Acts. The Story. Part 1 Acts 2:1-13 06/13/11

Sermon 6-12-11 Acts part 1

Acts 2:1-13
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

What is Pentecost, why is it important?
The disciples are filled with power and with the holy spirit
The disciples go out

Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

You would need the holy spirit to do this……..a life lived outside of myself

As they go, Its not simply a telling
It’s a life. A life together
That’s why attending church is impt. Its not just about believing, its about living together
It is living the Christian life
Who are we, how do we go about caring for each other

Picture the early church
How did the early church go about their business? Did they form a committee?

The early church had no political influence, no property, no fame or wealth
There is no church building, no paid staff, no pastors, no committees no conference. No organization. No choir, no bookstore, no walking trail, no stained glass

But it was powerful because they were sharing Gods love
The gods of the age were to be feared. You worked hard to curry their favor
Now they are hearing a new message.
God has come near. You are loved. Life can be lived w joy

Consequently, The people valued one another more than possessions
Only people mattered-annanias and saffira

Movement of the spirit

- Everyone who was touched and transformed by Jesus was able to, in turn, participate in the transformation of others around them.

It is a grass roots movement of people who are stepping out with hearts that are full

Does this sound like the church that we know?
What is your concept of church
A building? A staff with programs?
An organism, a body.
Hymn – I am the church, you are the church

Not that our buildings and staff and programs should go away, but do we spend too much time worrying about our stuff?

You have to have both, the organization and the living it out, but we tend to get stuck on the organizational side of it,

The church at its worst
Concerned with institutional survival
Is concerned with tradition-living out yesterdays paradigms
Is a place filled with consumers

The church at its best
Where organization, tradition and process are understood to be a part of the equation
But the real focus is on
Loving each other, finding joy in jesus, taking it to the streets

The blob – steve mcqueen 1958

Illustrations of this living
Acts 3
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.


Risky, but exciting
Not asking that you go and try to heal the lame and disabled,
But the promise of Pentecost is just exactly that
In some way, in some place, someone is waiting for you to love

• The holy spirit is the undiscovered gift to the Christian
• The church is a virus, and it is meant to be caught-

What should we pray for our church, for its members, for we who are the church?
That everytime we gather here, our hearts are filled and warmed
So that we can go out with joy and as the sign says, enter the mission field

Communion
That we might be filled
That we might be sent


Jeff Brinkman
Pastor
Woods Chapel United Methodist Church

You can read Jeff's blog at www.canyouhearthebirdssing.blogspot.com