2019-11-10-LIVE OAKS - Gather: To Be Moved
Lord Jesus we are your church or we are just wasting time and I pray that we would not only say that we are your church. We would really be made to be your church. This is For Your Glory or it's for no good reason at all. It's for nothing. If it's not for you to Jesus make us your church. Jesus show us who your church is shows Who You Are I mean you call us your bride show us who you are. That we might glorify you that me wipe celebrate you that we might reflect you. To the world and into one another maybe we Proclaim your gospel to the world into one another. Make us your church. Your name we pray amen. We're celebrating 4 weeks of a series called gather and that's really what we're doing. We are gathered in Christ name for his glory as the church and as a framework for understanding what it means to be the church to be a member of the church. We're looking in Acts chapters 1 through 4 and last week we talked about how we gather took to wait Faithfully. Oh that sounds exciting the disciples then after Jesus's Ascension. They were to wait Faithfully for the coming power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Now, we don't have to wait anymore in this week we get to talk about with the Holy Spirit gets to do in us with just a little bit of what the Holy Spirit gets to do in US So we have to wait for the Holy Spirit to come right like they did we're waiting for the work that the holy spirit makes it possible to be finished. So that Christ can come back but we're both still waiting Apostles waited together for the coming of the Holy Spirit. We wait together as the church that the holy spirit makes possible doing that work until Christ returns and this week we talked about the fact that we are gathered to move. I so now that we've waited patiently that we move now the church in Acts gets to move we get to be moved and that's interesting that there's a difference between moving and being moved. Right cuz you can move and do all kinds of stuff. But when you are being moved, right you just count the moments and worship when you just can't help but move can't help but sing can't help but Express you are being moved and that's where the church is here. And that's where we are as well. Just her to ask to I'm going to read 1 through 13. That's our passage this morning, and we're going to jump back to the beginning of Acts 2 in and take it into smaller bites.
Jax to beginning and verse 1 when the day of Pentecost arrived they were all together in one place and suddenly there came from having a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting and divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews about men from every nation under heaven and at this sound the multitude came together and they were bill wildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language and they were amazed and astonished saying are not all these two are speaking galileans. And how is it that we hear each other in his own native language percentages and Beads and elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia politician. Asia and Asia. therefore one phrygia and pamphylia pamphlets come from their little known fact of the little slips of paper get that information. Nevermind Egypt and parts of Libby. I told myself I was going to do that joke was Dumb and guess I was moved. Egypt and parts of Libya by belonging to Serene and visitors from Rome both Jews and prostatitis cretins and Arabians. We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God and all were amazed and perplexing to one another. What does this mean? But others mocking said they are filled with new wine. Show last week we gathered to wait Faithfully, it doesn't matter how talented or or or or seemingly powerful or motivated than that of the team. You've assembled in the leadership structure, you know in the in the battle plan the strategy and it doesn't matter all of that. Okay, if you have no power. What are you going to complish? Yes, absolutely. So now in this moment the moment that they were Faithfully prayerfully waiting for has come in immediately things start to change. I mean immediately this this is not something I mean, I understand that they just were waiting for power but it wasn't Define for them what this power was going to do. I'm at they knew that it was going to make this Great Commission possible. But how is that going to how's it going to express itself? What was going to happen because of this power coming? But here it has come and now everything is different and it's unavoidable. You couldn't miss it. It was it was plain to it, like everyone who was present whether you were praying together in that upper room, but a hundred twenty bucks or so you're waiting for whatever this was going to be or just the Jews and proselytes. Where are the prostitutes were they weren't Jews, but they were you know, they were trying to be they were following along so they were there for the for the festival for the holiday of Pentecost and they noticed what was going on, but also see this and then we just we can't miss it. What were they doing when they're Faithfully waiting where they just Faithfully, you know, waiting happily not grumbling. What were they doing? When we say wait those of us who like to move and work and make things happen weight sounds like in action right weight is frustrating got to do something. But what a terrible movie this is dumb it it's not bad. It's just dumb but one of my favorite lines comes from at night. They build this sun during the Desert of Trapped in the desert and then make this land playing with what with the wreckage of an airplane and they put some Wheels together in a big sale right in the scene of the movies Austin. They're just flying along the desert for his two dudes one. Dude says that the other dude, you know, hey, where are we going and the guy says I don't know, but we're making great time.
Is it couldn't just sit there, right? We got to move. But what were they doing? What were they do as they're patiently waiting? What were they doing? They were in prayer? Waiting in prayer is not in action. Where is actually what we do prayer is not the thing we do to bike try to get God to bless. The thing that we decided to do like the prayer is what we do. And if in that prayer through that prayer God says all right now get up and go do this. That that's not a result of waiting around in actively that that is waiting like in battle that is waiting in in communion. That's that's waiting in conversation with god. So here's a sobering question. I need to ask about all of us first of all myself. Are we a church of Prayer? Or are we at church of people who happen to pray?
. I don't think of the same thing. Are we at church of Prayer?
Acts 1 Church. They were Church of prayer and look what happened.
Something that the world had never seen before and it came through faithful prayer you look at world history. Every Revival every movement of God is because of Prayer. Through prayer not a sovereignty of God guy. God is going to do what he's going to do. Right. Now one of us could stop him from doing what he's going to do and I've had people say all right. Well, if God, so Sovereign then why pray God Sovereign Lee decreed he is going to work through prayer. That's why
because God is Sovereign we pray. Is God is going to move he's going to do something? So his church they were praying.
if you look in Acts 1 just do verse 14. They're all there. All these with one Accord with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. They were all there together as a church as a family in prayer. Elevated even know what job is going to do. They didn't they didn't know what they're waiting for. So with their prayers had to be whatever it is Lord. Bring it. Whatever. It is bringing please we are your people. We are waiting you move.
We're not moving from the spot where Jesus said.
So that's what we're going to do. We're asking that you move and look. He did.
So let's ask ourselves that question. Are we at church of Prayer?
Are we praying for the Lord to do the same thing. Whatever it is, whatever you want for us. Just do it do it. We will move when we are moved by you. move work We Gather to be moved We Gather to be moved and we will be
We will be anointed will be emptied and will be empowered. Will be anointed will be emptied and will be empowered. That's what the movement of the Holy Spirit did it Pentecost anointed. He emptied and empowered to act 2 verse 1 when the day of Pentecost arrived. They were all together in one place and was is Pentecost the Pentecost the festival that the Jews were celebrating its from Leviticus 23:15 through 16. I'll just read a real quick you shall count 7 full weeks from the day after the Sabbath from the day that you brought the Sheaf of the wave offering you show count 50 days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. I'm not a math dude, I could figure that out. With the right calendars in the moon and I could figure it out. Wow, then you should present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. So this is a Jewish holidays the Feast of Feasts as it was called until all the Jews were present there in this one spot will guess what the Church of Jesus is also there in the supper-room that's reference based on what happens to the for the next two events. We can be sure that this one place where they were gathered was was it's like near the capitol. It's like near the temple. It's right there. I don't know how they got such a prime spot. Maybe the Sovereign will of God of the universe put them there was possibility but they were all faithfully and prayerfully waiting for the promise of the Lord. Acts 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my Witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria and the ends of the Earth in look what the Sovereign god of the universe did because of this Festival did the Jews were celebrating Jews from and guesses Jerusalem, Judea Samaria ends of the Earth that came here. I have often wondered because I've been brutally honest as I can in my prayers over the years as a youth pastor at both in some independent trips going to a few different spots for missionary trip short trips to Dominican Republic trip to Haiti to Mexico. And I said Jesus, I don't want to pray this but I am if you want me to sell everything and move here now is your chance. do it if you're going to do it, just tell me and I will He hasn't moved. He hasn't he hasn't led me to do that and often wondered. Why what I kind of thought that God was going to place me. In the middle of the mission field a culture that's hostile the gospel. Now I'm I'm beginning to realize that perhaps that is my calling but that culture hostile the gospel come in here. This is what God has done.
Rikishi be literally brought the people to him a little sampling of what's to come. Temp to make a people of God from all the peoples of God and they were gathered here in Jerusalem.
Acts 2 2 through 3 suddenly there came from having a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting and divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them so that expression as of fire. That's Lux. Attempt to help us understand what it was like it was you know, how when you have a dream and you're trying to recount the dream to someone else. Here's the universal rule of dreams when you have a crazy dream you firmly believe that every single person should hear about your crazy dream and care. Nobody does when someone else tells you I had this crazy dream what you do. I don't care in your head but nobody cares about your grace drink, but you know when you have a crazy dream and have a dream about a place but it's not that place but it is that place like I had a dream that I was, you know, I was living in my house growing up wasn't the living room light house growing up but as you know, Lucas like, okay. Tons of fight tongues of fire fire fire like their heads were on fire, but there was like when there was a sheet and there was light and it was frightening but it was like warm and comforting but but terrifying but empowering, you know, you know, we don't know. I don't know. It was like tongues of fire. We're resting on everyone. I don't know if you didn't get it. You see it you see it. tongues as of Fire And what did those tongues of fire do they anointed? Those gathered in faithful prayer waiting for that power to come. They were anointed. So, why were the anointed what is this anointing that is taking place here? Well, you know, I'm no biblical genius, but you just go into a concordat and are in the word anointing. Find all the truth flies up off the screen of the page. Here's just a few. Anointing memes from Exodus chapter 40 verses 9 through 15 is instructions for the Tabernacle for the sanctuary of God. Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all that is in it consecrated and all its furniture. So it may become holy you shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils consecrate the altar so that the altar may become Most Holy you should also annoyed the Basin and it's standing in consecrated. Then you shall bring forth Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and she'll wash them with water and put on and put on Aaron that the holy garments and you shall anoint him and and consecrate him that he may serve me as priests. You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them and anoint them. As you anointed the father that they may serve me as priests and their anointing shall admit them to a Perpetual priesthood throughout their Generations. Anointing is is separating from its its consecrating. It's sanctifying it's setting apart as holy for a holy purpose on the corner from our Thanksgiving celebration with with my parents at at at their place in and my sister and brother and cousins a big family gathering and and my mom loves a good fancy meal like that. There are no we're not paper plates. No paper napkins. No, I mean, it's the best silver. It's the best plates that mean it's the best everything. I'm terrified eating Thanksgiving. Careful, everything is worth more than our new van. Probably. It's been passed down for Generations. It's like, I don't know my grandmother got it at auction from you know on the queen was retiring and
They are special right or set apart for a special purpose right? I'm not eating, you know Dollar General Frosted Flakes Thanksgiving night off the same with the with the silver. I'm not like that special set apart. That's what God does. Is it some special about the oil do some special at the water know there's something special about the purpose for waited for for what it is that's called for being set apart. Saying this place. It's different. You're all living in tents. I'm living in distant. Y'all got bowls, but this one. Yo got staffs this one you got tables, but this one. consecration setting apart as holy as special
to God's people are being anointed by the Holy Spirit set apart. These are special. 4 special purpose for a holy purpose I'm setting them apart is not on 1st Samuel 16:13. Then Samuel took the Horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. The spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And single rose up and went to her mom. So again, was there something special about the oil know but what happened when when he was set apart for God's purpose is the spirit of God rushed upon David. It's little precursor to our understanding of what happened at Pentecost. Hovering over the the deepest a message in the very beginning in Genesis. The Holy Spirit has always been God always will be but he would show up a little special times for those special seasons. It's part of Miracles of of Pentecost for us. Is the holy spirit coming upon all of the Believers rushing upon all of those who bother need to Jesus? Being set apart as holy for a holy purpose 2nd Kings 9 6 to 10. So he arose and went into the house and the Young Man Poor Dad. I love this with this is about King. Jehu in your life who exactly is King and get some awesome stuff kills people that need killing. Okay, so he arose and went into the house and the young man poured the oil on his head saying to him thus says the Lord God of Israel I anoint you King over the people of the Lord over Israel and you shall strike down the house of a have your master so that I may have in John Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets in the blood of all the Servants of the Lord for the whole house of Ahab Shall Perish and I will cut off from a have every male Bond or free and Israel and I'll make the house they have like the house of jeroboam the son of nebat. I like the house of basa the son of and the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of jezriel and None Shall bury her. Then he opened open the door and fled. I love that part. I read the whole thing just so I can get to that and then about it. Did he open the door? So the do the priest walks in blood blood blood blood blood and like leaves. And that's all that it took right because the oil is not special to tasks. Especial the fact that God said jehu apart said, oh man, this is an ugly task, but I am anointed you to do it. The priest slapping you got to work. I say 61 1 through 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Who is Christ himself. The profit is speaking 700 years into the future. This is Christ himself. He has sent me to bind up the Brokenhearted to Proclaim Liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of Vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn to Grant to those who mourn in Zion to give them a beautiful headdress instead of Ashes the oil of gladness instead of mourning the Garment of Praise instead of a faint spirit that they may be called Oaks of righteousness. The planting of the Lord that he may be glorified.
What do you think the name Live Oaks Bible Church comes from?
beautiful headdress instead of Ashes gladness instead of mourning Garment of Praise instead of faint spirit because of that will be called Oaks of righteousness.
We didn't start that way. We don't start at The Oaks of righteousness Dewey. Now we started sons of disobedience.
orphans sin death rash we are set apart. We are anointed by the holy spirit of God. That he may be glorified. 1st John 2:18 through 20 children. It is the last hour. As you have heard that Antichrist is coming. So now many antichrists have come there for we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us and false teacher counterfeit Christians.
Wolves in sheep's clothing sometimes wolves in Shepherd's clothing. They went out from us, but they were not of us for if they had been of us. They would have continued with us, but they went out that it might become plain that they are not of us, but you have been anointed by the Holy One. And you have and you all have knowledge. Show me look. What look what he's saying. Look what John is saying? Sing The Faults are going to go leave us. Default in the counterfeit are going to leave us why they weren't anointed. They were pretending they learn some of the moves they learn some of the language and they use the moves and they use the language to their own game for their own purposes selfishness. Right self-aggrandizement. Some of them are in the pulpits many of them are.
This is what they're not going to stay long, but they're going to leave and we'll know that they were not anointed like you.
You have been and you all have knowledge you have been anointed and you have all knowledge. The anointing of God is either all you need to know. Or all you need to know to know all things.
But that is the divider. Are you anointed for God's holy purpose in glorifying him and honoring him and growing the church in in in bringing sheep into the shepherd.
sharing the good news
to do that we have to be anointed and that really is all we need. We need the anointing of God. That's why they were waiting to fulfill the Great Commission until that anointing came. Look, it's alright Saul of Tarsus. All Saul of Tarsus needed to be Paul. The Apostle was the anointing of Jesus on the Damascus Road. But it was actually three years from his time of anointing to the beginning of his ministry.
from that moment of anointing Was there a doubt that God was going to do through Saul? Now Paul what he? Decided to do and actually if you if you look at the calling of Paul at Jesus says I must show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. It's just not read that again.
Set apart anointed. Consecrated Sanctified ax2 back to act 2 back to the upper room ax to 223 sunbather came from having a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting and divided tongues as a fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. We're anointed by God with fire. Kate like in all those passages we read about water and oil. I hear Pentecost they were Anointed with fire. Now is that intentional on God's part? Yes, how do we know that? Cuz it happened? It doesn't do things all bigley Piggly does things on purpose Anointed with fire? What does fire do in life and scripture? What is fire? Do I buy three of the things that it does K. It consumes it purifies and clarifies. Fire consumes right? I mean it's kind of like its job and I love sitting by a fire outside camping what not. I just I love feeding a fire and that's what it does a right. It just consumes everything that it one time with some Senior High School guys up in North Carolina and took them on a little like rite of passage. You know, you were no longer boys you are men trip and we build a bonfire. So massive I started finding old broken-down aluminum patio furniture chucking it into the Blaze and I like watching. It melt dudes right standing behind the trees begging me to stop. Is great. I didn't by the way, I found big sheets of plywood to Fan the flame with his awesome fire consumes Deuteronomy. 4:24 for the Lord. Your God is a consuming fire.
And he anoints us with fire fire purifies. Look at Isaiah 6 1 through 7. I just had to read the whole thing. I try to Regis wonder I had to read the whole thing. In the year that King Uzziah died. I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up in the train of his robe filled the temple above him stood the seraphim each had six wings with to recover the space with two we covered his feet with two he flew and one called when another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory and the foundations of the thresholds Shook at the voice of him who called.
And the house filled with smoke. And I said prophet Isaiah said, woe is me for I am lost I am ruined. Private manner I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of the people of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king the Lord of hosts. Then one of the seraphim flew to me having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from The Altar and he touched my mouth and said behold. This has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atone for Fire in life and scripture in God's heart they purifies. It also clarifies again. I just had to read you know, as much of the stories I can get away with hearing Daniel chapter 3 starting a verse 19 did Nebuchadnezzar was filled with Fury. And he demanded that everyone Bow Down and Worship the image that was made of Nebuchadnezzar.
The number catcher was filled with Fury. Cuz there are a few dudes that we're not going to Bow and the expression on his face was changed again Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. I ordered some of the mighty man of his army to buying Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were found in their cloaks their tunics their hats and their other garments and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and these three men Shadrach Meshach and Abednego fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and Rose up in haste and declared to his counselors. Did we not cast three men bound Into the Fire to answer? It said that the king true? Okay. Yes. We did. He answered it said but I see four. I see four men Unbound walking in the midst of the fire and they are not hurt in the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the Gods. Jesus is there in the midst of the fire?
You in the midst of a fire right now? Is Jesus seen walking with you talking and chatting like it's a beautiful day like outside.
Fire clarifies guess what Jesus was already there with them. Even gave him the strength not to bother need a Nebuchadnezzar. I didn't even have to be bound right that was just an exercise the king thought was necessary. They would have jumped right in why cuz Jesus was already there with them. Are you seen in the fire?
Holy Spirit consume us purify us clarify us never clarified butter. I like to clarify butter. It's makes me feel fancy. You just take a stick of butter you put in the pan you heat it slowly get heat it right and the milk that separates from the rest of the butter. You know, you you can you can spin off the top or you can just like with it back in there. Right, then it always floats back up in the top just it's cuz it has to be taken out. That's what fire does for us. That's why it's love and compassion. Shows us shows the world Jesus Burns away all the garbage. They can stand in the way.
By the Holy Spirit, they were our brothers and sisters in the faith in that upper room and I sitting right here in this room. By the Holy Spirit we are anointed by fire. consumes us purifies us clarifies us By the Holy Spirit, we're also emptied.
We're going to but we're also empty. Romans 12 1 through 2. I appeal to you therefore Brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a Living Sacrifice. Holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Is that by testing? I don't know by fire. You may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect? Why does that passage tell us that we should be emptied? Okay. Well, there's two things going on in the Bible right there. Always two things going on in the Bible. There's the text and there's the context of the text is just the words that I just read write and many of us know them. Okay to present your bodies as a Living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship lot of us know that that's text Kay context context really is King in studying scripture cuz you can make you can take one verse out of almost anywhere in the Bible makes a almost anything you wanted to say. So how does that text tell us that we should be emptied will if you look in the context the truth surrounding that verse it gets clarified because we know what a sacrifices and especially the first Christians among the Jews, you know full well. Was sacrifice is sacrifices when you take a an unblemished lamb, for example, you take it to the Tri-State. They hold the lamb upside down. They cut the Lambs throat. They drain all of its blood the empty the Lamb of its blood and it is burned on the altar. And the aroma fills God's nostrils with sweetness because it was a sacrifice just like our ties and offerings and sacrifices in here Lord. Yes, I could keep this lamb I could raise it. I could sell it. I could eat it. I guess I can make clothing out of it, but I'm giving it to you and safe. I'm giving this offering to you and it feels God's nostrils. It pleases him. My people have faith. We know how to choose knew. What a sacrifice was. So what's a Living Sacrifice? I was at emptying. Look at the context Romans 11 starting at verse 33 say this is the right the end of Romans 11 leading in to Romans 12. Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments how inscrutable are his waist the fact that got his inscrutable means he can't ever learn anything. As soon as impossible for God God cannot learn something. Right. He can't in any always does what is right? Unsearchable his judgment inscrutable are his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor or who has given him a gift. That he might be repaid. For from him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory forever. Amen.
How does this context here tell us that we are to be a Living Sacrifice in EMT ourselves as a Living Sacrifice?
Look at burst 35 again. Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid. We can't give God anything.
She don't hold onto anything.
He needs us empty.
So he can fill us.
Got stuff in the vessel.
already you're robbing God of space. To live and move a Living Sacrifice means we don't throw our bodies on the pyre like pagans. We throw our souls. We drain ourselves of ourselves. We throw our souls on the Altar and say I'm going to live for you. You were going to live through me. I'm a Living Sacrifice to you God I empty myself of self. I cannot give you a gift that you might repay me another way to put that we can't put God in our debt.
I say since that that our righteousness is filthy rags. Used bathroom garment is the Hebrew.
On our best day. We have nothing to give him.
An empty I'm emptied of myself. Holy Spirit feel me flow through me.
We are to be living sacrifices. We must be emptied. We must be empty. Here's a longer passage from 1st Corinthians chapter 1 starting and verse 26. For consider your calling Brothers. Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. Not many more powerful not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise God chose? What is weak in the world to shame the strong God chose? What is low and despised in the world even things that are not to bring to nothing things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God and because of him you are in Christ Jesus, Because of him you are in Christ Jesus. Because of him you are in Christ Jesus. Can I move on? Because of him you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God righteousness and sanctification and Redemption so that as it is written let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. proclaiming Christ crucified and I call me Paul when I came to you brothers did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. Try decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling. Am I speech in my message or not implausible words of wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. And I when I came to you brothers did not come Proclaim to you the testimony of God with lofty's feature wisdom for I decided to know nothing among you accept Jesus Christ and him crucified. I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling.
How often do we come to God and say God use our confidence use our skill user you can use me. know the chant
What's your emptied? Cuz what happens if you accomplish something, but you're not emptied what happens if you accomplish something who gets the glory if you accomplish something. You do. Who gets who gets the glory when we just we realize Who We Are.
Which were just empty vessels and conduits for him to move. If something happens to me, it's God. Cuz I have nothing and why would we want to Rob god of the glory that is due him. But trying to claim some credit.
anointed by him emptied for him We are empowered by him. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Back to acts 2:4 through eight. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit in begin to speak in other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance. Now, there were no Nation Under heaven. And if this sound the multitude came together, they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished saying are not all these who were speaking galileans. Meaning we know these people we know these bodies there From Galilee. Open galileans do something like this where they clearly seeing God is moving. They didn't immediately understand it. Didn't get I couldn't even rejected it now. They're just drunk tonight in the morning. But they're just drunk.
Not all these who were speaking galileans. Are not all these gathered week in empty, Broken Vessels.
How is it that we hear each of us in his own native language. Now the Holy Spirit does a lot of awesome powerful things through language this particular miracle was that everyone was hearing in their own native language? Like I mean to put it in ways, we understand Spanish French German English. All those gathered could just hear it as though Peter was preaching a sermon to suggest them. Sing about the moment that you were saved think about the moment when Faith came through you hearing the gospel. Did you not feel as though the one Speaking was speaking directly to you? In the language you understand?
I have to keep repeating an example, but I mean it was just so potent and Powerful to me. I can't forget it. So I have to keep going back to it when I was 16 and my best friend was 17 and he was in so much trouble that particular summer. His light was just fork in the road and he was involved in drugs and selling drugs and rebelling and I didn't know the extent of it, but I knew he was in trouble and I dragged him. I want to drag into two camps in a row. Can I like your Jesus you fix them? I always just thought she did he came. And third day into that first camp or counselor looked at all of us and said pray that you are miserable if that's what it requires for you to know that you need Jesus. And the language of misery is a language my best friend Joey spoke at the time. He was miserable. That's what he says. I am miserable. He's talking to me I miss. And what did you do? He just laid himself flat before Jesus. Cuz I'm tired. I can't do this anymore. And I watched it happen. I want my best friend come alive.
Here's thing he grew up in a wonderful loving Christian home very strict home, but very loving. He was forced to memorize scripture. Forced to memorize a lot of Bible we went from that camp to another one other Camp could not have been more different and we went to a meditation Workshop. It's just days after this. I went to a meditation workshop and I heard an ordained minister tell us that there are all different kinds of Windows to experience the truth. And what we need to do is just experienced the truth and some people experience the truth through music some people experience the truth through nature some people experience a trip to meditation something expensive true through Jesus, but put all that matters is that you experience the truth.
Joey got up in that pastors face and he says John 14:6. Jesus said I am the way the truth the life no one comes to the father except by me. Never heard. I never heard that boy.
Never heard him utter a word of scripture before that moment. Guess what? He was emptied of everything that was his and the only thing that remained what was clarified what was purified was the word of God? My pastor looked my friend in the face and said hey man words are cheap you keep wrestling with this. He said I don't need to wrestle you do walk away.
This is what the Holy Spirit does he anoints us. He empties us and he empowers us.
And began with God's people pray, so let's pray.
Holy God. father-son spirit We Lay ourselves before you we lay ourselves before we open our hands to you we
There's any flash if there's any Pride if there's any self that we are holding in reserve I pray that you would just pull it from us root it out burn it out of us. If you have to I got you Yellow Jackets make their nests in the ground. You fill it full of gasoline. You set it Ablaze.
Occipital nooks and crannies in our flesh that we try to hide things from you try to keep things secret from you as though they're not going to be laid bare.
I want you to flip through me Holy Spirit. I want you to annoy me and what you doing power meet. You got to empty me. It's got to be room. make room Now I'm praying that their folks you that might not even be laying out an invitation. Don't wait host. Don't wait.
It's nice to say that you're a gentleman but Jesus at the house is on fire. Kick the door down.
Have your way with us make us the church that you called us to be. We are yours.
Thank you, Lord, Jesus. Thank you Father. Thank you. Holy Spirit in your name. We pray amen.