INTRODUCTION: In the book of Acts we see the beginning movement of God’s chariot of the Gospel called the Church.
It is a book about transformation and growth. From infancy in Jerusalem on through its adulthood having reached the capital of the known world Rome. We see the gospel grow through what has been called the Acts of the Apostles.
It could more accurately be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. The Holy spirit is the electricity that travels through the wire of the apostles to bring change and transformation into the lives of the Jews, and Gentiles living dead powerless lives.
We see the fulfillment of Jesus words in Acts 1.8 throughout the whole of the book of Acts. (Read Acts 1.8) The Gospel spreads through Judea in Chapters 1-7; to Samaria and other outlying regions chapters 8-12, and to the distant parts in Chapters 13-28.
In the beginning of the book we see the continuing of Jesus teachings and actions through the fulfilled promise of the Holy Spirit.
We also see that the foundation of the early church is all that Jesus taught and did. (1.1) Through the Holy Spirit the teachings and actions of Jesus continue on in the History of the Apostles and the church today.
In this book we find many things important, the priority of evangelism, 1.8, community life, teaching, prayer, breaking down human barriers with the power of Jesus, and many others. It should also show us through the revealing power of the Holy Spirit some radical challenges to the way we “do” church and the way we live as the church.
I. Church in Training
A) Teaching
1) Facts about the Faith
a) 1.3 “many convincing or infallible proofs”
b) Our faith in Jesus Christ is not based on some myth or legend it is instead based on the fact of the resurrection.
Basic facts
1) Jesus was crucified
2) Jesus was buried
3) Jesus rose from the dead
Basic facts about God in the book of Acts
1) God the creator
a) 14. 15 He made heaven, earth, sea and everything in them
b) 17.24, 26 Made world everything in it creator of all humans (whether they believe it or not)
2) The living God
a) 14.6-20 The living God
b) 17.16-34 Not confined to a temple, not in need of our help, Not made by human hands.
3) God’s accesiblilty
a) 17.27 He is not far from us.
2) Accepting the facts.
a) To be a Christian means you accept the basic facts.
b) Sanctification: A big word for Christian growth means that your knowledge of the facts about Jesus death burial and resurrection and the nature of God increase.
B) Truths of the Scripture
1) The nature of God and the words and works of Jesus are better known as truths of the Bible.
2) To grow in these truths we must have the Holy Spirit. (growth means something is alive)
a) John 16.13 “But when He, the spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative. But whatever He hears, He will spea; and He will disclose it to you.
b) Disclose: anaggello, to announce to make known.
1) The Holy spirit will announce to us the truth of God!
2) The Holy spirit will make known God to us!
3) The only way we can announce and make known the truth of God is through the guidance, and power of the Holy Spirit.
4) The truths of the bible come alive under the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Ghost does not reveal anything fresh now. He brings old things to our remembrance. . . The canon of revelation is closed, there is no more to be added; God does not give a fresh revelation, but He rivets the old one. When it has been forgotten, and laid in the dusty chamber of our memory, he fetches it out and cleans the picture, but does not paint a new one. There are no new doctrines, but the old one are often revived.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
5) It is when the Holy Spirit revives those teachings and actions of Jesus in us that God’s word becomes fresh and real.
a) Not only to us
b) But to those around us.
Jesus’ teachings and doing did not stop when He ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit was sent to enable us to do great works. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” John 14.12
II. Church in Transition
A) Command to Wait
1) Until you receive Power
2) Can you imagine the anticipation
a) Finally power to over throw Rome (1.6)
1) Commentary on Acts “It must have saddened Jesus to hear the disciples ask about restoring the Kingdom of Israel. He had taught them about the Kingdom of God but they talk about the kingdom of Israel.
b) John Stott a minister and theologian points out
“the verb, the noun and the adverb of their sentence all betray doctrinal confusion about the kingdom. The verb restore shows that they were expecting a political and territorial kingdom; the noun Israel that they were expecting a national kingdom, and the adverbial clause at this time they they were expecting its immediate establishment.”
1) They wanted power over Rome
2) God gave power over sin
They wanted a physical Kingdom
God was giving a spiritual Kingdom
B) It is not territorial or political power that Jesus was talking about when He told the disciples “But you shall receive power”
1) Spiritual power to save souls from the strangle hold of sin.
2) Spiritual power to break the bonds of bondage of any kind
It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be the church the witness of the truth of Jesus. His death, burial, and resurrection.
III. Church in Holy Spirits Control
A) Giving the Christian’s supernatural power
1) To fulfill the Great Commission
a) Holy Spirit gives power to be witnesses
1) The definition of power in the scientific world is the ability to do work
2) If we take the defintion to the power given by God
a) It is supernatural power to do the work God has given us.
b) Nothing should overcome us
We should never run out of juice
We can be God’s witness’
strength power, ability. 1A inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth. 1B power for performing miracles. 1C moral power and excellence of soul.
c) We can exert the power of the Holy Spirit in our life if we simply do what Jesus told us to do Go.
B) Giving the Christian’s supernatural boldness
1) Bold to proclaim the unique message of Christ
a) Jesus only one to resurrect Himself from the dead
2) Bold witness in the face of persecution
a) Stoning of Stephen
b) beatings of Paul
c) Threats to Peter and John
Conclusion:
When we teach the basic facts about God and His nature, Jesus and His life, words and work, death, burial, resurrection and we wait on the Lord to give power through our words and deeds by means of the Holy spirit.
We can be powerful witnesses who exert the power of the Holy spirit in our lives. We can tell of the accessibility of God for everyday life and for eternal Salvation.
Regardless of the persecution, the rejection, or indifference of our lives and message we can be bold because of the power of the Holy Spirit.
