The Power of a Spirit-Filled Church
Notes
Transcript
The Power of a Spirit-Filled Church
The Power of a Spirit-Filled Church
Have you ever been in the middle of a difficult situation and wondered how you could possibly make it through?
When we surrender and yield to the Holy Spirit, we see the incredible power God’s makes available.
We rise, we persevere, we triumph.
Today, we're going to explore how the early church, filled with the Holy Spirit, triumphed over the attacks of Satan. It was a church unified, magnified, and multiplied.
First we see...
The Unfailing Unity of a Spirit-Filled Church
The Unfailing Unity of a Spirit-Filled Church
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
Again we see the place where the early church regularly gathered corporately to worship, Solomon’s Portico in the temple.
Then during the week they gathered in small groups in homes.
The early church, as described in Acts 5, stood together, as a unified front. They were "all in one accord," completely united in their devotion to Christ and each other.
This unity wasn't superficial or obligatory; it was deep, rooted in their shared love for Jesus.
They were unified in their love for Jesus and their shared mission - reaching their world with the Gospel as Jesus commanded.
In our modern world, unity often seems elusive.
Politics, doctrine, and even worship styles can divide us.
But remember, as a body of believers, our unity in Christ should surpass all these differences. Let's strive to build bridges, not walls.
This week, consider how you can contribute to the unity of our church community.
Maybe it’s through encouraging words, seeing things from the others’ perspective, or stepping into a service role.
Through unity we see...
The Unwavering Magnification of a Spirit-Filled Church
The Unwavering Magnification of a Spirit-Filled Church
13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
The early church wasn't just a social club; they were a people set apart.
Their authenticity, love, and the miracles among them made others take notice. They earned respect from their community.
This verse probably means that no hypocrite or unbeliever dared join them. The case of Ananias and Sapphira frightened them too much.
The New Living Translation brings out the meaning of this verse much more clearly...
13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.
How often do we, as modern believers, live in such a way that magnifies God?
How do our actions, our words, our lifestyles reflect on our faith and our God?
Let's challenge ourselves to live in a way that magnifies God, that makes others look to Him in admiration.
As we walk in love, integrity, and humility, may our lives point others towards Him.
Unity supports God’s mission. Our unity will influence our community.
God calls the church to be a vibrant and powerful body that bears much fruit and the way we do that is by working together in perfect unity, not in perfect doctrine, perfect systems, perfect worship services or perfect leadership.
That's why we are likened to a body - because what gets things done is unity in diversity.
1 Corinthians 12:12 says, "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ."
The Spirit-Filled church will be unified. The Spirit-Filled church’s positive actions will be magnified and noticed by those around it.
Next we see...
The Unstoppable Multiplication of a Spirit-Filled Church
The Unstoppable Multiplication of a Spirit-Filled Church
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Despite persecution and opposition, the early church grew rapidly.
In spite of the reluctance of others to get too close to the group of believers as they worshipped, more and more man and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
Rapid numerical growth was a phenomenon of the early church.
Their authentic faith, unity, and the miraculous signs among them were irresistible to those around them.
Similarly, our church today should be growing - not just in numbers, but in depth of faith and love.
The call to share our faith isn't a suggestion, it's a commission - a Great Commission.
Consider your part in the multiplication of the church.
It might be sharing your faith with a neighbor, mentoring a younger believer, or supporting missions.
Remember, a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
The Spirit-Filled church will be growing.
And lastly...
The Unmistakable Signs of a Spirit-Filled Church
The Unmistakable Signs of a Spirit-Filled Church
15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
The apostles in the early church were used by God to perform miracles, demonstrating His power and love.
They met physical needs, verified their message, and pointed to spiritual truths.
These signs and wonders were God’s way of authenticating the Apostle’s ministry.
Just as there were special judgments at the beginning of a new era, so there were also special miracles.
We find no miracles performed in Genesis, but at the beginning of the age of Law, Moses performed great signs and wonders.
Elijah and Elisha were miracle workers at the beginning of the great era of the Prophets, and Jesus and the Apostles performed signs and wonders when the Gospel Age was inaugurated.
Each time God opened a new door, He called man’s attention to it. It was His way of saying, “Follow these leaders, because I have sent them.”
The mighty wonders performed by the Apostles were the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise that they would do “greater works” in answer to believing prayer (John 14:13–14).
The Apostles and prophets laid the foundation for the church (Eph. 2:20), and the pastors, teachers, and evangelists are building on it.
If there are no apostles, there can be no “signs of an apostle” as are found in the Book of Acts (2 Cor. 12:12).
This certainly does not mean that God is limited and can no longer perform miracles for His people!
But it does mean that the need for confirming miracles has passed away.
We now have the completed Word of God and we test teachers by their message, not by miracles (1 John 2:18–29; 4:1–6).
And we must keep in mind that Satan is a counterfeiter and well able to deceive the unwary.
In the Old Testament, any prophet who performed miracles but, at the same time, led the people away from God’s Word, was considered a false prophet and was killed (Deut. 13).
The important thing was not the miracles, but whether his message was true to the Word of God.
It is significant that all of these people were healed. There were no failures and nobody was sent away because he or she “did not have faith to be healed.”
God may not be calling us to perform physical miracles today, but He is still in the business of transforming lives. The greatest miracle is a life redeemed and transformed by the grace of God.
The important thing was not the healing of the afflicted, but the winning of lost souls, as multitudes were added to the fellowship.
The greatest miracle of all is the transformation of a lost sinner into a child of God by the grace of God. That is the miracle that meets the greatest need, lasts the longest, and costs the greatest price—the blood of God’s Son.
And that is one miracle we can all participate in as we share the message of the Gospel, “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom. 1:16).
This week, take some time to reflect on the transformative work God has done in your life. And don't keep it to yourself. Share your testimony with someone who needs to hear of God's power and love.
Conclusion:
We've explored the early church, a Spirit-filled community that stood unified, magnified God, multiplied, and experienced God's power in miraculous ways.
Let's be that church today, standing together in unity, living in a way that magnifies God, working towards the multiplication of the church, and expecting to see God work miracles in and through us.
Next Steps:
Embrace Unity: Spend time this week intentionally strengthening your relationships within the church community. Pray for unity and seek reconciliation where it's needed. Attend a small group, Bible study, or church event with the goal of deepening relationships and promoting unity within our congregation.
Celebrate and Magnify God: Commit time each day to praise and worship. This can be through song, prayer, or simply expressing gratitude for His blessings. As you do this, be mindful of the impact this has on your perspective and attitude, as well as how it encourages others when you share your experiences.
Participate in the Multiplication: Share your faith with someone this week. It could be an unbeliever or someone who has drifted away from their faith. Offer them an invitation to our church service or any other church-related activity. Pray for God's guidance as you engage in these conversations, and remember, our role is to share God's love and leave the results to Him.