Video: Courage
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Sermon: Unstoppable
Thesis statement: “The mission of spreading the Gospel to all the earth was unstoppable because it was part of God’s salvation story that has been written and continues to be written“(Caine). God sent the Holy Spirit to us and into this world to transform it and His mission is unstoppable. No man can stop it, no religion can stop it, no government can stop it and no demon can stop it.
Sermon adapted from sermon resource: You Can’t Stop the Unstoppable by Christine Caine
Cases for example to prove this statement:
Scripture texts Acts 4; Acts 5:12-42
Acts 4
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family.
7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11He is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.
17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),
37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5:12-42
12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.
18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.
20“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.
22But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,
23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
25Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.”
26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.
28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
30The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
35Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Introduction:
I have been watching “AD” and in episode 5 of the series, we saw how even in the midst of persecution, the apostles of the early church continued to be obedient in declaring the Gospel. They faced severe opposition from the religious and political leaders of the day, many were thrown in jail on multiple occasions, and some were martyred for their faith. At times they were beaten or whipped for sharing the message of Jesus and healing people.
Can you picture this – can you place yourself into this moment in history and see what is happening? God does a miracle raises a dead girl – heals a crippled and in the next scene Stephen is martyred for standing up for Jesus!
Yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians experienced boldness, declared truth, and received empowerment through God’s grace. They weren’t focusing on the present circumstances full of discouragement, beatings, injustice, questions, and impossibility. Their focus was on God and on Jesus and doing the right thing. As a result, men and women were saved, many healed, and many witnessed supernatural miracles.
Why because God filled ordinary men and women with His Holy Spirit to change the world. He filled them with His Spirit – an unstoppable force to achieve His divine plan for mankind which is salvation.
Throughout history forces have tried to stop the spread and the truth of the Gospel.
Saul known as Paul tried and was converted when Jesus appeared to Him on the Damascus road.
Rome and others have tried for over 2,000 years to wipe out the message of Jesus and they have all failed.
John Fox's famous book “Fox’s Book of Martyrs” details the lives, sufferings and triumphant deaths of the early Christian and the Protestant Martyrs. The book reveals how God’s mission is unstoppable by the power of the Holy Spirit. I highly recommend you read this book!
The following list from book and website http://www.biblestudytools.com/history/foxs-book-of-martyrs/
Peter
Paul
Jude
Bartholomew
Thomas
Luke
Simon
John
Barnabas
Stephen
James the Great
Philip
Matthew
James the Less
Matthias
Andrew
St. Mark
The Ninth Persecution Under Aurelian, A.D. 274
The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A.D. 303
The First Persecution, Under Nero, A.D. 67
The Second Persecution, Under Domitian, A.D. 81
The Third Persecution, Under Trajan, A.D. 108
The Fourth Persecution, Under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, A.D. 162
The Fifth Persecution, Commencing with Severus, A.D. 192
The Sixth Persecution, Under Maximus, A.D. 235
The Seventh Persecution, Under Decius, A.D. 249
The Eighth Persecution, Under Valerian, A.D. 257
Persecutions of the Christians in Persia
Persecutions Under the Arian Heretics
Persecution Under Julian the Apostate
Persecution of the Christians by the Goths and Vandals.
The Last Roman "Triumph"
Persecutions from About the Middle of the Fifth, to the Conclusion of the Seventh Century
Persecutions from the Early Part of the Eighth, to Near the Conclusion of the Tenth Century
Persecutions in the Eleventh Century
Papal Persecutions
Persecution of the Waldenses in France
Persecutions of the Albigenses
The Bartholomew Massacre at Paris, etc.
From the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, to the French Revolution, in 1789
Martyrdom of John Calas
An Account of the Inquisition
An Account of the Cruel Handling and Burning of Nicholas Burton, an English Merchant, in Spain
Some Private Enormities of the Inquisition Laid Open, by a Very Singular Occurrence
The Persecution of Dr. Aegidio
The Persecution of Dr. Constantine
The Life of William Gardiner
An Account of the Life and Sufferings of Mr. William Lithgow, a Native of Scotland
The Story of Galileo
Summary of the Inquisition
An Account of the Persecutions in Italy, Under the Papacy
To the Obstinate Heretics Inhabiting Roras
An Account of the Persecutions of Michael de Molinos, a Native of Spain
An Account of the Persecutions of Calabria
Account of the Persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmont
An Account of the Persecutions in Venice
An Account of Several Remarkable Individuals, Who Were Martyred in Different Parts of Italy, on Account of Their Religion
An Account of the Persecutions in the Marquisate of Saluces
An Account of the Persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmont, in the Seventeenth Century
Further Persecutions in the Valleys of Piedmont, in the Seventeenth Century
A Narrative of the Piedmontese War
An Account of the Life and Persecutions of John Wickliffe
John Wickliffe
An Account of the Persecutions in Bohemia Under the Papacy
Persecution of John Huss
Persecution of Jerome of Prague
Persecution of Zisca
An Account of the Life and Persecutions of Martin Luther
General Persecutions in Germany
An Account of the Persecutions in the Netherlands
The Life and Story of the True Servant and Martyr of God, William Tyndale
An Account of the Life of John Calvin
An Account of the Persecutions in Great Britain and Ireland, Prior to the Reign of Queen Mary I
An Account of the Persecutions in Scotland During the Reign of King Henry VIII
An Account of the Life, Sufferings, and Death of Mr. George Wishart, Who Was Strangled and Afterward Burned, in Scotland, for Professing the Truth of the Gospel
Persecutions in England During the Reign of Queen Mary
The Rev. George Marsh
William Flower
The Rev. John Cardmaker and John Warne
John Simpson and John Ardeley
Thomas Haukes, Thomas Watts, and Anne Askew
Rev. John Bradford, and John Leaf, an Apprentice
Rev. John Bland, Rev. John Frankesh, Nicholas Shetterden, and Humphrey Middleton
Dirick Carver and John Launder
John Denley, John Newman, and Patrick Packingham
W. Coker, W. Hooper, H. Laurence, R. Colliar, R. Wright and W. Stere
The Words and Behavior of the Lady Jane upon the Scaffold
The Rev. Robert Samuel
Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer
Mr. John Philpot
John Lomas, Agnes Snoth, Anne Wright, Joan Sole, and Joan Catmer
Archbishop Cranmer
The Vision of Three Ladders
Hugh Laverick and John Aprice
Preservation of George Crow and His Testament
Executions at Stratford-le-Bow
Rev. Julius Palmer
John Rogers, Vicar of St. Sepulchre's, and Reader of St. Paul's, London
Joan Waste and Others
Persecutions in the Diocese of Canterbury
Rev. John Hullier
Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper
Executions at Colchester
Mrs. Joyce Lewes
Executions at Islington
Mrs. Cicely Ormes
Rev. John Rough
Cuthbert Symson
The Rev. Lawrence Saunders
Thomas Hudson, Thomas Carman, and William Seamen
The Story of Roger Holland
Flagellations by Bonner
Rev. Richard Yeoman
Thomas Benbridge
Mrs. Prest
Richard Sharpe, Thomas Banion, and Thomas Hale
J. Corneford, of Wortham; C. Browne, of Maidstone; J. Herst, of Ashford; Alice Snoth, and Catharine Knight, an Aged Woman
Deliverance of Dr. Sands
Queen Mary's Treatment of Her Sister, the Princess Elizabeth
The History, Imprisonment, and Examination of Mr. John Hooper, Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester
God's Punishment upon Some of the Persecutors of His People in Mary's Reign
The Life and Conduct of Dr. Rowland Taylor of Hadley
Martyrdom of William Hunter
Dr. Robert Farrar
Martyrdom of Rawlins White
Rise and Progress of the Protestant Religion in Ireland; with an Account of the Barbarous Massacre of 1641
The Rise, Progress, Persecutions, and Sufferings of the Quakers
An Account of the Persecutions of Friends, Commonly Called Quakers, in the United States
An Account of the Life and Persecutions of John Bunyan
An Account of the Life of John Wesley
Persecutions of the French Protestants in the South of France, During the Years 1814 and 1820
Further Account of the Proceedings of the Catholics at Nismes
Attack Upon the Protestant Churches
Murder of General La Garde
Interference of the British Government
Ultimate Resolution of the Proestants at Nismes
The Arrival of King Louis XVIII at Paris
The History of the Silver Child
The Catholic Arms at Beaucaire
Massacre and Pillage at Nismes
Royal Decree in Favor of the Persecuted
Petition of the Protestant Refugees
Monstrous Outrage Upon Females
Outrages Committed in the Villages, etc.
The Beginnings of American Foreign Missions
http://www.christianity.com/church/does-church-thrive-under-persecution.html
in this article Marc Cortez states this about persecution and the church:
Persecution is alive and well in the modern world. For Christians in Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, and other places around the world, persecution is a very real and present danger.
When I hear Christians in the west talk about persecution, though, I'm struck by how often I hear something like the following:
No one has ever stopped the church through persecution. Indeed, whenever the world persecutes the church, it just grows even more. Look at the early church. The Romans tried to persecute it out of existence, yet it spread the gospel throughout the entire empire. And, more recently, the church in China blossomed during the twentieth century despite tremendous persecution.
Unlike the lazy and complacent Christianity that develops in "safe" countries, persecution fosters a robust Christianity, confident of its faith and bold in its proclamation. The church thrives under persecution.
And I understand where that sentiment is coming from. Christians are optimists. In general, we have a deep and abiding sense that God is in control and that he'll make sure everything works out his people in the end. Thus, even when we hear that things are going badly for Christians in some part of the world, we're comforted by the fact that God is still at work and that he can do amazing things in even the most difficult circumstances.
The world we live in is filled with injustice and persecution of the innocent and we as Christians need to stand up fight against it.
Story from Christian Caine:
Several years ago, I had an experience that changed my life in a way I never thought possible. My husband, Nick, and I were visiting our office in Greece, where we had recently started The A21 Campaign, an international anti-human trafficking organization. At that time, I was still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that today more than twenty-seven million people are being bought and sold for forced sex and labor.
This particular afternoon, I was visiting our aftercare home and one of our survivors was sharing with me how her traffickers had transported her and fifty-nine other girls in a shipping container. Thirty girls were killed in the container due to an oxygen pump malfunction before they were put into rubber boats to be transported to Greece. While they were being transported on the water, the Coast Guard started heading toward them. The traffickers panicked and began to throw the girls overboard. For many girls, this was the first time they had seen water and they did not know how to swim. Twenty of these girls drowned that day. A handful made it into Athens, and that’s where this girl was eventually rescued and brought into our care.
She’s telling me this story, and I almost couldn’t believe my ears. I looked over and one of the other girls, who had been rescued just a couple of days before, was staring at me. I met her glance and she asked me in broken Russian, “Why are you here?” She was still very angry and traumatized. I paused for a moment and then started to tell her why I came and how I had really felt that I wanted to get involved in this issue and see girls rescued. I shared how there’s a God in heaven who loves her, a God who has a plan and purpose for her life, a God who sent His Son Jesus to set the captives free. Her eyes filled with tears and she yelled, “If all this is true, if what you are telling me is true about your God, then why didn’t you come sooner?” I froze. Why didn’t you come sooner? This question altered my life and infused a passion in my heart to see those who are enslaved be set free. On the flight home after my encounter with these beautiful survivors, I thought of my own story. I grew up in the poorest local government area in our state, the third poorest in the nation, and in government- assisted housing. I was not on the fast track to success. I came from a culture where women were never encouraged to do anything great. The highest expectation was that I would be a lean, mean, breeding machine.
I was abused in my childhood, and that trauma damaged my sense of identity and self-esteem. There was a lot of developmental wounding in my life. I never went from one phase of growth to the next in any healthy way. Most women with my kind of background don’t end up doing what I get to do. I am a testimony of God’s saving grace and power to transform, restore, and rebuild broken lives.
Maybe you’re in a season of life where you’re facing a situation that seems impossible; maybe you’re going through a divorce and feel like a failure; maybe you feel unworthy, unwanted, or unloved. The obstacles you’re facing may feel insurmountable. This message is for you today: God is with you, His grace is enough for you, and He has a good plan for your life and your future that no one or nothing can stop.
The people of God who have taken on the sex trade in this world looked at an impossible situation to stop but they are making head way as they tear down this demonic stronghold of human bondage and abuse.
Thesis statement: “The mission of spreading the Gospel to all the earth was unstoppable because it was part of God’s salvation story that has been written and continues to be written“(Caine). God sent the Holy Spirit to us and into this world to transform it and His mission is unstoppable. No man can stop it, no religion can stop it, no government can stop it and no demon can stop it.
Question: Do you believe this? Do you understand this? Do you want to be unstoppable for Jesus and the mission? Then connect with His Spirit and do the Word!
The challenge today: Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into what you think is an impossible situation and watch the Lord make something possible.
1. God calls us to do the impossible.
a. Just like Jesus called the apostles to do the impossible in Jerusalem and throughout the Mideast he calls us to do the same in this time frame and post Christian culture.
i. This is why He sent them the Holy Spirit!
b. Today is Pentecost Sunday comes 50 days after Easter Sunday, hence its name. The Greek word for 50 is Pentecost. The beginning of Pentecost is recorded in Acts 2:1-2. The disciples of Jesus were gathering and praying together on this day when the Holy Spirit filled them and birthed the modern Church age: "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." – Acts 2:2-4
i. Time frame of this historical moment in the history of the world:
1. 7 weeks after Jesus resurrection
2. 1 week after His ascension
ii. The atmosphere of the moment:
1. They have been keeping a low profile – fearful of their lives.
2. The disciples were not being brave but living in fear – this is why Jesus said peace be with you and said many times do not be afraid!
iii. What was happening in Jerusalem and in the Temple?
1. There is the Celebration of the Jews going on called Shavout. Yes, the Day the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples was a Jewish Holiday called Shavout.
a. It was 50 days after Passover weekend – remember Passover was celebrated with Jesus and His disciples and it’s were Jesus introduced Communion to His followers. The practice of remembering His great sacrifice for us.
b. Passover was celebrated by the Jewish people to remember the day God delivered them out of the bondage of Egypt and on that day many sacrifices were made by the people for the forgiveness of their sins. Jesus tied Passover with deliverance from the bondage of sin to remembering His sacrifice and believing on Him for our salvation. After Jesus died and raised from the dead he visited his disciples locked up in a room in fear and proved he had raised from the dead. He also breathed on them and said receive the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit came 50 days after Passover as the disciples had gathered as instructed by Jesus waiting for Him to come but He came on another Jewish holiday which honored the day Moses gave the people of Israel in the desert the Torah – the law – the 10 Commandments. During this feast the people would bring not animal sacrifices in the case of Passover but grain offerings to the Lord. It established a relationship with God the father and established how to connect with Him through sacrifices and obedience to his law.
3. This is the Day Jesus said would come – He had to go to the Father so the Holy Spirit would come and he came on this Jewish festival signifying that there is a new way to connect to God the Father- through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The way to honor God and Jesus was by allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell in them personally. No longer would the Spirit of God dwell in a temple but now He would come live inside the heart and soul of a person. They became the living temple of God.
a. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost birthed the Church age and ushered in the beginning of a new last day move of the Spirit of God which would bring in a great harvest for the Kingdom of Heaven.
b. According to the Bible we live in the last days - which means we are right at the moment in history which is right before Jesus return - He will come in all of His glory and defeat evil. From Bible terminology this is the era we currently live in.
iv. What happened in the upper room to these followers of Jesus?
1. The fire and wind blew in tongues – this was manifested by them speaking the truth of God in their own languages – in other languages supernaturally – it is noted that at this time in Jerusalem there was about 15 languages being spoken in this city.
a. All heard the message and praise of Jesus in their own language as the disciple spoke in tongues.
2. It says in Acts 2 tongues of fire appeared and rested on them this event transformed these men and women!
a. Transformation happens to these upper room hideouts – only 120 people in the church at this time – these people were called criminals – yet - they become bold as lions.
b. The fear left of man and a holy inner drive to share the truth took over and they went out to tell the world.
v. So what does this all mean?
1. Was it easy to proclaim the truth?
a. No other’s mocked them – they are drunk – this whole scenario is simply amazing the rise and fall of the church rests in this moment – if they leave their place of hiding they could all be killed and the church would be wiped out before it even started.
2. Speaking in other languages.
a. The Tongues as of fire pointed back into the Old Testament to Mt. Sinai and Moses when the fire rested on the mountain and signified God’s presence and when Moses received the 10 commandments and the Law. .
b. Remember this shorter feast one day fest – celebrated God s grace – and mercy through the harvest – a giving of the first fruits of the grain harvest to God at the temple.
i. The Holy Spirit is saying what His mission is – my message is to go around the world with the message in Jesus.
ii. Luke in Acts 2:5 – God is going to empower the church to proclaim the message – an unstoppable force – why It has the power of God behind it!
iii. Peter once a coward now bold as lion. 7 weeks before denied Christ and not steps in front of a crowd of 1,000 a hostile crowd of people – Peter reaches back into the Old Testament – remember Joel the prophecy of God’s coming to pour out his Spirit on all people.
c. This is that – right now – the unstoppable force of the Spirit has come to this earth to this church to this world.
i. The Holy Spirit is a Christ centered Spirit which points to Jesus.
c. Quote: Michele Vu From Christian Post explains Pentecost this way: When the Holy Spirit descended some 2,000 years ago, one of Jesus' disciples, Peter, explained the event to a perplexed crowd by invoking Prophet Joel's words: "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy." While words such as "prophecy" and "visions" may scare some people off or evoke bad memories for others, Skinner explained that this is not about seeing into the future, but rather seeing God as active or visible in the world now that Jesus has gone and the Spirit has arrived. Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/51096/#xG2zgPgqjEjI5oUA.99
Video Illustration – Acts 2 the Holy Spirit comes from the Bible series.
d. God calls us to do the impossible but in return gives us the Holy Spirit who can turn an impossible situation into a miracle.
2. God empowers us with the Holy Spirit and therefore makes us unstoppable!
a. The more resistance, threats, and violence Peter and the apostles came up against, the more unstoppable they became.
b. Caine states, “I have found in my own life that God will often bring us through difficult circumstances that are impossible in our own strength so that we learn to completely rely on Him. When we remember it is about God’s strength and not our own, we are more willing to trust Him and allow Him to use us for His purpose.”
i. I agree with this statement! The same has happened in my own life and ministry!
c. Back to Acts 5 the following thoughts from Christian Cain Ad resource sermon 5:
i. Following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter and the apostles responded to the call of God and began to boldly teach the people of Jerusalem about what they had seen and heard. Their words and actions enraged the city’s leaders, and the leaders threatened to kill the apostles. There was a Pharisee named Gamaliel who advocated on their behalf, persuading the high priest to let them live. Gamaliel was a member of the Sanhedrin, the high council of Jews in Jerusalem, and held one of the highest positions of influence. He used his position of authority and wisdom from God to advise the men of Israel to leave Peter and the apostles alone. He recognized that if God was orchestrating the spreading of the Gospel through Peter and the apostles, there was nothing that could be done to stop this move of God. “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39).
ii. As a result of Gamaliel’s speech, the apostles were not killed, but they were flogged and ordered not to speak the name of Jesus. Instead of seeing the flogging and threats as a situation of pain, the apostles rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). They chose to set their focus on God, seeing the greater picture of what He was doing on the earth. They could have complained, grown angry, or become bitter at the situation, but instead they viewed persecution for their faith as a privilege. As a result of their obedience and boldness, the Gospel continued to spread. “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).
3. God will never fail us or leave us abandoned!
a. The truth is Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit and He did so that we would not feel abandoned or alone in the battle.
i. He promised us His resources and power and He delivered them to us to use.
ii. The choice is will we use what He gave us?
b. Cain highlights:
i. Among the apostles of the early church, there was a man named Stephen. He is described in Acts 6:8 as “a man full of God’s grace and power,” and he performed many miracles among the people. The wisdom the Holy Spirit gave to him could not be argued against, and he boldly declared the truth of the Gospel. When the members of the Sanhedrin heard him, they were furious. They rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him. Stephen became the first martyr for the Gospel. In the account of this significant event, Acts 7 tells us that Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God. He went on to pray, “‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’” (Acts 7:59-60).
c. Stephen story is all part of God’s plan:
i. Even in the midst of being put to death, Stephen still had the story of God in mind because of the faith and conviction he held. He chose to set his eyes on Jesus, released his murderers through his declaration, and understood that even the worst situation of death was an opportunity for God’s glory to be made known. Even though it was not God’s will for Stephen to be killed, God was able to use the story of Stephen to inspire others, and the result was the scattering of Christians into Judea and Samaria, where the Gospel was able to spread throughout the earth. This fulfilled the prophecy Jesus gave the disciples when He told them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
ii. Stephen’s impact did not end at his death. Acts 7 tells us that a young man named Saul was a witness of his stoning. Then, in Acts 8, we read that Saul began to destroy the church—Saul who would later become known as the apostle Paul, author of two-thirds of the New Testament, and would be one of the greatest leaders in church history. God used the martyring of Stephen to bring about growth, expansion, influence, and eternal life. What seemed to be an impossible situation and a dead end became the beginning of new life and the pathway to salvation for many.
Conclusion
We need to know?
God placed His resources in our hands!
Why do we need to know this?
Because we live in hopelessness each day both economically, socially, politically, emotionally, morally, spiritually and environmentally. Where ever you turn today you see the hopelessness!
What do we need to do?
We need to be filled again with the Holy Spirit so as to change the world. So as to bring hope to the hopeless.
Why do we need to do this?
This is the greatest hour for the church. We were born for this moment to bring light into darkness. We were designed to set the captive free with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Our time to shine is right now – in this moment – we are unstoppable with His Spirit!
Our prayer for you is that you know there is a plan for your life and that His will, purpose, and destiny over you is unstoppable.
May we be like Stephen and Peter, “full of God’s grace and power,” as we live lives empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the impossible, be unstoppable, and know that His love never fails!
INVITATION / CLOSING (From Christian Cain’s sermon)
We live in a world of unprecedented hopelessness across every sphere—economically, socially, politically, emotionally, morally, spiritually, and environmentally. Wherever you turn, there is a sense of hopelessness, and the circumstances that people face daily are overwhelming.
Not only are people being trafficked around the world, but our communities are filled with lonely, isolated people who have lost hope. Families just trying to put food on the table, single parents trying to raise their kids, people fighting sickness and disease, people grieving the loss of loved ones, families disintegrating. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by this broken world. It’s easy to make excuses. It’s easy to not do what we know we are called to do because of the challenges that come with the journey.
I believe this is the greatest hour for the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. We were born for this moment to bring light and life and hope and liberty to a lost and broken world. This generation has immense potential. Why? Because we serve a restoring and redeeming God: a God of hope, a God of second chances, a God of new beginnings. While the world is wondering if there is hope, we are the ones with the answer: Jesus Christ. Through a relationship with Him, we have hope living on the inside of us. Through the Holy Spirit, all things are possible, and all things work together for good because we are called by God to play our part in His salvation story. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
My prayer for you is that you know there is a plan for your life and that His will, purpose, and destiny over you is unstoppable. May we be like Stephen, “full of God’s grace and power,” as we live lives empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the impossible, be unstoppable, and know that His love never fails.
