Kingdom of God - Part 2
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Praise and Prayer
Praise and Prayer
Last Sunday we started this new series on Instructions for the church as we started looking at the book of Acts and the things Jesus said to the disciples before He ascended to heaven. Last week we only got through the first point of the message, as God had a lot to say to us.
This morning we are picking up with part two of the Kingdom of God, and will start by looking at the second point of the message from last week.
Last week we seen that Luke is writing the book of Acts as a second part or a continuation of the Gospel of Luke, and that he wrote the gospel of Luke about all that Jesus did and taught, but that Jesus did accomplish the work of redemption that is salvation. But the work of evangelism is an ongoing work.
I was looking at some information on the International Mission Board website this week, and there are 3,105 Un-engaged un-reached People groups in the world, that is people groups where there are no Christian activity near them at all. Then there is 7,283 un-reached people groups in the world, these are people groups with less than 2% of active Christian activity in their area.
These are people groups, not populations of people, being that they are un-reached they do not have accurate numbers to know exactly how many are in each people group that is not being reached.
Also on the IMB website, they give a number of 155,473 people dying without Jesus every day, which factors down to 2 people every second.
We see there is a great need for evangelism, we look around our own nation and see the evil, the lostness, even in our state, and even right here in our own community. Just this past week a few miles up the road some body broke in and destroyed the four corners market.
There is evil all around, and people need Jesus, they need to hear about Jesus, and it is our job.
If you will stand with me in honor of the reading of God’s Word, as we read our text.
3 After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
Pray
II. He Spoke About. Vs. 3-4
II. He Spoke About. Vs. 3-4
3 After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about;
After he had suffered, that is after Jesus went through his trial, his beating and his crucifixion, and resurrection, he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs over forty days. Jesus was giving the apostles evidence that he undoubtedly was resurrected, and alive.
One of those accounts we find in John 20:26-29
26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”
28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
We are given multiple accounts of Jesus’ appearances to the disciples after his resurrection, then Paul gives a summary of those appearances found in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, where he tells us that Jesus had appears to Peter, then to the twelve, then to five hundred brethren at once, then to James, to all the apostles, then even to Paul himself.
The apostles, the disciples, the close followers of Jesus that he appeared to after his resurrection, were so sure of his resurrection, that they not only believed it, but preached it to the point of death, with the exception of John, who wrote the Gospel of John, the three epistles of John, and the book of Revelation. He died of natural death, but face a lot of torture, and even exiled on the Isle of Patmos where he penned the Book of Revelation.
He has appeared to those that had faithfully followed him, He has encouraged them to continue in the ministry that he has called them too. But what did he teach them about or what did he talk to them about during those brief forty days.
Well Luke tells us, during those forty days Jesus spent time speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, this is referring to the absolute reign and rule of God in the hearts of God’s people; the rule of God now and in the future kingdom.
With this teaching, Jesus wanted the disciples to know that just because he was crucified did not put an end to the work that needed to be done, it did not put an end to the work that he had called them too, it did not put an end to the promises he had made them, but it was just a step in the process.
We must remember that the Jews were wanting on a Messiah that would come and set up an earthly reign on the throne of David, and Jesus did not do that, and then he is crucified by the Jewish officials, and everything is very out of place for Jesus to be the Messiah, but Jesus is reassuring the disciples that everything is still inline, everything is still working as planned.
Yes, Jesus will eventually set up an earthly kingdom on David’s throne, but that is not until after his earthly second coming which will be the millennial reign.
But what is taking place is all part of the plan, part of the big picture. We must trust in God and his plans and ways.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Jesus was talking to the disciples about the kingdom of God, which is referring to God’s sovereign rule over all of His creation, and also to God’s spiritual rule and authority over His people on earth through divinely chosen mediators. Right now the Kingdom of God is through the believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit and obedient to the Word of God. The Kingdom of God will come to full fruition at the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
Then in verse 4 Jesus commands them not to leave Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father that they heard him speak about. Jesus is reminding them of something He has already told them about, but also that they are not able to do what he has commissioned them to do in their own power and strength.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to do what God has called, commissioned us to do, which is to go forth and make disciples, to build the Kingdom of God.
Jesus not only motivated the apostles for the mission ahead, but he was also supernaturally empowering them for the mission.
Dr. John Dorsey said: “Two thousand years of subsequent history echo the same theme: The Kingdom of God advances on earth through the heroes of the faith. One generation raises up the next. When the transition is godly, the people are blessed. And when the baton is dropped, generations suffer spiritually.”
People let me say this, it is time we pick up the baton, and get back to what God has commissioned us to do.
III. Power of the Baptized. V. 5
III. Power of the Baptized. V. 5
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
The Holy Spirit is the indispensable equipment of the servant of God. Only in this case we do not use the equipment; the equipment uses us.
Three things that the Power of the Holy Spirit did for the first century believers:
1. Enlightened Them
1. Enlightened Them
12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.
The Holy Spirit helps us to understand Scripture, to understand God’s leading and guiding.
The Holy Spirit told the first century believer when to go, where to go, and who should go.
2. Energized Them
2. Energized Them
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.
Everyone that seen the first century believers were in awe, because they were energized by the Holy Spirit.
They preached with power, we see that in chapter 2 of Acts, But they could no more convert a soul than they could create a star in the sky. They needed a power outside of themselves.
Charles Spurgeon said, “We might preach til our tongues rotted, til we exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless the Holy Spirit uses the Word to convert that soul.”
See without Jesus, without the Holy Spirit working through us, we are nothing. We cannot do the work that God has called us to without the Holy Spirit using us to do it.
3. Encourage Them
3. Encourage Them
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
I don’t know about you but that verse right there is encouraging to me, because right now I might be doing good, I might be in a good place, and the first century believers they may have been full of enthusiasm, but what happens when all of a sudden life happens, when that trial hits, when the first century believers were alone, in prison, beaten, and threatened with a cruel death, then what?
Well The Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days, see the first century believers, the apostles, they had to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus had to ascend, and the Holy Spirit had to be sent, when it was the right time.
We do not have to wait now we receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion, Ephesians 1:13-14
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
We have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, this is an entirely divine activity. All believers have in them spiritual dynamite for use of gifts, service, fellowship, and witness.
All believers need to experience the release of the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
This takes place as believers yield moment by moment control of their lives to the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit’s power and presence is absolutely essential if we are going to be effective in doing the Lord’s work.
There should be an obvious difference between those who are filled/baptized in the Spirit and those who are not. Just like those filled with alcohol or drugs you can tell the difference.
God has place this body of believers in this community, to reach those around us, to go forth and make disciples, he has given us instruction to go forth, he spoke about it multiple times after his resurrection, and he has given us the power to do the job, the equipment to do it.
Now we must rise up, we must step up to the plate, we must pick up the baton and reach those that are lost.
People are dying and going to hell, while we are sitting and doing nothing about it.
It is time that we grow together, build together, serve together, to glorify God together - and start building the Kingdom of God.
The first step is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you cannot have the power of the Holy Spirit until you have that personal relationship with Jesus.
If you are here and do not have that relationship I would love to talk to you about!!