A New Beginning

A New Beginning

Acts 2:1-4

This event that we call the day of Pentecost was the great important event that leads to the fact that we have a church today. After being with Jesus for His years of ministry, being with Him for His forty days after His resurrection and then witnessing his return to heaven in a cloud the believers needed this event to help them be what Jesus wanted them to be.

Barna surveys do not ask people to define themselves as “evangelical” but instead categorize people as such based on their beliefs. Evangelicals meet seven conditions. Those include saying their(1)faith is very important in their life today; (2)contending that they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; (3)stating that Satan exists; (4) maintaining that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not by being good or doing good deeds; (5)asserting that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; (6) saying that the Bible is totally accurate in all it teaches; and (7) describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.”.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt

1. We need to become empty that we might be filled.

a. These early disciples had to be rid of things in their lives that kept them from what God wanted in their lives.

Eph 4:21-31 “Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self. (This means living opposite of the way you lived before, that we are no longer the servants to sin, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (not living a deceiving lifestyle.) To be made new in the attitude of your minds; (you are in total control of your attitude) and to put on the new self,(when you are in Christ you can no longer live in the way you have lived for Christ not lives in you and self and sin cannot be where Christ is) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness(How is it possible as some have been lead to believe that we can live the way we want to for Christ even paid for a sinful lifestyle? That does not fit a life that is lived in righteousness and true holiness.) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, (This is simple to mean we can not lie anymore and to be true to our neighbor) for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (If you are angry then do something about it to rid yourself of it and do not go to sleep with feelings of anger) and do not give the devil a foothold. (The enemy will strive to influence your mind and irritate your spirit and we overcome him by watching and praying) He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, (Any words that are corrupt to a holy life. This goes beyond using swear words, which are included, to any words that we wished we had not said.) but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (What does this mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? It means to give into a wrong temper, say unholy words, or be involved in unrighteous actions which would make God’s Spirit not want to be with us.) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of meanness. If you do things to be mean the Spirit is grieved and will not be around.

Failure is not fatal. Failure should be our teacher, nor our undertaker. It should challenge us to new heights of accomplishments, not pull us to new depths of despair. From honest failure can come, valuable experience? William Arthur Ward

Col 3:5-10 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature :( which are) sexual wickedness, uncleanness, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (You are not to use any member of your body to sin against God) Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on you. Rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, meanness, slander, and filthy language from your lips to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”