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What Kind Of Church Will We Be? Series
Contributed by Glenn Newton on May 28, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: My heart aches for a glimpse, for a taste of what that Day of Pentecost was all about. And you know what, I have Hope that we will experience it, here, in our church, in our town, in our own families, with our own friends, with our neighbors.
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AC 2:36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you
crucified, both Lord and Christ."
AC 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and
the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
AC 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the
Lord our God will call."
AC 2:40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save
yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were
baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
AC 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and
miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had
everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he
had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke
bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and
enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those
who were being saved.
Can You Imagine 3,000 people being saved in one day, in one place, in one service?
That’s over half of Clarksville!
That’s what Revival can do to a people. That’s what a group of Spirit Filled,
Spirit led, Spirit Powered people can be used by God to accomplish for His Glory.
Do You want to experience something like that?
Does Your Heart Ache to see such an outpouring of God’s Spirit that People’s lives are
changed and People are saved?
My heart aches for a glimpse, for a taste of what that Day of Pentecost was all about.
And you know what, I have Hope that we will experience it, here, in our church, in our
town, in our own families, with our own friends, with our neighbors. I have Hope because
I know what God can do. And I pray for that breakthrough.
This morning I want you to know that it wasn’t by chance that those people were saved, it
wasn’t a case of being at the right place at the right time. The reason it happened was
because God’s people were doing what God wanted them to do. They were praying.
What were they Praying for? They were praying for the promised Comforter that Jesus
had said he would send. They were praying for the Holy Spirit.
You see Jesus knew that these 120 or so disciples and followers did not have the ability,
they didn’t have the knowledge, they didn’t have the courage, they didn’t have anything
within thier own power to accomplish God’s Will in the world. They may have been
devoted followers, but they would be lost with out the Power of the Holy Spirit in their
lives.
Can I tell you something this morning?
That hasn’t changed in the last 2000 years. If you don’t have the power, that resurrection
power that we celebrated last week, if you are living your life, even a Christian life without
the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, you will not live a satisfying Christian life.
Let me explain.
God’s plan for our lives is not to just to be a lump on the log. Did your parents
ever use that expression? God hasn’t called us to a life of vegetation... a life of just using
up space and oxygen.
My friends His plans for you as a Christian is a plan of action, it’s a plan of a
person who Loves God and People so much that they can do nothing but act.
His plan for us as Christian is MAKE AN IMPACT, using our God given gifts,
and abilities, working together as a Team, Forcing the Light Of God into the Darkness all
around us.
My Friends, We can sit around all day and talk about how Dark it is all over..... but
My Friends, Don’t be afraid, Don’t be dismayed, Don’t be discouraged, We Are The Light
that Shines In the Darkness through Christ Who Lives and Reigns in Us. Amen!
This morning I want you to understand that what God did on the Day of Pentecost was
not a one time deal. God wants to pour out His Spirit today into us and use us the same
way he used the early Church, the truth is we have to believe that it can still happen,