Text: Acts 1:1-11 (Acts 1 - 12)
Note: This book is titled The Acts of the Apostles, but in reality it should be titled The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.
Link: The Story Pt. 28
Big Idea: We are a family on mission and empowered
Intro: A couple of points from the last two messages and the implications for the family
- Message by Dr. Joe Wasmond: We are in a spiritual battle. Based on David and Goliath and Psalm 37. He spoke on 5 Stones and 5 Battle Grounds.
- The resurrection is a game changer. It ought to be a game changer in your life...this should be a motivating/driving factor in our life....there is something wrong if we have a oh ho hum attitude about the resurrection...we are children of the King....we have been set free and the resurrection is a reminder of that truth...it is a game changer
A key question: What does family/home mean to you?
For some sadly it means a lot of hurt, pain and dysfunction. But even in the midst of the hurt and pain I hope you have a healthy idea of what a healthy family is that lines up with who Jesus is. For others we grew up in a great homes/families. Ill: Late one night 7-8 of my friends came over to my house and one who had never been there just stopped, looked at me and said "This place just feels like home" I do not think that it was because of the decor, but rather there was a sense of peace, rest and security that she felt...it just felt like home to her.
Based on a clip from We Were Soldiers: We Were Soldiers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu77LGPAlPA) Because of the battle we are in we need to be a tight nit family that looks out for one another. The band of brothers concept. How much more should this be true of the church...The church ought to be a place where family and home are experienced all the time...We are a family on mission...locked in a battle for the hearts and mind of those who are running away from God...
As you listen you will hear me share two illustrations about being underwater and gasping for air...many of us have forgotten that we were drowning and Jesus reached down, pulled us up and breathed the Holy Spirit into us giving us new life and empowering us for mission...
Family Traits:
- Love: See John 15...we are a family that should be characterized by Loving God and each other more...How can you know that Jesus reached down and saved you...how can you not love God more and more every day? As I love God more and more how can I not love others around me more and more?
This type of love is characterized by grace that leads to greater compassion, as I have greater compassion how can I not try to figure out how to meet the needs of those around us, as we get involved in others lives and hold each other accountable introducing them to the risen Jesus the game changer. If we are a grace filled family we can speak into one another's lives. If we truly love one another we will pull each other back from the cliff
- Empowered witnesses
Everyone has been gifted to play a role in the family. Each one of us is vital to the family. If you are sitting on the sideline and not plugged in the family is missing out. If our missional communities are only meeting together once/week and not spending time together how can we be building each other up?
When we do not live an empowered witness by taking care of our family around us we let one another down...we can't do that it is too dysfunctional...God is calling us to greatness...God is calling us to love..a love that is grace filled, meeting needs, holding one another accountable so that lives might be transformed because God has empowered us not only to minister to one another but to minister to the ends of the earth.
Transitioned into hearing from Nick and Emily a couple that we supported as missionaries to the Middle East...their story of how a transformed family member impacted them and the ripple effect of the that love and empowered mission...make sure you listen as this is a powerful story to end this message on.
My prayer for you is that your church family is on mission and empowered.
Blessings,
PT
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