In 30 years, the world changed forever. The book of Acts shows us that God’s Holy Spirit came down and led his people in magnificent ways.

"Three crucial decades in world history. That is all it took. In the years between AD 33 and 64 a new movement was born. In those thirty years it got sufficient growth and credibility to become the largest religion the world has ever seen and to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people... The seedbed for all this, the time when it took decisive root, was in these three decades. It all began with a dozen men and a handful of women: and then the Spirit came.” -Michael Green

If there is one verse that summarizes the book of Acts and sets the tone for the entire book it is Acts 1:8. Jesus said: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This short verse is a perfect outline for the book. The people of God were witnesses to the mighty acts God accomplished through His Holy Spirit. Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 shows us the movement and growth of the church, as well as the outline of the book as a whole— from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

• Introduction: What led to the spread of the Gospel? (1:1- 2:41)
• Mission to the Jewish Church (2:42- 12:24)
• Mission to the Non-Jewish World (12:25- 28:31)

As a church, how can we prepare our hearts to see God move through our time in this book? Let me give you four ways. 

1) We realize that the Holy Spirit is the main character and God will build the church and spread the gospel no matter the obstacle or opposition.

Throughout the book of Acts, it is unmistakable that God moved through his holy Spirit in mighty ways. Acts assumes God’s rule over history, events, and people. Everything from the death and resurrection of Jesus, to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to the Gentile mission happens because God said it would.

God’s fulfillment of his plan and it happens in very concrete and often dramatic ways. In Acts 5, God rescues the apostles from prison. In Acts 9, God transformed a man named Saul who had participated in killing followers of Jesus. 

In spite of much persecution from religious and political leaders, a major split between two leaders in the church, even in-fighting among God’s people—no matter the obstacle or opposition—God’s gospel advanced. Nothing can stop our powerful Lord and his gospel. We learn that many times God moves and works out his plan even in spite of us.

This brings hope for us. This is the same powerful God we serve, a God who brings order out of chaos, a God who longs for those far from Him to experience new life that only he can bring. This is the same God who draws near to you during the trials and hard times in our lives.

2) We also celebrate the truth that God allows us to participate in His plan to bring the hope of Christ to others.

There is an amazing story we see in Acts 8, where God leads the Apostle Phillip to travel south from Jerusalem. God takes him directly to an Ethiopian eunuch who happened to be reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. The Ethiopian reads a prophesy that directly points to Jesus. Then, "Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture (Acts 8:35)." That very day the man was saved and baptized. What an amazing scene! God lead those men to that very place at that very moment in time.

We serve that same God today. I promise you, many times God leads us to situations where we be a witness to others. Sometimes it is as unmistakable as what we see in Acts 8. God puts us in specific places at specific times to do His work. The question is, how will we respond? Will we be ready to follow his lead? He wants us also to experience the amazing thrill of seeing the lightbulb go off in people’s mind and heart, to see people understand the truth of the gospel and experience the beauty of Christ for the first time.

Let’s celebrate the amazing role God gives to us to share his hope with others. Let’s walk closely to him. Let’s continue to build our relationship with him by reading his word consistently and praying for his leadership and direction in our daily life.

3) We rejoice that God calls us to pray boldly together and will move in mighty ways to fulfill His mission.

God’s people praying together is a major theme in the book of Acts.

• The disciples prayed after they returned to Jerusalem after Christ’s ascension,
• They prayed for who would replace Judas as an apostle at the end of chapter 1.
• The church devoted themselves to prayer as seen in Acts 2:42.
• Peter and John were on their way to a prayer meeting when they healed a lame man in Acts 3.
• They prayed for boldness in the face of persecution in Acts 4:24.
• The elders devoted themselves to the ministry of prayer along with the ministry of Word as seen in Acts 6.

That’s just what we see in the first 6 chapters. Suffice it to say that prayer together as the body of Christ was the life-blood of their fellowship.

Here are a couple powerful quotes about the powerful ways God uses corporate prayer: 

“The life, power, and glory of the church is in prayer…the life of its members is dependent on prayer and the presence of God is secured and retained by prayer…without it, the church is lifeless and powerless.”-E.M. Bounds

“The greatest workings of God come by corporate prayer, and we will not see the power of God in sufficient measure to transform the world around us until we pray together…God in his sovereignty has determined that something happens when we pray together that transcends praying separately.”-John Franklin

4) We take heart that God has complete authority over all things and will care for His people through it all.

In Acts 5, God preserves Peter and John in the midst of certain persecution from the Jewish leaders and gave them boldness to speak the gospel clearly. In Acts 12, we see that Peter led out of prison by an angel. When the situation seemed most dire, God delivered. God caused an earthquake to shake loose the chains that held Paul and Silas in Acts 16. God used the whole situation to bring the jailer to follow Christ.

This is the same God who will protect and sustain us. Regardless of what life throws your way, God is near to those who are in Christ Jesus. Embrace him. Take heart in His love and care for you.

Let’s see what can do through us as we submit to his leadership, as we are empowered by His Holy Spirit. May we be a people who pray together for God to move, who trust that his gospel will spread and his church will endure as he leads us to live for him in world that desperately needs the new life only He can give.  

See you Sunday! 

Pastor Sam