Revive Us With Your Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Handout
(S1)
“I am making all things NEW”
New Name—Mission—Vision — NEW CONNECTION
…Our new connection as a movement of the Holy Spirit
Today’s reading, the apostle Paul on his second missionary journey to the Gentile world, brings his new message to the people of Athens— ‘the city of the ‘unknown God.’
17:24-25
Only God can revive us in spirit, who is alive in the church through every follower of Jesus.
(S2)
28 For in him we live and move and have our being.
I have one hope, that we would begin to see Revive Church in a new light—not as a static entity…but as a Holy Spirit inspired MOVEMENT of God.
Prayer 3—Lord, Revive us with your spirit.
The church alive in Jesus Christ, is the spirit of God on move!
Bibles—Pray
(S3)
When you think of church what first comes to mind?
Being raised in the church...known church as an institution, structure, or building...
— A PLACE— PEOPLE — LIFE EVENTS (baptized, married…)
As I grew in my understanding...through Bible Study (Acts)...Methodism…I discovered that Christianity is less about a building and more about the MOVEMENT of God...
(S4)
—God moving at creation…in the wilderness…to the promised land…
— God always moving people towards salvation...
— God’s biggest move —sending Jesus to our world
— The H.S. moving in people to transform hearts and lives…
God creating has always been about the moving of His spirit—in the body of Christ, the church, alive in every believer.
Is there a possibility that as later Christians, we have gotten it wrong? That our view of church, as an institution, a structure, a building or just a place we go...is in contrast to Jesus’ intention for His church?
— In Jesus earthly ministry he was always on the move…
— Acts the movement of God at Pentecost
The First followers of Jesus on the move with a message
— Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus sparked a movement of Christ to the Gentiles
The apostle was always clear that his ministry was God’s doing..
Ephesians 3:8, Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
(S5)
Paul’s mission, to every place, his every move, was all about Jesus…
A church on the move is all about Jesus!
What would happen if the church got back to being the church, where every move we made was all about Jesus?
Today's text—Because Jesus had opened his eyes, as Paul arrives in Athens he was moved in spirit by what he saw.
(S6)
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
(ESV) 16 “his spirit was provoked within him”
God spirit in him, revealed what he knew what he saw was wrong...
—Their worship of Idols, images/objects of deity
— Idols for us today don’t look so obvious—anything we put above our relationaship with Jesus
2 Corinthians 6:15–16, What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
So, Paul begins to speak with the people of what he knows about God
(S7)
17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
Three clear objectives of Paul’s ministry. Three distinct ways he approached the people everywhere went. How this sheds light for us as a church on the move.
First, there was always...
I. Consistency in his METHODS
I. Consistency in his METHODS
Thessalonica...
17:2–3
Berea...
17:10
His arrival in Athens, consistent in his method—Synagogue/Public square/Everyone who would listen
Paul’s consistency helped revive the spirit of God in the church in two ways
1. How the church grew NUMERICALLY
Evangelism—Paul shared Jesus with everybody, it was part of his daily routine. He reasoned with the people.
dialegomai — argued, make a speech, “discuss with reasonable discourse”
Methodism grew under Wesley grew as a movement of God. He had a methodical approach to evangelism…
— a rigorous schedule of visiting the sick, imprisoned, poor, people on the streets, and the common folk on their way to work. He was always on the move, speaking to everyone...
Sometimes his method of evangelism worked, sometimes it didn’t…
Stoned, bottles, glass…
Today some methods are better than others…
Man on a bike filled with bumper stickers — Fish symbol on the car (finger)
Consistency in evangelism is building RELATIONSHIPS with the unchurched or those who have been away from the church...
Checking our methods so we can grow in numbers means changing our habits—meeting new people, and making new friends
The second method to revive the spirit of God in the church
2. How the people grew SPIRITUALLY
……and came to accept Christ. Some took what he said to heart
17:4, 11-12
Methodism grew because Wesley developed a consistent methods for people to grow in love with God and with people.
Means of Grace — Acts of piety…mercy
If something is not working in your relationship with Jesus, then something has to change—Guess who has to change.
(S8)
A church on the move is consistent in its METHODS
Being consistent in our methods of growing in our relationaship with Jesus. Admitting we need to change some habits..
Change in my life in two ways—Health/daily Bible Reading
You can read all the self-help and diet books…but if you don’t change whats in here...
The apostle was consistent in the methods of his sharing Jesus and in growing in his own relationship with God.
Second, clear objective of Paul and the church on the move, was having the...
II. Confidence to CONTEND for the faith
II. Confidence to CONTEND for the faith
After reasoning with the people, he is confronted by some of the over educated in Athens
(S9)
Acts 17:18, He had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
Two philosophical schools of thought in Athens
Epicurean—”the way to the good life was through happiness/pleasure. Everything happens by chance. God’s were uninvolved...”
Stoic’s—”Life was determined by Gods. Humans are completely free of emotional involvement. Pantheists—who view everything as an expression of their gods.” (Preachers Commentary)
They were the self appointed overseers of anything that was said other then their current beliefs…
babbler (birds picking up scraps)
To them, Paul was speaking nonsense, yet he was speaking philosophically but in the truth…
“the rational investigation of the truths”
To speak of God as living in the person, as Jesus alive wasn’t rational…
Today, we have to be careful where we get our information...
Philosophers…today everybody’s one…Social Media…opinion
Paul was Confident to CONTEND for the faith
(S10)
Meeting of the Aeropagus
19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
Aeropagus—Named after the greek diety of war—Both a political battle (tough crowd) and a location of battle (Mars Hill)
Politically the people were all over the place…willing to listen, but ready to fight. Why Paul needed confident to defend the faith.
The spirit moving in us gives us the Confidence to CONTEND for the faith
Ephesians 4:14, Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
John Wesley kicked out of pulpits of New England and his own father’s church in Epworth for defending the faith
Jude (brother of Jesus)...
Jude 1:3 ...I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
(S11)
The churches decline…a lack of confidence in defending our faith. What we believe about Jesus and the Bible as truth
A church on the move is Confident to CONTEND for the faith
Paul stands up and does exactly,
17:22-23
How many know that being religious doesn't make you Christian?
Scholars—Used the inscription “Unknown God” for fear of not naming a God...
Their religion was problematic on so many levels. They didn’t know what they believed.
Meeting—”causing people in the pews to ask, “what do we believe”
We should trust our connection, our leadership, but we should know why we believe the Bible...
A church on the move is Confident to CONTEND for the faith
Third, objective of Paul and the church on the move, was the…
III. Clarity of his MESSAGE
III. Clarity of his MESSAGE
He goes on to tell them that there is a known God who is to be worshipped above any other God’s...
(S12)
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything...
God as Creator—Lord—Gives life—Breathe
God who…17: 26-27
Paul had clarity in his MESSAGE about who God is. God who is not unknown but known through a relationaship with Jesus.
John 7:28–29 (NLT) “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.”
(S13)
Consistency in METHOD —Confidence to CONTEND for the faith—Clarity in our MESSAGE
That’s how the church grew as a movement of God in people. How we revive the church today as a movement of God.
What made church church for me? The day someone introduced me to Jesus!
CHALLENGE
1. How do you view church? How is the spirit of God moving in you?
2. What methods for you need looking at? Are you sharing Jesus, if not then how do you need to grow spiritually?
3. Are you confident in what you believe?
4. How can you be more clear about Jesus so that others can come to him
(S14)
Good news is you have all you need…Jesus who is alive. The movement of God in you
Revive is more than about being a place…its the spirit of God alive in the people of God?
The church alive in Jesus Christ, is the spirit of God on move!
Lord, Revive us in your spirit