February 1, 2009: “The Vital Signs of a Spirit-Filled Church” from Acts 2:42-47

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Luke tells us in this text what the new community of believers began to do following the events of Pentecost. The church was not mature, being newly-formed and composed mostly of new believers; the church was not perfect, as we will see in future sermons in Acts. But this church was healthy: the Spirit had poured out his blessing on it!

A Spirit-filled church, like the early church, will have these five vital signs:

1. A hunger for God’s Word—the people were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, the lifeblood of the church.
2. A hunger for fellowship—the people were devoted to their fellow believers, participating in each other’s lives.
3. A hunger for worship—the people were devoted to participating in the Lord’s Table, to prayer and to praising God.
4. The miraculous working of God was evident in the many wonders and signs being done through the apostles. A Spirit-filled church will see miraculous activity in conversions and victories over sin, and perhaps even in wonders and signs should the Spirit choose to work in that way.
5. The outflow of evangelistic fruitfulness—a Spirit-filled body is contagious as it scatters into the community.

Growth in these vital signs will not be by self-effort, but by Spirit-dependence, for it is the Spirit who fell on the early church and showered these blessings.

* Our church family was challenged to pray specifically for the work of the Holy Spirit in five related ways.  More details can be found in this article on the GTBC website.

January 11, 2009: “The Unstoppable Advance of the Gospel to All Peoples” from Acts 1:1-14

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In Acts, Luke records the continuing work of Jesus Christ by his Spirit through his people. In verse 1:8, we see Christ’s promise to his followers that the gospel will go out to all peoples in an unstoppable advance: unstoppable, because the language used (“will be”) indicates a certainty; the gospel, because that is what his followers will bear witness about; and to all peoples, because it will go to the ends of the earth.

Why is the advance of the gospel unstoppable? Because Jesus is alive and working.

How is the unstoppable advance accomplished? By Christ’s witnesses who are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Some ways that you can position yourself for greater participation in the unstoppable advance:

1. Apply the gospel to yourself daily—gratitude for the cross and a holy jealousy to see the name of Christ glorified will give us the ultimate motivation to evangelize.
2. Believe that the Spirit is preparing the hearts of people around you for the gospel, working in ways that we cannot see or even anticipate.
3. Cast gospel seed indiscriminately—we are a most ordinary people empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear a most extraordinary message.