Sermon Notes 08-17-08

August 17th, 2008 “Cause & Effect”

Acts 4:33-37“33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. 36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.”

Introduction: Our church—Hope Community Church—is a “New Testament” Church!Our Church needs to know “WHY” we exist!“Nothing precedes purpose!” God told me in 1989 to start this church in Santa Maria!

The Holy Spirit said: “The Gate of the City will be the South Gate for you to watch and the gates of hell will not prevail against the church!”

The book of Acts is a “blueprint” of what our church is to look like!

Ch 1 Jesus gives His farewell speech—v4 “Go to Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit and they you will be My witnesses around the world!”

Jesus is taken back into heaven—v 9—“why are standing here and looking up into the sky, this same Jesus who is taken up from you will come back in the same manner in which you see Him go!”

Peter speaks to 120 believers—v15—and tells them about the prophecy of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit and they choose Matthias to take Judas’ place!

Ch 2 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost—50 days after Passover and the
New Little Church is changed forever—with The Sound of a mighty rushing wind, the Tongues of Fire one each of them and then the Speaking in 18 Languages of region around them!
Peter gives his first sermon and 3,000 were added to the church that day!

Ch 3 Peter and John heal the crippled bagger, who was at the gate of the
Synagogue for 40 years—and because of it they were arrested by the priests and the temple guards and the Sadducees, for preaching to the people who saw the miracle.

Ch 4 Peter and John are brought before the rules, elders and teachers of the law, and are asked: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

Peter gives his third sermon and tells them how the cow ate the cabbage!
They are told not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus—

Peter says: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Peter goes back to the little band of believers and they have a prayer meeting and the Holy Spirit comes upon the church and it says: “they spoke the word of God BOLDLY!”

Last week I said: “Nothing precedes Purpose!” We must realize who we are!
Last week we talked about:

1st They had Unity!
2nd They had Power!
3rd They had Favor! They had favor with God!

A. Acts 3:33 “33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.”

Points to Ponder:
The Cause and the Effect!

When you become a believer things change: 2nd Corinthians 5:17 “17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Acts 4:34 “34There were no needy persons among them.”

Song: “Give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion—it’s good enough for me. Makes me love everybody, Makes me love everybody, Makes me love everybody, Makes me love everybody and it’s good enough for me!”

When you get true “Pentecost” everything become community property!Illustration: My buddy Jim, mortgaged his home for $40,000 dollars to help their church up in Walnut Creek build their new building!

1st The Cause—is Pentecost!
The Infilling of the Holy Spirit!

They were different after the day of Pentecost—Their heart were loosened in relationship to things and tightened in its relationship to people.

Acts 4:32 Message: “The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind!”
Nothing but a “Pentecost” experience could bring people together and that is what happened then and can happen now!
When you become united to Jesus by faith, you become united to people by love.

2nd Then comes the effect!
What happened because of Pentecost! V32 "Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, (here it is) and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common."
First, the heart is tightened in its relationship to people. Second, the heart is loosened in its relationship to things.

What is mammon?

The word ‘mammon’ comes from an Aramaic word that refers to the inappropriate desire and pursuit of wealth. Mammon is not money.

Mammon is a Spirit! It’s about what money can do!
Mammon is about “Sedition!”

Sedition—is just another word for “Treason” or “Rebellion!”
“Sedition” and rebellion equal me doing my own thing!

Sedition—Satan said: Isaiah 14:12-14 “12How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground—mighty though you were against the nations of the world. 13For you said to yourself, “I will ascend to heaven and rule the angels. I will take the highest throne. I will preside on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north. 14I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.”

God will share His glory with no man or being!
It all comes down to “WHO OWNS MY STUFF?”

Sedition says, “It mine!”
Salvation says: “I’m just the manager, I’m the steward of God’s stuff!”Then comes the effect! Acts 4:32b “no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common."

Because Peter and John were generous God was generous.
Because their heart broke over the same things that broke the heart of God, God smiled upon them.
Because Peter and John held in high esteem the purpose of Jesus, God held them in high esteem.

Illustration: In the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell tried to explain to his sister why he chose to prepare for the Olympic Games rather than immediately return to China as a missionary: “When I run, I feel his pleasure.” Eric Liddell found his purpose and ran to Olympic stardom. Following his Olympic feat he returned to the mission field in China, there, and there fulfilling his purpose, and there, too, feeling God’s pleasure.
There is nothing like being in the center of God’s purpose for your life!

Robin Jones Gunn said, “If you agree to say yes to God’s purpose for your life, you’ll never be bored again with Jesus Christ.”
Having God’s favor is the greatest “feeling” in the entire world!

October 6, 1965, Sandy Koufax, the overpowering lefty for the Los Angeles Dodgers, did not pitch in the first game of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins because game day fell on Yom Kippur.
Who is the Boss in your life? Can God call upon you to be one with Him?

Unity matters to God!
Unity Show Identity—WHO DO YOU BELONG TO!
Unity SHOWS YOUR COLORS—JUST LIKE A GANG! “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35

Paul Billheimer said: “The continuous and widespread fragmentation of the Church has been the scandal of the ages. It has been Satan’s master strategy. The sin of disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost than all other sins combined.”
Could it be that we can only reach Santa Maria and the surrounding area when we are unified?

Get in The Game!
Conclusion: Unity doesn’t begin in examining others but in examining self.
By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).