Commissioned to Witness

Introduction

This series through Acts is so crucial to this church plant

If we do not get the foundation right, everything else is going to be off

If you build a house on a bad foundation, the house won’t last long

The walls, roof, siding, everything is going to be off

But if you build a house on a solid foundation

The wonderful thing about planting a church, is we get to build it

I don’t mean God has nothing to do with it

God has everything to do with it

But we get to build it upon the foundation of the Word of God

I want this church culture to be what it was meant to be

And that begins primarily with being witnesses

Rom 15:20 “I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another main’s foundation”

Paul’s desire was to preach to those who did not know Jesus

This is what God has called the church to do

It’s primary mission is to win the lost to Christ!

I want to build this ministry upon the conversion of lost souls

I want our focus to be on those who do not know Christ

I want our passion to be on bringing he lost to Jesus.

I want us to be witnessing machines for the glory of God

The ministry of Jesus Christ is continued through the Holy Spirit of God (v 1-3)

(v 1-3) “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

The predetermined plan for Jesus was to be seated at the right hand of God after his resurrection

He stayed around 40 days and proved He had risen from the dead

He appeared to over 500 eye witnesses (1 cor. 15:6)

He ate fish with the disciples

He had the disciples physically touch His pierced side and the holes in his hands

All this was to prepare them for their mission to be witnesses

The plan was for Jesus to leave earth and be seated at the right hand of God

Eph. 1:20 “when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places”

Right now the physical Jesus is not on earth, He is in heaven

If Jesus is in heaven, then how is God working on earth?

God is working through His Holy Spirit who lives within us

God is in heaven on His throne

Jesus is seated at the right hand of God

The Holy Spirit is here on earth continuing the work of Jesus

That does not mean there is less power on earth because Jesus is in heaven

Three thousand men were saved in ch 2

Peter healed a lame beggar in ch 3

2,000 more saved in ch 4

Peter raised the dead

John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father”

Application

That means the mission Jesus began is continued through us who are born again

Your greatest and foremost job on this earth is to be witness for Jesus Christ

It is more important than our earthly jobs

It is more important than our hobbies

It is more important to witness than it is to feed people

It is more important to witness than it is to sing

It is more important to witness than it is to fellowship

It is more important to witness than it is to do anything as far as our mission goes for the church

(v 8) “and you shall be My witnesses....”

This same commission was given in the gospels

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

If we are not a church that witnesses to the lost then we are not a church

We must make it a priority in this ministry

Ministry is impossible apart from the Power of God (v 4-5)

(v 4-5) “Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Notice He tells them to wait for the promise from the Father

Why couldn’t they go start preaching the gospel?

They knew Jesus was the Messiah

They saw Jesus do miracles

They knew Jesus died and rose from the dead

But without Jesus, they could do nothing

John the Baptist baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit

Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the coming of the Holy Spirit are referring to the same thing

No one gets partially saved

You either get the Spirit or you do not have the Spirit

John 3:34 “for He gives the Spirit without measure”

There is a belief that you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit before you can experience the power of God in your life

By baptize they mean this super spiritual experience where they become immersed with the Spirit

That is not true

We get the whole Spirit when we get saved

Jesus was referring to ch 2 here when pentecost happens and 3,000 get saved

3,000 get baptized in the Holy Spirit

3,000 get born again

3,000 have the Spirit come upon them

But it is no different than when we get saved today

Same Spirit

Same God

We are born again

The Holy Spirit equips us to be a gospel witnesses

No matter how well Peter preached it will was useless apart from God

No mater how well Paul articulated arguments they would be pointless

Without the power of God, nothing was going to happen

If the Holy Spirit is not present in this church then nothing will happen

A church must rely on the power of God to do the work of God

It is because of the presence of the Holy Spirit

No Spirit of God means no supernatural ministry

People may come

They may sing

They may laugh and have fellowship

But there will be lives radically changed apart from the power of God

Application

Apart from Jesus Christ we can do nothing

We are absolutely hopeless and helpless apart from the power of God

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

That means everything we do must be according to the Word of God

The power of the Spirit begins with obedience

To be gospel witnesses

To understand the absolute authority in this place and in our lives is the Word of God

Nothing can override God’s Word

To bathe everything in prayer

To love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength

Worship Him everyday of your life

We are to be mission focused People (v 6-8)

(v 6-7)“So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;...

The apostles were concerned about Jesus establishing the Kingdom of God on earth (this comes at Jesus’ second coming)

They had in mind that this coming of the Holy Spirit was the coming of the Kingdom of God

Notice Jesus’ response: “It is not for you to know times or epochs”

In other words, this should be none of your concern

Why? Because no man knows

Notice His words, “which the Father has fixed by His own authority”

This reminds me of another statement that Jesus said during His ministry

Matt 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”

Application:

The point Jesus is making is do not waste you time waiting on the end of the world!

No man knows when the end is coming

No man should sit around and spend his time looking for signs when their is work to do

Jesus is trying to keep them focused on the mission at hand

Jesus is saying do not worry about the end

Do not worry about the coming Kingdom of God

Do stay focused and understand the mission entrusted to you!

Do stay on task and know that you are My witnesses!

What we need to know about the second coming of Jesus

Matthew 24:42-46 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes”

What we need to know about the second coming is THAT WE BETTER BE READY

It means we should be fulfilling our calling

It means we should be living our lives for the Lord Jesus Christ

It means we should be witnessing, we should be growing, we should be anticipating

( v 8) “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth”

God’s source of power is displayed through the Holy Spirit

where is that power now?

Inside of every believer

“when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”

The power of God is present within us

How much power does God have?

All of it

He can raise the dead!

He can heal the sick!

He can make all the provisions we need in our life

He can give us supernatural boldness

He gives us supernatural gifts!

God’s power is available to everyone who has been born again!!

Application

Well why don’t we see that power manifest in more lives today?

The reason so many do not see the power of God in their lives today is because they yield so little of their lives to God

The only restriction on God’s power is our unwillingness to cooperate with God!

Jesus said, “you will receive power....and you shall be my witnesses”

That power is not for their own use, but for God’s glory!

It was the power to be a supernatural witness for Christ!

The purpose of God’s Spirit is to enable us to serve Him

It is to win souls for Christ

It is to build up one another

1 cor. 14:12 “So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church"

God did not empower us with the Spirit for our own amusement, glory, or power

God empowered is with the Spirit to serve Him and others

If you want to see the power of God work in your life, adopt this attitude, “Lord, Ill do whatever you want me to”

No matter the cost!

No matter the fears!

No matter the amount of hard work

If we can live like that God will demonstrate His power in your life

I heard my favorite preacher Adrain Rogers say the other day that Mary gave the best advice anyone has ever given

Jesus was at the wedding in Cana

And she told the servants this, “Whatever he says to you, do it”

Living a spirit filled life is not about getting more power from God

It is about letting God have more of our life

The more of our life God has, the more God will do through us.

How much does God want of your life?

All of it

Everything

All your secrets

All your possessions

All of your sin

The Primary command from Jesus was to be His witness

Jerusalem

Right at their home town

Judea

Then cover their region

remotest parts of the earth

Then take the gospel to ends of the earth

The next great event to come to earth is Jesus’ second coming (v 9-11)

(V 9-11) And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Jesus was taken up into heaven before them

His earthly ministry had ended

He had done all that was needed

And the mission was passed to his disciples

The angels asked them why are you standing here looking up into the sky?

He is coming again, and in the same way that He left

When He comes next time, He will be coming as Judge and not as Savior

In a sense they were saying, don;’t be marveled at this, get to work

Application

It is so easy for us to spend more time looking into the sky than fulfilling our commission.

Jesus gave us work to do

It is the most important, powerful, fulfilling work that can be done on earth

And we must place it over all other work in our lives

The second coming of Jesus means this: TIMES UP

When Jesus returns we Will be gone

It won’t matter if His coming is Pre-trib, Mid-trib, or Post-trib.

His return means we are leaving.

So we must make the most out of every opportunity to share Jesus Christ

My desire for you is to share the gospel with one person this week

We will likely get snowed out next week so you may have two weeks to share it

I have some gospel tracks to help you along

Pray that God sends someone to cross your path

A waitress

A clerk at the grocery store

A friend who is lost

Pray and God will send you someone.

~PRAYER~