the Out-going and Out-doing. The rest of the book was them taking what they had received and doing exactly what Jesus had told them to do.
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
These were the last recorded words of Jesus and these were the marching orders He gave to His followers.
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
The book of Luke was what Jesus “began both to do and teach.” It was not the end of what Jesus would do and teach!!! What Jesus started, He commanded His disciples to continue!
The book of Acts displays the continued ministry of Jesus. Why is the Holy Spirit given to believers? Why do we need the Holy Spirit? Jesus is no longer here physically but His ministry must continue. It continues through people filled with His Spirit. Without being filled with the Holy Spirit, you cannot expect to do what Jesus told us to do! You cannot fulfill the great commission and you cannot expect to do what Jesus said His followers would do in Mark 16:16-17 if you are not empowered by the Holy Spirit.
So, what did the apostles do after Acts 2?
Peter preaches a sermon that sees 3,000 people added to the Kingdom.
Acts 3, Peter and John healed a man at the gate called Beautiful. Then Peter preaches again in Solomon’s portico at the temple. 2,000 more got saved even but the priests had Peter and John arrested.
They stood before the Sanhedrin who demanded to know the source of their power and then forbade them to preach the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.
What do they do? Do they go into hiding? Do they go post on Facebook about how someone threatened them and hurt their feelings?
THEY GATHER TOGETHER AND BEGIN TO PRAY!!!
So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
Acts 4:26 “The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’”
Acts 4:27–28 ““For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.”
They did not pray, “God get them!!!” They did not pray, “God, don’t make us go back out there.” They did not pray for a bigger platform, a greater following, or more influence. They prayed for greater boldness. They prayed for boldness to go back out and continue doing what Jesus told them to do and what Jesus had done in the face of imprisonment and even death. They refused to let the fire of Pentecost die out!
Acts 4:29 “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,”
Acts 4:33 “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
The Lord gave them boldness, grace, and POWER!!!!
Remember, Luke did not just say all that Jesus began to teach. He said what He began to teach and do! Then Jesus told the apostles,
Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
POWER - WITNESSES
As they proclaimed who Jesus is, it was confirmed by doing the things Jesus did! When the people heard the Word and then saw the power of God that Jesus carried now being carried by these apostles, these unlearned men, these fishermen and tax collectors, they could not help but respond.
Their moving in power gave evidence of the power of the Resurrection of Jesus and that His power had now been conveyed to them through His Holy Spirit.
And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
This is meant to be what happens after the outpouring, after the Acts 2 experience. We should never lose our awe and amazement of when God heals someone. At the same time, we should not be surprised. It should not shock us to see someone healed or set free from demons. It is meant to be a part of the life of a Spirit-filled believer. You did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to keep Him to yourself. We cannot be ashamed of the Holy Ghost. We cannot hide and keep our tongues in the closet and never lay hands on the sick or afflicted.
Don’t be surprised when religious people come against you. Traveling in Pentecostal circles will cost you friendships, acquaintances, and maybe even family members.
Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
Religious people get upset when they see people doing things they can no longer control. Not everyone will be happy when you lay hands on someone and they get healed. Not everyone will be happy that you got healed. Not everyone will be happy that you fell out in the Spirit.
WHO CARES????
The apostles were filled with the Spirit and the religious people were filled with indignation (jealousy). The apostles laid hands on people to heal them. The religious people laid hands on the apostles to put them in chains.
Acts 5:19–20 “But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.””
HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
