Sermon Tone Analysis

*Back To the Beginning: When Church was Church*

*"Get With It"*

*Acts 1:1-11; *

*Luke 24:45-53*

 

Before We BEGIN today I want to tell you about something coming up on our calendar May 5-15

Prayer

Power

Proclamation

 

We will be seeking God's Face and expecting God's Move during those days

 

There will be prayer services daily beginning the 6th at 6:00 AM and PM

Then in addition beginning on Wednesday night the 11th - Saturday the 14th we will have nightly Crusade Services at 7:00 following our prayer service.

Concluding on Sunday Morning the 15th.

We are praying that God will Light Fires of Revival among those who are his people and will Give Salvation and Life to those who do not know him as Lord and Savior.

The 5th of May is the National day of Prayer but it is also Ascension Day, 40 days after Resurrection Day.

Then the 15th, 10 days later is Pentecost Sunday!

God is NOT bound to a formula, but I believe God wants to do something supernatural in our hearts and lives those days so set it aside on your calendar NOW and don't let ANYTHING get on your schedule those days that would conflict with our time of seeking the Lord together.

The book of *Acts* records for us *much* of the *work* of the early church, the foundation for church work, life, mission, and ministry is found here in this book

 

*Author* *Luke* - writer of the Gospel

While *Paul* penned *more* *books* in the New Testament, *Luke* penned *more* *pages*, through these two books than all of Paul's books combined.

*Luke* was a *Physician*, Educated, and very much a person who gave *attention* to *detail*.

He *wrote* the *Gospel* to A Friend, *Theophilus*, possibly a man of *noble* birth who was a friend of Luke.

He *wrote* the Gospel to him, *so* that he would *know* about the *life* and *ministry* of Jesus and could have a *firm* *foundation* for his new belief.

The *first* book was about *what* Jesus *did* in person on earth.

*THIS* book is about the *work* of Christ *through* the Holy *Spirit* in the lives of the *believers* and the young *church*.

*Read Luke 24:45-53*

 

*Read Acts 1:1-11*

 

There is *two* things I want us to *see* today as we begin looking at the early church.

*First)*

*What* was the *fertile* ground that *caused* the early church to *grow*?

What was the *firm* *foundation* on which the early church was built?

What *empowered* the *transformation* of this *sect* of Judaism into a movement that changed the world?

We will *see* *two* things that *made* the ground *fertile*, gave *power*, were a *foundation*.

*Second)*

*What* are did THEY *DO* in *response* to these *two* points and *what* do *we* *do* in response today?

One *thing*, one *response*, one *challenge*.

Well let's *get* *to* *it*

 

*Remember* that the great leader of the early church, the Apostle *Peter* *denied* Christ, *BEFORE* he was crucified, 3 times

*Remember* that when Jesus was arrested *ALL* of the disciples *fled* after an initial resistance.

*Remember* that *only* *John* was at the *cross*

*Remember* that while Christ was in the *tomb*, they were *hiding* for *fear* of their lives

 

Also we *will* *see* in *Acts* and can see in scripture and history that these *SAME* disciples *suffered*, were *arrested*, were *martyred*, were *persecuted*.

Countless *millions* have suffered *persecution* and *death* in the centuries *SINCE* the death of Christ

 

so *what* made the *difference*?

What were the *two* *critical* ingredients?

*First* of all … *they* did and *we* MUST …

 

*1.

Believe He is Alive* v3

 

*v3* - he /"*showed* himself … gave many *convincing* proofs that *he* *was* *alive* …"/

/- *appeared* to them/

/- *40* *days*/

/- *spoke* (*teaching*) - /not just a vision

- */eating/*/ with them/ - ghosts - *visions* - *don't* bother to *eat*

- *Paul* said he *appeared* to as many as *500* witnesses

 

*Why* was it *important* to know that he was *alive*?

- he *SAID* he would *die* and be *resurrected*

- *DOING* what he *said* he would do was *IMPORTANT* to the future

- it meant that he *WAS* and *IS* *who* he *SAYS* he IS

- *John* the *Baptist* in prison, about to die, *sent* his *disciples* to Jesus to be sure *Luke 7:19* - /"are you the one, or should we expect another"  /

 

*Jesus* said - *Luke* *7:22 *- /Go back and *report* to John what you have *seen* and *heard* …/

 

Well *Jesus* was *telling* the disciples, "hey you *may* be *wondering* if I *AM* who you *thought* I was or *should* you *expect* another … well, *I AM HE*.

I am alive …

 

So what I believe … right?

Well …

 

  *A*.

Belief Requires *Response*

    1.

if Jesus is *alive*, we *can't* keep *hiding* in the upper room

    2.

when *Jesus* was *born* the *expected* response was for the *shepherds*, the *wise* men, *Simeon* at the Temple, *Anna*, was that they *TOLD* of his *amazing* *birth*

    3.

*If* Jesus is *Alive*, the disciples would *have* to *go* *away* from the tomb a *different* way, *like* the *wise* men went home a different way

 

  *B*.

*Changed* from Timid to Triumphant

 

We will *see* *different* people here in *Acts* *than* we saw at the end of the *gospels*, at the end of Christ's life on earth before crucifixion.

The *belief* that *Jesus* is *ALIVE* … *Changed* them from *Timid* to *Triumphant*, *Changed* them from *reluctant* to *Resounding* from *Fearful* to *Forceful* from *Powerless* to *Powerful* from *Unable* to *Understand* to *Unshakeable* to the *Uttermost* parts of the earth.

The *Belief* that *JESUS* Christ IS *alive* still today is *critical* *to* *New* *Life* Baptist Church being a *Church* *Like* the *Early* Church.

AND like Heaven.

*Anyone* in Heaven *DOUBT* that Jesus is Alive?

Do you *believe* that Jesus is ALIVE?

Do you *Really*?

*Prove* it to me

*Live* like it

*If* Jesus is *alive* be *Triumphant*

If Jesus is alive be *Resounding*

If Jesus is alive be *Forceful*

If Jesus is alive be *Powerful*

If Jesus is alive be *Unshakeable* to the *Uttermost*

 

The *Belief* that Jesus Christ was *Alive* was the *first* thing that made the *ground* around Jerusalem *fertile* soil for the *growth* of first Church

 

It was *critical* to the *foundation* of the House of God

 

But *where* would the *power* come from?

The second *foundational* powerful *piece* to this puzzle

Was that *they* *were* …

 

 

*2.

Baptized with The Spirit*; v4 v8

 

*Luke 24:49 *- /I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high/

 

*V 4, 5 - */do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father has promised, which you have heard me speak about … John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit/

 

  *A*.

Wait - ?

Jesus *told* them to *wait* *until* they *received* power from on high

He said that they "*would* *receive* power"

 

    1.

*Before* Pentecost, the Holy *Spirit* *empowered* believers for *particular* *purposes* and he departed from some even after filling them.

King *Saul*, God's Spirit left after disobedience

*Samson*, God's Spirit left him and he didn't even know it.

*David* is the *only* one *beside* *Christ* Jesus in whom God's Spirit *filled* and indwelt *continually* before the cross and didn't leave.

So he *told* them to *wait* for the gift of the Holy Spirit.