The Power Of An Acts 1:8 Church Series

The Power of An Acts 1:8 Church (Acts 1:1-8)

First message in a series through Acts

1. Jesus Models the Holy Spirit’s Presence(Verse 3)

To those He also presented Himself alive… appearing to them over a period of forty days. Wow, it seems to me that Jesus literally modeled the presence of the Holy Spirit. He showed up at unexpected times. The disciples may have even begun to live like He was always there. I believe that Jesus did that to model them that His Spirit would be ever present. Before I discovered that my cell phone had a lock screen button I would often accidentally dial the last number in my cell phone’s registry. The biggest problem was that I never realized that it had happened. I would go on with normal life and my cell phone would be on for an extended period of time without my knowing that it was on. When I would discover that it was on… either when I picked it up to make a call or when the person on the other end would hang up, and call me back to laugh at me, I would have this strange fear overcome me. What did I say, when I didn’t know that someone else was listening? Did I gossip? Did I say something evil? Did I make a joke that I would not want the person on the other end to know about? Well that it is how it is with the Holy Spirit all the time! It’s like your cell phone has accidentally called God and you didn’t know it. Would you live your live differently if every conversation and ever thought you ever had was being accidentally broadcast across the cell phone in your pocket to your Pastor? Well it is not being broadcast to your Pastor, but your every thought and the ear of God hears every word!

a. Jesus shows up for the downcast, on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:15)

The Holy Spirit is there listening and desiring to converse with you when you are downcast. He is there when your plans have gone wrong.

b. Jesus shows up to fellowship (Luke 24:36-37)

The Holy Spirit is there ready to break bread and fellowship with your family and friends at every meal.

c. Jesus shows up behind locked doors (John 20:18-20)

The Holy Spirit is there and ready to show up when you are afraid and hiding. Could you imagine how the disciples felt when they had locked all the doors to make sure that they were alone. There they are in their fear and boom out of nowhere another body shows up in the room! Behind locked doors Jesus shows up, unexpected and out of nowhere! Boy I bet that would scare you it would certainly scare me!

d. Jesus shows up for Doubting Thomas (John 20:24-29)

The Holy Spirit wants to be there with you when you doubt. He wants to be your comfort and sense of joy. Will you call out to Him in your doubts? I want to learn to more regularly lean on Him and cry out to Him in my times of need.

Do you live like Jesus is always present?

Ever accidentally called someone on the cell phone and didn’t know it for a while?

How would your life change if you truly, and constantly understood the presence of God?

2. Jesus Mandates the Disciples wait for the Promise(Verses 4-5)

a. They are commanded to wait (v.4)

Jesus mandates the disciples wait for the promise. Remember church… what is future to the disciples is past to us! Acts 2 has already occurred! We don’t need to wait on the promise of a coming comforter anymore! The Holy Spirit has already come and if you know Christ, the very same Holy Spirit that came in power at Pentecost resides in you now! Now although you and I only need to be born again, or baptized by the Holy Spirit once we do need to be filled with His power, presence and prompting daily. We get those fillings through prayer and Bible Study.

i. We should wait daily in prayer

There is no substitute for the daily practice of crying out to God for direction, power, and forgiveness.

ii. We should wait daily in Bible Study

There is nothing more important to our walk with Christ than the consistent daily reading of God’s word. I love to encourage people to read the Bible through every year. The One-Year Bible is an incredible tool that God has used in my life and the lives of those around me. The beauty of the One-Year Bible is the balanced diet of God’s word. It includes daily readings from the New Testament, the Old Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.