sf867 - The Pathway to Power (Act 1 1-11)
Walking with the Savior: The Pathway to Power
Back to the Basics: Re-Discovering the New Testament Church
Acts 1:1-11
Introduction
As we step into a new millennium, two thousand years separate us from the first New Testament church. Perhaps as never before we need to re-discover the model of the New Testament. It has been said that, “Billy Graham was to come to a city, one pastor opposed his coming and said ‘He will set evangelism back fifty years.’ Dr. Graham responded, ‘I did not want to set evangelism back fifty years I wanted to set it back two thousand years.’” That is what we need today. We need to set the church back two thousand years.
We need to get “back to the basics.” The book of Acts is the story of the church. It is the story of the church tried, tempted, tested and finally triumphant. The first church was a small group of people, who were out manned, out matched, and out moneyed but they were not out motivated. They did so much with so little, we do so little with so much. These verses outline for us three essential ingredients we must employee if we are to walk with the Savior on the pathway to power. To re-discover the power of the first church we must, recognize the presence of Jesus, receive to promise of Jesus for our lives, and respond to the purpose of Jesus.
1A. Recognize the Presence of Jesus
1B. Jesus worked in His physical body. (1:1)
It was a new kind of doing.
Acts 10:38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
It was a new kind of teaching.
Matthew 7:28-29 (NKJV) 28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Jesus taught with an authority that transcended that of the religious leaders of that day. He taught with the authority of eternal, infinite God, not the finite weakness of man.
2B. Jesus is working through His mystical body. (1:2-3)
In the gospels Jesus was here in His physical body. In the Acts He is present in His mystical body. His mystical body is the church. He does not want us to do anything for Him. He wants to work in and through us. The Christian life is not difficult it is impossible. Colossians 1:27 (NKJV) 27To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Three miracles make up the Christian life, it commences with a miracle, it continues by a miracle, and it will conclude with a miracle. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) 20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
What can a dead man do? Dead men can do nothing. We are like a glove and the Lord is like a hand. Without the hand the glove has not life, power, or purpose. We cannot bring Pittsburgh to Christ, but we can bring Christ to Pittsburgh. Jesus has promised to build His church, that is His job.
Acts 5:12-14 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Acts 5:12-14; “Through the hands….” We are certain to fail when we try to live the Christian life. We are not told to try, we are told to trust. If I decided I wanted to be a golfer. I decided I was going to be like Tiger Woods. I studied Tiger Woods and tried to imitate Tiger Woods, would I play golf like Tiger Woods? No, because I am not Tiger Woods and for me to play like him he would have to be in me. If you do anything worthwhile for the Kingdom it will be because Christ is in you.
2A. Receive the Promise of Jesus
Luke 24:49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." Jesus said do not try do serve me until you have my power.
1B. God has promised to provide the power we need to do His work.
We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV) 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Christ in the Christian. The power comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
2B. We need God’s power to do His work.
We need God’s power to enlighten us.
We need God to enlighten us concerning His word. We need God enlighten us concerning our witness. We need God to enlighten us concerning His will.
We need God’s power to enable us.
We need God to enable us to proclaim His message. All the knowledge in the world is no good without the ability to communicate. We need God to enable us to live for Him. We do not have what it takes to serve God, he must enable us to serve Him. “When we rely on organization we get what organization can do, when we rely on education we get what education can do, but when we rely upon the Holy Spirit we get what only God can do.”
We need God’s power to encourage us.
Serving the Lord is relatively easy at church on Sundays but we need God’s encouragement to serve Him daily.
3A. Respond to the Purpose or Jesus (1:6-11)
1B. Adopt His priorities (1:6-7)
They wanted to talk about prophecy He wanted to talk about proclamation. Jesus priority is not on our knowing when He will come again. His priority is that because He will come again we are actively sharing the gospel.
2B. Activate His program (1:8)
His program through you is to witness. We are not called to be lawyers but witnesses. We do not have to know everything about God, just what He did for us. If you have not experienced God’s work of regeneration, you cannot witness to it. Witness and martyr come from the same root, “martus.” To witness for Christ we must die to self.
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our city – “Jerusalem”
We must begin with our friends, family, and neighbors. We will never be ready to reach the world for Christ until we are actively seeking to reach our city for Christ.
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our country – “Judea”
America is the third largest mission fields in the world. The Northeast section of the United States is one of the most non and under churched areas in the world. We must reach our country with the gospel.
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our continent – “Samaria”
North America is in desperate need of the gospel. If you add to that Central and South America we have many language and cultural barriers that must be overcome, but we must carry to gospel to our continent.
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to all creation – “remotest part of the earth”
We are to carry the gospel to every place and every person. We are to proclaim the good news in ever language in every land. We are to go until we have no where else to go and then we are to begin again.
3B. Anticipate His parousia (coming) (1:9-11)
The parting (1:9)
He ascended into heaven. The cloud reminds us of God’s presence in the Old Testament. Now he is our advocate with the Father. He is the mediator of our covenant.
The prospect (1:10-11)
Just as He left, He has promised to return. Only this time His return will not be shrouded in mystery, it will be shouted to all mankind. This return will not in humility but in honor. He will not be a suffering servant, He will come as a conquering King. Until then, until He comes we are to go and proclaim the good news to all the earth!
Application
The pathway of power requires that we…
Recognize the presence of Jesus, by repentance and faith.
Receive the promise of Jesus, by waiting and trusting.
Respond to the purpose of Jesus, by bearing witness.
Mr. Kimble witnessed to a shoe clerk, Dwight L. Moody. Moody became an evangelist, in England he preached in the church of F.B. Myer. Moody touched his life. Myer came to the US and preached in a college. Myer challenged the students to be made willing to surrender to Christ. Wilbur Chapman was in the crowd that day. He later became a great evangelist. Chapman, recruited a YMCA clerk, Billy Sunday, to help him. Sunday became a great evangelist. In 1924 he held a meeting in Charlotte. Men began to pray Mordica Ham came and preached. When Ham preached a young country boy named Billy Graham came to Christ. You never know what may happen when you share Christ.
Acts 1:1-11
Introduction
It has been said that, “Billy Graham was to come to a city, one pastor opposed his coming and said ‘He will set evangelism back fifty years.’ Dr. Graham responded, ‘I did not want to set evangelism back fifty years I wanted to set it back two thousand years.’” That is what we need today. We need to set the church back two thousand years.
These verses outline for us three essential ingredients we must employee if we are to walk with the Savior on the pathway to power. To re-discover the power of the first church we must, recognize the presence of Jesus, receive to promise of Jesus for our lives, and respond to the purpose of Jesus.
1A. Recognize the Presence of Jesus (1:1-3)
1B. Jesus worked in His physical body. (1:1)
It was a new kind of work.
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
It was a new kind of teaching.
Matthew 7:28-29 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
2B. Jesus is working through His mystical body. (1:2-3)
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Acts 5:12-14 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
2A. Receive the Promise of Jesus (1:4-5)
1B. God has promised to provide the power we need to do His work.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
2B. We need God’s power to do His work.
We need God’s power to enlighten us.
We need God’s power to enable us.
We need God’s power to encourage us.
3A. Respond to the Purpose of Jesus (1:6-11)
1B. Adopt His priorities (1:6-7)
Jesus priority is not on our knowing when He will come again. His priority is that because He will come again we are actively sharing the gospel.
2B. Activate His program (1:8)
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our city – “Jerusalem”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our country – “Judea”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our continent – “Samaria”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to all creation – “remotest part of the earth”
3B. Anticipate His parousia (coming) (1:9-11)
The parting (1:9)
Ø Now he is our advocate with the Father. He is the mediator of our covenant.
The prospect (1:10-11)
Ø Just as He left, He has promised to return.
Application
The pathway of power requires that we…
Recognize the presence of Jesus, by repentance and faith.
Receive the promise of Jesus, by waiting and trusting.
Respond to the purpose of Jesus, by bearing witness.
Acts 1:1-11
1A. Recognize the ________________ of Jesus (1:1-3)
1B. Jesus worked in His physical ____________. (1:1)
It was a new kind of ___________________________. (Acts 10:38)
It was a new kind of ___________________________. (Matthew 7:28-29)
2B. Jesus is working through His mystical body. (1:2-3) (Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Acts 5:12-14)
2A. Receive the ___________________ of Jesus (1:4-5)
1B. God has promised to provide the _______________ we need to do His work. (Ephesians 5:18)
2B. We need God’s ________________ to do His work.
We need God’s power to _____________________ us.
We need God’s power to _____________________ us.
We need God’s power to encourage us.
3A. Respond to the ______________ of Jesus (1:6-11)
1B. Adopt His priorities (1:6-7)
2B. Activate His __________________________ (1:8)
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our _____________________________ – “Jerusalem”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our ________________________________ – “Judea”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to our continent – “Samaria”
We are to be “witnesses” of the gospel to all _________________ – “remotest part of the earth”
3B. Anticipate His parousia (_____________) (1:9-11)
The ________________________________ (1:9)
The ____________________________ (1:10-11)