(based on a sermon outline by Roger Campbell, p179 in Preach for a Year # 1 )
Acts 11: 9-14, 2: 1-8, 42-27
When God’s Son came into the world, the world did not know him, even though the world was made by him. That was the coming of God’s Son into the world. After he had returned to heaven he sent the Holy Spirit, and it was the same old story. The world did not recognise him. Indeed, on the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, some people just said they were drunk!
And since then in the history of the Church there have been times when people have not recognised the Holy Spirit. And they have forgotten about him. They have gone about the Christian life as if it were just a matter of keeping laws, man-made rules and regulations in one’s own strength. The Holy Spirit is in the Church, and the Church was made by the Holy Spirit, but at times the Church knows him not.
What a difference it would make to our Christianity if every individual member of the Church were to be filled with the Holy Spirit! We can look into the Book of Acts to see what that situation would be like. What is a church like when it lives in the renewing power of the Holy Spirit?
We can note three things:
1) From weaklings to witnesses (Acts 1:8)
The early chapters of Acts show us the followers of Jesus, just after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Just before he ascended to heaven Jesus met with his disciples and they asked him some questions:
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (V6)
In other words: “Is it now time for us to go out in your name and bring in the Kingdom of God?”
Jesus said, “Not yet.”
“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you (v7-8)
You must wait first until the Holy Spirit comes upon you – you will not carry out this work in your own strength.
When we consider the weakness of that first group of disciples we are amazed at what they were able to achieve in the power of the Holy Spirit.Remember just who they were:
· There was Peter who had denied his Lord in a moment of crisis.
· There was Philip whose faith was weak, who had asked, “Lord show us the Father and then we will believe.”
· There was Thomas who doubted the Resurrection of the Lord.
· And there were all the other disciples, cowering behind locked doors for fear of the Authorities.
These are the people Jesus took, and filled with his Spirit, and used to turn the world upside down.
However weak we may be in our own human strength we will be witnesses to Christ when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
2) From faction to fellowship (Acts 4:32)
There was the possibility of all kinds of faction and division in the early Church. Those first followers were such a disparate group of people. Some had been fishermen: others tax gatherers. Some had been Zealots, fighting against the Romans: others had worked for the Romans. Some had lived highly moral lives others had been crooks or prostitutes.
Before the death of Jesus his disciples had quarrelled about who was going to be the most important in the Kingdom. After the Resurrection there was still the question of Peter’s denial, Thomas’s lack of belief, the other disciples forsaking Jesus at his arrest. Yes, there were plenty of possible causes for recriminations and dispute.
But after the coming of the Holy Spirit they are united in heart, mind and will
“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had.” (Acts 4:32)
The Holy Spirit had united them with a bond of love that was far more important to them than mere possessions.
It is always so with the Holy Spirit. When he is at work he brings unity and love among the members in the local church. When the Christians truly love one another, then their work of outreach is not compromised. But if there are divisions in the church, how can they expect to be able to bring in others?
Sadly some of the very churches which make the greatest claims about the work of he Holy Spirit are riven by internal divisions. Such division between groups of people who both believe in Jesus is a sure sign that the Holy Spirit is not being given his rightful place. However much lip-service may be paid to the work of the Spirit – if there is division, then he is not being given his rightful place.
3) Growth without gimmickry (Acts 4: 33)
In the Book of Acts, every time we see the Holy Spirit at work in the church we also see growth.
· 3000 people were converted on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 41)
· After Peter and John had been arrested, the number of believers rose to 5000 men (not counting women and children). (Acts 4: 4)
· After the incident with Ananias and Sapphira, multitudes were added to their number. (Acts 5: 14)
· “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6: 7)
This was church growth in New Testament times.
· It was not the result of a strategy drawn up by a committee.
· It was not attained by adhering to “church growth principles”.
· It was not the result of massive evangelistic rallies with world-famous names on the platform.
· It was not the outcome of natural gifts and abilities.
· It was not brought about by gimmicks.
Such things are often used today to try and whip up revival. But without the power of the Holy Spirit none of these things will produce real growth. And by that I mean growth in depth of faith and love, as well as growth in numbers. And the Book of Acts shows us that the Holy Spirit does not need any of these things to produce revival!
Aren’t you tired of gimmicks? I am.
All we need is what those first disciples had: we see it in Acts 2 as they waited in the upper room.
They joined together to pray and to worship God in the name of Christ. They waited on God with a humble spirit.
Are we prepared to do this?
If we are, then we too can be:
· changed from Weaklings to Witnesses,
· our relationships can be mended as we go from Faction to Fellowship,
· and converts will join the Church as we experience Growth without Gimmicks.
If only we will trust God for his power.
