Sermon Tone Analysis

This morning we are picking back up in our study of the book of Acts.

If you’re new to MCF, 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 it means in our lives today.

And currently we are doing that through the NT book of Acts.

However, through the month of December we took a break from Acts in order to focus on the Christmas season.

But with Christmas behind us, we’re ready to jump back into our Acts Study.

With that said, last Fall we started a study of the book Acts.

A book that highlights the beginning days of the church, and a book that teaches us the purpose and function of the church.

So, since it’s been awhile since we’ve been in Acts, and because we probably have some newcomers to the series, maybe a good place for us to start this morning would be with a little recap of where we’ve been in Acts so we are all on the same page for where we are going.

So, maybe a good place for us to start this morning would be by doing a little bit of a recap.

So, to do that, let me begin by reminding us that the book of Acts is the story of how the church started, and in a way is a template that highlights the mission and function of the church following the resurrection of Jesus and His ascension into heaven.

A template that can be summed up in as Jesus gives the disciple this command:

First, as we learned in ,

In this passage Jesus does two things:

First, He clarifies the mission of the church and second tells us how that mission will be accomplished.

The mission is Gospel expansion.

A mission that begins in Jersualem, and then stretches to the outer regions of Judea and Samaria, and then finally to the rest of the world.

How is it accomplished?

It’s accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Which apparently was such an important component of gospel expansion that Jesus told them to not do anything until the Holy Spirit had come.

Listen to what Jesus says to them:

Which apparently was such an important component of gospel expansion that Jesus told them to not do anything until the Holy Spirit had come.

Listen to what Jesus says to them:

So, the next question would be, “How are we to do that?

How do we take the Gospel to the rest of the world?”

Well, in a way, Jesus just told us.

Jesus said we would do it through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Which if we’re begin honest, sounds a little strange.

Acts 1:4

Jesus basically says, “Don’t do anything until the Holy Spirit comes.

Don’t preach one sermon.

Don’t post any scripture on Facebook.

Don’t hand out an invite card to church.

Don’t do anything until the Spirit has come.”

So, why is Jesus so adamant that they wait for the Holy Spirit?

Well, according to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the necessary promised Helper.

Listen to how Jesus describes Him in the Gospel of John.

In Jesus says:

Jesus says listen, there’s a day coming when I’m not going to be physically present.

But don’t worry.

When I’m gone, I’m going to send you a helper, and His name is the Holy Spirit.

And The Holy Spirit will help you accomplish what I’ve asked you to do.

So, apparently, in order to accomplish the mission of Gospel expansion, the Holy Spirit is a necessary component.

So, Jesus says, “Wait for Him to come”.

And just as Jesus promised, in the Holy Spirit did show up in a supernatural and phenomenal way.

Listen to how Luke describes His coming:

First, as we learned in ,

Acts 2:

Luke says as the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit, they didn’t have to wait long.

Because on the Jewish Holiday called Pentecost, God empowered the first disciples with His Spirit.

An empowerment that enabled them to communicate the gospel in languages they’d never learned.

Listen to how Luke describes it:

Acts 2:

Luke says through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, all the barriers that would have kept people from hearing the gospel were torn down, including language.

And as result, thousands of people came to faith in Jesus.

Luke writes:

Acts 2:

Luke says 3000 people came to faith in Jesus in Jesus that day.

So, a good question at this point would be, “How does this mission and supernatural phenomena apply to us?”

I’m glad you asked.

Because what we’ve learned so far is, it applies to us in the exact same way.

First, it applies in the sense that the mission of the church hasn’t changed.

In other words, just like the early church was called to reach the entire world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, we have been called as well.

And as we’ve learned, we still have a lot of work to do, because despite all our technological advancement, there are currently 2 billion people on planet earth that have never heard the gospel message.

And believe it or not, some of those people live in our community.

Second, it applies in the sense that just like the disciples needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we need that empowerment as well.

In other words, in order to reach people for Jesus, we each need to have our own personal day of Pentecost.

A moment when God baptizes us with His Spirit and empowers us to communicate the Gospel.

Now, does that mean we’ll speak in tongues like the believers did in .

Well, the truth is, tongues is a gift that God has given the church, a gift that Paul talks about in & 14.

But that’s not what the focus of empowerment should be.

Because to a large degree the tongues in were symbolic in nature.

They symbolized that through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit God will give us the ability to communicate the gospel in a way people can understand it in our cultural context.

So, here’s what that means for you and me.

If we’re willing to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, God will empower you to share the Gospel with your friends, co-workers, and family members in a way you couldn’t before.

What will that look like?

I don’t know.

All I know is in that moment you’ll be able to speak and explain the gospel in a way you couldn’t before.

Instead, it will involve God giving you the ability to speak to your co-worker about Jesus in a way you never could before.

Or to your friend in a way you never could before.

Or tp a loved one or maybe even to a stranger.\

And Jesus even says there may be instances where the Holy Spirit will speak through us when we don’t know what to say.

Listen to what Jesus says about this in :

Jesus says there will be moments when the Holy Spirit will give you the words.

God wants to equip and empower us with His Holy Spirit.

In fact, we need Him to.

Because the truth is, without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we

He’ll give you the words when your friend challenges you.

He’ll give you the words when soem

Here’s the bottom line.

We need this empowerment.

Because without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can’t accomplish the mission Jesus has given us.

God wants to equip and empower us with His Holy Spirit.

In fact, we need Him to.

Because the truth is, without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can’t accomplish the mission He’s given us.

So, that’s where we’ve been this past Fall.

And if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online and listen to those messages at www.mcf.life

where I go into greater depth on how a person receives that empowerment.

And what we learned is there are some key components for a church to embrace if it truly wants to accomplish the mission Jesus has given us.

Now, for where we are going, and to get us there, let me quickly remind you of where we left off a few weeks ago.