PONDERING... How Are We Sharing The Good News? (Acts 1:8)

How Are We Sharing the Good News?

(Annual Meeting 2018)

GIST: We must go empowered by the Holy Spirit as witnesses to the world!

SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:8

I am humbled to be asked to share from God’s Word tonight and am also a little nervous. Not only is this like “preaching to the choir”, but this is preaching to the choir and all the other people who preach to the choir! Nonetheless, I praise the Lord that His Word speaks even through goofy bow-tie wearing vessels.

Thinking and praying about what to share tonight, I went back and forth between several passages. Then I was reminded that I have nothing to offer you except what God has given to me, so I’m going to share a passage that God has recently hit me over the head with. It also happens to be one of the staples when talking about “sharing the Good News”, which is our theme for tonight. Let’s open to Acts chapter 1 and focus in on verse 8 this evening. Now, I know this passage is one that’s familiar to all of us. In fact, most here could probably quote it from memory. However, there’s a reason for that. This passage is packed with so much truth! Therefore, let’s pray that that familiarity doesn’t get in the way of us hearing His Truth.

"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."

The truths presented in this passage are not complicated,  but they should completely change everything about our lives. I think it’s important to notice here that when Jesus calls for His disciples to go, He doesn’t just give a general admonition to “be busy” or “do something”. We’re commissioned, but not blindly. Instead, he provides us with specific instructions, and that’s our gist for tonight. When we go to share the Good News, we must go empowered by the Holy Spirit as witnesses to the world.

I. GO EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Jesus Commissioned Confused Disciples. I love that this commision is given to a group a misfits. All throughout the gospel accounts, we see the disciples providing wonderful examples of what not to do. Again and again, Jesus explains the truth of His kingdom and His plan to save the world from sin, and again and again...they completely miss it. Here we are right before the ascension. Jesus has already died and rose again. He has spent 40 days teaching them about His kingdom. Now, He’s about to ascend to Heaven in this ultimate display of His power and divinity, and what do the disciples ask Him? "6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

They are still thinking in earthly terms! They’re still looking for Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and restore Israel’s political glory. How does Jesus respond? Well, He starts by telling them they’re asking the wrong question. “7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” You’re looking at this the wrong way. God is sovereign, and His plan and timing are perfect, but this isn’t about local politics! He then goes on to tell them how they should be spending their time instead. He commissions them to carry His saving Truth to the world!

Now, we have to get this. Remember, these are the guys who just got it wrong...again. Still yet, God chose to use them! Man, that should be encouragement to us. We do not have to be super Christians to be used by God; we just need to follow Him, and let Him do the work. And that is precisely what this commissioning is about. Jesus sent out confused disciples, and they would be effective because they were confused disciples→

Who Would Be Empowered By The Holy Spirit. Sharing the gospel is not easy. In fact, it’s terrifying because it goes against our natural selves. How do we do it? How do we face our fears and take this message to a possibly, maybe even probably, hostile audience? The Holy Spirit equips us. It’s never our merits. It’s through God that His Word will be proclaimed. We’re just the mouth pieces.

We so desperately need to remember this. We’re not facing this life in our own strength! I live in the same world you do and am bombarded by the same messages. Self-empowerment is everywhere. And while I wholeheartedly believe we should live life confidently, that confidence has to come from our identity in Jesus Christ, not because of any personal abilities. Maybe you don’t struggle with this, but I know I do. In my day job, I’m a high school English teacher, and I see so many of my students crumble because they’re trying so hard to conquer this world on their own...and they can’t. They’re tired and defeated. Maybe tonight, you feel the same. But God’s Word tells us that we are “...more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37, emphasis added). We’re not conquerors through ourselves, but through Him! Just a verse before that Paul points out that, for Jesus’ sake we are "36... being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Romans 8:36). It is in that context, we’re told that we are more than conquerors through Him. Why? “38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)! Amen!

These disciples were a mess, but Jesus took that mess and used it for His glory! The same is true in your life. I know there are a lot of pastors out here this evening, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less afraid of sharing the Gospel outside of our pulpits. Here is easy. There is hard. How do we do it? We don’t. The Holy Spirit works through us, messed up as we are, to proclaim Jesus.

So, we go empowered by the Holy Spirit, and we→

II. GO AS WITNESSES

What is a witness? It’s someone who tells the truth about something. Think of witnesses in a case. Why are they called? To clarify the truth. We are called to be the ones who go out into the world telling people about Jesus. We are to spread the Gospel, the good news. We are to be the ones who bring this life giving truth to the world: that while we are by nature sinners destined for Hell, Jesus really came and really died and really rose again and really ascended to Heaven...and everyone who gives Him control of their lives will really be saved! This is what we’re called to be doing--telling others about Him.

So, while we should be living in a Christ-like way, and we should care about the physical needs of others, our primary purpose is not just humanitarian aid. We can be the world’s nicest people, but if we never share the gospel...we’re not carrying out this mission. And man, that hits me as hard as it does you! It is not our kindness that saves souls, but His Word. Remember, “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."” (Romans 10:17, emphasis added).

I don’t want to be misunderstood here. We should be loving people and demonstrating Christ to them, but we can’t stop there. Imagine with me for a second that a crime happens here tonight, and Pastor Alan David sees it all. He knows exactly who did exactly what. On the day of the trial, he’s called as a witness, and he goes. He then proceeds to sit on the stage and smile. He’s so incredibly nice. In fact, he’s so nice that he puts the entire jury at ease. Some of them are hungry, so he gets them some food. Some of them are cold, so he gets them jackets. He goes above and beyond to be an exemplary human, but when asked about the trial, he never says a word. He’s a wonderful man, but a terrible witness because he only points to the trustworthiness of his character, but never tells them what it is they need to trust! And...the opposing side loves him for it!

Christians are more than just nice people; they are witnesses for Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be a preacher to preach. We should all be telling people about Jesus. I love Kevin DeYoung’s quote on this point: “we’re all wonderful evangelist for the things we love the most.” We talk about things that excite us. Mizzou basketball is in preseason conditioning, and I’m already driving my wife insane. If we’re not talking about Jesus… Yeah, I don’t need to keep going to make that point.

So, we go empowered by the Holy Spirit as witnesses, and we →

III. GO… TO THE WORLD

That’s the implication of “...in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” We are to be witnesses here, there, and everywhere. The mission starts at home, but doesn’t end there. It keeps going beyond our comfort zone, and beyond the social groups we feel “should” hear the gospel. Let me make these two quick points.

1. Go where you’re sent. Wherever God has you is where He wants you to be a witness. Witness there. As the body of Christ, we have to be intentional about sharing the Gospel with the people around us. This is our mission field. We have to be active proclaimers. But also, we must be open to go wherever He wants us. We shouldn’t try to limit God’s use of us. Don’t be afraid to be sent beyond your comfort zone and don’t wait to be sent some place exciting to begin witnessing. Everywhere you are is precisely where you should be sharing the Gospel now. Land where you sends you...and open your mouths.

2. Support those who go where you’re not. Yet, we should also support those called to go places we’re not called to go. We might not be a physical part of international missions or even other ministries within our borders, but we should be intentional in our prayers for those who are and, where possible, provide our financial support. We’re all called to be a part of the global mission, so should play whatever role we can in that! We’re not called to be witnesses in Jerusalem, or Judea, or Samaria, or the ends of the earth.

We must go empowered by the Holy Spirit as witnesses to the world!

TAKEAWAYS

1. Depend on the Holy Spirit. Don’t let fears of inadequacy stop you. Trust and obey.

2. Deliver the Gospel. Go out actually speaking His saving Truth!

3. Don’t limit your scope! Focus on being a witness everywhere He sends you...and to everyone however you are able! Don’t limit that to just people who are easy to share with, or circumstances that are expected (i.e. preaching at church).

PONDERING... Are You Gazing Or Going? (Acts 1:6-11)

Are You Gazing Or Going? (AM Sermon Notes)

GIST: Don’t just gaze; go.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:6-11

Welcome back to our study in Acts! Today we’re going to pick up where we left off last time. Last Sunday, we talked about how this book is the continuation of Jesus work on earth after the ascension. We focused on the truth that Jesus isn’t done saving people yet, and that through the Holy Spirit we will be equipped to play our parts in that. Today, we’re going to see more about what those “parts” are to be.

"6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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." 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

The truths presented in this passage are not complicated,  but if we really get them (and I’m including myself in both that “if” and that “we”), then they should completely change everything about our lives. That being said, let’s dive straight into the gist, and it’s not a complicated one: don’t just gaze; go.

I. DON’T JUST GAZE

We’re just recently coming off our study in Mark, so it’s likely still fresh in most of our minds how the disciples often provide us wonderful examples of what not to do! ☺️ They were just as messed up as us, and we see that even here. Remember the setting. Jesus has died and rose again, and has spent the last 40 days revealing Himself to them and teaching them about His kingdom (His plan to save His people). Then, right as He is about to ascend into Heaven in this ultimate display of His divinity→

They Have The Wrong Question. "6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" They are still thinking in earthly terms. They’re still looking for Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and restore Israel’s political glory. How does Jesus respond? He starts by telling them they’re asking the wrong question. “7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” You’re looking at this the wrong way. God is sovereign. His plan and timing are perfect. But this isn’t about local politics! He then goes on to tell them how they should be spending their time...but we’ll come back to that in a second. First, I want to look at the other “gazing” example...which is actually where I took the word from for this point. So they have the wrong question, and→

They Have The Wrong Reaction? I put a question mark there because they’re not completely wrong in what they do here. They just would have been if they stopped with this reaction. Look at verses 9-11, “9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Now, let’s consider two questions here. First and foremost→

What was the ascension about? As I have studied this passage over the past several weeks, it has been pointed out again and again that the ascension is one of the most under-celebrated points in Jesus’ ministry. We have major holidays to remember his birth, death, and resurrection, but the ascension is often overlooked. However, it’s a huge deal. Let’s look at this under three headings:

1. It’s not about space travel! When Jesus ascended into the clouds, it was not implying that Heaven is just up there in the clouds or somewhere in outer space. Heaven is outside this physical world. It does not have a physical resting place somewhere in a “galaxy far, far away”. Instead, what we have here is a picture of what Jesus was doing.

2. It is about ascending to the throne. This wasn’t about His physical “going up”, but rather like we use the word to refer to someone ascending to a position of authority (think kings and queens). His ascension was a sign of His victory and power. It was a picture of Him as God. Even the reference to the cloud points to this. We have talked about this in the past, but cloud imagery was frequently used to refer to God’s presence coming down to earth. Here the cloud is taking Jesus back to Heaven. Jesus, who is God in the flesh---the ultimate display of God’s presence on earth, was now being taken up in the cloud.

Lastly→

3. It points to His return! What did the angels say in verse 11, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." He left this way and will return in the same! Look at what John describes in Revelation 1, "7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen." Jesus left, but HE IS COMING BACK! People might have missed this the first time, but nobody is going to miss it when He returns!

So that’s the first question. The second one that struck me was-->

Why were they told not to gaze? This words means to look intensely with deep interest. And on one hand, this makes perfect sense. They had just seen Jesus lifted up into Heaven with all the signs of God’s glory! There is an understandable amazement here. What they had just witnessed would have been astonishing! However, there is an implied disappointment which we pick up from the angel’s rebuke. Just a few verses before, they had been looking for an earthly kingdom, and now they had just seen the KING leaving earth. So, the angels appeared and said, ‘Don’t just stand there. This isn’t over yet!’

Personal Application? I know this is more of a “takeaway” thing, but in case I’ve lost you by then☺️, I want to make sure to point this out. General excitement and/or misplaced expectations can both result in the same sin: inactivity. If we’re looking for God to move only in a particular way, we’ll either wait for that and do nothing in the meantime, or spend all our energies working toward that...and still accomplish nothing for His kingdom. Likewise, if we’re just excited, but never go beyond that excitement to the actual spreading of God’s Word...our excitement is nothing more than an emotional experience. We shouldn’t just gaze, we need to→

II. GO

Now, This Is Not Just Blind Activity (8). When they asked the wrong question, Jesus didn’t just give them a general admonition to “be busy” or “do something”. Verse 8 is another of the most quoted verses in the New Testament, and Jesus is very specific about what we should be doing. Check it out, “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." Let’s just make a few observations here.

First→

We Are to Go Empowered By The Holy Spirit. I love this point. Remember, these are the guys who just got it wrong...again. Still yet, God chose to use them! Man, that should be encouragement to us. We do not have to be super Christians to be used by God; we just need to follow Him, and let Him do the work. The Holy Spirit equips us. It’s never our merits. (I know I say this often, but, man, do I need this reminder!) It is through God that His Word will be proclaimed. We’re just the mouth pieces.

Second→

We Are to Go As Witnesses. What is a witness? It’s someone who tells the truth about something. Think of witnesses in a case. Why are they called? To clarify the truth. We are called to be the ones who go out into the world telling people about Jesus. We are to spread the Gospel, the good news. We are to be the ones who bring this life giving truth to the world: that while we are by nature sinners destined for Hell, Jesus really came and really died and really rose again and really ascended to Heaven...and everyone who gives Him control of their lives will be saved! This is what we’re called to be doing--telling others about Him.

So, while we should be living in a Christ-like way, and we should care about the physical needs of others, our primary purpose is not just humanitarian aid. We can be the world’s nicest people, but if we never share the gospel...we’re not carrying out this mission. And man, that hits me as hard as it does you! It is not our kindness that saves souls, but His Word. Remember, “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."” (Romans 10:17, emphasis added).

I don’t want to be misunderstood here. We should be loving people and demonstrating Christ to them, but we can’t stop there. Christians are more than just nice people; they are witnesses for Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be a preacher to preach. We should all be telling people about Jesus. I love Kevin DeYoung’s quote on this point. I’ve expressed this in the past, as well: “we’re all wonderful evangelist for the things we love the most.” We talk about things that excite us. If we’re not talking about Jesus… Yeah, I don’t need to keep going to make that point.

So, we’re supposed to go empowered by the Holy Spirit as witnesses, and →

We Are to Go… To The World. That’s the implication of “...in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” We are to be witnesses here, there, and everywhere. The mission starts at home, but doesn’t end there. It keeps going beyond our comfort zone, and beyond the social groups we feel “should” hear the gospel. Let me make these two quick points.

1. Go where you’re sent. Wherever God has you is where He wants you to be a witness. Witness there. But also, be open to go wherever He wants you. Don’t limit God’s use of you. Don’t be afraid to be sent beyond your comfort zone and don’t wait to be sent some place exciting to begin witnessing. Everywhere you are is precisely where you should be sharing the Gospel now. Land where you sends you...and open your mouths.

2. Support those who go where you’re not. Yet, we should also support those called to go places we’re not called to go. We might not be a physical part of international missions or even other ministries within our borders, but we should be intentional in our prayers for those who are and, where possible, provide our financial support. We’re all called to be a part of the global mission, so should play whatever role we can in that! We’re not called to be witness in Jerusalem, or Judea, or Samaria, or the ends of the earth.

We can’t just gaze; we need to go.

TAKEAWAYS

1. Be amazed by God. Be blown away by Him.

2. But don’t limit Him by your expectations. Don’t put Him into a box of what you think He should be doing, or how you think He should be moving.

3. Instead, focus on being a witness everywhere He sends you...and to everyone however you are able!

4. Because… He’s coming back, and we should want everyone to be ready!