Acts 1 Reengaging the World - Time to get to work

Just what is a NT church?

You hear about churches wanting to return to return to being a NT church.

This implies that people are dissatisfied with the current thing we call church.

Often a bureaucratic group that looks like every other human institution with its jealousy and infighting / power struggles and ineffectiveness.

Not just some religious or do good group that meets once a week.

There is a desire to be more. So people look to the weird and wild. The look in the book of Acts and pick out very individual pieces to establish a new norm.

Wild ecstatic emotionalism.

Radical displays of supernatural signs.

Small house church models.

Or even communal living and giving away of all that one has.

While these things can be found, are these the essential evidence of a NT church?

The book of Acts displays a time of transition. God is creating something new. He performs radical actions to confirm the new times. He creates and unfolds this new thing called the church. As one reads the book of Acts it can be easy to become distracted on the secondary and miss the essential. And yet the essential is everywhere.

This thing called the church has begun. It will turn the world upside down as it engages that world. More than an organization, it is an organism. It is a body. It is the body of Christ. God Himself has come and provided the sacrifice for sin. He has made the way to enter into a personal relationship with Him.

God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit has come to dwell with the believer. To enable and transform each individual. To bind these individuals together for greater usefulness in a body called the church.

What is about to transpire is the work of Christ not merely the work of men

This new thing is made with a purpose - carry out the mission that Christ had given. It engaged the world and impacted that world.

We are the same church. He has a purpose for us as well. To carry out the mission that Christ has given. We need to reengage the world and impact our world as well.

And in so doing we will model the NT church.

I. The NT Church: Founded upon Christ

A. To those who love God

(ESV) Acts 1 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

1. Luke writes to Theophilus – to unfold the work of God through the church

2. The preeminent person – O - title

3. Lover of God – a person’s name or description of person

4. Church not about a religious system – But about a community of people who love God – relationship / intimate

B. Embracing Christ’s life and teaching

(ESV) Acts 1 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

1. Part two – Book of Luke first

2. All about Jesus – His life --- A life that displays the Father --- a life of teaching that unfolds the heart of God --- His character ---- model of what the Father desires --- not just a set of actions but a life lived from the inside out --- a heart that lives out the Will of the Father.

C. Based in Christ’s death and resurrection

(ESV) Acts 1 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.

1. The foundation rests in Jesus death and resurrection

2. The sacrifice for sin / paying our punishment

3. A living Savior --- the impact of a resurrection

D. Looking to Christ’s coming again

(ESV) Acts 1 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 … behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, … 11 … This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

1. Visibly ascended

2. Cloud – symbol of God – Shekinah

3. Expect His return in the same manner - personally, bodily, visibly, and gloriously

4. The future hope

II. The NT Church: Empowered by the Spirit

A. A new work of God in men

(ESV) Acts 1 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; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

1. Predicted even in the OT – God is about to unfold a New Covenant with His people

2. Before there was a set of rules that pointed to God / showed what God required --- the problem was that no one could follow them --- the inner man was corrupted by sin

3. Now God will unfold a new approach. He will enter into the life of each believer from within. He make His dwelling in the heart.

Note: Much has been made in some groups about the term baptism of the Spirit --- It has been distorted to describe some strange mystical experience that must be sought out / often involving some human manipulation / the result being some emotional display

But the Baptism of the Spirit as defined in the Bible is something both more subtle and more dramatic ---- When someone hears the gospel (how Jesus died from our sin) and responds to it, The person receives forgiveness of sin and God Himself (in the person of the Spirit) comes within. Not a manipulated thing. Just a supernatural transformation that comes as a result of salvation. This is now how God works. A person trusts Christ by faith and the Spirit of God comes within us.

And from within He now can transform our inner self.

B. God empowering from within

(ESV) Acts 1 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.”

1. From within the Spirit works

2. Boldly enabling us to live / do / speak as the Father desires

C. Focused on Jesus

(ESV) Acts 1 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.”

1. And the Spirit’s work points to Jesus. Not Himself

2. The primary role is to transform in life

Note: Again some groups put the emphasis on some emotional experience that they say comes from the Spirit. It often becomes about me and my feel good experience. But the Spirit’s primary role is to make much of Jesus. To enable the believer to life for the Father. To benefit others rather than self. The Spirit enables one to serve.

III. The NT Church: Mandated to urgently witness

A. Not distracted from the mission

(ESV) Acts 1 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.”

(ESV) Acts 1 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.”

B. Witnessing strategically

(ESV) Acts 1 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.”

1. Sharing the gospel

2. People you know – in city

Witnessing to the Jews meant witnessing to those who held a true religion, but held it for the most part falsely and unreally [sic].

3. People like you – in area

4. People similar but different – in country

“Witnessing in Samaria meant witnessing to those who had a mixed religion, partly true, and partly false, Jewish and Heathen.

5. People very different – in all the world

“Witnessing to the uttermost part of the earth meant witnessing to those who had no real and vital religion at all.”

C. Focusing with urgency

(ESV) Acts 1 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.

D. Maintaining intentional unity

(ESV) Acts 1 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

1. Many individuals – all had the same focus

2. Not concerned with self interest / ideas / preferences – focused on Christ and the mission

3. 120 here

4. 500 listened to the resurrected Christ

E. Prioritizing prayer

(ESV) Acts 1 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

1. Personal prayer

2. Community prayer

3. Prayer focused at advancing the kingdom --- seldom for personal health ---- recognized that only with enabling prayer would people be saved / Christ’s name be glorified

F. Inviting others to Christ

(ESV) Acts 2 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. … 38 An… “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1. At the end of the day – they spoke the gospel

2. In unwelcoming environments

3. In direct ways

4. The only really inadequate presentation of the gospel is the one that is not given

5. Here: Turn from your sin / seek the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ / identify with Christ and engage with the body of believers / be transformed by the Spirit of God