Alive & Well

Acts 4-5 // Power of a Unified Church

In Acts 4 we see the united efforts of a praying church that results in the freeing of Peter from prison.  Unity in the early church was not just a desirable feature, but it was the condition of its very existence.   Today, unity is marked by denominational groupings, such as Catholic, Protestant, orthodox, evangelical, baptist or Pentecostal.   These groupings did not exist in the early church.  Unity was not something that they prayed for, it was a force working within them that drew them together.    Their unity produced a praying church and worshipping church.    
 
Oftentimes we measure our unity based on the number of people in our buildings, or how much we can agree on a specific theological doctrine.  The style of a church’s worship service or its programming or ministries offered tend to become the driving force of our unity as a movement.  The early church didn’t focus on any of those things. 
 
What came out of their unity was generosity.  A sharing of one another’s life and resources, so that no one was in need.  Their devotion unto God was shared by everyone.  They were radically changed by God’s grace, growing in obedience to the teachings, serving one another in humility and empathy.  It truly was the grace and power of God’s Holy Spirit working through and among them that built the unity they were experiencing together.
 
And when this unified people came together to pray, they would pray into the Sovereign plans of God, with boldness and courage to face whatever challenges would come their way, speaking the word of God and demonstrating it with signs and wonders.    Prayer became the foundational activity of the early unified church.
 
But there were attacks on the early church and its unity.  First, came an attack on its integrity.  Ananias and Sapphira were found stealing from the treasury for their own benefit.   God would take this seriously and they would both lose their lives over their deception in the church.   Then came doctrinal disputes.  The Sanhedrin would be come filled with indignation over the apostles teachings.  They were zealous to defend their religious traditions from the expanding doctrines of Peter and John.    Yet, Peter and John would boldly proclaim and not back down from their preaching, explaining to the Religious Powers we are to obey God and not man.    Even one of the highly respected religious leaders said, there is no sense in fighting against these men, let it fizzle out, or you may find yourself fighting against God.    
 
The ultimate attack on the early church at the end of chapter 5 and for the rest of the book of Acts was persecution.   Even though this would ultimately scatter the church, it would not stop the movement.  Unity would become even more evident as persecution grew.    Nothing would stop what the Holy Spirit was doing through a unified praying people.   
 
So, no matter what weapons are formed against our world, city, your home, when unified in prayer, nothing will prosper against you.  I encourage you find a group of people that you can join with in praying for our nation, your city, or even your neighborhood.  Some of you need to just join in prayer at home with your spouse and your children.  Asking and crying out for God to move in your family.  Whatever and wherever the Holy Spirit leads you, you can rest assured that when a group of people unify around the grace and power of God, nothing will stop the purposes of God among you.

Acts 3 // Hungry Responsive Hearts

The power of movements are threatening.  When you can get any group of people moving in the same direction there is an effect that becomes a threat to establishments and political agendas causing social reform, challenging educational systems and changing religious traditions.  Even God said at the building of the Tower of Babel, there is nothing man cannot accomplish when they work together. 
 
The early church as I’ve said before was and is still the greatest movement humanity has ever seen.  The primary reason is that we have the most powerful message that every human being needs to hear.  That message is as clear today as it was in the book Acts.   God created us, our sins separated us from Him, then Jesus came to pay the price so that everyone who calls on His name, will be saved and have everlasting life.  The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians explains that I have not come with the greatest communication skills, but I have come with the testimony of God infused by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:1-5). The early church preached this message with fervor and conviction.  John Stott says ““Christianity is a rescue religion. It declares that God has taken the initiative in Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sins. This is the main theme of the Bible.  They did not shy away from sharing the Gospel, the life and ministry of Jesus, and the necessary saving impact of His death and resurrection.    They called people to repent, believe in His name, be baptized in water and then there was the demonstration of this message through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Signs, wonders and miracles took place.  People were healed and raised from the dead, these early apostles were walking and continuing in the ministry of Jesus.   
 
Signs and wonders demonstrate the power and divinity of Jesus Christ.   Oftentimes these demonstrations meet a real human need, and build a testimony of the evidence of God’s supernatural power working through a natural observation.  Peter and John heal this lame man, he gets up and starts running around praising God.  Power producing Praise. 
 
It is clear that people were being attracted to the moving and testimony of God’s spirit through the early apostles and steadfastly they continued daily gathering together and their numbers increased rapidly.  Responsive hungry hearts was the result of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit.    
 
It is a critical element in our journey with God to be hungry and responsive to His leadings.  Whether you have clocked in over 6000 hours of Bible study, devotion, prayer or ministry in the church, if you’ve lost the hunger for your need of God, you’ve lost your faith.    When a person loses their hunger for food, they die, and so it is with our faith in Christ.   
 
Are you hungry and responsive to God and His word, and the leading of His Spirit?  Do you find yourself apprehensive or even critical of the signs and wonders that demonstrate God’s power?    Have you grown content or complacent with yesterday’s feeding?  Let your soul be awakened today to its need for a daily feeding on God’s word and a moment by moment desperation for the grace of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. 
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Acts 2 // Pentecost

In Acts 2, we see the very first outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ.   This moment was ordained by God and with obedience, expectation and unity, these folks were used to give birth to the greatest movement in all of human history, the church.  I would like to share a few thoughts about his pinnacle moment in our faith’s history.   
 
First, Pentecost was PLANNED.  It was part of the “holy convocations” that God set in place with His people when He first delivered them Egypt.  The feast of Passover was a celebration that reminded the people of Israel how God rescued them out of slavery and into their promised land.  Exactly 50 days after Passover, they are to celebrate another feast called the Feast of Weeks or what we call Pentecost.  God did not just randomly choose this day, he was speaking something from the shadows of history, trying to establish the future of His purposes moving forward.  In the event at Mt. Sinai, 3000 people died for breaking the covenant, but here in Acts 2, 3000 people were saved,  at Sinai the people were kept away from the fire, but in Acts, the fire came to the people.   Sinai was a moment of national apostasy but Pentecost in Jerusalem was a united outpouring of blessing upon those gathered.
 
Second, Pentecost was PRAYERFUL.  How was this prayer meeting Prayer FULL?  It was full of expectation.  Joel 2:28 used in Peter’s sermon, states…”. (a) “And it shall come to pass afterwardThat I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions”. There was an expectation that God was going to move and pour out His Spirit.  It was full of sincere and intense conviction.  These 120 followers of Jesus gathered in this upper room with conviction that what Jesus had told them would come to pass and that they were humbled and honored to be available and called.
 
Pentecost was POWERFUL.  First came the wind.  The Holy Spirit is free and sovereign and not bound to anyone's TIMING or TECHNIQUE for how to get his power. When he comes, he comes suddenly just like the wind.  Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the Spirit being like the wind, and that the wind comes and goes as it pleases.  When the Spirit comes he comes for HARVESTING.  Ezekiel prophesied to the wind and the dead bodies in the valley came to life. (Ezekiel 37:9-14).  Next came the tongues of FIRE.  At times the Holy Spirit will make himself known with visible, audible, touchable manifestations.  The fire was strong EVIDENCE that this was God’s presence  Then it was the “divided tongues”.  The term is called “glossalia” which is used for “tongues”.   People that day spoke actual languages that could be interpreted by those who were observing the experience. 
 
Lastly, Pentecost was PURPOSEFUL.  These folks would become living witnesses and warriors in what I consider the greatest movement of human history.  They would face persecution, imprisonment, martyrdom and extreme opposition, but nothing would slow down their purpose.  They had supernatural guidance, love, holiness, fervor, activity with perseverance and tenacity no matter what they faced.  They were apostles on mission.
 
So, are you ready for Pentecost in your life?  God has a plan and a purpose for you.  Are you filled with something other than the Holy Spirit today?  Empty yourself of this world and that which feeds your selfishness, and let Him fill you again with His power and presence.  He wants to make you POWERFUL and PURPOSEFUL in your life.  That means He wants to establish the more that you’re seeking the power to break those chains that bind you.   Ask for the Holy Spirit right now, He is a gift to the church, and He will never leave you or forsake you. 

Acts 1 // Expectation, Anticipation, and Establish

The Book of Acts is a record of the Early Church Apostles and how they continued the ministry of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and eventually into the entire Gentile World.  It is a book full of inspiring history, that reminds us why we are here today as worshippers of Jesus Christ.  This fearless group of men and women including Peter and Paul, were tenacious and determined in the face of persecution to rise up and be the witnesses of Jesus Christ as they were commanded in Acts 1.  But they would not have been able to accomplish any of these “Acts” without the endowment and outpouring of the Holy Spirit into their lives, homes and communities.
 
This Baptism of the Holy Spirit was an extension of the ministry of Jesus, an experience distinct from salvation and it is clear that it is still available to every one of us who would so desire it.   In the first chapter of Acts, Jesus appears to His disciples and commands them to be witnesses of Him, but to first wait for the Holy Spirit.  This is the first thing we learn in Acts.  We should be EXPECTING to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.  How do we raise this expectation, this confidence of receiving a divine enablement and empowerment for witnessing.  Build confidence in the promise, that He will meet you .  Develop courage to obey HIs promptings and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Sensitivity to His conviction will also keep you reminded of His presence and purpose for your life.
 
After commanding the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, Jesus will meet them on a mountain and will ascend into heaven, promising them all authority to be His witnesses.  The apostles would gaze in awe and wonder at this moment, as any one of us would, but there are two angels explaining that Jesus will return again, in the very same way.  This is another lesson from Acts 1.  We should be ANTICIPATING the immanent return of Christ (1 These. 4;13-18; Titus 2;11-14). This is our blessed hope, the hope of the church.  Jesus’ feet will touch the ground just as He lifted them here in Acts 1.  (Zechariah 14). Paul explains that His second coming will be in the twinkling of an eye, a moment, a split second, and He raptures His church.  There will be a coming of the lawless one, an antichrist that will produce a great falling away.  So it is vital for you to remain with anticipation, living in light of His return.
 
After Jesus, ascended, the apostles and early believers gathered together, they assembled in prayer in the upper room and began to establish a strategy of leadership and movement.    They would meet houses, send out missionaries, teach the scriptures and most definitely pray and provide for the needs of their new found family of faith.  This teaches us one final lesson.  We should be ESTABLISHING the church.  Let’s not forsake it but pursue it.  There should be diligence in our devotion to the teachings of our leadership.  There should be compassion and empathy, a sharing of one’s resources with those in need.  Take time to eat, drink and do life with those who share in your faith and remember that this is God’s church, His bride, and we are meant to be beautiful, holy and ready for HIs coming! 
 
So, today, what is quenching your hunger and expectation for the Holy Spirit?  Are you ready for the return of Christ?  Is there anything that causes you fear in your heart?  What keeps you from gathering with other believers, and devoting your time and life to a local church?  Did you know that Jesus is preparing for His retun, interceding for every one of us and reigning over the earth sovereignly.  Let Jesus comfort you today, and expect His Holy Spirit to be with you, anticipate His return, and establish yourself with other Christ Followers. 

Welcoming the King

Hey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well podcast. I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these are short summarized messages from the sermons I preach each week. It’s my hope and prayer that you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment. 

Lost and Found - Luke 15

Hey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well podcast. I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these are short summarized messages from the sermons I preach each week. It’s my hope and prayer that you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment. 

Anticipation of God’s Return

ey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well podcast. I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these are short summarized messages from the sermons I preach each week. It’s my hope and prayer that you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment. 

God is Perfect Love

Hey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well podcast. I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these are short summarized messages from the sermons I preach each week. It’s my hope and prayer that you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment. 

Behold What Manner of Love

Hey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well Podcast.  I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these short messages are the summary of my sermons each week.  It’s my hope and prayer that today you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!  
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment. 

The Five Ifs of Human Experience (1 John 1:1-2:2)

Hey thanks for tuning in today to the alive and well Podcast.  I’m a pastor at Awaken Church in Rome, NY and these short messages are the summary of my sermons each week.  It’s my hope and prayer that today you find inspiration in something you hear only so that you can live out your life as a fully devoted follower of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit!  
 
Hey I hope that you found something today that inspired your heart and your faith in Christ.  If you liked what you heard, please subscribe or leave a comment.