Pentecostal Power Series

We aren’t really persecuted so much but there are those who will poke fun at our faith. But we always need to remember that there will also be those who will be amazed. They will see something about us that is very different. In a very good way and they will be open to the gospel.

3rd, churches must open their doors to everyone.

In the early church there were those who didn’t want to allow Gentiles into the church. In the middle ages Jews were excluded because of the color of their skin. It was MLK who said that “11:00 on Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour of the week.

There can be no discrimination in the NT church. We cannot discriminate because of race. Jew or Gentile are welcome. Male. Female. Young. Old. All are welcome in God’s house.

Churches often have a tendency to look down on young people and say to them you’re not mature enough, too young; wait! Then we turn to older adults and say you’re too old to serve. One of the things I have discovered is that the longer I serve the Lord is that age is not so important. A young person isn’t necessarily immature, an older person isn’t always mature-age is not the factor. It is your walk with Christ.

God didn’t start using Moses until he was 80 years of age. Someone has said that Moses spent his 1st 40 years thinking he was a Somebody. In his next 40 years he realized he was a Nobody. His last 40 years he realized what God can do with a Nobody.

Finally, God’s church must forever lift up the name of Jesus. The questions is what does that mean?

John 12:32

John 3:14

John 8:28

So how do we do this? We lift up His name when we praise Him. This exalts Jesus. This calls attention to Jesus. We see Him lifted up at the time of his death on the cross. Lifted up for all to see-on a Mt called calvary-here was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

This was not an accident that Jesus was crucified...not some unfortunate mistake..it is exactly what was planned. Satan thought he had won when Jesus was crucified and placed in the tomb. But on the 3rd day jesus came out of the tomb and at that moment Satan knew he had lost the battle. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was no longer just a prophecy. It was a fact that could not be ignored.

Mary Magdalene saw Him. Other women saw Him. 2 disciples saw Him. Simon Peter saw Him. 10 of the apostles saw Him. Then they saw Him at the Sea of Galilee. Then 500 brethren saw Him. Then Paul. Then James. And because they saw the risen Lord their lives were completely changed forever. An they left a message for you and I to share.

Nearly 200 years ago a guy named George Wilson was sentenced to die by hanging after he killed a guard during a robbery. President Andrew Jackson feeling merciful deiced to pardon him of his crime. To everyone’s surprise George Wilson refused it. This was so confusing to the court system that they had to ask the supreme court to rule on it. Chef Justice Marshall delivered this verdict: “a pardon is a parchment whose only value must be determined by the one who receives it. It has not value apart from the value the recipient gives to it. George Wilson has refused to accept the pardon. We cannot imagine why he would do so but he has. Therefore, George Wilson must die.