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Complete Sermon Notes

“You Shall Receive Power”

Final Service in Lancaster – a new season for WCF

 

WORLDLY POWER – Control, Prestige, Influence [pride]

SPIRITUAL POWER – Holy Spirit’s control – exalts Christ, influences us toward godliness and humility.

 

Anything that I have ever done successfully in ministry is through the Holy Spirits power.

  • Told a few dozen people what we were doing completely from scratch – no core group.

  • Started a church on Saturday – a church won’t succeed on Sat. night.

  • Non-denominational – virtually no support.

  • It’s not a real church because I didn’t go to Seminary.

  • Didn’t want to video sermons – didn’t know what iTunes was or podcasts.

God’s power, God’s glory, God’s will – “you shall receive power.”

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ACTS 1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

  • Former account: Luke part 2

  • Theos – phileo:Lover of God

  • “Many infallible proofs”

  • “He through the Holy Spirit”

The Holy Spirit Promised – 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,“which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

  • Don’t began ministry without the Spirit’s power.

6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

  • Overcome Rome and establish His kingdom – Daniel 7:27

Jesus Ascends to Heaven – 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The Upper Room Prayer Meeting – paraphrased – The disciples went into the upper room in Jerusalem and continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.

Coming of the Holy Spirit – ACTS 2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

  • 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS BAPTISM?

  • “For John truly baptized with water”. HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTIZED AS A STEP OF OBEDIENCE.

  • “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS POWER?

 

Baptized into the Body – then physical baptism to illustrate, then the overflowing power – if this isn’t happening, there’s a kink in the hose.

  • Saying, “I’m not sure,” is like saying, “I’m not sure I’m wet” while in the shower.

 

“RECEIVE” – In the same way that a contractor can abuse, or not use his tools, we can misrepresent the Holy Spirit or fail to be used by Him.

 

“Cf. John 16:7” – It’s good that I’m leaving so that the Advocate will come to you.

  • The indwelling Spirit is better than Jesus’ physical location.

 

A preposition helps to explain what the noun is doing – Para, En, Epi

  • Notice when the Spirit came “upon” them – waiting, praying, seeking – they were unified.

 

You shall receive power when you wait on God. Waiting shows what is important.

  • Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Paul

You shall receive power when prayer becomes a priority.

You shall receive power when you’re more concerned about unity than preference.

 

How close you are to the flame determines how much heat you feel.

 

Communion – 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup in an unworthy manner brings judgment on himself – because you’re partaking without repenting. Paraphrase  of 29-32 If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave…

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