Living In The Power Zone Series

Living In the Power Zone

(Acts 1:7-9)

Intro:

A. Jesus knew that his time with his disciples would soon be over in the physical world. He knew that they need to have some teaching and understanding of what was about to happen. It was confusing at best for these men. They wanted to know where he was going and if they could come. Jesus simply told them he was going home; home to the father. Thomas needed to be reminded that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. It was all the right words, but the disciples still struggled.

B. Philip said, "Show us the Father." Philip need reminding that seeing Jesus was seeing the Father. They are so intertwined that when you see one you see the other. The father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the father.

C. Jesus knew that was not enough. These men needed more. So he told them to show their love for him by obeying what he had commanded. As they go through their life, they would not go alone. Jesus had asked the Father to give another counselor, a third part of this intertwined God, the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit will come from God and will teach, remind them, and help them to have peace.

D. The fact of the matter is, that the Holy Spirit was waiting to come. He would not come until Jesus had first gone back to the Father. This Spirit of God would be able to convict the hearts of men due to their sin. This Spirit of God would walk along side them as though Jesus was still with them. God would dwell in man, not just as a man. It would all happen in a short while.

E. In a short while was true. That night Jesus was betrayed by one of his own, given over to sinful man and murdered on the cross. While all that was happening Jesus would bear the guilt of all sin in his body on the tree and be forsaken by his father for a moment of real pain. But we know the rest of the story. We know how God rolled away the stone from the grave where Jesus lay. We know how Jesus came to life and ministered for another 40 days to his disciples. But then it was time for this physical body of his to change.

F. Luke tells us at the beginning of Acts that Jesus again reminded his disciples about the promise. John baptized with water, but these men were about to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

G. When? They always wanted to know everything. I am so much like these men that it hurts to see my weak faith. God, is this the time when you are coming to restore the kingdom to Israel? Jesus, with the hurricanes, the terrorism, the tsunami; is this the time you are going to come back and claim your own? What we are told is that Jesus says that as for times or dates it is none of our business, they belong to God, but we will receive the power of the Holy Spirit.

H. It was the day of Pentecost. A day when the disciples were together and about 120 people were gathered in an upper room. There came a sound like a violent wind. Then came what looked like a clove of fire that sat upon them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. These disciples were able to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. These same men who just days before were scared and locking themselves into a room now went out to the people and began to boldly preach that Jesus is the Christ.

I. The Power Zone

A. That day the church was born of the Spirit. Just as Joel had prophesied God poured out his Spirit on all people. The power of the Spirit is a gift from God to all who have been baptized into Christ while their sins are taken away and a new start begins. When sin moves out, God moves in. When that takes place I am living in the power zone.

B. What does it mean to be living in the power zone? It means God gets to use me as he see fit instead me trying to do everything myself. When Paul writes to the churches in Galatia he tells them to live by the Spirit and they will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. When I am living in the power zone God is allowed to produce in me what he desires: love, joy, peace, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit. Paul says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."