Three qualities of the Christian life.
The disciples were an awkward, inharmonious group before the day of Pentecost. We could say they were a bunch of musicians that were out of tune. They had seen Jesus die. They had seen Him after He arose again. Then they saw Him descend into heaven in a cloud. For at least seven days, they were together waiting as Jesus had instructed them too. They would I say out of tune with what their real purpose was and they lacked the power they needed to do what Jesus asked them to do. Then the day of Pentecost and they became a harmonious group. I want us to see them as a symphony that is in tune.
Acts 2:1-4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
I. They had sweetness. How I wished that all who go to this church were full of sweetness. I am not trying to say some of you are grouchy and out of sorts but you might be. It is your choice what you want to be. So think life tough and they give themselves over to complaining and whining. There are others who have even a tougher life but have chosen to be happy and spread joy wherever they go.
A. The disciples had a cantankerous attitude and when the Holy Spirit came in, they were cleansed of that attitude.
1. It was because they surrendered to the Holy Spirit. You see God created us to be like Him in being holy and loving. It is a choice that you have to make.
2. Before Pentecost, the disciples had to deal with their sin nature and therefore were not able to live the powerful lives that God had for them. They were saved from their sins and now with the Holy Spirit in their lives their sinful nature was dead. Now their conflict was not in them selves but the outward sin in others in which they wanted to lead to Jesus to find forgiveness. When the Holy Spirit enters our lives that were once centered on self is now spent for the seeking of others.
3. As one of the beatitudes says it, “They were the meek inheriting the earth.”
B. We talked about hem being out of tune before Pentecost but now they were united because they had crucified the inbred sinful nature. As long as we keep the Holy Spirit from being the Lord of our lives, we remain immature like children who are just concerned about their own comforts and wants.
II. They became solid in what they believed and what they were to do.
A. They were together in the room, but they needed a heart change.
1. As long as they were still controlled by a selfish nature, they could not be effective for Jesus. One just has to look at their lives even after Jesus had risen from the dead and they had witnessed it. Peter said let’s go fishing which meant he wanted to return to the old life that he had lived before he met Jesus. If you are finding that, your life wants to return to the old life of sin that Jesus saved you from then you need to let the Holy Spirit into your life as Lord.
2. If we are to play in a band or sing in a choir, we need musical experience. Andy Griffith show with Barney detecting the one off key. To sound good they had to get him to not sing at all. If we are to play in the band of Jesus or sing for Him, we need to be tuned up by the Holy Spirit. How is your relationship to Him?
B. They were together yet they had not become united in what they were to do.
1. Before the day of Pentecost, life was centered on what they wanted. They were like children who want from their parents all their attention. Their thinking was centered on what can God do for me.
2. When the Holy Spirit came in they were set on dong for God not what they wanted but to seek the lost and show the love of God.
3. A Holy Spirit, God-controlled life is filled with unconditional love for others.
C. I believe these disciples were now enables to help each other. The feeble were made strong by the by those more mature in the faith. I know that I have been around some Christians who think they are more holy than others and are a hindrance to helping others. We are set apart by God to make others feel better about themselves. Sonja had trouble playing B. B. like her sister. In high school, she became the statistician. They also helped to become a librarian and record keeper. Now she is working for a realtor. We encouraged her to be good at what she could do not like her sister.
1. What happened on the day of Pentecost gave a new energy that they had not known before. Jesus said if you will be endued with power. They had been saved but needed the power of t he Holy Spirit.
2. Only the Holy Spirit can do in you what God intended for you to live a blessed life. Are you living a blessed life?
III. They became strong because of God in their lives.
A. Paul said it in a very positive way when he said, “For me to live is Christ and to die gain.” Christ was first and all in his life and he knew if he died, he would be with Christ forever.
1. Do you know if you were to die tonight that you would go to heaven?
2. The disciples became a team that worked together. This was demonstrated in the case when Peter preached and 3,000 came to Jesus. Peter could not help al those 3,000 so the 119 others were there to help guide them. We are a team here in this church. I bring you the word of God and you live it out as we bring others to.
3. My prayer is that our church, your church may be solid in its purpose of Christ and become a strong hold for spiritual living.
B. They had strength to live a consecrated, committed life for Christ.
1. We are not friends with the world any more. We will suffer for Christ’ sake. We will not be popular because we take a stand against what are the world’s ideas such as homosexuality, abortion, gambling, lottery, evolution and adultery to name a few. It might cost us our job, our possessions, our families and friends and not being promoted in our work.
2. If we are live for Christ, we cannot give up.
There is a song, “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free. No, there’s across for every one and there’s a cross for me.”
We will not be strong without sacrifice. We cannot have rainbows without clouds. We do not get pure gold with our refining. Power does not come with out pressure.
Is your life in tune with God? Has the Holy Spirit refined your life to be in tune with God? Have you let the Holy Spirit be Lord of your life? Is your life filled with sweetness? Solid that others can lean on you? Do you have inner strength that gives you the power you need to live for God complete?
