#1 Filled With Power Series

~ Intro: What do you do when you feel abandoned and alone. When I was 6 or 7

I was fishing with my father up in the mountains. It was beautiful, good fishing but dangerous because the country where we lives was in the middle of a revolutionary war and the area we were in was known to have rebels moving through it. But my father reassured me that all would be fine and we should enjoy the fishing. Then he told me to fish a particular pool while he went up-stream to fish another. It wall all going fine until I stopped catching fish, then I noticed that I was alone. I remembered stuff about the rebels and became so scared I was hysterical. I threw my fishing pole down and started running in the direction my dad had gone. Rounding a corner in the path I almost ran into him as he was on his way back. He asked what was wrong and said he was close enough that when I started crying, he started back toward me. I was never really alone.

I think, as followers of Jesus, just like the first disciple, we find ourselves wondering why God would leave us all alone … abandoned. But we are never really along … God has surrounded us with His family, the church and given us a great promised gift.

Turn with me to Acts 1 and lest see what this gift is …

We are that church … the church inbetween.

• The blueprint to follow.

- This video presents an overview of what the church should look like.

To find our true identity we must

1. This power is promised and given by God.(vrs )

• This is a promise to His people, His disciples, His church.

- Disciples are followers of Jesus. (making Jesus famous)

We Are That Church

God said that there would be wave of peculiar ministries sweeping across the country. He said that we can be at the forefront of it or wish we were. Luke 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the country roads and drag them in, I want my house to be full.” The Master, the Father, the Savior is calling for someone, for anyone to reach rural America. Let’s answer that call. To go into country lanes, to desolate places, to bring rural revival, to fill His house. Let’s lead the way. Together from different cities, from different states, but one mission, one cause, one purpose, one church. Our cause, our mission, our purpose, our church. God has called us to a peculiar ministry and out of a small-town church will create a global impact. We rise, different individuals but one voice. As we go deeper, we will make Jesus famous.

We are that church … the church inbetween.

• Inbetween despair & hope.

• Inbetween captivity & freedom.

• Inbetween sorrow & joy.

• Inbetween hell & heaven.

2. This power is a gift given to His church.(vrs )

• Gifts only come through relationship.

- It can be earned.

- It can by bought.

- It can be manufactured.

3. This power is for a purpose.(vrs )

• Purpose is only known in relationship.

- As we stay in relationship with God, He changes us.

~ Me living with Erin …

• We are the church inbetween.

- Inbetween captivity & freedom.

- Inbetween sorrow & joy.

- Inbetween turmoil & peace.

- Inbetween hell & heaven.

- Inbetween despair & hope.

• This is who we are and we must tell everyone.

- We are publicly or visible witnesses. (compelling other to discover Him)

• Disciples are obedient. (doing all that we learn wherever we are)

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~ Conclusion:

• Today, the excitement of Easter seems like a distant memory, are we like those first disciples, wondering “are we along? what’s next?”

- Or are we here, just wondering about life…

• You may be here today wondering about these promises and this plan on how to receive them

- You have never talked with God, maybe to, but not with…how can you talk with someone you don’t know?

- God wants to get to know you today but you have to introduce yourself to Him (admit, accept, acknowledge)