In The Name Of Jesus

THE NAME OF JESUS

ACTS 4:1-13

INTRO-

***I WANT TO TALK TO YOU THIS MORNING ABOUT JESUS, I HOPE THAT WOULD BE OKAY WITH EVERYONE

I THINK THERE ARE 3 KINDS OF CHURCHES:

1. DEAD AND DRIED UP, JUST WAITING FOR DIRT TO BE PUT ON THEM.

OUR FOUR AND NO MORE ATTITUDE

2. THE CHURCH THAT IS ON FIRE, CONSTANTLY TRYING TO STAY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF WAYS TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS.

3.THE CHURCH THAT SAYS THEY WANT TO BE ON FIRE, BUT NEVER QUITE GET THINGS RIGHT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

ILLUSTRATION-

THE VILLAGE ATHEIST WAS NOT A BAD MAN, HE JUST DIDN’T BELIEVE. HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN CHURCH...AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE IN THE AREA. ONE DAY THE CHURCH BUILDING CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND THE WHOLE TOWN RAN TOWARD IT TO HELP EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES.. INCLUDING THE VILLAGE ATHEIST HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING NEW FOR YOU, THE FIRST TIME WE’VE EVER SEEN YOU RUNNING TO CHURCH HE REPLIED, “THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER SEEN THE CHURCH OF FIRE”

PROBABLY IF YOU HAVE BEEN A CHRISTIAN AWHILE, YOU HAVE SAT IN A DEAD CHURCH OR ONE THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET OFF THE GROUND.

I THINK ROSEDALE IS A GROWING CHURCH THAT HAS A DESIRE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, SOMETIMES WE GET CAUGHT SHORT O F MANPOWER TO MOVE FORWARD.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT ALL YOU NEED FOR GROWTH IS NEW CONVERTS, THAT’LL SET THE CHURCH ON FIRE NO... WHAT WE NEED IS SOME FIRE, AND THEN WE’LL SEE PEOPLE CONVERTED.

WHY DO I SAY THIS?

I SAID MY MESSAGE IS ABOUT JESUS, BECAUSE.... YOU CANNOT BE A CHURCH ABOUT JESUS AND NOT BE A CHURCH ON FIRE

DEAD CHURCHES DON’T TALK ABOUT JESUS-

THEY PREACH A SOCIAL GOSPEL:

LET’S JUST GET ALONG

LETS NOT MAKE ANY WAVES

LIVELY CHURCHES TALK ABOUT JESUS AND THEY INVITE JESUS TO MAKE THE CHANGES IN OUR LIVES

GENESIS 22- ISAAC ASKED HIS FATHER ABRAHAM - AS HE WAS ABOUT TO BE THE SACRIFICE-

THERE’S THE WOOD AND THERE IS THE FIRE...WHERE IS THE LAMB?

CHURCHES TODAY:

WHERE’S THE FIRE?

R.G. LEE- “GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR THE CHURCH TO BE A REFRIGERATOR IN WHICH TO PRESERVE PERISHABLE PEOPLE- HE INTENDED IT TO BE AN INCUBATOR IN WHICH TO HATCH CONVERTS

ROSEDALE IS TO BE A HOSPITAL FOR SINNERS, NOT A REST HOME FOR SAINTS.

FISHERS OF MEN, NOT KEEPERS OF THE AQUARIUM

TOO OBVIOUS TO MISS V 13

“NOW WHEN THEY SAW THE BOLDNESS OF PETER AND JOHN AND PERCEIVED THAT THEY WERE UNEDUCATED AND UNTRAINED MEN. THEY MARVELED, AND THEY REALIZED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS.”

THE WORLD IS LOOKING FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN THIS MORNING, THE NAME OF JESUS IS SPECIAL TO YOU.

HE IS THE SAVIOR OF YOUR LIFE

HE PAID A PRICE THAT YOU CANNOT PAY

JESUS LOVES YOU AND YOU KNOW HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

THINK ABOUT THE SONGS THAT WE SING ABOUT JESUS:

“LORD I LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH”

“JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME

THE NAME OF JESUS - THE NAME THAT EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT HE IS LORD

THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION, IT’S GOD BREATHED, IT IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRIINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION

IT TELLS US:

WHAT IS RIGHT

WHAT IS WRONG

HOW TO GET RIGHT

HOW TO STAY RIGHT

ACTS CHAPTER 2

DAY OF PENTECOST

THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES TO DWELL IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS, PEOPLE ARE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

AS A RESULT , ONCE FEARFUL DISCIPLES NOW HAVE THE BOLDNESS TO BE AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS CHRIST

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING

THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE NAME OF:

MOHAMAD

MORMON PROPHET

BUDDHA

CONFUCIUS

IT HAPPENS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ALIVE AND WELL

THIS CANNOT BE MISSED

WE NEED THE POWER OF GOD WORKING IN OUR LIVES...AND IN OUR CHURCH

ACTS 3:6- PETER SPEAKING WHEN CONFRONTED ABOUT HEALING A MAN IN NEED

“SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT SUCH AS I HAVE I GIVE THEE.. IN THE NAME OF JESUS OF NAZARETH RISE UP AND WALK”

IF WE ARE GOING TO BE A CHURCH ON FIRE- WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH JESUS.

THERE IS SOME CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE WILL HAVE IF INDEED WE HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WITH JESUS.

WRITE THESE DOWN

I. IF WE HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS- WE WILL BE CHANGED

PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE TO GUESS IF WE HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS

THESE WERE ORDINARY MEN- FISHERMEN GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS

THEY WERE UNEDUCATED, UNTRAINED, THEY DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE, NOR POWER IN THEMSELVES, BUT THEY TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF MILLIONS