The book of Acts is the history of the early church becoming a movement that spread globally.
A few distinctives of the early church:
- The belief that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh who died to pay the sin debt of every human then rose from the dead.
- They gathered around a mission.
- They stood for the sanctity of human life in an age that had little value of it.
- They stood for biblical sexuality in a culture where anything was culturally accepted.
- They saw their vocation as their primary ministry. They lived their faith at work.
The danger any church has is the allure of being less of a movement and more institutional, less mission-minded and more maintenance-minded.
How do we stay on mission accelerating the movement? How do we make sure that we are not slipping into maintenance mode? How do we make sure we are not becoming just a place people attend?
When you are at a place where Jesus is at work, the danger is to think you are part of it. We can see how God is moving in our church, but if you are not serving, praying, or giving, then you are not a part of it, you are just watching it happen.
We are going to study a small group of people, with no money, no influence, not important members that leaned into mission and became the greatest movement the world has ever seen.
The book of Acts is the history of the early church. Two types of people study history: scholars and soldiers. Scholars look to history for facts, soldiers look to history for strategy. We will look at the early church in the book of Acts like soldiers, looking for strategies we can learn to employ in our families and neighborhoods to fulfill the purpose of making disciples.
Three Questions to determine if I’m living on mission
- The early Christians were empowered for the mission. Are you?
Acts 1:4-8, “While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” So, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus told them to wait until they get empowered. Jesus showed us repeatedly that He did His ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Do you live your life empowered by the Holy Spirit of God?
If you do not have the Holy Spirit, then Christianity is just a set of religious beliefs or a lifestyle. The book of Acts is about the church being made alive and being directed by the Holy Spirit. We have no hope of living on mission without the Holy Spirit.
In John 16:14 Jesus says about the Holy Spirit, “He will glorify me, because He will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
The Holy Spirit’s ministry is put a spotlight on Jesus. It is all about Jesus!
The book of Acts tells the story of how a Spirit filled people can turn the world upside down. If we aren’t depending on the Holy Spirit, we just have Old Testament Christianity. This thing is about way more than showing up on Sunday and looking at a bunch of rules and then going to Cracker Barrel.
It is about a living, breathing relationship with the Holy Spirit!
- The early disciples embraced the mission. Have you?
Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This verse is the outline of the book of Acts: start locally, move regionally, look nationally, go globally.
The church is the only organism that Jesus died for. God’s instrument to accomplish His will in this world is the church, His church. Therefore, we ought to be involved and identify with His church.
- I am loved and sent. Do you believe that?
God has called us from darkness to light. We must keep spreading that light. People around us are struggling with all kinds of sins and problems. Listen for these phrases:
- It is not going well
- I am not from here
- I was not expecting that
Let us pay attention to the world around us and reach out to them with the truth of the gospel. Let us be bold and live out our mission in our homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces!
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teaching, visit us on the web at fcfamily.org and make sure you subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.
