Monday, February 24, 2014

The New Testament Church

Acts 1

There is no reason the church today can't turn the world upside down.  We have the same Holy Spirit, but do we have the "Committed 120"?

Jesus spent three years teaching His disciples prior to his crucifixion but they did not fully understand until He gave instructions to the apostles "through the Holy Spirit."  The Holy Spirit is key to everything the church does; in fact, we are powerless without the Holy Spirit.

During the 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus:

  • Gave convincing proof that he was alive.   
  • Spoke about the Kingdom of God.
  • Told the disciples to wait for the Holy spirit.
  • Commanded them to go after they received the Spirit.
These same four instructions from Jesus apply to Christians today:
  • The Bible provides proof of His resurrection and talks about the Kingdom of God.
  • We have the Holy Spirit within us and guiding us.
  • We have the commission to Go.
Peter quickly became the leader of the Committed 120, and the church enjoyed rapid growth. The church would not have grown without the power of the Holy Spirit.  

What do we need to do to have the same impact in the world today?