Acts 1:1-14
On Mission with God
Introduction
Perhaps one of the most dynamic stories in all of history is that of the followers of Jesus, those who constituted His first church turning the world upside down. It is in reality an account of a church with humble beginnings on mission with God turning the world right side up. We understand from the Genesis account that God created things the way He wanted them. What He created He intended to be considered normal. It was normal for man to work and not grow weary. It was normal for man to walk and fellowship with God. Yet man perverted that normalcy and made it abnormal. He took what was right side up and turned it over, corrupting God’s perfect, sinless creation.
Since that day, God has been at work righting what man has wronged. He has been at work through the ages redeeming man to Himself, and He is still at work today doing just that. When Jesus came to earth, He could have stayed and done it all Himself. God could have chosen any means He wanted to evangelize the world and declare His good news to all mankind, but He didn’t. In God’s eternal plan, whether we understand it or not, He chose to organize and commission churches to carry out His work, churches just like this one.
Twenty-one centuries later…He still has no other plan. He’s counting on you and me. High on God’s "To Do" list is the evangelization of the world. His early disciples adopted His priorities and devoted themselves to reaching their world, to being on mission with God. Christ counted on them, and they delivered. The Lord is counting on us to deliver as well. The Bible assures us that we are well able to reach the people God has set before us. I believe we can do what God has called us as a church to do because of four reasons found in this text. Woodlawn can be on mission with God…
Because of the promise of the Father.
Remember that Jesus had assured them during His ministry that they would not be left alone. In John 14:16, Jesus said,
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever…"
He said in verse 26,
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
In John 15:26, He also said,
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."
Jesus was assuring the church that He would still be there with them, they would not be alone. The promise was not made to them as individuals; they already possessed the Holy Spirit. The promise was that the church could be immersed in the Spirit of God. If God made the church a promise, they could take it to the bank. Remember, when God promised that there would be no more floods, He gave the rainbow. When God promised an old Abraham and Sarah a child, He gave them an Isaac. When God said that He wouldn’t leave His people in Egypt, He gave them a Moses. David wrote over and over that God is a God of truth. He does not lie and what He has promised will come to pass. If God promised His church the Holy Spirit, then they could be sure they would receive Him, and we find as we read on that they did indeed. The best part of it all is that He never took Him back. The same Holy Spirit that was promised to the church at Jerusalem is the same Holy Spirit that indwells this church and every other New Testament church.
Why could the first church so boldly and expectantly follow through for the Lord Jesus Christ? Because they believed His promise. Do we still believe that the Holy Spirit indwells this church? Do we still believe that He is at work among us?
Because of the purpose of the church.
In the past few weeks, I know I have spoke often about the purpose of the church. We understand what the church is not - It is not a social club. It is not a place for a free handout. It is not a place for a free ride. The church is however the vehicle that God has chosen, that Jesus has bought and commissioned to carry out the Great Commission. If that’s not why were here, then we ought to close and lock the doors and go join the Rifle Club or something.
Jesus said in verse 8 that they would be witnesses unto Him. Everyone is a witness. The question is, "What kind of a witness will you be?" It has been said and I think rightfully so, that if the good news were bad news, it would have already spread around the world. We are each responsible for at least four people groups according to this verse. First, Jesus mentioned, “the uttermost parts of the earth” – this is world missions. This is what we support with Faith Promise through faithful men like Gene Ray Ward and Kabsu Kim. “Samaria” – this is national missions. We support men like Dan McGuire in Rhode Island and Darrel Dimmit in Utah to accomplish this work. “all Judea” – this is state missions. We support men like Billy Wright in Kilgore and Kevin Clinton in McKinney because we cannot be there. “Jerusalem” – this is Denison.
We are never given the right in Scripture to subjugate this work to anyone beside ourselves. The work we cannot do on far away fields we support with our money. But this never excuses us from doing what we can do on our local field. It is too easy to drop a check in the plate and say we have done our part. That’s a lot, but if that’s all we are willing to do, then we have not done enough. When was the last time you supported missions with your money? When was the last time you told someone personally about Jesus? When you realize that the Holy Spirit is with you and what your purpose is, you must act on that. It is hard, but it becomes easier…
Because of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus didn’t just promise His church a ghostly presence, but Holy Spirit power. For the church at Jerusalem it meant several things, and the one we often think of is the miraculous power with which they were enabled as a means of authenticating their message. But Spirit’s work was not limited to that. He unifies and edifies His churches. Scripture teaches us that the Holy Spirit places people in the church as He sees fit, to fulfill a particular ministry in order that the body might be a proper representative of Christ on this earth. When there is disunity and disruption in the local church it is not because of the Holy Spirit, but those members who are not walking in the Spirit, but in the flesh.
He empowers and equips His churches. The Holy Spirit is the spiritual power of the Lord’s churches. He provides the spiritual resources for our carrying out the great commission. He accompanies our witness with convicting power. He reveals Christ to the hearts of men. He equips our church for the profit and edification of all. He guides and governs His churches. He teaches us as we study and as we learn from one another. He governs us as the ever-present Comforter, leads in sending out missionaries, calling pastors, making decisions, and so on. If we or any other New Testament church is lacking in Holy Spirit power as they labor, it is because they are lacking in following His leading, submitting to His authority, heeding His calling.
Because of the prayers of the people.
Notice that all of the other reasons are the responsibility of God. He gave the promise and He keeps it. He gave us our purpose and is Himself working to that end. He gives us the power to carry out our purpose and is a constant supply that never runs dry. However, prayer is the responsibility of us as a church body. The prayers of the church body in Jerusalem tell me some important things about them. They were being obedient. Jesus told them to go wait. They were serious. They could have been enjoying fellowship. They were concerned. They wanted God’s blessings on what they were doing. They were admitting their lack of ability. They were united. What about us? Are we so committed to being on mission with God?
Conclusion
There is a legend which recounts the return of Jesus to glory after His time on earth. Even in heaven He bore the marks of His earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death.
The angel Gabriel approached Him and said, "Master, you must have suffered terribly for men down there."
"I did," He said.
"And," continued Gabriel, "do they know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?"
"Oh, no," said Jesus, "not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know."
Gabriel was perplexed. "Then what have you done," he asked, "to let everyone know about your love for them?"
Jesus said, "I’ve asked Peter, James, John, and some other friends to tell other people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell other people about Me, and My story will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of mankind will have heard about My life and what I have done."
Gabriel frowned and looked rather skeptical. He knew well what poor stuff men were made of. "Yes," he said, "but what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the 21st century, people just don’t tell others about you? Haven’t you made any other plans?"
And Jesus answered, "I haven’t made any other plans. I’m counting on them."
