Acquire The Fire Series

ACQUIRE THE FIRE

Acts 2.1-4

S: Change

C: Holy Spirit

Th: Choose the Fire

Pr: WELCOME THE INTERRUPTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Type: Narrative, Inductive

I. PENTECOST (1)

II. TOGETHER (1)

III. SOUND AND FLAME (2-3)

IV. FILLED (4)

V. COMMUNICATION (4)

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Welcome Him – don’t fight Him.

• Realize His Presence, and live it.

• Listen to His conviction, and respond.

• Be used, and communicate the good news.

Version: ESV

RMBC 25 May 08 AM

INTRODUCTION:

In the year 2000, Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt starred in a film called Cast Away. As a couple, they were separated for four years when Chuck Noland (played by Hanks), a Federal Express engineer and troubleshooter, is stranded on a desert island when his FedEx plane crashes. Now, he must adjust to a new life far from e-mail, fax machines, and hectic schedules.

In just a moment, we are going to show you a film clip.

But it is not from the movie itself.

Instead, it is a humorous commercial clip based on that film that was shown during Super Bowl XXXVII.

Here it is…

ILL Holy Spirit (H) YouTube video

Alternate intro if the film clip is unavailable…

ILL Holy Spirit (H)

During Superbowl 37, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Cast Away, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like the bedraggled Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a suburban home, package in hand.

When the lady comes to the door, he explains that he survived five years on a deserted island, and during that whole time he kept this package in order to deliver it to her. She gives a simple, "Thank you."

But he is curious about what is in the package that he has been protecting for years. He says, "If I may ask, what was in that package after all?"

She opens it and shows him the contents, saying, "Oh, nothing really. Just a satellite telephone, a global positioning device, a compass, a water purifier, and some seeds."

The whole time he was alone on the island, he had what he needed to survive and escape.

He did not know it.

He did not use it.

Like the contents in this package, the resources for growth, strength, and survival are available for every Christian who will take advantage of them.

But…

1. Are you taking advantage of your resources?

God has provided tremendous resource through the Holy Spirit.

He guides.

He comforts.

He empowers us.

He comes alongside of us.

Our core values will be published in their final form for the Annual Meeting, a week from Wednesday.

And…

2. Our core values begin with…

“Empowered by the Holy Spirit through prayer…”

…then there are five statements that begin with “we will…”

As you know, over the past year and a half, we have been giving concerted attention about the health and direction of our church.

But let’s realize this…

Any attempt to grow the church apart from the Holy Spirit will end up a disaster.

We can have the most clever programs conceivable.

We can have the most motivating promotions.

We can have the best music.

We can have the most well-prepared sermons.

But…without the work of the Holy Spirit, our efforts will be in vain.

This is the final message of our theme called…

3. “Choose the fire” (Matthew 3.11).

John the Baptist equated the Holy Spirit with fire when he spoke about Jesus…

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

When we choose the fire, we are choosing the difference God wants to make in us.

And we have learned in this series that…

He wants us choosing to listen to Him.

He wants us choosing to follow Him.

He wants us choosing the truth about ourselves.

He wants us choosing His power, available to us through the Spirit.

Let’s engage our text…

OUR STUDY:

(1) When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (3) And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

I. PENTECOST (1)

Pentecost is a Greek word that means fiftieth.

It came to designate the 50th day after Passover.