Preparing the Life for Mission
- Date: Sunday, November 6, 2011
- Speaker: Jason Smith
- Series: Acts: The Church Sent, Scattered, and Scorned
- Scripture: Acts 1:8–2:4
When we read the book of Acts, we read that the Lord Jesus sends the same Spirit to be poured out on the Church that led Him, empowered Him, enabled Him, and raised Him from the dead. As followers of Christ, we are to live the Spirit-filled life of Jesus as we are led by, empowered by, enabled by, and spiritually resurrected by what? The power of the Holy Spirit! Jesus was tempted, Jesus did suffer, Jesus is one with whom we can identify as we suffer and are tempted as we live here on mission in our culture. How do we get empowered? By looking to Christ’s authority and retelling His Gospel which shows us that He not only lived a perfect life, He lived it for us; He not only died, he died for us; He not only rose, He rose so that we will rise; He not only ascended, He ascended to send us the same power and Spirit which led Him. To live a life on mission in the same power as Christ we are going to need to seek God and desire this power and enabling grace.
Up, Up, and Away
Setting the Context:
Acts 1:8-11 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (ESV) / Luke 24:45-49 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (ESV)
The Big Idea:
The ASCENSION means “GET BUSY!”
Learning to Work While We Wait
- They PRAYED
Acts 1:12-14 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (ESV)
Keys to Prevailing Prayer…
They were UNITED.
They were DEVOTED.
- They CHOSE New LEADERSHIP
Acts 1:15-26 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
"'May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it';
and
"'Let another take his office.'
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection." And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (ESV) Spiritual Leadership is Chosen by…
God’s WORD.
God’s CHURCH.
God’s SPIRIT.
- They RECEIVED the HOLY SPIRIT
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (ESV) The church was…
TOGETHER
FILLED
VOCAL
