We Need Another Pentecost (May 28, 2023)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, May 28, 2023
Pastor Andy Lambert
PASSAGES: Acts 1:8; Joel 3:18; Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:14; Acts 1:4-5; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Mark 10:35-37; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 2:14-15; Acts 1:12-14; Philippians 2:1-4; Acts 2:3-4; Ephesians 5:18b; Ephesians 2:10; James 2:18
Jesus was with them for 40 days then he ascended back to Heaven. Before Jesus ascended, He left them and us with these words.
Acts 1:8 ~ “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Ten days after ascension and 50 days (which is the meaning for PENTECOST – fiftieth) after resurrection the words of the prophet Joel and John the Baptist were fulfilled.
Joel 3:18 ~ “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim.”
Matthew 3:11 ~ “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
On this day, PENTECOST SUNDAY, we set aside to praise the Lord for giving His people a great harvest, boldness, power and authority … the church would NEVER be the same and should change the world – forever!
While we can’t enter that upper room where the 120 spent those 10 days, we CAN know the feeling of being in one place, in one accord, worshipping God together, the feeling of a mighty rushing wind filling the entire house, the fire that fell from Heaven and landed upon each of them, the power and anointing that rested upon each of them that day.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN??
One of the most important events of that day, one of the striking characteristics of the early church on the day of Pentecost was that they were together “with one accord”. The word “accord” means to have one mind. Our church word today has too many wanting to do their one thing, wanting to have their one agenda fulfilled, wanting to be in the spotlight, have the mindset of “if I am not in charge, it ain’t God” … those early disciple, all 120 of them, were united in their desire to seek the face of God!
Acts 1:14 ~ “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
Unity was the calling card of the early church and it should be our calling card today. We have too many trying to do their own thing, we need to be unified to follow after Christ, all else doesn’t matter! If we want the Lord’s presences and power in these last days, then God’s people – that is YOU and I – are going to have to walk together in unity. WE NEED ANOTHER PENTECOST!!! Church it is not about the emotional aspects of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – dancing, falling out, shouting – that we need again. DON’T GET ME WRONG – I love those parts as well and like when those parts happen. But what we need is a church that is UNIFIED once again so God CAN move again!!! We need a move of God in these last days like the early church enjoyed. Let’s look at the ways in which the early church was united.
UNITED IN PURPOSE
Acts 1:4-5 ~ “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
• They waited on the Lord together
• This same trait should mark the church
Philippians 1:27 “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,”
• We are team; we are to work together for the glory of God, carrying out His will in the world
• We have different functions, but we should have the same goal
1 Corinthians 12:7 ~ “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
• NOTE – be careful of the glory hounds, those Diotrephes – Don’t get caught up in their antics, do what He has called you to do and be what He has called you to be
Mark 10:35-37 ~ “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
• We may have different ideas, but they should all follow the vision God has given for the church
• We need to break out of huddles, cliches and stand together – Satan is a divider; Christ is a uniter!
1 Corinthians 1:10 ~ “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 ~ “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
UNITED IN PRAYER
Acts 1:12-14 ~ “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
• They prayed together; they prayed with and for one another
• Nothing builds unity in a church any more than carrying one another’s burdens to the Lord in prayer
Galatians 6:1-5 ~ “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.”
• When we pray for others, we are less focused on ourselves and our own problems
Philippians 2:1-4 ~ “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
UNITED IN POWER
Acts 2:3-4 ~ “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
• They were “all filled with the Holy Spirit”. The unity of the early church came because they were all right with God and filled with the Spirit of God. This unity produced amazing results: They preached the same message; they believed the same things; they carried the same burdens; they loved the same things. All found in Acts 2:11, 2:41-44; 44-45; 4:34-35; 2:46-47.
• One of the problems in the modern church is that members are in all different stages of spiritual development. Some are saved but immature; some are saved and growing; some are saved and Spirit-filled; some are not even saved.
• There is no way around this diversity, it shows a growing church. God’s will for us every one of us to be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 ~ “… but be filled with the Spirit,”
• Be filled means “to be controlled”. When He controls me and you, we walk together in His power for His glory!
UNITED IN PERFORMANCE
Acts 2:4 ~ “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
• Each one was busy doing their part.
• God saved no one to sit; He saved us to serve – a faith that won’t work isn’t real!
Ephesians 2:10 ~ “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
James 2:18 ~ “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
• No task is unimportant or small; each is vital to the success of the church – witness, workers, cleaners, teachers, leaders, givers, nursery, yard maintenance, etc.
• Are you doing what He wants you to do? Are you doing all you can?
WE NEED ANOTHER PENTECOST – it will come when walking and working together!
Pastor Andy Lambert ~ pastorandy@cvcog.church
Call/Text: 205.642.8744 ext 101