Many
members, but one POWER!
Text: Acts 2:1-4.
“When the Day of Pentecost had
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came
a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house
where they were sitting. Then there
appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And THEY were all FILLED with the Holy Spirit (POWER) and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave THEM utterance.”
Object Lesson:
A number of power tools,
but one battery POWER unit.
After His resurrection, Jesus promised His
disciples, “YOU shall receive POWER when the Holy Spirit has come upon YOU;
and YOU shall be witness to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the end of the earth” Acts 1:8. This promise was fulfilled in Acts
2:1-4, on the Day of Pentecost.
Supernaturally
spiritual gifts were bestowed on the early Christians, each having his/her own
gift or gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ. These were the result
of the extraordinary operation of the Holy Spirit, as on the day of Pentecost. Many
gifts = one source of POWER = GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT!
We need to give special attention to the
fact, that each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, cannot come through human
ability or talent. But, by the Holy Spirit and our desire to be filled/used in
His POWER. We will soon discover, the added strength and POWER received through
the Holy Spirit.
The early church, became the “Amazing
Church.” Filled with many members, under the Headship of Christ Jesus,
operating in the same POWER of the Holy Spirit. Many gifts = one source of POWER
= GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT!
What
amazing services they must have had after that first Day of Pentecost! 120
disciples have been waiting and praying for many days, suddenly there was a
mighty rushing wind, and each disciple was filled with the Holy Spirit (POWER),
with a fire upon them. And it says that those present “were all amazed and
marvelled” verse 7.
Two questions were asked
that day:
1. “What
means this?” verse 12.
2. And
the second, was the answer to the first, “What shall we do” verse 37.
Today
we are trying to get the unbeliever to ask the second question, before they ask
us the first question “What means this?” We are trying to get the unsaved to want
what we have, without them first being amazed at what we have, what we
are, and what they see in us!
We
are trying to get them saved and into the church, but we have not shown them
anything different in our own lives first. When the unbeliever comes into some church’s,
they are not amazed, for they do not see anything different in the average
church.
So,
we need to go back to Pentecost:
To do what they did!
To pray as they did!
To believe as they did!
To witness as they did!
To be filled with the
Holy Spirit as they did!
There
are three reasons we can be the same today:
1.
Our God is the same. Yes, He has not
changed,
He still loves the lost,
He still seeks the lost,
His mercy, grace and love
is still the same.
God
is just as powerful today. It is an insult to God to say we cannot have revival
and a harvest of the lost today.
2.
Mankind is still the same.
Men may act more evil
today, and evil has greater freedom of use.
But people have always
been wicked.
Adam’s own son killed his
brother.
3.
Our methods should not change.
The message of the Gospel
is the blueprint for success in the Great Commission of Christ.
God is the same!
Men and woman are the
same!
The message of the Cross
is the same!
Conclusion:
What
started the Church at Pentecost?
Unity, oneness, and all
in accord “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place” Acts 2:1.
Someone
said:
“These people were not rusted
together by tradition,
Not wired together
by organisation,
Not frozen together
by formation.
But they were melted
together by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of love and of unity,
We
are many members, with One God, and One source of POWER!
Many
members and gifts = one source of POWER = GOD!
REMEMBER
EVERY POWER BATTERY = NEEDS CHARGING TIMES!
