Waiting Time Is Never Wasted Time Series

WAITING TIME IS NEVER WASTED TIME

Acts 1:12-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

✒ We know that Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days between res and ascension.

✒ We know that the disciples waited 10 days until the day of Pentecost. They didn¡¯t know how long they had to wait - they just knew they were to wait.

THIS WAS NOT A TIME OF TWIDDLING THUMBS - they were actively waiting.

4 SPECIFIC THINGS WE KNOW THEY DID:

1. They got their marching orders - 1:6-8

2. They witnessed the ascension - 1:9-12

3. They gathered to pray - 1:13,14

4. They replaced Judas 1:21-26

There are similarities between Joshua/ Acts. That are subtle but there.

✖ both are bridge books to new experiences in the life of God¡¯s people.

✖ both contain commands to ¡®wait¡¯ and prepare themselves ¨C Joshua to take the land/ Acts to receive power.

Waiting time is not wasted time ¨C during my Sabbatical, it took me weeks to wind down, get still, quit pacing. I was so geared up ¨C I didn¡¯t know how to wait.

Churches don¡¯t wait well ¨C we always want something going on - we want to be busy. Churches are busier than ever - activities - ministries - programs ¨C and we aren¡¯t scratching the surface of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Not sure the avg. Xn has a clue why the church is here. If we are going to be effective - we need to find out how to measure effectiveness.

I. WE MEASURE OUR EFFECTIVENESS BY HOW WE ARE STACK UP TO ACTS 1:8

A. GOD¡¯S POWER IS AVAILABLE TO ALL.

We have all the power we need ¨C but we lack the dynamic.

We go in His authority ¨C He is the head of the church. Because of His power, we should never apologize. All the authority of heaven is behind us.

Matt 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, " All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 " Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

Some of us are like Barney Fife ¨C we¡¯ve got the badge/ gun - but we don¡¯t have a bullit.

We¡¯re to be like Sheriff Taylor - when we speak, people listen.

☻ We laugh at Barney because he¡¯s all talk & no action. Couldn¡¯t deliver the goods.

☻ We listen to Andy because he could back up his claims.

WORLD IS LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN DELIVER THE GOODS - ACTUALLY DO WHAT WE SAY WE ARE EMPOWERED TO DO.

Reality ¨C we¡¯re all Barney Fife ¨C left to ourselves, we fumble around and make a mess of things. We¡¯re a joke, apart from his power.

By the filling of the Spirit - we can walk our talk - meet our obligations - face any foe. We¡¯re connected to the Head who has ALL authority.

B. GOD¡¯S POWER IS WITHIN.

The H.S. invades our lives and moves in us w/ power.

If a church is dead ¨C dying ¨C it¡¯s because it has cut itself off from the head.

Anything God does in the church, He does it by His Spirit.

✒ No power if we¡¯re not surrendered to Spirit

✒ No power if we fail to obey the Spirit.

✒ No power if we try to add something to Spirit.

C. GOD¡¯S POWER DEMANDS ACTION.

God didn¡¯t send His Spirit so we could sit in church. Spirit is in us, we are empowered to live the life.

Someone has said the majority of Xns have never shared their faith.

We are capable of talking about anything that is important to us ¨C a passion for us ¨C a part of our lives. Sports/ Grandkids/ business ¨C but not about Jesus.

¡®witnesses¡¯ ¨C martyr - dying to our own agendas, ideas and living for His glory.

In Jerusalem ¨C where they had been scared/ failed.

In Judea - tough ground, rocky, not easy work.

In Samaria - world filled w/ prejudice.

II. WE MEASURE OUR EFFECTIVENESS BY OUR VIEW OF WHERE THIS WORLD IS HEADED. vs.11

They also said, " Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."