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Acts 2

When the Local Church looks like Jesus – People are attracted to it!

REVIEW LAST WEEK:

Jesus calls us witnesses – “seen or heard” – That is your identity

Acts – Hope for our lives – We have purpose!

Key Verse of Acts

Acts 1:8

8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (Actually the outline of the progress of the gospel in Acts!)

Challenge for all of us – Gospel – deep into our hearts – take it to the world!

We do this because Jesus is alive and He is the hope of the world!

Our World View SLOW to Change – Disciples changed instantly!  Resurrected Jesus!!

What we do when we don’t know what to do, PRAY!

Acts 1:14

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together…

Message Today:

Acts 2:1

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 

2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 

Acts 2:3-4

3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

• God gave them the ability to speak in languages they had not learned!  Have heard this happen with missionaries before

• The fact they spoke in tongues is not really the miracle – the real miracle is that everyone heard the gospel in their own language!

• Don’t be distracted by other stuff – God gets His message out though normal people sometimes who don’t even know what they are saying. 

• Then an uneducated fisherman – Peter – gets up and catalyzes this new message and explains prophesy from Joel – THE GOSPEL IS FOR EVERYONE

Acts 2:36-37

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Acts 2:38

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent (turn away from) and be baptized (outward symbol of an inward reality – identifying yourself with Jesus and His Church) every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What The Church Is Supposed To Be…

Acts 2:42-46

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

Those Who Made Up The First New Testament Church Were Devoted

KEY: Devoted

Devoted:  Not just sliding by; commitment

3 Devotions:

•Devoted To God’s Word

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…

Authority for my life; What God thinks – I submit to its teaching!

Practical: read, listen, allow God’s Spirit to speak – study

If it’s God’s Word- If we are God’s Children – we should be experts!

Acts 17:11  “11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

•Devoted To One Another  – Community

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

• They moved past themselves – the hardest part of community is not focusing on ourselves!

• Pride Gets In The Way Of Community

​Self-Sufficiency:  I don’t need other people

• KEEPS US FORM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

​ Self-Protection:  I can’t trust other people

• TRIED TO BE IN COMMUNITY – WENT WRONG – BAD FAMILY DYNAMIC

​Self-Righteousness:  I am better than other people

• MY STRUGGLE OR PROBLEM IS LESS THAN YOURS

Acts 2:46b

• They had glad and generous hearts…

• “GENEROUS”  intentional – can be hard at times – stick to it!

Love God’s Word, Love God’s People, Love God’s World

•They Were Devoted To Their Neighbors

Acts 2:47

47 praising God and having favor with all the people.And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

• “Praising God!”  Demonstrative of who God is in their lives! 

Proverbs 11:10a

• When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices…

• When the church is working right, people look at us and go WOW – God must be real!  Look at how those people love each other!

• It’s not about us having a good church – it’s about lives in our city being transformed by the gospel!

WHEN MISSION CITY CHURCH IS FULFILLING ITS REDEMPTIVE POTENTIAL – OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE CHANGED!

• IMPACT (Goal):  If Mission City Church disappeared, our community should feel a void!

• Our lives, our families, our communities are changed, NOT by power, or force, or politics, but by LOVE – Love Conquers!!!

Love God, Love People Through The Church, Love The People God Loves = Transform Lives