The World and the Return
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Don’t you wish more people would do God’s work? Is God still calling out for people serve?
This last year, churches across America saw people ignore the voice of God and walk out of their churches.
The fields of labor grew, but the labor force shrank. There are more opportunities now to reach people in America than ever before!
Been looking at times God got man’s attention. Maybe you are tired of listening for God’s voice. Perhaps your heart is cold to listening to what He desires from you.
God is still working to get our attention, and He does so, in part, to direct us in His great work.
Don’t kick against it—love it, and desire to hear from God more, so your life will be more successful for the Lord and His church and His kingdom!
Jesus had the same issues with His disciples that we find in our own hearts today. We do not always want to listen, and when we do, we’re often listening for the parts we want to hear.
Let’s catch up with the disciples forty days after Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection:
Read Acts 1:1-12.
Proposition: Continue God’s work.
Proposition: Continue God’s work.
1. Know the Power of God’s Spirit. v.8
1. Know the Power of God’s Spirit. v.8
ILL: What if someone came and wrote a blank check to our church? What if the donor said no amount is too much? What amount would we choose to write on the blank? Some might say, “Five dollars is a good amount.” Others would say $1 million. Others a $ trillion. Friend, God has given us every resource of God’s treasury to our disposal! God has given us a blank check to write in faith when God directs.
First, The Spirit’s promise. v. 7-8a
First, The Spirit’s promise. v. 7-8a
Joel prophesied God’s Spirit would come (Peter alluded to this verse in Acts 2:17-21...
And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions:
John the Baptist told about Jesus, Who would send the Spirit (baptism).
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Jesus told Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit...
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Jesus told the woman at the well...
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Second, The Spirit’s presence. v. 8
Second, The Spirit’s presence. v. 8
Christian, you are not alone.
ILL: Many people are afraid to be alone. Then, again, others in the busyness of life wish to be alone. The hope of both is to know you are never alone—the Spirit is with you. You are never alone to need to be afraid. You are never surrounded so much the Spirit cannot work in your life.
Many Christians want to have head knowledge and to split the hairs of prophetic Scripture.
Jesus told the disciples the better balance—know God’s Spirit, and His presence will lead you by faith and with His power into God’s certain future.
“Here and now” prepares us for the sweet “by and by.”
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Jesus wanted to be sure the disciples did not get the “cart before the horse.” Yes, Jesus is going to come back, but He wanted them to know there was a whole dispensation of time to display God’s Spirit first!
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
A lost person may be able to debate the intricacies of the Bible, but a lost person cannot know the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The difference is the heart.
Are you surrendered to and fellowshipping with God the Spirit?
Philippians 2:1b says, “…if any fellowship of the Spirit...”
Third, The Spirit’s preaching.
Third, The Spirit’s preaching.
Our FIRST occupation is preaching. Preaching is for the profit of others, and others are to see it and hear it going forth.
Are you preaching by your words and actions?
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Transition: How do I then show the Lord’s power?
2. Tell Others about Jesus.
2. Tell Others about Jesus.
First, tell others what Jesus did for sinners.
First, tell others what Jesus did for sinners.
Our “Yoo-hoo!” sermons were a quick look at some of the times God got man’s attention. Hopefully, you now see that the whole Bible shows God’s plan for a broken world and broken sinners and how a perfect God became broken to perfect sinners.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Second, tell others what Jesus did for you.
Second, tell others what Jesus did for you.
It’s great to see when God got peoples’ attention.
When did Jesus say, “Yoo-hoo!” to you! There are many friends here today, but all of you fit into one of only two categories today.
To the first category, God is saying, “You-hoo!” to you, and you have not responded by knowing Him.
The cross of Christ was for you. He rose again for you...
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
To the second category, God said, “Yoo-hoo!” to you (probably many times), and then you responded by trusting Him as your Savior.
For me, God was calling out, and I finally repented of my sin, and trusted in God’s salvation only available through Jesus Christ on April 19, 1985.
Since then, God has been with me each step of the way. I am not perfect, but I know He guides me, and loves me. He chastens me, and He comforts me. He blesses and teaches me. He restores me when I’ve fallen, and gives me hope in times of darkness.
Third, tell others what Jesus did for their future.
Third, tell others what Jesus did for their future.
The future is bright, and the rewards are out-of-this world for God’s people!
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
3. Look for Christ’s Return. v. 11
3. Look for Christ’s Return. v. 11
Churches too often look back to the “glory days” and the glorious moments of the past.
When something momentous happens, we stop and either marvel at it or celebrate it for too long. We want to publish it in religious newspapers and get listed in the church growth books and get as many “Likes” on social media as we can. Hell’s flames still burn when we stop.
Angels are literally God’s messengers, and since they know more than we do about spiritual things, they try to direct us the right way. I believe angels still minister—I think occasionally we can see them, but most of the time we do not. God has apparently limited much of their appearances.
ILL: Angelic “Hot-Cold” Game. As Christians walk and make decisions, the angels are trying to coax them the right way. “You’re getting hotter…you’re getting colder!”
ILL: On Resurrection Sunday, the angels were, like, “You’re colder than a mother-in-law’s kiss! Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, he is risen! Go tell the disciples and meet Him in Galilee!”
ILL: In Acts 1, Jesus ascends, and the angels are getting impatient with the disciples looking up and doing nothing. Maybe the disciples thought, “What goes up must come down,” and they were waiting for Jesus to come back. An awkward silence blew in the air across Olivet’s crest. The disciples, in their hearts, wondered, “What’s next?” as they stared upward. An angel clears his throat, “Hey, guys, you are so cold the cows are making milkcicles! Why are you gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus that left is going to come back again!” Acts 1:12, “Then returned they unto Jerusalem.”
Should we celebrate, absolutely!
The Bible lists many reasons to celebrate!
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
But knowing what God is doing, we are to continue on with rejoicing!
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Keep moving toward Heaven’s Zion. Keep attempting great things for God! Keep investing in what builds God’s Kingdom!
If the angels are coaxing you by saying, “You are colder than a brass toilet seat on the shady side of an iceburg,” it would do you well to get warmed up by coming closer to Christ!
It’s so easy to get caught up in this world looking into things that we stop doing the right things.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Sometimes we get caught up in the wrong things.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Sometimes we stop short finishing things well.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Sometimes we have good intentions we have not yet fulfilled.
Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
Sometimes we get caught up doing good things but not the right things or the best things for this moment that build our own and others’ relationships with God.
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
But how the angels must rejoice when the Christian’s passion for God is hot and fervent, loving Him with all the soul, spirit, mind, and strength they have!
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Will you continue God’s work?
The angels tell us we are “cold” if we keep looking at the details that derail us from being followers of God and, hence, doing God’s work.
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
We are a part of this great time in the end-times of the world called the “Age of Grace” before Christ prepares the world for His coming.
Jesus created the world. When sin plunged it into a curse, Jesus said He loved the world so much that He would redeem sinners to Himself.
Someday, the world will be made new again.
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Did you hear it? God is still calling out with heavenly “Yoo-hoo’s.” God is still getting our attention.
When is the last time you heard His voice? What is He calling out to you about this very hour?
God is still calling out to Christians—young and old—all walks of life—all sinners—to serve Him. What is your job?
“Yoo-hoo!”
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
