The Transformational Power of the Holy Spirit
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Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday.
Okay, my bible scholars - What significant event in church history happened on the Jewish festival of Pentecost?
The Church of Jesus Christ was BORN!
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
What an amazing and beautiful event!! Something worthy of celebrating!
And so it is on the church calendar.
As you saw on the video a handful of pastors and ministry leaders have been getting together to pray every Thursday.
It is the desire of this group to see Jesus Christ exalted in this community. And we recognize while there are many things we do differ on, there is on thing that we can all agree - that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!
So this Sunday each of these churches are preaching through Acts 2:42-47 as a sign of unity in this community.
It is encouraging to know that many of the churches in this community are hearing from the same passage! May God do an amazing work in Allendale
It is because of the Holy Spirit, the church is alive and well today!
Big Idea - Only the Transformational Power of the Holy Spirit Can Bring A Diverse Group of People Together!
“A Church is a community of people who gather and focus their lives around, not a religion, rather a person - Jesus Christ.” - Dr. Tim Mackie
Jesus is ALIVE! People, this is the hallmark of our faith! HE IS ALIVE!
Jesus is alive and guiding His bride, the church.
Because a Christian has a new priority(following Jesus), he or she develops a new set of habits.
Habits that are laid out in Acts 2:42. Take a look at the verse and see if you can identify the four habits in the text...
Acts 2:42 (ESV)
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Habit One - Learning - “And THEY Devoted (to persevere devotedly) THEMSELVES to the apostles’ teaching...”
Habit Two - Fellowship - κοινωνία
Sharing (resources, time, life, etc.)
Acts 2:44 (ESV)
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
Unity (connected)
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
Habit Three - “Breaking of Bread” -
Such an interesting idiomatic expression. All the translations I referenced had the same phrase, “breaking of bread.” The question is, what does this phrase mean?
It means, in the very basic sense having a meal together. There is something beautiful and vulnerable about having a meal with someone.
It also can mean having communion together. In other words, Celebrating the Lord’s table - which we will do next week (be prepared).
A combination - at the end of their meals together, they would celebrate the Lord’s table.
Habit Four - Prayer (Worship)!
The word for prayer in this passage is petition - request.
Prayer is an essential part of the christian life and this group of newly formed believer were constantly in touch with the One in whom they all had in common.
Prayer fill man’s emptiness with God’s fullness.
Prayer puts away man’s poverty with God’s riches.
Prayer puts away man’s weakness with the coming of God’s strength.
It banishes man’s littleness with God’s strength. - E.M. Bounds
Okay, so because new christians have a new set of priorities, they in turn develop a new set of habits.
These begining habits, are Learning, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread, and Prayer.
What is at the root of this change? Why do believers pursue these new “habits?” Grace - God’s amazing (charis) grace!
Think about this with me.
God created a beautiful world with two beautiful people.
What did God call all of this? He declared His creation GOOD. And He said that His creation of Man (both Adam and Eve) VERY GOOD!
What did these VERY GOOD humans do? They ruined the place! They disobeyed God’s one restriction and by doing do plunged all of God creation into a curse. A curse that didn’t just effect them, but it effected every part of creation, including future generations that would grown under sins enslaving power.
What was God’s response to these created humans (created in the likeness of God)?
Charis - Grace - Amazing Grace!
God ushered in His glorious plan to rescue the ones that so egregiously sinned against Him.
God loved His enemies by formulating a rescue plan that would reach through millenia. Generation after generation though His chosen people until one day, as the prophets foretold...
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
And He will save His people from their sins (Matt 1:21).
Of course this “HE” is none other than Jesus Christ.
And it is through Jesus Christ, and Him alone that we have this GIFT of GRACE.
When you accept God’s grace, it begins to change you.
Grace, happened to them and that grace changed them in profound ways.
The Grace of Jesus CHANGES us to become like Jesus.
This my friends in the transformational work of the HOLY SPIRIT!
And what what does that kind of change produce? Let’s quickly walk through the rest of this passage.
The Spirit Produces an AWE from ONLOOKERS (vs. 43)
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
The Spirit Produces a GRACIOUS GENEROSITY (vs 44-45)
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
The Spirit Produces a WORSHIPFUL COMMUNITY (vs. 46-47a)
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The Spirit Produces a GODLY REPUTATION (vs. 47b)
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The Spirit Produces a CONGREGATION that God will bless with more COVERTS (vs. 47c)
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
We do not need church growth gurus giving their latest strategic plan to help our church “Break the 200, 400, 800, 1000 people barrier. We do need to live and walk in the Spirit. When we do, growth will be given BY THE LORD!
So, if the Spirit who transformed the disciples from timid, fearful, people to bold, loving, transformational leaders...
The same Spirit is our transformational powerhouse as well.
And so we must be careful to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and not grieve Him.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
How do we grieve Him?
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
See the put off and put on here? Put off divisive actions and attitudes and put on unifying actions and attitudes.
This is what the first church looked like because the first church was unified by the Holy Spirit!
There have been a lot of changes over the centuries since the church was born.
I suspect the Spirit has been grieved more times than we care to admit. As the church grew, fights over many things inevitably caused divisions.
Denominations were formed - for good reason, by the way (read “A Church History in Plain Language” by Bruce Shelleye).
But the results were a divided church.
Jesus specifically prayed to the Father that the church would be ONE. Because God can accomplish great things through a local body that is united and a community church that is united.
Now, there are certain teachings that my brothers and sisters hold to that I simply do not believe nor subscribe to.
In the past we would let these things create walls not only between other denominations but also within denominations.
Inevitably, brothers and sisters would be fighting one another instead of fighting the darkness with the gospel of light.
I love DOCTRINE. I’ve given my life to the study of God’s teachings. I do not take doctrine lightly and neither do you.
We have strong positions that we continue to take that our other brothers and sisters in this community view differently.
If this is the case, how can we achieve the unity we see in the first church…the unity that the Lord prayed for?
Allow me to give you my thoughts based on my understand of God’s Word.
We should be...
Unbending in the Major Doctrines –
The Diety of Jesus Christ
Salvation by Faith alone through Grace alone
The Atoning work of Christ on the Cross
etc. (good reason to study Theology).
Charitable in the Minor Doctrines -
Frequency of The Lord’s Table.
How Church is done
Mode of Baptism (Non-salvific - the thief on the cross)
Humble with Every Doctrine - Consider others as more significant than yourselves.
I am not a prophet, but I can see the handwriting on the wall.
As the days grow darker and the will, we will have more and more grace with our brothers and sisters in Christ in this community so that we will reach more in this community, and most importantly that God would receive the most glory in this community!
So, my friends! Have you been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit? Has he made His indelible mark of grace on you?
How can you know? Change. You will change! Your life will become markedly different. Grace will begin to pour out of you. Love for your brothers and sister in Christ will just happen. A hunger and thirst for the truth will overwhelm you mind and heart. You will pray and God will hear and answer!
But your change will go beyond you to this church - you will impact this church because you will serve God in this church by serving and ministering to others.
And it will go beyond this church to this community - sharing the Love of Christ. reaching people for christ. Helping people find Christ and a community of faith.
God is working in Allendale. And I am thankful for a church that recognized this reality and wants to be a part of it.
Imagine in your mind right now what it could look like to live in a community where the true followers of Christ lived out the unity we see in Acts 2! I think we would see a revival like never before!
Did you know that it starts with you?
Connection Group Reflection Questions
1. What do these verses teach me about our character?
2. What do these verses teach me about God and his character?
3. Because these words are from God, they are TRUTH! What truth is he asking me to believe?
4. What do I need to do to obey him?
5. With whom can I share these truths?