“FROM THE UPPER ROOM TO FLORA, MS” Acts 2
FBCF – 6/8/25
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Water tower taken down a couple of months ago. Changed the landscape of Flora.
A lot has changed in this town over the years, especially recently. And a lot more change is coming (projected that 10,000 more people will be living in this area in the next 10 yrs). A lot has changed in this church since 1887. And a lot more change is coming. And b/c of these realities, I felt led to change msg for today. Started “Life Songs” series in Psalms last week & will get back to the Psalms. But I really believe we need to take a look at what “CHURCH” is supposed to be all about.
- Going to look at when & where the Church started
- Why the Church is so important
- The components that are evident in a Spirit-filled Church. The lost world needs a Spirit-filled Church b/c a Spirit-filled Church points people to Jesus – not to personalities, people, positions, & programs – but to JESUS! None of those other things can save you! Only JESUS can!
- What that specifically looks like here in Flora, MS, w/ this body of believers.
That’s why message is entitled, “From the Upper Room to Flora, MS” b/c what happened there in Jerusalem 1992 years ago has a direct impact on what MUST happen here in 2025 & in the years to come.
EXPLANATION – Acts 2
Outline of Acts 2 – Divided into 4 parts:
#1 – The coming of the Spirit – v. 1-13
- Promised by Jesus – Acts 1:8
o John 14:16-17 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth”
- Manifested by the sound of the “mighty rushing wind” (pneuma & ruach – Gk & Heb words for breath or wind – the Holy Spirit), the tongues of fire (fire speaks to presence of God – His burning holiness & purity), & the speaking in other languages (known languages so all those who were present could hear & understand the Gospel – v. 5-12)
o It’s obvious when the Spirit shows up!
o And there will always be naysayers & doubters & mockers – v. 13
#2 – The preaching of the Gospel – v. 14-36 – Peter, filled w/ the Spirit, took advantage of the opportunity to preach the Gospel to all those who were present. And he brought it!
- Not watered down – Not politically correct – Not worried about whether or not he would offend anyone - & there were plenty of people there who could’ve been offended – people who had lived in Jerusalem their whole lives, & those who had come to town for the Pentecost festival.
- V. 22-24 – YOU KILLED HIM! But, that’s ok b/c GOD RAISED HIM UP – v. 32
#3 – The moment of salvation – v. 37-41 – “Now when they heard this…” – This is why the sharing of the Gospel is so important. Lost people MUST hear it, from those of us who are vocational preachers & those of you who are not.
- Romans 10:14 – “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
When they heard the Gospel, “they were cut to the heart” – “cut” – Gk word means “deep pain, sorrow, & conviction.”
- Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discerning the thoughts & intentions of the heart.”
- The Holy Spirit takes the sharp, 2-edged sword of the W of G, & pierces their hearts & shows them their desperate condition, their hopeless condition, their sinful condition.
- He still does that same thing today!
And the ONLY right response when you are cut to the heart w/ the conviction of the Spirit is to repent & turn to Jesus! Then be baptized as an act of obedience & to proclaim to the world that you now belong to Jesus.
- Water is in the baptistery today for anyone who needs to be baptized!
The next steps for believers – v. 42-47 – The normative activity for the 1st century Christian was to be saved, get baptized, then connect w/ the Church. And that is the same process for Christians today – Get saved – Get baptized – Get connected to the Church.
- Have you taken the first step & gotten saved?
o Bunch of kids in VBS took that step
o 70+ yr-old man took that step Thu at UMMC
o My DIL got to lead her first person to faith in Christ this week & helped them take that step
o What about YOU? Are YOU ready to take that step?
- Have you taken the 2nd step & gotten baptized?
o Get your baptism on the right side of your salvation.
o Baptism brochure
- Have you taken the 3rd step & gotten connected to the Church?
o What does that look like?
o What should we expect to happen in a “Spirit-filled” church w/ Spirit-filled Christ-followers?
We’ll be devoted – v. 42 – Priorities:
- “apostles’ teaching” – Study of Bible must be central to our spiritual formation. Pour yourself into Scripture & pour Scripture into yourself! LG, Bible study groups, discipleship groups, Betterman groups
- “the fellowship” – We do LIFE together! That’s what THE fellowship is. That’s why we changed name of SS to LG. If all you’re doing is sitting in a rectangular room on Sunday w/ a group of people while someone teaches a lesson, but there’s no carryover into that same group doing life together – ministering to one another, reaching out to others who aren’t in the group, holding each other accountable on how you’re living out the teachings of the Bible, then you’re not truly fellowshipping the way the Bible says to fellowship.
- “prayer” – Consistent, persistent, heartfelt, gut-wrenching, fervent, faith-filled, BIG prayers that ONLY God can answer. You need people who the REAL you praying for you! Who is that person in your life who knows everything about you?
We’ll be in awe – v. 43 – When the people of God are devoted to the things of God, “awe” comes upon those people. When is the last time you were in awe of God, amazed by God, astounded at the work of God? I long for people all over this church to regularly say, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would see…” For God to do things that ONLY He could do – “great & mighty things…”
We’ll be together – v. 44 – Not “together” just in a room on Sunday, but truly “together” – ALL who believe in unity w/ one another… “all who believed” were people from everywhere, every walk of life, different races, ethnicities, languages, backgrounds. And the ONE THING that brought them all together was the cross! The ground is level at the foot of the cross! We can let so many things divide us. But when the Spirit of God eternally changes our lives, unity happens. Titles & differences & manmade barriers disappear when Jesus shows up!
We’ll be generous – v. 45 – They gave so that needs could be met. Spirit-filled believers are generous w/ their money & possessions – simple as that.
We’ll worship in big groups (aka – go to “big church”!) – v. 46a – “attended the temple together” – Temple was big enough for at least 3000 people to gather for worship – needed it b/c in one day they went from 120 to 3120 in one day, then to 5000 (Acts 4), then to possibly 20-25,000 (Acts 6). Large gatherings for corporate worship are the norm for a Spirit-filled church. And you need room for those large gatherings.
- For those who say we don’t need a 700-seat sanctuary, you’re right. We probably need one much larger.
- I believe that in the next 5-10 yrs, there will be 1500-2000 people worshiping here each weekend. And we’ll also have other campuses planted across this region of MS & beyond.
For those who COULD come to “Big Church” – our corporate worship services – but choose not to & just come to LG, they are missing out on an essential part of their Christian life & growth. Watching on Facebook, Youtube, or CSpire not the same. Those are for people who CAN’T be here or are NOT here for legit reasons.
- Text last Sun from church member on vacation: “We had church on the beach this morning. Awesome message!” – THAT’S how technology is ministry. Folks who just stay at home b/c they don’t want to get out of their pj’s need to get up & get out & get down to this place that has been dedicated to corporate worship - & soon another place that will be dedicated…to the glory of God!
We’ll fellowship & disciple in small groups – v. 46b – Are you using your home for ministry? This church is full of people who have beautiful, spacious homes that needs to be being used for K’dom work.
We’ll grow numerically & spiritually – v. 47 – When the people of God are trusting God & doing the things of God in the church of God for the glory of God, then God shows up & blows their mind.
CONCLUSION – So which step do you need to take today?
- Get saved?
- Get baptized?
- Get connected to the Church?
