Acts: How Does A Church Get Empowered?
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12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
This morning we are picking back up in our study of the Book of Acts.
If you’re new to our church, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what the Bible means in our lives today.
With that said, if you are new, you’ve come at a great time, because last week we just started a new study in the book of Acts.
So, if you missed last week and haven’t had a chance to listen to the most recent message, I would encourage you to go online to marysvillefellowship.com where you can watch last weeks message.
However, just to make sure we are all on the same page this morning, I think it would be good if we took a few minutes and recapped our first week, because in our first week fo the book of Acts, we learned some important Acts Facts.
In our first week fo the book of Acts, we learned some important Acts Facts.
First, we learned that the book of Acts was written by the Gospel writer Luke. We know this because in Luke references a man named Theophilus, a man Luke was writing his Gospel for. What’s interesting though is this isn’t the only place we read about Theophilus in the Bible. Because once again we see his name in the beginning verse of the book of Acts. Beginning in , we read:
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
Acts
Notice the writer refers to a previous writing he wrote to a man named Theophilus. A writing that detailed the life and ministry of Jesus.
What that tells us then is that Luke is obviously the author of the first book written to Theophilus, and once again he is writing a second book to his friend Theophilus.
So, think of it like this. If the Gospel of Luke is book one then the book of Acts is book two.
Book two is the book of Acts, a book that will highlight and explain the birth of the church and the expansion of the Gospel.
All that to say, the book of Acts was written by the Gospel writer Luke.
Second, we learned the book of Acts is often misundertstood. Misunderstood because in many ways it portrays a church we’re not familiar with.
A church that relies on supernatural power.
A church where miraculous signs and wonders take place.
A church where spiritual gifts are at work.
A church that by the end of the 1st century had literally turned the world upside down.
And because this church is so unfamiliar to us, it tends to raise fearful concerns.
Concerns that something weird might happen if we read it. Like, what if somebody speaks in tongues?
And please hear me, it’s quite possible to take what we learn in Acts and go the wrong direction. Unfort
Fearful of what others might say if a church actually embraced it. Like, what if somebody finds out I go to the church out by Taco Bell?
Fearful of what might happen if we took our hands off the wheel and allowed the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.
But the truth is, if we’re not willing to overcome some of those fears, we’ll never become the church God intended us to be. Why? Because:
Third, we learned the book of Acts is the template for accomplishing the Great commission. In other words, the book of Acts is the blueprint God has given us to reach a lost and dying world.
A blueprint that teaches us about the Holy Spirit.
A blueprint that teaches us how to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
A blueprint that teaches us how to become a church that can accomplish the mission of taking the Gospel from Jersualem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of earth.
And the fact is, we’re going to see that play out in the book of Acts as the Gospel goes out from Jersualem beginning in chapter 2 and ends up reaching Rome, the end of the known world, in chapter 28.
All that to say, the book of Acts serves as a template and demonstrates how we can accomplish what Jesus as asked us to do.
Finally, we learned that Luke begins this book by giving us some recaps from his first book the gospel of Luke.
Recaps that are meant to get us all on the same page.
Recaps meant to remind us of what has happened and what we need to know moving forward.
Like a recap before a television episode, Luke wants to make sure we’re all up to speed before he begins the next episode.
So, what are the recaps? There were four of them:
Recap #1 involved reminding us of the foundational truth that Jesus isn’t dead, He’s alive! Luke writes:
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.
Recap #2
Luke wants to make sure we all understand everything he’s about to tell us is based on that fact that Jesus has risen and that He is Lord. Without that has the basis, then Christianity falls on its face. The apostle Paul puts it like this:
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
Everything Luke is about to tells us rides on Jesus’s resurrection. It’s the foundation for everything.
In Recap #2, Luke reminded us that Jesus gave the disciples orders to wait for the promise of the father, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Luke writes:
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;
Luke wants to reminds us that without the Holy Spirit, the disciples will never be able to accomplish what Jesus had asked them to. They need His power, His Help, and His guidance in order to spread the Gospel and overcome the challenges they will face. And the fact is, we need the Holy Spirit as well. Without the Holy Spirit’s help, we might as well pack up shop and head home.
In Recap #3, Luke reminds us of the specific focus Jesus gave the disciples. Luke writes:
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.”
Acts 1:6
In this passage Luke reminds us of where the disciples focus should be. Because from what Luke tells us, initially the disciples were still focused on earthly thinking. They wanted to know, “Jesus, when are you going to establish your earthly kingdom?” In other words, “Jesus, when are you going to take Caesar out and establish your earthly kingdom?”
But Jesus didn’t come to build an earthly kingdom or take Caesar out. He came to save us from sin and death. He came to restore our relationship with God so that we can enter his heavenly kingdom.
So, instead of focusing on earthly kingdoms, Jesus reminds the disciples that their focus needs to be on the mission. That their number one focus is to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth so that everybody has an opportunity to be a part of God’s Kingdom.
And then in Recap #4, Luke reminds us not only of what the focus should, but what that focus will lead to. Luke writes:
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.”
Luke says as the disciples watched Jesus ascend into heaven, angels stood nearby to give them a final message from Jesus. The message was, “He’ll be back?” In other words, Jesus will one day return. The Apostle Paul writes:
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 thessalonians 4:16
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
That’s our blessed hope. So, a good question might be, “When will he be back?" Well, we don’t know. Jesus doesn’t tell us that. In fact, he says its none of our business.
But what we do know is that to some degree it’s dependent on the mission he’s given us. In other words, He’ll be back when the Gospel has been taken from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
And as we learned last week, that’s what largely motivated the Apostle Paul as he desperately worked to get the Gospel to Rome, the end of the known world in his time.
What that means for us then is, if we want Jesus to come back, then we better get busy telling people about Jesus. Because the fact is, thanks to technology, we have a more accurate view of what the ends of the earth looks like. And the truth is, not everybody has heard the Gospel yet.
Believe it or not, there are currently 2 billion people on planet earth who have never heard the name of Jesus. Who don’t even know who He is. So, instead of looking up wondering when Jesus is going to come back, our job is to start reaching those who need to hear the Gospel.
Bottom line, if we want Jesus to come back, then we need to get busy reaching those people.
All that to say, Luke begins this book by reminding us:
That Jesus isn’t dead, he’s alive.
That we need his Spirit to help us.
That we need to stay focused on the mission.
And that when the mission is completed, He’ll be back.
So, that’s where we’ve been. And now that we’re all up to speed, we’re ready to move forward as Luke begins to tell the story of how the first church was empowered, emboldened, and given the ability to accomplish the mission Jesus had given them.
So, where does he start? Well, he begins where all great works begin. He begins at a place of preparation. In other words, he begins by telling us what it’s going to took for the disciples to get spiritually empowered.
So, what does it take? Well, to uncover that I want to put this next passage in terms that I think will help us get a good grasp on what Luke is trying to teach us. And so to do that, I want to shape this message around the idea of “prerequisites”.
So, just to make sure we all have a good grasp on where Luke is going here, I want to begin by asking you a question.
So, maybe a good place to start would be to give you a definition of what I mean by prerequisite.
How many of you are familiar with what a prerequisite is? A prerequisite is something that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.
A prerequisite is something that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.
Prerequisite: A prerequisite is something that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist. (Repeat)
Let me give you a couple scenerios of what I’m talking about.
Let’s say you’re trying to get a promotion or a higher paying job in your field of employment. In order to do that, chances are, there are going to be some prerequisites for that to happen.
For instance, there’s a good chance prior experience in your field might be one of the prerequisites. For example, if it’s a management job, a prerequisite might be prior management experience.
Another prerequisite might be that you have a certain level of education or certification. For example, if you were applying for a teaching position, a prerequisite might be that you have a teaching degree.
Or it’s even possible a prerequisite might require a certain gift or skill set. For example, if you were applying for an admin job, a prerequisites might be that you can type 65 wpm.
All that to say, in order to advance in your career or make more money, there may be some prerequisites involved. Make sense?
Another scenario might be a high school student who wants to go to college or some kind of technical school after graduation. But for that to happen, chances are there are going to be some prerequisites.
For instance, a primary prerequisite might be a high school diploma or some kind of graduation certificate. In other words, you need a certain degree of previous education to be accepted into the program or school.
Another For some schools you may need to have a certain GPA or ACT test score.
In addition to that, depending on the school or program, another prerequisite might be a certain GPA or ACT test score that is required.
I know for me, when I was getting ready to graduate from High school, I was trying to get into the United States Air Force Academy. What I quickly learned is there were a lot of prerequisites, and four specifically that were a challenge to meet:
#1, To be considered I would have to receive an appointment from a congressman or state senator.
#2, I would need to complete the following high school courses: Four years of English; Four years of math that includes geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; Four years of science that includes biology, chemistry, and physics; and two years of modern foreign language.
Complete the following high school courses: Four years of English; Four years of math that includes geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; Four years of science that includes biology, chemistry, and physics; and two years of modern foreign language.
#3, I would need to obtain a class rank in the top 40% my high school class, but preferably be in the top 3%.
In addition to that, obtain a class rank in the top 40% of your class, but preferably in the top 3%.
Finally, I would need to obtain an average score of 30 or above on the ACT.
Finally, obtain an average score of 30 or above on the ACT.
Those are four of the primary prerequisites to get in the Air Force Academy, and why it is such a challenge to be accepted into that school.
All that to say, most things in life that move us forward or are worth doing come with some challenging prerequisites. Requirements or conditions that must be met for something more beneficial to happen or exist in our life.
And what is true for getting into a school or getting a better paying job is true for receiving the empowerment God promises us. Because in order to have that empowerment, there are some conditions. There are some prerequisites that we must meet.
So, what are they? What are the prerequisites for spiritual empowerment? That’s our focus not just this morning, but for the next couple of weeks. And I’m going to tell you up front that these prerequisites are going to stretch some of you.
Because in a way, these are Spiritual Air Force Academy Prerequisites. These spiritual empowerment prerequisites require some commitment and some focus. And when I say that I’m not implying that they are impossible or difficult to meet. What I’m saying is they are going to challenge your level of commitment. They’re going to force you to make a decision. Task yourself, do I really want this or don’t I? To be frank, you’re willingness to embrace these prerequisites will largely determine whether you’re ready to move forward in your spiritual journey.
So, here’s how were’ going to tackle this. Because of the importance of this passage, we’re only going to look at the first two prerequisites today, and then next week we are going to look at the final two.
The last thing I want to do is rush through the prerequisites, because as I said, if we don’t understand the requirements for spiritual empowerment, and we’re not willing to embrace them, then it will be difficult, if not impossible, for us to move forward.
So, before we get to what those prerequisites are, let’s begin by reading our passage for today, and then we’ll go from there.
Picking back up in , beginning in verse 12, Luke writes:
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Luke picks up immediately following the ascension of Jesus into heaven, and in these three verses he introduces us to the four prerequisites for spirit empowerment. However, Luke doesn’t list these prerequisites in sequential order. Instead he presents them as one unit all working together.
Think of it like this. If I were making chocolate chip cookies, the first four ingredients might call for the mixing together of butter, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Now, to mix them together, do I have to add them to the bowl in any specific order? No. I could put the eggs in first and then the sugar. Or I could put the brown sugar in, and then the eggs. Order of ingredients doesn’t really matter. As long as all four ingredients are in the bowl and mixed together, we’re good.
What we need to understand though is, Luke doesn’t list these prerequisites in sequential order. Instead he presents them as one unit all working together for spiritual empowerment to take place.
Same thing here. Luke provides us with four prerequisites in no specific order, and as long as all four are present, we’re going to be good for spiritual empowerment.
However, in order to make better sense of these prerequisites, we’re going to list them in a sequential order that I think will give us some clear direction. Everybody with me?
Prerequisite #1: In order to be empowered, I have to put my faith in Jesus.
That being said, we find our first prerequisite at the end of this passage in verses 13-14, and I would state the prerequisite like this:
Prerequisite #1: In order to be spirit empowered, I have to put my faith in Jesus and become one of His disciples.
Prerequisite #1: In order to be empowered, I have to put my faith in Jesus and become one of His disciples.
Listen again to what Luke tells us beginning in verse 13:
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
In this passage Luke gives us a list of individuals that were waiting in the upper room prior to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And for the most part, the individuals on the list shouldn’t surprise us, however, there are some details that give us some insight.
First, I want you to notice that the list is broken into two groups.
Group 1 includes the original 12 disciples minus Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus.
Group 2 includes a group of women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and his half brothers.
Second, I want you to notice there is an order in the lists. Order in how people are listed, and an order of groups. In other words, Group 1 is obviously listed before Group 2. Why is this significant?
It’s significant because when the Bible gives us lists, order often tells us something.
Let me show you what I mean, in group 1 Peter’s name is at the top of the list. He’s in the #1 slot.
So, what this suggests is that Peter is the leader of this group. In other words, with Jesus gone, Peter is now the outspoken leader of the group and speaks on their behalf. And the list order reflects that.
The first is this. If you want to follow Jesus you h
Notice first that Peter’s name is at the top of the list. More than likely this suggests Peter’s influential position among the 12. In other words, he is the outspoken leader of the 12 and speak on their behalf.
Followed by him are John and James in position two and three. Why do they have those positions? Probably because throughout the gospels, along with Peter, these two men are the ones Jesus tends to rely on the most. We see this in as Jesus selects these three to witness his transfiguration. Luke writes:
28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah,
So, by listing these disciples in this order, Luke is stressing the influence and commitment of these three men.
Now, that doesn’t mean the remaining 8 aren’t important or are any less committed. At the end of the day they’re all disciples. In fact, everyone of these 8 men will be killed for their faith in Jesus.
So, what is this saying and why is it important?
But just like within any body of believers, there are some who hold higher positions of influence and leadership. Some who carry a little bit more responsibility. The bottom line though is, nobody on this list is a nonbeliever. Every one of these men have put their faith in Jesus and are his disciples.
What it’s saying is this is the main group that’s going to be empowered. Because this list represents the type of person that gets spiritually empowered. This list represents men who had given up everything to follow Jesus. Men who were willing to giver their lives in order to follow and lead others to Jesus. That’s the type of person Jesus empowers.
The bottom line though is, nobody in this list is a nonbeliever. Every one of these men are devoted followers of Jesus. Everyone of them, except the Apostle John, will be martyred for their faith.
Another way to say it would be, if you want to be empowered, then you have to be listed as one of the faithful disciples.
Another way to say it would be, if you want to be empowered, then you have to be listed as one of the faithful disciples.
Now, you might be thinking “Wow pastor, I’m not sure what to think about that. You mean to be empowered I have to be that faithful? I have to be that committed? I have to be that sold out for Jesus? Pastor, are you saying have to become some kind of Jesus freak?”
Listen, I don’t care what you call it. What I’m saying though is, if you want to be empowered, you have to move to a place where Jesus is more than just a name you talk about. Where Jesus is more than somebody you just identify yourself with. Where Jesus is more than a religious symbol you believe in. Where Jesus is more than just about the church you attend.
What I’m saying is you have to move to a place where Jesus is your everything. Where everything you are and and do revolves around your relationship with Him.
Let me put it like this. You have to move from being a church goer to a Christ follower. You have to become a committed disciple of Jesus.
You see, this is the challenge for many in the church today. The challenge to devote our lives to Jesus to the degree the Bible calls us to. A lot of churchgoers struggle with that. They struggle with being a churchgoer versus a Christ follower. Because the two are not the same.
And what’s interesting about Luke’s list, is the list implies that even in Jesus’s day, there were those who had had the same struggle. We see this specifically in group 2 of the list as Luke mentions the presence of Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’s brothers. Because believe it or not, Mary and Jesus’s brothers struggled with this as well.
We know this because contrary to popular belief, up until this point, Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers haven’t been in the picture.
They weren’t present during the passion week.
They weren’t there when Jesus was arrested in the Garden.
Because up until this point, Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers haven’t been in the picture. They weren’t present during the passion week. They weren’t present when Jesus was tried. They weren’t present when Jesus was crucified. They weren’t present at the tomb when the Angel declared Jesus had risen. The fact is, up until this point they’ve haven’t been anywhere to be found. Why?
They weren’t there when Jesus was tried by his peers and Pilate.
They weren’t there when Jesus was crucified.
They weren’t there at the tomb when the Angel declared Jesus had risen.
The fact is, up until this point they’re nowhere to be found. Why?
To find that answer, we have to go back to the Gospel of Mark. Because back in , Mark gives us some interesting insight into how Jesus’s family viewed Jesus and his ministry. Listen to what Mark says happened when Jesus returned to his hometown.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
The fact of the matter is, Jesus’s family struggled with the ministry and claims of Jesus. Mark says, “They thought he was out of his mind.” In fact, if Jesus would have come in modern times, Jesus’s family probably would have probably tried to have him committed. Maybe even booked him on Dr. Phil. They thought he was crazy.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
And the fact is, there were other interactions where they tried to stop Jesus. We see it again in as they try to get Jesus to leave a house where he was teaching. Mark writes:
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
So, it shouldn’t surprise us that they’re not present in those final days. Up until this point, they hadn’t been following Jesus. They didn’t believe in Jesus like the 12 disciples did. They hadn’t been his disciples.
But something has changed. Apparently they heard about the crucifixion. Apparently they made their way to Jerusalem. And at some point they interacted with the risen Jesus and they saw Him for who He really is.
And like the 12, they were there when Jesus ascended into heaven. They were there when Jesus issued the order to go and wait. They were there when Jesus told them about the mission. They now understand who Jesus is and what He came to do. Like the 12, Mary and Jesus’s brothers have now put their faith in Jesus. They are now listed as one of the faithful and committed disciples of Jesus. But it took them awhile to get there. For a long time they were church goers, but they weren’t Christ followers.
Here’s what this is saying. If you want to be spiritually empowered, it begins with putting your faith in Jesus.
Here’s what this is saying to us. If you want to be spiritually empowered:
Spiritual empowerment isn’t based on religious heritage or tradition.
It’s not based on what denomination you’re a part of.
It’s not based on what you know or how much you know about Jesus.
It’s not based on how much you go to church or what church you go to, or where your parents go to church.
In fact, it’s not even based on being related to Jesus, just ask Mary and his brothers.
None of those things qualify you for spiritual empowerment. At the end of the day, spiritual empowerment is for Christ followers, for disciples. For those who have put their faith in Jesus and devoted their lives 100% to Him. And by doing so, have become one of his disciples.
And when I say put your faith in Jesus, I’m talking about coming to a place of salvation and spiritual transformation. I’m talking about coming to a place where you recognize that Jesus is the answer to your sin problem. Where you recognize that He needs to be Lord in your life. A person who believes what Paul writes in .
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Spiritual empowerment is for those who have experienced the saving work of Jesus in their life and have embraced a relationship with him.
Here’s what this is saying to us. If you want to be spiritually empowered:
Spiritual empowerment isn’t based on religious heritage or tradition.
It’s not based on what denomination you’re a part of.
It’s not based on what you know or how much you know about Jesus.
It’s not based on how much you go to church or what church you go to, or where your parents go to church.
In fact, it’s not even based on being related to Jesus, just ask Mary and his brothers.
Spiritual emowerment is based on a relationship with Jesus. A relationship that comes through faith in Him.
None of those things qualify you for spiritual empowerment. At the end of the day, spiritual empowerment is for Christ followers, for disciples. For those who have put their faith in Jesus and devoted their lives 100% to Him. And by doing so, have become one of his disciples.
And to be honest, this is where the work of the Spirit can get a little confusing for people. Because the truth is, the Spirit works in a couple of different ways in the life of a believer.
First, the Spirit is the one who accomplishes the work of salvation when you put your faith in Jesus. Meaning, when you put your faith in Jesus, in that moment God puts His Spirit in you, and in that moment God’s Spirit begins a transformational process in you, literally turning you into a different person. Paul describes it like this in :
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Paul says, when you put your faith in Jesus, the Spirit comes in spiritually renews your Spirit. In that
moment the old you dies. What that means then is, anybody who confesses their sin and puts their faith in Jesus not only becomes a different person, but has the Holy Spirit in them. Paul writes in :
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Paul says, now that you’re a Christian, you’re a temple for the Holy Spirit. Paul goes on to say in :
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
What Paul is saying here is, if you’ve put your faith in Jesus, then the Spirit of Jesus, His Holy Spirit, is in you.
That’s pretty amazing, right? To think that through faith in Jesus, God’s Spirit dwells in us. And that should give us incredible hope and confidence, because Paul goes on to say:
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Paul basically says, if the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in you, then you have new life.
So, that’s the first work of the Spirit in us. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s a second work. A work of empowerment. And that’s what Jesus is referring to when he tells the disciples to go and wait. Because at this point, they need more than salvation. They need the ability to do what Jesus has asked them to do. They need to be empowered by that same Spirit. But before you can get the empowerment, you have to put your faith in Jesus. You have to become one of his disciples. Even the mother of Jesus had to do that.
At the end of the day, faith in Jesus is the first prerequisite for empowerment.
Everybody with me?
This leads us to the second prerequisite, and I would state it like this:
Prerequisite #2: In order to be empowered, I must be obedient to God’s Word.
Prerequisite #2: In order to be empowered, I must be obedient to God’s Word.
Notice again what Luke says. Following the ascension he says:
ESV
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
“Then they returned to Jersualem form the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying...” (ESV)
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
Here’s what I want you to see. Right before he ascended, Jesus gave his disciples explicit orders. We read those orders last week. In verse 4 Jesus says:
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;
Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jersualem and not go anywhere until they receive the empowerment of the Spirit. Yes, they have the Holy Spirit living in them, they are saved, but they need something more to accomplish the mission. So, Jesus says wait for the empowerment.
Here’s what I want you to see. After being told what they needed to do by Jesus, the disciples immediately went back to Jersualem, to the place that Jesus told them to wait, and there they stayed.
So, here’s what I want you to notice, as soon as Jesus ascended, the disciples immediately went back to Jersualem, to the place that Jesus told them to wait, and there they stayed. In other words, they did exactly what Jesus asked them to do.
Now, this might seem like a small or insignificant detail, but it’s monumental. Because this one act of obedience demonstrates a universal spiritual principle, and the principle is this:
Spiritual Principle: If you want to be empowered for witness, then you have to be obedient to what Jesus has asked you to do.
In other words, we have to obedient to His Word.
To be honest, I believe this is one of the greatest deterrents for Christians who are seeking spiritual empowerment. The prerequisite that many fail to meet.
Because the truth is, there’s a lot of Christians who want to be empowered by God, who want do to great things for God. But the problem is, they’re not willing to be fully obedient to His Word.
In other words, there’s areas of their life that they haven’t been willing to deal with. Areas of disobedience where blatant sin is still at work in their life. And it’s keeping them from experiencing all that God has for them.
A great of example of this is found in the OT in the story of the Exodus. In the book of Exodus we read about God’s desire to lead the people of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and into the promised land He had provided for them. A land the Bible says that flowed with milk and honey. A land where they would have everything they needed and would be protected and shielded by God from their enemies.
But unfortunately, on their journey to the promised land, the Israelites struggled to obey God on the simplest of matters.
For example, in order to feed the people in the wilderness, every morning God provided mana from heaven. Every morning when the Israelites woke up, they had a continental breakfast waiting for them. Can you imagine that? Wouldn’t that be nice?
But when it came to the supernatural breakfast, God had some parameters for the meal. One of the parameters was that on the day before the Sabbath they were to gather twice the mana as normal, because on the Sabbath, God wasn’t going to provide the Mana. The Sabbath was to be a day of rest.
SoIn other words, on the Sabbath, they would have to eat mana from the previous day. But apparently some of the people didn’t listen to what God had said. Listen to what we read in :
But apparently some of the people didn’t listen to what God had said. Listen to what we read in :
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”
God had asked them to do one simple thing concerning the free food he was giving them. But they wouldn’t listen. They did what they wanted. They didn’t collect extra on Saturday and went out on Sunday to find it. And God says, “Can’t you just keep one little command?”
And the fact is, there is example after example of this throughout the book of Exodus. The people of Israel constantly refused to obey God. In fact, listen to God’s assessment of the people of Israel in :
9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.
God says, “They are as stubborn as they come.” And unfortunately, they’re unwillingness to obey God finally bit them. Because a day came where God said, “Enough!”. And the result was, the generation that God led out of Egypt was never allowed to enter the Promised Land. Why? The Bible tells us. In we read:
6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
1 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.
2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Because of their disobedience, because of their unwillingness to obey God’s Word, they missed out on the Promise.
And what was true for them, is true for a lot of Christians today. As a result of continual disobedience, and their unwillingness to submit to God’s Word, they’re missing out on the promise of empowerment.
Now, please hear me, I’m not saying these Christians aren’t saved, and I’m not saying in order to be empowered that you have to be perfect. The truth is, we all have sin in our life. Nobody has arrived. Everyone of us is in process.
What I’m saying though is, if there are areas of known sin in your life, areas that you are aware of but are unwilling to deal with, areas where you are willfully disobeying God, then don’t expect God to empower you for witness. Don’t expect him to give you the promise of empowerment.
For instance, and I know this going to offend some of you, but I love you enough to say it:
Young people and dating couples, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re going to keep sleeping with your girlfriend or boyfriend. God’s not going to honor sexual immorality.
Men, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re going to keep messing around with pornography. God’s not going to honor you if you’re filling your head and heart with trash.
Don’t expect God to empower you if you’re going to keep messing around with pornography.
Facebookers, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re favorite pass time is gossiping and spreading rumors. God’s not impressed with your posts.
Don’t expect God to empower you if you’re favorite Spirit’s name on the weekend is Jack Daniels.
Meaning, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re favorite Spirit’s name on the weekend is Jack Daniels.
Church consumers, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re unwilling give. If you’re unwilling to serve. If you’re unwilling to tithe and give financially. If you’re unwilling to give to others. To be honest, probably one of the scariest stories in the Bible is coming up in the book of Acts. About a couple who wasn’t generous and how God dealt with them.
Christian consumers, don’t expect God to empower you if you’re consumed with accumulating wordly possessions.
Married couples, don’t expect God to empower you if you can’t be Christ like to one another. Peter actually warns husbands about this in . He writes:
No offense, but don’t expect God to empower you if you’re life is full of gossip
Don’t expect God to empower you if you’re favorite pass time is gossiping and spreading rumors.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Don’t expect God to empower you if you’re unwilling to tithe or be generous.
Don’t expect God to empower you if you’re consumed with accumulating wordly possessions.
I’m just telling you, if you want to be spirit empowered, you can’t live contrary to God’s Word and expect God to empower you. If you want to be empowered for witness, you have to be committed to a life of obedience to God’s Word.
Paul puts it like this in 8:
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Paul says the two work against each other. Paul says, “Listen, you can’t entertain the flesh and do the work of the Spirit.”
The bottom line is this. If you want to live a spirit empowered life, then you have to be committed to a life of obedience.
The disciples were committed to doing exactly what Jesus had asked them to do. They didn’t question it. They didn’t say, “We’ll go to Jerusalem when we feel like it.” They didn’t say, “Let’s go to Galilee instead?” No, Jesus said, “Leave here, go to Jersualem, and wait”. And that’s exactly what they did.
I know it seems small, but it’s monumental. Because the fact of the matter is, if we can’t obey God in the small things, how will we ever obey him in the bigger things. And the answer is, “We won’t”.
And unless I miss my guess, that’s where some of you are this morning. The truth is, you want to be spirit empowered, but if you’re honest, there’s some areas of disobedience in your life.
So, a great question to ask yourself would be, “Am I committed to obeying God’s Word? Does my life reflect a life of obedience to God? Are there areas of my life where I know I’m not being obedient?”
So, if you want to be spirit empowered, a great question to ask yourself would be, “Am I committed to obeying God’s Word? Does my life reflect a life of obedience to God?”
This takes some honest self evaluation. That takes you being honest with yourself. This requires you to answer the question, “What am I more committed to, living by the power of the Spirit, or living my life for the things of the flesh?” And your answer to that question will largely determine whether the Holy Spirit is going to empower you for witness or not.
And again, I’m not saying you have to live a perfect life. What I’m saying is you have to be committed to a life of obedience. Because the truth is, you’re not going to be perfect. Even as a spirit empowered believer, you’re going to make mistakes. The question though is, are you willing to recognize those mistakes and repent?
So, those are the first two prerequisites for spiritual empowerment. It starts with a relationship with Jesus. With you putting your faith in Him and devoting your life 100% to following Him.
It continues then with a life of obedience. A life long commitment to obey God’’s Word. To not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
So, as we close this morning, I guess a great question would be is, “Where are you at on these prerequisites?
First, where are you at in your relationship with Jesus? Are you a church goer or a Christ follower? Is Jesus somebody you just identify with, or somebody you have given your life to? Here’s another way to look at it. If Luke were writing out this list today, would your name be on this list? Would you be one people would point to and say, “That’s a disciple of Jesus.”
Second, and related to it, are you living a life of obedience to God’s Word? Are you committed to keeping His Word? Or, are there areas of known sin? Pet sin you have been unwilling to deal with or let go of. Let me put it like this. If Jesus were to say to you today, “In order to be empowered, you need to let go of that sin.” Would you be willing to let go of it? Would you be willing to quit sleeping with your girlfriend or boyfriend? Would you be willing to delete the pornography and get some help? Would you be willing start trusting God with your finances? Would you be willing to stop the posts on Facebook? Would you be willing to do whatever God asked you to do in order to be empowered by him?
Would you bow your heads with me.
Call for prayer and worship team.
Let’s Pray
Luke’s mention of Mary and Jesus’s brothers may point to their ultimate acceptance of who Jesus really is. Up to this point, they had not supported Him, and thought he was crazy. , ;
Prayer is a regular theme in Luke-Acts. Through the book of Acts we will see prayer precede almost every significant work, miracle, and outpouring of the Spirit.
In this passage, prayer is specifically linked with the coming of the Spirit. by praying to receive the Spirit, the petitioners in his passage are, in a sense, praying to receive God himself. They are praying for the promised blessings.
A prayer for the coming of the Spirit was also a prayer for the coming of the Kingdom. Because it would be the spirit that empowered and enabled the church to be witnesses to the end of the earth.
The devotion to prayer continued to characterize the apostles and was meant to characterize the Christian community as a whole.
In addition to their devotion to prayer, the believers were devoted to unity. They acted with “one mind”. For the Spirit to come, there must be unity. Unity of spirit and mind. A commitment of everyone present to one goal and one mission, to reach the lost.
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.