2019-11-03-LIVE OAKS

Chapter 1 2 3 and 4 more talking about what it means to be a member of the church. What does it mean to be a member of the body of Christ? Like why do we gather? So the series is just called gather. Why is it that we gather like, why are we gathered right here right now and a lot of those answers just come from the first four chapters in acts. So if you want to turn there where in Acts chapter one this morning next week will be in at Jack Acts chapter 2. I don't want to set up a false expectation. I am not exposing every word of every verse of of Acts 1 through 4, that would take me till probably 20 21 just because I'm egregiously slow when it comes to that being the goal. We're using acts 1 through 4 as an outline to show us why we are gathered and whose name we are gathered and what purpose are we gathered? So this morning and Acts chapter 1. Let me just read the first five verses. And you'll hear Luke. He's the author of Acts first telling the disguise Theophilus. He he under wrote this whole deal he under wrote the Gospel of Luke and so Theophilus one set up a good accounting of the beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ. So Luke was commissioned to do that. So, he's first addressing Theophilus in he says in the first book of Theophilus meaning the Book of Luke. I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken out after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God and while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem. but to wait for the promise of the father what she said you heard from me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. So look at what the church gave the apostles and Disciples of Jesus. So it's not just the 11 disciples. It's it's it's it's some friends some Faithful Friends and some followers but a hundred and twenty people will find out later. 220 folks and what they had to do what they were called to do as the Beginning Church of Jesus Christ was to wait and obedience. Forgive my choice of words, but then that just sounds sexy waiting obedience with excitement man. When I say I guess we get to do today we get to wait. It gets better and obey. The Met sign me up.

Need to wait in obedience had to wait.

What about the Great Commission? Okay, what about that that cuz that doesn't sound like waiting right? So if you if you turn to Matthew 28, we we frequent this passage. rightly, so but in Matthew 28 starting in verse 18 3des Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am With You Always to the end of the age. So that doesn't sound like waiting at sounds like very clear. Precise directions like I just what what there to do, but where they are to go to do it everywhere everywhere is where they're going. And when were they doing when they get there? They're making disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father son. Holy Spirit, right? That you got it. You got a Direction with which to point your body and the activity that you were going to do along the way because actually the precise language there it means like as you go. Not just you're not doing it until you get there. So as you go to all the nations you make disciples. Okay, so that doesn't sound like waiting to me. What we have here is a group of people. They got talent. They they got Zeal they have resources that strategy and I mean, I don't know if you're at all I don't know your line of work. I maybe you're in in the line of work. Were you will you are you know, maybe you're the guy that gal is telling other people what to do right. If you had those things crossed off your list. Okay talented people full of zeal and you had resources and a strategy bump do it, right? What are you waiting for? Like go do it? But yet they were told wait. It'll be idiots weight. Why okay. Let's think of that talent and seal resources strategy on let's call those things features. Okay. Now I'm in is almost though. I like I took a bet with someone and they're like, hey, Tommy I bet you can't. I don't know. I'm working out of a minivan into every sermon that you preach. I'm like, I'll take that bet. Okay, so I started my features my family arrived this morning in a brand new 2016 Honda Odyssey Praise, Jesus. Okay. Yeah. Alright so sweet so sweet. I'm going to say something about the but the features of this vehicle. Okay, let's start with some Basics. I just want some basic leather interior. Of course, I mean their children, right? I mean, they're basically, you know, like I mean, come on we can't I mean got to be able to wipe that thing down. It's got leather. I'm at Scott. I'll see you I'm just you know, it's an awesome push leather push button start. Okay, you should be like sitting in the seat and Bun B present for like it's going to Fusion reactor gets moving. And yeah, cuz it feels to us like a like a vehicle from the from the future. You don't want your kids to get bored. So it's got the whole DVD system, you know, and it's like, you know, the DVDs aren't good enough. Is it Imports units you can put in a plug into the switch or whatever and they could play video games along the way. I mean, I had a video game I would watch the water droplets on the windshield. I would pretend that they were racing each other and there is just as great. I have limited control over the water droplets, but it was a fantastic time on the road. Especially with that 55 mile an hour speed limit the I'm that old I can remember it.

Beside my water droplets. So it's got the DVD system. It's a 245 horsepower engine was used to be like muscle car status. I guess now it's just like what you need. I don't know to to go two miles down the road. It's got the backup camera, you know that any on the backup cameras also got blind spot camera on the right hand side. So when you're merging right, it's just the center dash screen like the shows you the straight up picture of everything on the side. So you're not, you know, like merging onto a tortoise or something you can you know, what you would see clearly in your blind spot and get the Bluetooth interconnectivity and everything. I mean, it's it's it's almost fully loaded but check it out. all of those features Are they worth anything? without gasoline in the tank

Well, you know, it's funny. Electric cars are more than likely coal-powered. Right but the coal is burned far away from your vehicle makes you feel better about yourself.

all the features nothing if you don't have power.

So Jesus says I mean I hand-picked you little rough at the start that I hand-picked you you are ready. You can do this. I've prepared you for this task wait. You don't have the power. Had they not waited if the power had not come. We would not be here. The Church of Jesus Christ would have been about a hundred people probably at the end of a few less than that. I would have lasted about 40 maybe 50 more years 60 years maybe and then I would have disappeared history would not know the name Jesus Christ. They were told to wait. To wait in in this is crazy. They didn't know what they were waiting for. They really didn't know you don't know what you don't know. I've heard that so many times in my life. You don't know what you don't know and they didn't really know what they were waiting for.

They had a gifted people. They were loving their passionate that the greatest Mentor in history and an amazingly clear directive in a beautiful story to tell and they were utterly powerless to accomplish it. They were to wait for the promise Holy Spirit. You can look in Matthew 3 and I I just I love how Jesus told them things that he knew they weren't working to make sense immediately, but but the light bulb would come on later with the power and they would remember that they were being prepared for this the whole time. And did you look in in Matthew 3:11? John the Baptist said I baptize you with fire for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I who sandals. I'm not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire.

So this power was at a baptism of the Holy Spirit and I just I love the imagery that would be immediately available to them hearing John the Baptist words. Okay? Okay, so they're seeing the baptism is lowered into the water. They're Rising again for repentance that same idea of being just consumed by fire in emerging from it. I'm like like like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego a Rack Shack and Benny if you remember it from the VeggieTales and it with the beautiful Trunk or Treat With The Wolves upon again, it was just I love a good pun it was

and a bean to go right like just tiger it refines. It empowers to John the Baptist. Jesus said that you're going to wait in your receive power. Waiting is what's the word the worst? Right. Do you enjoy waiting? Okay a my family and they despise here and waiting these took to two patients means to wait happy. Be patient like Judah might be the youngest Judah be patient and he goes, I don't know patients like clearly Sun. You don't know patients. A few weeks ago. I was wearing my shirt and tie and Judah commented on it. I was like ouu

would you like a shirt and tie it and say yes, and you know what my son wants to wear a shirt and tie to church. Yes. I'm going to get you a shirt and tie and it goes now.

Not now, but soon I'll get it for you. Later today. No. No, you have to wait every single lol in every conversation for the next 6 days was Daddy yeah, buddy. Shouldn't I?

Finally, I think it was on Friday. Mary went and got him a shirt and tie and he was so excited by now. He's excited about continuing to wear his Charlie Brown costume. That's what he was wearing this morning. I kind of thought this going to start a fine tradition of every single Sunday. He's me wearing a shirt and tie is going to be so proud of that was that was my idea.

Is it now isn't Now isn't Now isn't out waiting is the absolute worst to look here back in Acts chapter 1.

Start again in first floor, but I'm breathing through six and while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem State wait, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said you heard from me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now Okay, cool. So now no no not now. Wait a little bit. So when they had come together, they asked him Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? So, you know says wait for the Holy Spirit to like cool. So wait, like is it now know is it now know is it now when it does come are you going to re-establish the kingdom? Is that what we're waiting for? No, wait, so now they're just like us I love it there just like us we are no different right and what they're wanting cuz remember these are Jews that have come to know that Jesus was the Messiah and what was the Messiah going to bring he was going to re-establish the kingdom he was going to he was going to kick out all the oppressors. He's going to remove the boot from the neck re-establish the kingdom bring prosperity. Andre stablish that Everlasting Throne of David is it now is it now is it how no weight gain? And this is what I think I'm right. I'm just I'm just imagining what's going through Jesus's heart in this like he has to kind of smile and roll his eyes Okay, so he's smiling at their excitement at their exuberance rolls her eyes at their inability to see that their litter they're jumping thousands of years into the future. They're jumping over a couple millennia. A faithful work that has to take place before the kingdom is re-established K. They had to be content. I was waiting they had to be content with soon. Can I be happy with soon there to wait patiently for soon? You can look in Mark 13.

Gospel of Mark chapter 13 beginning and verse 32 Jesus has but concerning that day or that our no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son. But only the father. Be on guard keep awake for you. Do not know what the time will come when the time will come. It's like a man going on a journey when he leaves home and and puts his servants in charge each with his work and commands a doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake for you. Do not know when the Master of the House will come in the evening or at midnight or when the rooster crows or or in the morning when she comes suddenly and find you asleep.

And what I say to you I say to all stay awake. They had to be content with soon. We have to be content with soon. Guess you also had to be content with soon. Jesus himself so he had to be okay with soon. Shouldn't we be? Soon and look what he says. Man bun with journey when he leaves home and put the servants in charge each with his work. We have work to do Kate. We got we got to wait patiently for the power or else it's pointless. We have to wait patiently for the power and we have to wait patiently for the work to be done.

Kate the 2,000 years plus I'm just going through the mouth now and is he coming now could be could could could now could soon be in another Thousand Years could be. It doesn't change the fact we're still waiting K. We're still waiting for this event for this time for this fixed our for this fixed time to come because it's fixed. The father has fixed it. It's not going to move it's going to come and we have to wait just like they had to wait or are waiting is different though, but I'm getting a little ahead of myself and I don't want to they have to wait we have to wait. We're not going to escape waiting. And it seemed like in your life. There's no escape from waiting. What's have a smartphone that have been helpful? At least I can play many roadways while I'm waiting for the doctor. Can escape from the weight?

Back in an ax picking up in in 6 through 8. So when they'd come together, they asked him Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them it is not for you to know times are seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

It's going to happen. I I look to my son who's waiting and

thank the Lord for my children. It is taught me so much about my own failures and how frustrated the father would get with me had. He not been perfectly patient in perfectly kind and perfectly gracious. I'm clearly not perfectly any of those things. So it's taught me so much unlike my heavenly father dealing with me, right it is going to happen. You are going to get your shirt and tie. I promise you I am your father. I know this. I have the means I have the store in mind. It's going to happen. You just have to wait. It's fixed. It's going to happen. Just have to wait. Please have the faith to wait. You will receive power. You will be my Witnesses Acts. 1:8 says you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.

It's going to happen.

We're living on this side of Pentecost though. Next week. I'm so excited. It's so it's so hard for me not to jump ahead a little bit, but they had to wait will wait patiently, but I can't avoid the fact that we are on this side of Pentecost. Like the power has come. Guess what you wouldn't know Jesus had the power not come. Guess guess what? They were power field Witnesses, you are part of an unbroken line of power filled Witnesses giving witness to what God has done in them here. So it's not going to be on the wall. But here's an abstract little illustration for you. So Moses your number so got to quit being Moses to be Gods witness there in Egypt and went one of the signs that he gave to Moses. We don't remember much in the same was this Moses put your hand inside your cloak and Moses like, okay.

Okay. It's like now take it out. I was like, okay. It was leprous remember. Is it put your hand back your cloak healed?

like without power of the Holy Spirit our witness is nothing. Brain power. This is what we're showing people look look at me. I used to be a leper. I used to be a corpse.

Everything is saved me. He breathed life into me I wouldn't be. Had he not resurrected me.

But without the power of the Holy Spirit you're so weirdo talking about this magical thing that probably didn't actually happen.

empower the holy spirit moves

I feel that. I see it now. I have no hope. outside of Christ I never believed it until now what just happened to me. Power of the Holy Ghost just happened to you. power of God just moved through the witness

I got some friends with me that weird air this Sunday night at youth group when I showed off the ink on my wrist My Tattoos. Yeah, crate crazy crazy youth pastor getting tattoos.

two dove piece of the Holy Ghost Tampa Fire next week Pentecost out of the holy spirit of peace and power. Why are they on my wrists?

Holy God. Holy Spirit, don't just flow in me flow through me as a faithful Witness. Show the world the peace and power that comes only from you not from me through me from you. I'm a conduit. As a faithful witness your conduit. You wouldn't have a witness if it wasn't for the Holy Spirit. You wouldn't have faith if it wasn't for the Holy Spirit.

What do you get when you going to do without him?

So they waited. And then in power they went out and we're on this side of Pentecost. We don't have to wait for the Holy Spirit, but we're still waiting. I don't we we still have to wait and can't afford it. What are we waiting for the same hour that they were so enthusiastic to see When Christ returns and establishes that Kingdom, that's what we're waiting for. right

When is that going to happen? When that power filled obedient work of witnessing has been completed then you'll come look at back in in Matthew 24 verse 14.

Matthew 24 verse 14 says this

and this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to All Nations, and then the end will come. And then the end will come now real quick. Go back to X1. Just finish out this little passage here.

39 x 1 9 and when he had said these things as they were looking on he was lifted up. A cloud took him out of their sight. and while they were gazing into heaven as he went behold two men stood by them in white robes and said Miss Galloway. What do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus who is taking up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him going into heaven. So what are these angels saying? Thank you for saying. What why you why you looking up there? Yeah, he's coming back. But dude works not up there the works out here. So you go and do what you were told to do here. But Jesus Just said wait then go do that.

Did go do that? Here's the thing about are waiting for Jesus's return. It's what Jesus might say. Don't look at me. I'm waiting on you.

You're the one with the work to do.

I'm doing it through you. There's a limited number of people just sitting in your house by yourself. Go.

Go to all the nations. there there

Empower Co when that work is done. You'll see me coming back.

We have to remember.

Have to remember.

We're doing this in the name of Jesus for the glory of Jesus by the blood of Jesus. again, it's just maybe I should have preached both act 1 and 2 together, but

trying to not preach for 17 hours at a time.

This is where we are. We're on this side of Pentecost. We're not waiting for the power. We're not waiting for the mission. We have both church right now we have both.

All we need to do is remember. And whose name for who's Glory? and by whose blood were working Why we have communion it's why it's why Jesus said for us. To do this in remembrance of him?

I'm going to ask the Bandit to come up again. They're going to lead us in a song as we celebrate communion.

It's great supper of remembrance.

This is what Paul said in in 1st Corinthians 11.

Story can 23 / I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the night. He was betrayed took bread and wave giving thanks. He broke it and said this is my body which is for you do this in remembrance of me and same way also he took the cup after supper saying this Compass a New Covenant in my blood do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. So this morning, why do we gather We Gather to worship we gathered to wait together for his return We Gather to be refueled to be refilled for the work that has been very clearly given to us. We came to remember that the power is ours Holy Spirit Come and move in and amongst and through us. We're not just saying that we're asking for it because we believe that he wants to do that. I have never seen the Holy Spirit turn down an invitation.

As we come to the altar.

For remembrance of the blood of Jesus in the body of Jesus May those prayers be on your lips when you when you're ready in the band is leading us when you're ready just come and the elders come forward and in and help pulled out these free gifts for you from him. Pray Holy Spirit. Have I been waiting?

Have I been standing up staring at the sky?

If I've been waiting for your power come now. If I received your power, but I'm waiting disobedient Lee discipline me. Show me equip me charge me challenge me go out. There's work to be done. That's what we do as a church. osprey

God the Father God the son God the Holy Spirit.

and the power of the Holy Spirit In The Name of Jesus. I'm asking you father make us the church that you've called us to be. I would gather to the scatter. Hey We Gather tube to be filled and empowered. I would gather to to wait for your return together.

I just for a moment to catch her breath and go back out in that mission field. It couldn't be any clearer ends of the Earth all nations.

If we already finished the work you'd already be back. Clearly there's more work to be done. Clearly. There's more people to hear a faithful Witness by your power Holy Spirit through us. Thank you Jesus for this meal that you set before us your body your blood. Thank you. May we received with with glad and thankful hearts.

Lead us to confess our sin and approach this free gift of body and blood. Remind us who we are Lord, Jesus as we take this meal. Thank you for your blood in your name. We pray amen.