Mighty Power for a Mighty Work
Rethinking – paradigm shift – never thought about it this way before
90-year-old golf pro Harvey Penick, success has come late. His first book, Little Red Book, sold more than a million copies. "In the 1920s Penick bought a red spiral notebook and began jotting down observations about golf. He never showed the book to anyone except his son until 1991, when he shared it with a local writer and asked if he thought it was worth publishing. The man read it and told him yes. He left word with Penick’s wife the next evening that Simon & Schuster had agreed to an advance of $90,000. "When the writer saw Penick later, the old man seemed troubled. Finally, Penick came clean. With all his medical bills, he said, there was no way he could advance Simon & Schuster that much money. The writer had to explain that Penick would be the one to receive the $90,000." You have it all backwards!
Acts 1:1-7 Disciples needed several weeks to rethink this whole Kingdom of God thing. Take 7 weeks – reread the scriptures – Go and wait
Learn how to preach all over again. Story of the childless couple
Read and paraphrase Acts 2
This is proof of the coming of the Kingdom of God – foretold by the prophets.
Gospel story in a nutshell – messiah promised, messiah came – we killed Him, God raised Him – and Forgives us too! This is good news for everyone.
No one had ever preached like this before - later Stephen and Paul followed
Pentecost power was given for a mighty work, where there is no power evident, it may be because we’re not engaged in the mighty work.
Many people want power without commitment – Counting the Cost
Luke 14:25-33 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
What reminds us of the high cost?
The price others have paid – and are paying - Every day 200,000,000 people in dozens of countries risk being beaten, raped, imprisoned, or even killed simply because they dare to follow Christ. There were close to 100,000,000 martyrs during 20th century. More Christians were martyred in the past century than in the 19 centuries put together. 160,000 Christians are martyred for their faith each year. Many killed in cruel, painful and gruesome ways. That’s 17 Christians being murdered every hour, 1 every 3 1/2 minutes.
Most of us never fully count the cost so we can’t go high enough in the bidding - what is it worth?
Playing Ebay with the cross
Don’t try to get by cheap
Either God’s kingdom is worth all you have or get out
You’ll cheapen grace and the cross and salvation with your
"how little can I pay" mentality
The Table
Nobody can be indwelt by the Spirit of God and keep that Spirit to himself. Where the Spirit is, he flows forth. And where there is no flowing forth, he is not there. -- Bishop William Temple
Do you hunger for the mighty power of God? – it begins here – at a table – a table of remembrance. Remember the high price that was paid – you must matter. So turn from your old ways of death and embrace God’s way of life. It’s time to experience the Father - come let us worship.
