CHURCH POWERED BY THE SPIRIT: AN UNORDINARY CHURCH EXPERIENCE

Thesis: The outpouring of the Holy Spirit changed the expectations and trajectory of the church experience from mundane and monotonous to extraordinary and excellent.

Introduction: It is so true as Vance Havner said, “We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God.”

So often in this world as believers we fall into mundane monotonous patterns that make life boring and uneventful. The same holds true for aged old tradition of assembling to worship together on Sunday mornings. This has become somewhat of a repetitious and uneventful, and habitual experience that has made the importance of coming to church dwindle greatly. It has lost its flair and importance so much so that many have stopped coming and have made this assertion, when asked the question why have you stopped coming to church, they say I’m tired of the same old, same old way of doing things. Now for some it is just an excuse so they leave one church and go to another church because they say they didn’t feel nothing at that church. But for many it is just a statement of fact that church has gotten so predictable that you don’t need to be there to know exactly what will happen. It is a scathing indictment on those of us who occupy the pew and the pulpit if our worship has fallen to the level of being predictable and uninspiring an inefficient. How did we get here because The early church had none of the things that we think are so essential for success today—buildings, money, political influence, social status—and yet the church won multitudes to Christ and saw many churches established throughout the Roman world. Why? Because the church had the power of the Holy Spirit energizing its ministry. They were a people who “were ignited by the Spirit of God.” The same Holy Spirit power is available to us today to make us more effective witnesses for Christ. the better we understand His working at Pentecost, the better we will be able to relate to Him and experience His power. And thus we can have a more meaningful church experience that fuels your life and ministry to higher heights in Christ who’s wonders are to be performed. Somebody say I’m ordinary church, I want an out of the ordinary church experience.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 406.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 406.

Exposition:

Acts The Holy Spirit Comes / 2:1–13

As the apostles were gathered together in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, the time had come for the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to send his Spirit completely and permanently upon all believers (Luke 24:49; John 14:16–17, 26; 16:5–15). This marvelous outpouring of God provided the supernatural power for believers to take the life-changing message of the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). This is the day Christ made good on his promise to send the Helper, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit who would take up permanent residence in those who put their faith in Christ. And what a day it was!

Let’s set some context in place,Here in the Book of Acts we find that Jesus has risen from the grave and gave his disciples some instructions,

first not to leave Jerusalem but to stay there until the promise arrives;

Answers the question about when the kingdom would be restored with a commission to witness to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth

Jesus is taken up by a cloud into heaven to sit at the right hand of the father

men in white apparel appear to stir the disciples back into action by rebuking their gazing and waiting for something to fall out of the sky

they chose and ordain Matthias to take Judas place within the 12

Now we find ourselves at the scripture chosen for this morning that will tell us how to have an “out of the ordinary church experience”.

THE FAITHFUL FEW CAN GET IT STARTED

King James Version Chapter 2

2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

there were only a 120 faithful out of all those he healed, setfree, delivered, fed

you need unity: Togetherness in thought and purpose working in congruence, simultaneously

you need unanimity- there were no descenters they were in harmony: too often our churches are not in harmony because we major in the minors; mor concerned about the rules of men rather than the precepts of God. it would seem in the church that we could come to agree that the word of God is the rule book that we should seek to follow

you need a unique uniformity in prayer; so often when we have the morning prayer many are praying there own prayer when you should be praying along with the person praying. that’s uniformity and that makes the atmosphere conducive to an infusion of Power

UNITY OF FAITH MAKES ROOM FOR THE SPIRIT

King James Version Chapter 2

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

it was when they were unified that the Spirit appeared; so often we want extraordinary without faith we come to church without the faith to have an out of the ordinary church experience

the Spirit didn’t appear in stages but it came suddenly: somebody ought to say I need suddenly in my life

it was filling: too often we want to enjoy church without the Spirit when the spirit comes it doesn’t just come for some but is available to all

out of the ordinary church is a church where everybody understands everybody: so much misunderstanding in our church that it has become ordinary for the preacher to be preaching and only a few understand what he is talking about. Because we aren’t connected by the Holy Spirit

the Spirit will not only fill the atmosphere but it will fill you: when you are filled you are able to communicate in a way that was foreign to you prior to your filling; it will cause the previously mean to be meek; hurtful to be helpful; nasty to be nice;

I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND IT NOW

King James Version Chapter 2

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were kconfounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in rPontus, and sAsia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

you will be amazed and astonished that you can understand

Acts The Holy Spirit Comes / 2:1–13

they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken…. languages of the lands where [they] were born!

it’s so good to here your own language

sometimes it sounds like foriegn language in church but with the Holy Spirit in the midst and in you we can understand and communicate

sometimes we have to communicate on another level to reach people

the catalyst for the communication was the Spirit working in the communicator: Paul said : 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

many times we have to speak peoples language for them to feel us

I need to speak and understand street as well as boardroom

we get so holy and heavenly minded that we become no earthly good because we stay above being able to communicate in different levels of society

PEOPLE WILL MOCK YOU: they said they must be drunk

they must be under the influenced of a controlled substance

a controlled substance is a substance that has been limited or outlawed for human use or possession

and if you get enough of it in you, you are under the influence of it and you can be arrested

that is the problem too many of us are afraid of being arrested by and because of the Spirit in you

those who haven’t been arrested because of their filling they won’t recognize your praise, your walk, and your talk

you ought to glad about that yes we need an inebreated church

It was after Peter heard this accusation that he proclaimed it is not wine that they are full of but Holy Spirit. Peter preaches his first sermon at church and has an out of the ordinary experience the BIBLE SAYS:

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

GOSPEL When you need an illegal controlled substance you need a supplier....

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ac 2:37–38.