So here it is – Perhaps the most confused, debated and avoided chapters in the bible. Acts 2. Some of you just shivered reading that. So let’s just get right to it. What do you believe? Acts 2 is a question of faith. Do you believe the bible and I mean really believe it? Lets take a second and recap. God created the heavens and the earth, from NOTHING. Jonah: Big fish. David: Goliath. Samson: Foxes. Elisha: Chariots of Fire. Moses: Red Sea. Jesus: Virgin Birth. Jesus: Sinless. Jesus: Redeemer. Jesus: Death Jesus: Resurrected. Jesus: Messiah. Jesus: Everlasting Life. Holy Spirit: Tongu…… Wait.
2 Things. 1. – It is absolutely devastating to me the number of “Christians” who can “believe” all those things we just read but balk at the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we will spend hours debating over Revelation and all that it means, how it’s going to happen, what God was saying – Gods power. I mean seriously, read revelation there is some really crazy stuff that is going to happen, and we believe it. But the Holy Spirit & tongues, no way. Really? Just how big is the God that you serve? It appears to me that the God of the bible is more than capable of performing exactly what we see in Acts 2.
2. – Don’t miss the point. Remember in Acts 1:8, why did Jesus say to wait? To receive POWER. The Holy Spirit wasn’t given for the tongue. Just like it wasn’t given for the fire or the wind. Those are part of it. But the point, the reason it was given was to equip the believer with power. Notice what happens immediately. People see and hear an immediate change in the believers. They come asking questions. Peter filled with boldness and power, gives a sermon and 3,000+ came to repentance. From 11, to 120 and now 3000+. Then Acts 2:47 “… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Did you catch that? Daily.
Here we see the formation of the church. Elders, Deacons, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists. The blueprint to the modern church is being laid out before us. Yet we miss this. They received power, they were changed and through that power they affected the lives of those they came in contact with daily. I believe that we are called to an everyday Christianity. That as a result of the power of God poured into and working through me, I am called to affect everyone that I come in contact with to the glory of God. How can I do that without power? I believe the bible- ALL OF IT. Including Holy Spirit: Tongues AND Holy Spirit: Power. Don’t be powerless. Don’t be content. Always want more of God.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Acts 1 -- Pivot Point
So as we kick off this adventure together, the reading of Acts as one body, I want to encourage you with a few things.
First - Read with expectation. Expect that the word of God will be made real to you, in a way like never before. Expect the word to come alive.
Second - Read for change. Don't make this about checking something off the list, that's what religion does. Make this a choice to find truth in the scripture that you hadn't seen before and then let that truth change you.
Remember growing pains are just that, painful at times, but where would we be without growth.
Acts 1 - I call this the pivot point. The life of Jesus was about so much more than getting us to heaven. God had a process established for that. There was an altar, a sacrifice, atonement. The life, death and resurrection wasn't about that at all. It was about removing the veil. It was about God getting out of the temple. It was about God getting into us.
So here we have the moment. 11 men had scattered, scared, ashamed, confused, then Jesus reveals himself to them. Have you ever wondered why if it was all fake, those 11 men would go to death proclaiming it was true? It is . Jesus is who he said he was and now they have experienced that. So he tells
them to wait for power from the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells 11 men that have walked with him, seen miracles, seen Him- Resurrected - to wait for power. Jesus is saying- yes I came to save you, yes I came to heal, yes I came to deliver you, but there is more. There is power. Wait for the power.
God wants to equip you to live a powerful life. He wants it so badly He Sent His Son. Don't miss that. Don't neglect that. Wait- believe - recieve.
First - Read with expectation. Expect that the word of God will be made real to you, in a way like never before. Expect the word to come alive.
Second - Read for change. Don't make this about checking something off the list, that's what religion does. Make this a choice to find truth in the scripture that you hadn't seen before and then let that truth change you.
Remember growing pains are just that, painful at times, but where would we be without growth.
Acts 1 - I call this the pivot point. The life of Jesus was about so much more than getting us to heaven. God had a process established for that. There was an altar, a sacrifice, atonement. The life, death and resurrection wasn't about that at all. It was about removing the veil. It was about God getting out of the temple. It was about God getting into us.
So here we have the moment. 11 men had scattered, scared, ashamed, confused, then Jesus reveals himself to them. Have you ever wondered why if it was all fake, those 11 men would go to death proclaiming it was true? It is . Jesus is who he said he was and now they have experienced that. So he tells
them to wait for power from the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells 11 men that have walked with him, seen miracles, seen Him- Resurrected - to wait for power. Jesus is saying- yes I came to save you, yes I came to heal, yes I came to deliver you, but there is more. There is power. Wait for the power.
God wants to equip you to live a powerful life. He wants it so badly He Sent His Son. Don't miss that. Don't neglect that. Wait- believe - recieve.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
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