There Is More: The Encounter That Changes Everything

“Good morning, Lighthouse family… and welcome to everyone who’s with us today.”

“Whether you’ve been here for years… or this is your very first time… we’re really glad you’re here.”

“At Lighthouse, we’re not about just going through the motions… we believe church should be a place where people experience something real.”

“A place where you can come as you are… no matter your story… no matter your past…”

Illustration

“A pastor tells this story about his grandfather . For years, my grandfather has been involved in one form of ministry or another at several churches. One day, he waited at the altar in a church to pray with anyone who needed prayer when a little boy came forward. The young man asked for prayer, and after they were finished, the boy had another question.

He looked up at my grandfather and asked, “Isn’t there something more?”

Isn’t there something more than this? Isn’t there something more than just status-quos religion?

And if we’re honest… that question isn’t just coming from a little boy at an altar—it’s coming from people sitting in pews every Sunday… maybe even from you.;

Some people’s faith…

…is as stale as a loaf of dry bread.

Nobody wakes up craving stale bread. Nobody gets excited about something dry, cracked, lifeless.

And yet…

So many people are living off yesterday’s encounter.

Like trying to run your whole day on a phone that was never charged.

But, if the church is really a place where people can meet God and discover new things, and experience Him in new and exciting ways, shouldn’t we be coming to church for better reasons than those?”

Introduction

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been walking through encounters with God:

Jesus walks into disappointment

The fire that finds you

The God who meets you in the storm

The Jesus who stops you

The God who remembers you

The One who breathes life into dry places

And all throughout Scripture…

God gets people’s attention in unexpected ways:

A donkey that talks

A bush that burns but isn’t consumed

A man swallowed by a fish

Dry bones coming back to life

And now…

Fire falling on people… Wind filling a house… Languages nobody studied…

And people saying— “Are they drunk?!”

What’s the common thread?

God loves His people… and wants to encounter them.

Not to harm you. Not to embarrass you.

But to:

Meet you

Guide you

Walk with you

Empower you

Today we celebrate the birthday of the church. A significant milestone of the church. For it is on the day of Pentecost that we see today what we call churches. There are churches all across the world today celebrating “Pentecost”, but it should be different for us. Why? Because we claim ourselves, our church, our people to be Pentecostals. We should know understand that there is more to this christian journey. Its life changing, life empowering, its a ENCOUNTER with the Holy Spirit.

The early church experienced it, Peter preached it, Luke and Paul wrote about it and today we need to live it. We need to not only beleive in this encounter but seek it, desire it and

And this moment—Pentecost—wasn’t random.

It was an Old Testament festival… A time when God’s people celebrated the harvest… And remembered when God gave them His law.

But on this Pentecost… God wasn’t writing His law on tablets anymore— He was writing it on hearts. And the harvest?

“And the harvest wasn’t crops— it was people

Acts 1:3–5 NIV

3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:1–13 NIV

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

1. AN ENCOUNTER IS THE “MORE” YOU’VE BEEN DESIRING

“Isn’t there something more?”

Pentecost answers that question:

YES.

There is more than routine. More than ritual. More than going through the motions.

“It’s kind of like someone who signs up for a gym membership…”

“They get the card… they walk in… look around… maybe sit on a machine for a minute…”

“But they never really engage.”

“Weeks go by… months go by… and nothing changes.”

“And at some point they start asking…

‘Why am I not seeing results?’”

“Because you were present…

but you never participated.”

“Because you were present…

but you never participated.”

You’ve been showing up… You’ve been trying… But deep down there’s a quiet question:

“Is this all there is?”

Pentecost says:

“You’ve sat in services… heard sermons… sang songs…”

“But something in you says— there has to be more than this.”

There is more—and it’s found in an encounter with God.

“Pentecost answers that question—YES.”

“There is more… and it’s not found in routine—it’s found in encounter.”

It’s actually like going to a restaurant…” “Sitting down… opening the menu… talking about how good everything looks…”‘That looks amazing… I’d love to try that…’ “And then getting up… and leaving… without ever actually eating.”

“You had access… but you never received it.” “You were around it… but you never encountered it

“And it’s possible to come to church… week after week…” “To hear messages… sing songs… even believe the right things…” “And still walk away saying…” “Isn’t there something more?” “And the answer is—YES.”

“But the ‘more’ is not found in doing more religion…” “It’s found in actually encountering God.”

“And I know this is real… because I’ve experienced it myself.”

My testimony

“When I gave my life to God, it wasn’t just a moment—I had an encounter.”

“I was at the altar… and God began to deal with my heart… showing me areas of my life that weren’t right…”

“And when I got up, I went to my pastor… and he prayed for me… and right there… I was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

“But it didn’t stop there.”

“A few months later, I felt God calling me to preach…”

“And I didn’t want it. I pushed it away… I told God, ‘That’s not for me.’”

“Then one night, at a city-wide service… an evangelist was preaching… and during the altar call, he stepped off the platform… walked down the aisle… nd stopped right in front of me…”

(Pause)

“And he began to speak over my life— about a calling… about an anointing… about preaching.” “And in that moment, I realized… God wasn’t just calling me to attend church… He was calling me into something more.”

“And then about a month later, at a youth camp… during the altar… I was overwhelmed by the presence of God…”

“And while I was there… I felt like I was sitting in someone’s lap… just held… completely covered in His presence…”

“Afterward, people asked me why my head was lifted the whole time… but I didn’t even realize it…”

(Slow down here)

“I’m telling you today… this isn’t just something we read about.”

“God still meets people like that.” “And He wants to meet you too

2. AN ENCOUNTER WILL TRANSFORM YOU

Acts 2:14–17 NIV

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Peter stands up and speaks…

But this isn’t just Peter.

This is the same man who:

Denied Jesus around a fire

Was afraid of being identified

But now?

He stands before a crowd and boldly proclaims truth.

Why?

The difference wasn’t time… It was an encounter.

And the result?

3,000 lives changed in one moment.

3. AN ENCOUNTER CHANGES WHAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE

God specializes in transformation:

A shepherd becomes a king

A stuttering man leads a nation

A fearful disciple becomes bold

A persecutor becomes a missionary

“And He’s still doing it.”

“Addicts becoming free”

“Broken marriages restored”

“People finding purpose”

He is still taking broken people and turning them into testimonies.

This isn’t just Bible history—this is present reality.

4. AN ENCOUNTER IS MEANT TO REACH OTHERS

Please Don’t miss this morning :

Pentecost wasn’t just about what God did in them— it was about what He would do through them.

The Spirit didn’t just fill a room…

It spilled out into the streets.

People heard. People saw. People responded.

And the church was born.

3,000 came to the Lord.

Not through strategy. Not through marketing.

But through an encounter.

The Spirit isn’t meant to make you comfortable— it’s meant to make you effective.”

Closing

That little boy asked:

“Isn’t there something more?”

And the answer of Pentecost is clear:

There is more than routine. There is more than religion. There is more than just showing up.

There is an encounter with the living God.

And it’s not just for them—

It’s for you.

ALTAR CALL / RESPONSE

So the question isn’t: “Was Pentecost real?”

The question is:

Do you want the more?

Do you want:

More of His presence

More than dry religion

More than just going through the motions

Then don’t just observe it…

Seek it. Desire it. Ask for it.

Because the same God who moved in Acts 2… is still moving today.

PRAY

“Holy Spirit… I want more… Fill me… Change me… Meet me…”

“If you want more—not religion, not routine—but a real encounter with God…” “I want you to respond right now.”

“Holy Spirit… I want more… Fill me… Change me… Meet me…”