Listen and Act
Acts 2:1-13 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and AsiaPhrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
I. Community
The Church is made up of weak people, but in Jesus, we can change the world together.
I. Community
II. Power
Why the Holy Spirit is Vital:
- We need Holy Spirit power to be saved.
- We need Holy Spirit power over our flesh.
- We need Holy Spirit power over the darkness in our world.
Flesh - the belief that a person, place, or thing can satisfy me fully
A life lived in flesh leads to death.
One who lives for pleasure is already dead.
1 John 5:19 NIV
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
Leisurely Christianity won't push back the darkness.
Integrate truth. Go behind enemy lines. Move out in confidence to encounter the people in the world.
I. Community
II. Power
III. Speak
- First Nine Years - "Come & See"
- Second Nine Years - "Go & Be"
Listening and acting on what you know is making much of Jesus.
We must speak of what we have seen and heard; if we do that, there is more than we ever thought or imagined.
Isaiah 61:1-4 NIV
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisonersto proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mournand provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.