An exciting, uplifting Church, through the Spirit.

 

Nothing can be as dry as dust, as pointless and wearisome as church-work without the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is also true that nothing can be more exciting and uplifting, so alive and full of power as a church experiencing the anointing of the Spirit, with Spirit filled, inspired members.

 

What made the first Church great (See Acts 2) was that we see God at work.

We see God at work as the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers who prayed and begged for the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit to be fulfilled.

We see God at work when Peter, earlier a cowardly follower of Jesus, received the boldness to become a fisher of men.

We see God at work when three thousand people are added to the Church in one worship service. We see God at work in changed lives, miracles and deliverance of men and women devoted to Jesus Christ. It was a great, dynamic Church, because we see God at work there.

We are astonished about what God does in the lives of people and of congregations. The Jerusalem congregation was a living, dynamic expression of the power of God changing lives and ministering to the community.

We want to be a church like that. We want to experience the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit of God. We want to see God at work amongst us. We want to experience the life which comes from the mighty initiative of the Holy Spirit among us.

We must ask ourselves - what can we do to follow this example?

 

It is not enough to merely see what happened and merely take note of what happened at the beginning of the Church at work in the world. We must ask God to make it happen here and now! 

We must pray with the intensity and faithfulness of the first congregation. We must love as unconditionally, and we must follow Jesus as faithfully as individuals and as Church communities, every day.

 

Let’s read Acts 2:37-41:

When the people heard this, (Peter’s sermon) they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words Peter warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.