Total Surrender
Purity and Power
5/20/07
Text:
Acts 5:12-16
12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
The previous story of Ananias and Sapphira.
Intro:
2 Timothy 2:4
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
The hopes of this life are temporary
The stage of the early church
l Holy Ghost filled believers
l They preached Christ resurrected
l The multitude were believing in Christ
l Great Fear came upon every soul
l They witnessed
l Ananias and Sapphira disciplined
God is not as much concerned with your ability as with your availability.
—The Bible Friend
Keeping the church on course
Through discipline and purity
The church in greek (ekklēsia)
l Meaning ‘assembly’ or ‘gathering
1. Belongs to God 1 Timothy 3:15b.
2. Is he body of Christ Ephesians 1:23.
3. Christ, the foundation-stone of 1 Corinthians 3:11
4. Christ, the head of. Ephesians 1:22;
5. Loved by Christ. Song 7:10; Ephesians 5:25.
6. Purchased by the blood of Christ Acts 20:28.
7. Sanctified and cleansed by Christ 1 Corinthians 6:11.
The importance of Purity:
l The judgment of Ananias and Sapphira.
l Lack of it
1 Corinthians 11:30
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
l Because of His love
Hebrews 12:5-6
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
l He is coming for a pure (ekklēsia) Assembly.
Ephesians 5:27
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
l A vessel for the master's use
2 Timothy 2:19-21
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
I See Myself
One day I looked at myself,
At the self that Christ can see;
I saw the person I am today
And the one I ought to be.
I saw how little I really pray,
How little I really do;
I saw the influence of my life—
How little of it was true!
I saw the bundle of faults and fears
I ought to lay on the shelf;
I had given a little bit to God,
But I hadn’t given myself.
I came from seeing myself,
With the mind made up to be
The sort of person that Christ can use
With a heart He may always see.
—Selected
A vessel (every vessel and it's proper use)
l Unto honor
l Sanctified
l Prepared
l For every good work
l For the masters use
For the building of the Tabernacle of the temple:
Pure in ref to the gold, oil, Myrrh, Frankincense
John 15:8
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
We ask and receive not
James 4:3
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
The church recharged to continue.
In His Power
Many signs were done by the Apostles
Today our focus is much different.
Serve Him to help me achieve my material happiness
Most of our preoccupations, desires in this life are not about eternity.
If we get all tho things that we are striving for would they make us better servants:
Witnesses
Holier
Intercessors
More committee
Is our heart ready to grow the kind of seed we are asking for.
Have allowed our hearts to be plowed, tilted and fertilize to bear much fruit.
1 Corinthians 7:31
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.