Sunday, May 27, 2012

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done!

Sunday, May 27, 2012 Pentecost Sunday ...Thy Kingdom Come, They Will Be Done Key Scripture: Acts 1:1-5 (Wait!) Day of Pentecost: An invasion of enemy territory such as never been seen. Birth of the Church Greek word for 50th (50th day after Passover) Jesus taught for 40 days...they prayed and opened availed themselves to God for 10 day...the Holy Spirit met and changed them in an afternoon) The Church was birthed and released the reality of God’s Kingdom to the world. The Church was never meant to have a monopoly on the Kingdom---it is merely where the people gather to be encouraged & dispersed Attack on this passage: Many don’t believe in Jesus’ story of Divinity being conceived into humanity Many refuse to believe the miracles Others doubt the death, burial and resurrection Some doubt that the Spirit was every released in Acts 2 And, of those who follow Christ & believe his story & each of these points 100s of thousands fail to believe that the miraculous power of God’s Spirit is still at work in the lives of believers today!! And of those who do truly believe...only a minority avail themselves to this power of the Spirit. Truth of Jesus’s Power: Jesus didn't walk in His own Divinity He was anointed: Something that can’t happen to God Acts 10:38 (Jesus was anointed) Jesus’ works showed someone 100% man & 100% God who walked around in 100% humanity, but humanly empowered by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus has walked in his own Divine power, it would not have spoken to our lives. Jesus opted to not lean into his Divinity to demonstrated what a Spirit empowered life looked like. Jesus told the disciples that they’d do greater works ‘ cause he was going to the Father. Acts 2 Disciples had 3 years of Jesus’s training and tutelage, yet they needed the Spirit to be really completely equipped for their work. Human ingenuity isn’t enough!! We need a God-invasion (Holy Spirit) They TARRIED (waited on God). Why? Intimacy with God readied the disciple’s hearts for what they were about to receive. (Luke 24.49) The Spirit fell upon each of them and put the gospel in everyday language to people from all over the world. How did power come? Intimacy with God (Drawn In) What did power do? Transformation/Empowerment (Sent Out) Power of Spirit + Personal Witness = Spiritual vitality and transformation They Were Filled: (Filled or Baptized) Acts 4.8; 4.31; 9.17; 13.9 Why? We need to receive the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our ministries to the greatest extent possible in order to serve God well in our world~ Dr. C. Peter Wagner John 16.7 Jesus told the disciples that it was better of for them that he went away. Our Christian story can’t just be the birth, baptism, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We must also celebrate His Ascension and Pentecost because they were all strategic stops in allowing the Father’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done. Challenges: Study the story of God’s power being poured out on the Church Ask God to allow you to be filled fully with His Spirit Wait on God. Spend time with God & when the Spirit falls...spend time with others :) Ask Jesus to empower and transform you for greater works (John 16.7)

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