The Power, The Blessings, And The Benefits Of Just Showing Up

The Power, The Blessings, & Benefits of Just Showing Up

Introduction

Baseball has been one of the favorite sports of Americans.

Cal Ripkin, Jr. was a famous baseball player. He wrote a book titled "Just Show Up." In the book her wrote:

Everyone has a 2,131. Ripkin played for the same baseball team--the Baltimore Orioles--for his entire baseball career. He eventually broke Lou Gehrig's record for the most consecutive games with a 2,231 game streak. He went on to play 2,632 games.

Ripkin went on to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He showed up to game after game. When his team was winning, when it was losing, when he was angry, when all was well--when it wasn't he just showed up.

He says everyone has a 2,131 of their own--just showing up. We have personal streaks as parents, in business, as friends, in our ministries. It's our job to show up. Every day, every week, every year there is someone counting on us. When you just keep showing up you may not break a record, but you stand out because people can count on you.

Just show up.

One man in Scripture learned the power, the blessing, and the benefits of just showing up. His is a name that we rarely hear preached about, but it is contained in:

Text:

Acts 1:21-26

21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

In Revelation 21, John sees a vision of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. He says that there is a wall surrounding the City which had 12 foundations. In the foundations of the walls of the New Jerusalem are the "names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." The Eternal City has Matthias's name etched into the foundations of its walls because Matthias showed up.

The Power, The Blessings, and the Benefit of Just Showing Up

After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus spent 40 days with the apostles opening their understanding and preparing them to continue His work in His absence (Acts 1:3-4). He opened their understanding in the Scriptures so that they could unfold the eternal plan of God from the Law and the Prophets to us (Luke 24:27). He instructed them to go and wait in Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit that would empower them to be His witnesses in all the world beginning at Jerusalem (Acts 1:8). He then ascended into heaven and it was time for them to wait.

They waited for 10 days, not know what to expect, but in obedience they waited. Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas were there praying and waiting. Bartholomew, and Matthew were there. James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes were there. Praying and waiting. Judas the brother of James was there. Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers were there, praying and waiting. They along with others who came to about 120 people in all (Acts 1:13-14).

Women and men who showed up in Jerusalem and waited for the promise of the Father would not be disappointed. We know that when the Jewish feast day of Pentecost arrived they were all in one mind and in one accord (they were unified in one place). God wants to do many great things among the people of this church, but He is waiting for you to be unified and when you are He is going to send a great work of His Spirit.

On the birthday of the church in Acts 2 it says after they showed up together and worshipped and waited together: "Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this." (Acts 2:1-4 NIrV)

They were not disappointed that they showed up! When you show up where Jesus tells you to show up and work in unity with your sisters and brothers God will fulfill His promises!