Pastor Chuck’s Message
Sunday, June 28, 2020
3 Steps to A New Beginning
Acts 1:1-10
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “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; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.”
Today we are going to bring to a close, a ministry that began 22 months ago. If there is one thing, I have learned in 43 years of pastoral ministry it is that with God, endings are always beginnings. Soren Kierkegaard wrote “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” We can only live our lives forward successfully, if we learn to honestly evaluate from the past and make corrections as we navigate God’s will to move His church forward.
As the book of Acts opens, we find Jesus ministering to his disciples. He is helping them cope with their misunderstanding, failures and desertion. His post-resurrection ministry is for the sole purpose of giving them a new beginning. He is in the process of moving these weak, self-centered and disheartened disciples into becoming a new breed of believers. So he spends forty days encouraging them, teaching them and commissioning them. He is depending upon them to turn the world upside down with the message of salvation.
Too often, when I study the book of Acts, I am simply blown away, especially Acts 2 because I only see the results. I lose sight of what is taking place at the time. I see the results of the Spirit's coming. I see the results of Peter's sermon. I see 3,000 are baptized. I see the Lord adding to the church daily such as should be saved. Yet, too often, I fail to realize what it was that made possible the power of the Holy Spirit and the earth-shattering response by those who heard the Gospel message when the Holy Spirit came.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “When we have the Holy Spirit, we have all that is needed to be all that God desires us to be.”
The Prophet Zechariah said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
This morning, I want us to examine the three basic steps it took for the disciples to have this powerful new beginning. Hopefully we will find the clues to a new beginning for our church.
I. Trust God's Plan
A new beginning is discovered as we trust the plan of God. The disciples were able to do what they did on Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts because they trusted in God’s plan. It is not always easy to follow God's plan, is it? No one said it was easy, but it is simple. At times we make it difficult because we don’t understand God’s ways. Our lack of understanding and unanswered questions holds us back. The fear of not knowing how God is going to work things out holds us back. Being afraid that God will not let us have what we personally want can hold us back. At these crucial times we must have faith in God's plan, that His plan really is best.
We are often afraid of new beginnings because we don’t know the intricate details of God’s plan. Jesus simply told the disciples that God had a plan;
Acts 1:6-9
“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘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; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight"
Now I want you to notice that Jesus never told the disciples when or how God would accomplish his purpose. He simply tells them that they must go to Jerusalem. I am sure this plan wasn't all that exciting to these already troubled disciples. Keep in mind that Jerusalem was the place where Jesus was crucified and the people were hostile to the disciples. This will give you some insight:
Look at what John tells us in John 20:19 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, …”
The disciples were afraid of the people of Jerusalem and they wanted to go back to Galilee where life was easier and safe. Isn’t that often our way, to go back to what we know. But Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Why? Because He wanted them to witness there.
Jesus also told his disciples they must witness in Judea and Samaria. Now, that created another problem. Why? The Jews despised the Samaritans. Not only that, but Jesus said His disciples must take the gospel to the ends of the earth. This meant beyond the nation of Israel. This was really a problem for the Jewish disciples who called Gentiles “dogs.”
Now, as the 11 disciples were standing there on the Mount of Olives, they didn't have a backup plan. There was only one plan and it was absolutely essential that it be followed. It is no wonder they were asked by the messengers from God, in Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee,” they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back the same way you have seen him go into heaven." In other words, what in the world are you waiting for? Get going! God's plan needed to be put into action. They had to get on with God’s plan because there was not a backup plan. How many times do we come up with a backup plan because we don’t want to follow God’s plan?
Throughout Acts chapter one, we see the disciples seeking to follow God's plan. They return to Jerusalem according to Jesus' instructions. Upon their return they seek to further carry out God's plan as they seek to appoint someone to take Judas' place.
Acts 1:23-26 “So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”
I am convinced that nothing happens by chance, only by the Sovereign Will and Providence of God. This is why it is crucial for us to understand and believe that God has a plan and it will succeed. We just need to get out of God’s way and accept what He has for us. The apostles discovered a new direction by getting themselves in tune with God’s plan. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem. What do you do while you are waiting upon the Lord? You follow God’s plan that you do know!!! You do what you know to do in the present without fretting over the obstacles in your future path.
We need to make sure that our plans don’t interfere with God’s plan. In Acts 16 we find that Paul had a plan for preaching the gospel to a lost world, but he changed his plans when he received the Macedonian call.
Acts 16:6-10
“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Notice that God wouldn’t allow Paul to go with his own plans. Paul found new direction from God by getting in tune with God's plan when he received the Macedonian call. Listen, if your resolutions or plans for your life aren’t working, perhaps God is calling you to follow His plan. If we follow God's plan, He can enable us to fulfill His plans according to His timetable.
II. Trust in God's Timing
You can’t believe in God’s plan without trusting in God’s timing. You see, the disciples wanted to know God’s timing concerning the coming of the kingdom. Listen to the last words Jesus spoke to the apostles in answer to their question.
In Acts 1:6-8 we see the question: "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”
Now for most of us, that answer wouldn’t be sufficient would it. We don't like piece-meal revelation. Why would Jesus do that?
Like any of us, if the disciples had known what God was about to do, they would have broken their necks trying to force it to happen according to their own plans. Let me ask you, how many times did Jesus’ disciples try to make Jesus an earthly king, one who would fulfill their desires. Do you remember the disciples debating who would sit on the left and right of His throne? I think what we often forget is that making things happen is a burden that only God can bear. It was up to God to make things happen, in His timing. Jesus simply says, "Wait in Jerusalem until God empowers you from on high." How long would they have to wait? How would God make it happen? What would be required of them? They were simply told to wait in Jerusalem. Wow! That’s contrary to anything we want isn’t it? Who likes to wait?
Now, the event, that was about to take place in Jerusalem, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, had been planned in the mind of God before the world was created. I think it is important for us to be reminded that you can’t rush God. God will only bring things about in His time. Not ours. Our job is to be faithful. Nothing more – faithful. Here in Acts we find that the disciples are to be faithful to Jesus’ command and wait for God to manifest Himself.
What’s the lesson? The lesson is that Power comes to those who wait upon God's timing. Why is this important?
The disciples didn't know the reason they had to wait in Jerusalem. They just knew that they had to wait and they had to wait in faith and trust. It was not until after those days of waiting in the upper-room, on the Day of Pentecost after the coming of the Holy Spirit, that the disciples understood that God had been waiting for Jews from every nation under heaven to gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of First Harvest (Pentecost).
You know, I have often wondered how much easier it would have been for the disciples to wait upon God in Jerusalem if they had only been given all the details of what was happening. Have you ever felt that way about the details of your life? We seldom enjoy the reality of it all. God knows what our tomorrow holds in store. He is already there working out the details. Renewal comes when we begin to live in the reality of it all. “Trust in God’s Plan. Trust in God’s Timing, and:
III. Trust in God Through Prayer
What do you do while you are waiting on God? The time we spend in waiting on the Lord is meant to be active times -- not passive times. It is a time where we work at what is at hand, following a God-given plan for the moment.
So it was with the disciples, Acts 1:12-14 ". . . they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying… They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, prayer is the very first thing the disciples engage in. In that three-quarter of a mile walk back to Jerusalem, they began to realize they would need God's help. God's plan has brought them to center stage. Now, "They all joined together constantly in prayer . . . They were depending upon God to supply the needed results in their lives. They were relying upon God's power to fulfill God's plan.
Jesus had been teaching them all about his kingdom during that forty-day period of post-resurrection appearances. They knew they had to be in Jerusalem. They knew that they had to pick someone to take Judas' place. They knew that they would have to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. They knew all about water baptism. They knew that one must obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. They knew all they needed to know, at the present, about the nature of the Church. They were greatly anticipating how God was about to use them. But they also understood that all of this understanding would be powerless without prayer.
Prayer was an important part of Jesus' life. Jesus had prayed that the world might believe on Him through the words of the disciples. In John 17:20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, . . .” We find Jesus praying consistently. It was prayer that made Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice possible. It was Jesus' prayers in His last hours on earth that makes the work of the disciples possible. Jesus prayed, "Father let this cup pass . . . but more importantly . . . let Your will be done." And in the book of Acts, we see these prayers being answered. Prayers seeking God's will to be done in our church are always powerful and prevailing.
You see, Prayer gives us a new beginning by directing our focus on the willingness of God to accomplish what we can’t. Although we have no record of Jesus' disciples praying before Acts 1, we do know that Jesus taught them to pray. We are not told the content of the prayers in the upper room, but we can safely assume their prayers were directed toward the fulfillment of God's plan for this new beginning.
Conclusion:
Breaking free from self and what we want is impossible without God's leading. Trusting in God's plan, trusting in God's timing and trusting in God through prayer are only possible when we know that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. It is only then that we can experience a spiritual new beginning for our church.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
3 Steps to A New Beginning
Acts 1:1-10
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “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; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.”
Today we are going to bring to a close, a ministry that began 22 months ago. If there is one thing, I have learned in 43 years of pastoral ministry it is that with God, endings are always beginnings. Soren Kierkegaard wrote “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” We can only live our lives forward successfully, if we learn to honestly evaluate from the past and make corrections as we navigate God’s will to move His church forward.
As the book of Acts opens, we find Jesus ministering to his disciples. He is helping them cope with their misunderstanding, failures and desertion. His post-resurrection ministry is for the sole purpose of giving them a new beginning. He is in the process of moving these weak, self-centered and disheartened disciples into becoming a new breed of believers. So he spends forty days encouraging them, teaching them and commissioning them. He is depending upon them to turn the world upside down with the message of salvation.
Too often, when I study the book of Acts, I am simply blown away, especially Acts 2 because I only see the results. I lose sight of what is taking place at the time. I see the results of the Spirit's coming. I see the results of Peter's sermon. I see 3,000 are baptized. I see the Lord adding to the church daily such as should be saved. Yet, too often, I fail to realize what it was that made possible the power of the Holy Spirit and the earth-shattering response by those who heard the Gospel message when the Holy Spirit came.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “When we have the Holy Spirit, we have all that is needed to be all that God desires us to be.”
The Prophet Zechariah said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
This morning, I want us to examine the three basic steps it took for the disciples to have this powerful new beginning. Hopefully we will find the clues to a new beginning for our church.
I. Trust God's Plan
A new beginning is discovered as we trust the plan of God. The disciples were able to do what they did on Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts because they trusted in God’s plan. It is not always easy to follow God's plan, is it? No one said it was easy, but it is simple. At times we make it difficult because we don’t understand God’s ways. Our lack of understanding and unanswered questions holds us back. The fear of not knowing how God is going to work things out holds us back. Being afraid that God will not let us have what we personally want can hold us back. At these crucial times we must have faith in God's plan, that His plan really is best.
We are often afraid of new beginnings because we don’t know the intricate details of God’s plan. Jesus simply told the disciples that God had a plan;
Acts 1:6-9
“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘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; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight"
Now I want you to notice that Jesus never told the disciples when or how God would accomplish his purpose. He simply tells them that they must go to Jerusalem. I am sure this plan wasn't all that exciting to these already troubled disciples. Keep in mind that Jerusalem was the place where Jesus was crucified and the people were hostile to the disciples. This will give you some insight:
Look at what John tells us in John 20:19 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, …”
The disciples were afraid of the people of Jerusalem and they wanted to go back to Galilee where life was easier and safe. Isn’t that often our way, to go back to what we know. But Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Why? Because He wanted them to witness there.
Jesus also told his disciples they must witness in Judea and Samaria. Now, that created another problem. Why? The Jews despised the Samaritans. Not only that, but Jesus said His disciples must take the gospel to the ends of the earth. This meant beyond the nation of Israel. This was really a problem for the Jewish disciples who called Gentiles “dogs.”
Now, as the 11 disciples were standing there on the Mount of Olives, they didn't have a backup plan. There was only one plan and it was absolutely essential that it be followed. It is no wonder they were asked by the messengers from God, in Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee,” they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back the same way you have seen him go into heaven." In other words, what in the world are you waiting for? Get going! God's plan needed to be put into action. They had to get on with God’s plan because there was not a backup plan. How many times do we come up with a backup plan because we don’t want to follow God’s plan?
Throughout Acts chapter one, we see the disciples seeking to follow God's plan. They return to Jerusalem according to Jesus' instructions. Upon their return they seek to further carry out God's plan as they seek to appoint someone to take Judas' place.
Acts 1:23-26 “So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”
I am convinced that nothing happens by chance, only by the Sovereign Will and Providence of God. This is why it is crucial for us to understand and believe that God has a plan and it will succeed. We just need to get out of God’s way and accept what He has for us. The apostles discovered a new direction by getting themselves in tune with God’s plan. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem. What do you do while you are waiting upon the Lord? You follow God’s plan that you do know!!! You do what you know to do in the present without fretting over the obstacles in your future path.
We need to make sure that our plans don’t interfere with God’s plan. In Acts 16 we find that Paul had a plan for preaching the gospel to a lost world, but he changed his plans when he received the Macedonian call.
Acts 16:6-10
“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Notice that God wouldn’t allow Paul to go with his own plans. Paul found new direction from God by getting in tune with God's plan when he received the Macedonian call. Listen, if your resolutions or plans for your life aren’t working, perhaps God is calling you to follow His plan. If we follow God's plan, He can enable us to fulfill His plans according to His timetable.
II. Trust in God's Timing
You can’t believe in God’s plan without trusting in God’s timing. You see, the disciples wanted to know God’s timing concerning the coming of the kingdom. Listen to the last words Jesus spoke to the apostles in answer to their question.
In Acts 1:6-8 we see the question: "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”
Now for most of us, that answer wouldn’t be sufficient would it. We don't like piece-meal revelation. Why would Jesus do that?
Like any of us, if the disciples had known what God was about to do, they would have broken their necks trying to force it to happen according to their own plans. Let me ask you, how many times did Jesus’ disciples try to make Jesus an earthly king, one who would fulfill their desires. Do you remember the disciples debating who would sit on the left and right of His throne? I think what we often forget is that making things happen is a burden that only God can bear. It was up to God to make things happen, in His timing. Jesus simply says, "Wait in Jerusalem until God empowers you from on high." How long would they have to wait? How would God make it happen? What would be required of them? They were simply told to wait in Jerusalem. Wow! That’s contrary to anything we want isn’t it? Who likes to wait?
Now, the event, that was about to take place in Jerusalem, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, had been planned in the mind of God before the world was created. I think it is important for us to be reminded that you can’t rush God. God will only bring things about in His time. Not ours. Our job is to be faithful. Nothing more – faithful. Here in Acts we find that the disciples are to be faithful to Jesus’ command and wait for God to manifest Himself.
What’s the lesson? The lesson is that Power comes to those who wait upon God's timing. Why is this important?
The disciples didn't know the reason they had to wait in Jerusalem. They just knew that they had to wait and they had to wait in faith and trust. It was not until after those days of waiting in the upper-room, on the Day of Pentecost after the coming of the Holy Spirit, that the disciples understood that God had been waiting for Jews from every nation under heaven to gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of First Harvest (Pentecost).
You know, I have often wondered how much easier it would have been for the disciples to wait upon God in Jerusalem if they had only been given all the details of what was happening. Have you ever felt that way about the details of your life? We seldom enjoy the reality of it all. God knows what our tomorrow holds in store. He is already there working out the details. Renewal comes when we begin to live in the reality of it all. “Trust in God’s Plan. Trust in God’s Timing, and:
III. Trust in God Through Prayer
What do you do while you are waiting on God? The time we spend in waiting on the Lord is meant to be active times -- not passive times. It is a time where we work at what is at hand, following a God-given plan for the moment.
So it was with the disciples, Acts 1:12-14 ". . . they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying… They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, prayer is the very first thing the disciples engage in. In that three-quarter of a mile walk back to Jerusalem, they began to realize they would need God's help. God's plan has brought them to center stage. Now, "They all joined together constantly in prayer . . . They were depending upon God to supply the needed results in their lives. They were relying upon God's power to fulfill God's plan.
Jesus had been teaching them all about his kingdom during that forty-day period of post-resurrection appearances. They knew they had to be in Jerusalem. They knew that they had to pick someone to take Judas' place. They knew that they would have to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. They knew all about water baptism. They knew that one must obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. They knew all they needed to know, at the present, about the nature of the Church. They were greatly anticipating how God was about to use them. But they also understood that all of this understanding would be powerless without prayer.
Prayer was an important part of Jesus' life. Jesus had prayed that the world might believe on Him through the words of the disciples. In John 17:20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, . . .” We find Jesus praying consistently. It was prayer that made Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice possible. It was Jesus' prayers in His last hours on earth that makes the work of the disciples possible. Jesus prayed, "Father let this cup pass . . . but more importantly . . . let Your will be done." And in the book of Acts, we see these prayers being answered. Prayers seeking God's will to be done in our church are always powerful and prevailing.
You see, Prayer gives us a new beginning by directing our focus on the willingness of God to accomplish what we can’t. Although we have no record of Jesus' disciples praying before Acts 1, we do know that Jesus taught them to pray. We are not told the content of the prayers in the upper room, but we can safely assume their prayers were directed toward the fulfillment of God's plan for this new beginning.
Conclusion:
Breaking free from self and what we want is impossible without God's leading. Trusting in God's plan, trusting in God's timing and trusting in God through prayer are only possible when we know that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. It is only then that we can experience a spiritual new beginning for our church.
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