Our Mission
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
In this series we are going to look at the birth and growth of the early church and ask ourselves the question “What about the early church is applicable to how we do church today?” The goal is that we will have a better understanding of not only the early church and Christian movement, but of Castlewood Baptist Church and to make sure that we are aligned with God’s design for His church.
1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. 3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”
Prayer
Greeting & Background
Greeting & Background
1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. 3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
To Who: Theophilus
By Who: Luke - Not an eyewitness to Jesus’ life and ministry, companion of Paul, Luke listed in Paul’s letters as one of his companions, A.D. 200 Luke was firmly fixed as Author of Luke-Acts. “We” passages.
Purpose: To show the church as God’s people and the mission of the church to be Jesus’ witness.
When: After the Resurrection, but before the Ascension. Acts picks up where Luke ends and carries the Gospel to the ends of the Earth.
The Holy Spirit is Promised
The Holy Spirit is Promised
4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
Jesus does not leave his people as orphans. Instead he promises to send the holy spirit to those who are his people. So if you are a believer you have the holy spirit dwelling in you. Guiding, directing, comforting, and convicting you.
26 “When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father —the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me. 27 You also will testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
28 After this
I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will have dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 I will even pour out My Spirit
on the male and female slaves in those days.
Joel Points to God sending the Holy Spirit to His people.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John the Baptist says that Jesus will send the Holy Spirit.
The Mission is Given
The Mission is Given
The Disciples are concerned with the physical restoration of Israel’s Kingdom.
6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus responds to their question by telling them not to worry about that, but rather to concern themselves with the mission He is going to give them
27 The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
We do not need to worry about when Jesus is returning because It is an impossibility to know when Jesus is going to return.
36 “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only.
Instead we need to worry about being obedient to the mission that he has given to us.
There are no geographical boundaries to where they were to be His witnesses.
-Witness is a person who testifies in legal matters. more generally one who affirms or attests something.
-The disciples are confirmed in their task to attest the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
So we too must mobilize and Go!
-”Evangelism is telling people that God saves from sin. what adorns that message, or makes it believable, is a holy life that clearly demonstrates God can save from sin.”
The holy spirit bears witness through us.
19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you should speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because you are not speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.
-”Two major factors contribute to the church’s powerlessness today. First, many are ignorant of Biblical Truth. Second, those who may know biblical truth all too often fail to live by it.”
Jesus’ Return is Promised
Jesus’ Return is Promised
9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”
Jesus ascended and they were standing there looking up into the clouds, when two angels showed up and told them that he would return the same way he left.
“Why do you stand looking up into heaven?”
Jesus’ ascension into heaven is not the end.
Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come. The Holy Spirit comes to empower and continue Jesus’ work on earth.
One day Jesus will return and bring about its completion. We don’t need to be staring and waiting for his return we need to be obediently obeying his command to be his witnesses everywhere we go.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
including those who pierced Him.
And all the families of the earth
will mourn over Him.
This is certain. Amen.
13 I continued watching in the night visions,
and I saw One like a son of man
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before Him.
This mission of the church is not about you!
-Not done by your power.
-Not done for your name.
Application
Application
We are a missional church!
Believers:
Trust and initiate gospel conversations with everyone around you.
It is an act of obedience when we share the gospel, one of the most basic principles of our faith, it is not something extra that only some are expected to do.
Write down the names of 3 people who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, Start praying for them and make it goal to share the gospel with each one of them before the end of May.
Baby Step: Invite them to church first.
As a church
Our mission is to make disciples: Matthew 28:18-20
We are going to structure our mission efforts following Acts 1:8
Jerusalem: Vallejo
Judea and Samaria: State and Country
End of the Earth: International
Missions is one of our Core Values.
We are not only going to receive missionaries/teams but we are going to be sending as well.