The Holy Spirit: The Author of Missions

Introduction to Series

Last week was community Sunday: If you dropped in this room at 10:30 it was mostly empty - the round tables were set up, people were in the kitchen getting ready for lunch. 140 of us were out in the community cleaning, mulching, singing, sorting. an example of what it means to be the church.

We gather for worship, but the real task comes when we are scattered into the world to be the body of Christ. (the banner?) To serve. To proclaim the good news. When we go out into the world on Monday, how do we know where / how / who to serve in our workplaces and neighborhoods? As a church how do we decide which ministry or mission to take on? Shirley’s Place, Farming 4 Hunger, Project Echo, Heartfelt Backpack ministry and Food for the Hungry? They need the help and we need to serve. There is an opportunity for us to partner with them and be faithful to Christ in the world.

How can we share our faith in a world that says “faith is a personal and private matter?” Because Jesus says so. We can just muster up the will power, grit our teeth and do it. But do we ever ask yourself, the Holy Spirit is leading me to do this? (sign up sheet or conversation at work)

That’s what we see in the book of Acts. Acts is a story of the first Christian missionaries. The disciples of Jesus who are now called apostles - people are sent with a message. One constant theme through out the whole book is “missions that are led by the Holy Spirit.” This month we’re going to look at missions, but we’re going to remind ourselves that we are not here to run programs - we’re here to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance.

Introduction to Sermon

Today we are looking at the Holy Spirit, as the author of missions.

If you were to look at the church calendar - and by church calendar I don’t mean the one in your bulletin or the one on the wall in the fellowship area, but THE CHURCH CALENDAR: the one most churches use; the one that takes us through the Christian story. It begins with Advent (not January) and takes through Christmas, through Epiphany (Magi), a few weeks later we have Ash Wednesday, which begins Lent (that 40 days where we walk with Jesus during his final days; Holy Week, where we remember Jesus Last Supper, death, and of course there’s Easter. (Christ is risen!)We are still in the Easter season, the great 50 days as some call it. We read in Scripture that after His resurrection Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples. After that he ascended into heaven, and we read in Acts that the disciples waited 10 more days for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

That’s where we are in this story - somewhere between Easter and Pentecost. Jesus’ last words before he ascended into heaven. Last words are so important - it is the last memory people have of you. The last chance to communicate.

I remember my grandma Sharpe’s last words. I was in NC visiting family and my dad had told me that Grandma was declining. Her memory was fading fast. She had no appetite, and dad said this might be the last time I could see her. I stayed with her a while, and when it was time to go my aunt said to grandma, “Corey’s leaving; don’t you want to say something to him; it might be the last time you see him for a while.” Grandma took a deep breath, did her best to sit up in bed and said, “Turn off the tv and study.” Her words seemed out of context, but when I was sick I would stay with her, and we would watch soap operas. But she would at some say, “Turn off the television and study.”

Last words - they are the most important. They are the last memory people have. Jesus is giving last words - it’s different than our last words, because Jesus isn’t dying, he is ascending to His Father, and one day he will see his disciples - see us all - again. But at the same time he stays with them through the Holy Spirit. But he has important last words. Luke (we are familiar with his Gospel) gives an introduction to his story, then he shares Jesus’ last words: Here they are:

Acts 1:1–8 NIV

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 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. 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. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:

This is the beginning of missions. The first pre-mission trip meeting. Mike gathered the ASP team to prepare for their summer mission trip. Many mission trips discuss logistics, and gather in the parking lot before leaving. Jesus doesn’t discuss logistics here. He doesn’t offer a prayer. He says in a way, “This is the beginning of an exciting, demanding mission - one that will transform the world.

Jesus is the author of mission. Instruction #1 - Wait. His disciples are to wait for their mission.

Waiting for Missions

Acts 1:4 NIV

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.

Acts 1:4 NIV

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.

s

Wait. Don’t leave the parking lot. Just wait. (Bob?)

How many of you like to wait? A lot of waiting we do is a senseless waste of time. Waiting for the person in the check out line to pay for their goods and stop telling their life story. Waiting for the computer to start working. Waiting for a driver to yield and let me merge onto the highway. Following Jesus’ command seems like one more opportunity to wait.

There are no short cuts in the kingdom of God. No short cuts when it comes to following Jesus. Sometimes we must wait.

This is not holy procrastination. Even more useless waiting. It’s easy to put clothes into the wash machine - it’s another matter altogether to take them out. In college there was that paper that mysteriously wouldn’t write itself so I had to do it myself 12 hours before the deadline. How many of you are procrastinators when it comes to cleaning the top of the ceiling fan blades. There’s that neighbor or family member who needs reconciliation, that co worker who is hurting and that sign up sheet in the welcome center. There is a difference between waiting for the Holy Spirit and procrastination.

Some things require waiting. And if you don’t do the waiting, things turn out badly. Sometimes when I am browsing a sports website, reading about my North Carolina teams, I see these ads for fat burning pills. Usually there’s a picture of a 60 year old man with some serious abs. There’s usually a before and after picture - the before picture bearing closer resemblance to me - and he’s holding a bottle of fat burning pills. You want to look like this? Get these pills and burn fat fast.

This isn’t just about health and appearance - it is about a lack of discipline and a lack of patience. It’s something we struggle with in a fast-food world, which includes fast-food religion. Get it quick so we can get on with our lives.

And yet, when the Holy Spirit sends us on mission, there must be waiting.

In , the apostles demonstrate what you might call “active waiting.” The disciples are given a mission, but they are told to wait. What are they doing while they’re waiting? (Judas’ replacement Matthias) We read a few verses later how they are waiting:

Acts 1:14 NIV

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

We do a lot of ministry inside of this building and outside of it, and I thank God for it and I want to see more people involved with what we’re doing. But I wonder for those of us on mission, what would our ministries look like if we “actively waited.” Jesus says that if the disciples wait, they will receive power for their mission.

Power for Missions

Acts 1:

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8a NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The New International Version Chapter 1

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;

s

What’s on the inside will ultimately determine what happens on the outside. I served a 6 month internship at Johns Hopkins Bayview, ministering to the sick and their families. One of the perks of the internship was a coupon for the cafeteria. Do you ever sit and read ingredient labels? There are alarming ingredients on these lists: numbers, words I can’t pronounce. I said to my supervisor, I wonder how much of that food in the cafeteria takes them to the rooms upstairs? It was only a question, but when we are sick, it’s not enough to look at the symptoms. We have to look at the cause. If you don’t eliminate the cause, the symptoms will reappear.

The inward determines the outward. (ex. Evangelism Explosion)

The same with discipleship. Why do we struggle in ministry? Get tired? Get frustrated? Not see the results? Why do we procrastinate to avoid ministry?

Actively wait. Don’t just pray for results or success. Pray for power. Don’t just pray for opportunities. Pray for power. God, you are about to send me on a risky mission that will change someone’s life - give me power.

The Focus of Missions

The New International Version Chapter 1

and you will be my witnesses

How do we know if we are a successful church? How do we know if our ministry is successful? Results? Did we accomplish what we set out to do? Did we achieve the desired results?

What is our focus? Who is our focus?

It’s not about me. It’s not about HUMC. If you look inside of your Bibles (bring them to church!) and look at the beginning of the book of Acts, what does the title say? Most of your Bibles will not just say “Acts.” It will read “Acts of the Apostles.” Christians have questioned that title throughout the centuries, because when you look who is doing the acting. It’s not the Apostles, it’s the Holy Spirit. One scholar suggested this as the title:

‘The Continuing Words and Deeds of Jesus by his Spirit through his Apostles’.

‘The Continuing Words and Deeds of Jesus by his Spirit through his Apostles’.Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. Missions is not something we do, like a program (what makes us different?)

That’s a long title, but an accurate one. The mission is not about the apostles. They are simply faithful - the Holy Spirit does the work. The mission is not about us and our success - it is about Jesus. How do you know when your ministry is successful? Does it point to Jesus, our an institution or individual? Examine our missional efforts, both in and outside the church and ask: does this point to Jesus?

We also read in this story the amazing scope of missions.

The Scope of Missions

The New International Version Chapter 1

in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus starts with the specific and expands his definition of the mission field. He uses geography and geography matters. Imagine their internal responses when they hear these geographical places, names.

Imagine how hard this is. Imagine their internal responses.

Stay in Jerusalem - where they are wanted men. Still, they are familiar with the culture. First, proclaim the Gospel in your own religions setting. How can a church go out on mission when their own people don’t have a firm grasp of the Gospel.

Judea - the wider region in which Jerusalem is a part. The culture is similar, but it is further away from home. It is less convenient. It takes up more of my time. It will require breaking away from “my life.”

Samaria - it’s just north of Judea. Now the mission is becoming uncomfortable. Samaria is where their enemies live. No missionary endeavor has been tried there - except Jesus, of course. Not only is this mission a little farther away from home, it is not convenient, it takes up even more of my time, but how I have to overcome my own prejudices, my own bias, my own ignorance because Jesus has sent me there.

The ends of the earth.

The ends of the earth. This is a big mission - churches revitalize by reaching out to the ends of the earth.

Missions. Actively waiting for power be missionaries. Missionaries whose focus is on Christ, not a personality or success. Missions that go…just about anywhere.