The Church Marching On Toward Its Destiny

Intro: God had a vision for the Church when He created it. Jesus said in Acts 1.8. “But 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.” Many today will talk about the spirit moving and working and it seems that we have forgotten that God still works through His church.

Eph 2.10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We have seen thus far through acts God giving grace, power, and fear, to build, purify, and propel the church.

God gave vision through the Holy Spirit in order for the church to have a goal to reach. The ultimate goal was “the ends of the earth.”

Let me tell Calvary what God has given to your pastor for this New Church Year. It was birthed in me before we ever came to this glorious God given location. It was birthed in preparation for a sermon. You may have heard it before. Hear today for the first time how we can be part of the goal of reaching the ends of the earth. We must like the first church start right here in our Jerusalem. (Cabot)

We want people to Come home to Calvary, Come home to faith, Come home to Family, Ultimately we want them to come home to God.

We want to here create a place where people can come and be surrounded by faith, no matter the circumstance, a place where they can be surrounded by family, and most importantly surrounded by God and His love for all His creation.

A home and harbor for the heartbroken, for the hopeless, where people don’t have to worry about religion, but they can draw close to God and build a relationship with God and His people.

If you look at the great commission in Matthew 28.19-20 we see that God has one goal in mind for His Church, many preachers would say evangelism, win them to Jesus!!!

Since we are people of the book I would say they are partially right.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Gods Goal is for the Church to reach, (make disciples (make is a verb that requires action on our part!), teach, “teaching them to obey everything,” and encourage, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

God the father wants us to reach them with the good news, teach them to obey all His commands, and the Word of God and encourage them to do so.

So today let us look at the Church Marching On Toward its destiny.

We will see the church Moved by the hand of God, Triumphant by the Spirit of God, and Multiplied by the Witness of God.

I. The Church moved by the Hand of God. (Remember A and S)

The Sanhedrin was totally thwarted in its designs, totally helpless to control the situation. All was in God’s hands. The only reason the apostles finally appeared before the Council was their own willingness to do so. And they were willing to do so because the events of the night had convinced them once more that they were very much in God’s hands.

—New American Commentary

A) Moved to Purity Phil 2.14-15, 2 Timothy 2.19-21

1) Personal Character

a) Consistent

b) Christ like

In Philippians we are told to shine like lights that should remind us that Jesus said a city sat on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither should a light be put under a bushel basket.

This depraved and distorted world needs to see our consistent Christ-like Character shine like the stars of heaven.

2) Persistent Call

We time and time again are called to purity in pictures and principles in the Bible.

a) Pictures

1) Clear oil in the tabernacle Ex 27.20

2) Whiter than snow Psalm 51.7

b) Principles (Holiness of God)(Calls for purity in His people)

1) Sacrifice of our body (our body belongs to Christ)

(1 Corinthians 6.13-16)

2) Stains not found (1 Timothy 6.14)

3) Summoned to holiness 1 Peter (1.13-16)

4) Sanitized by obeying the truth. (1 Peter 1.22)

The principle is simple God is holy and He persistently calls us to be holy.

B) Marked by respect

1) Influence

When we exhibit consistent Christ-like character and receive the respect of the world we can influence this community, city, state, country, for God and for Good.