We had a great time celebrating Easter and the Easter
celebration was the conclusion in our journey of.
The Gospel of Luke. So we are going to now start in
this kind of new season. The spring season is upon us.
We're going to start a new. Book of the Bible.
And very appropriately, continuing from Luke, we now
get. Really.
The sequel to Luke. And it's.
With great joy, that. I can ask you this morning to
turn to. The Book of Acts.
We'll be in Acts Chapter 1, so we've got a fan of Acts right
here, maybe others of. You have read this.
Book been encouraged by it it it is going to be a.
Great series. And as always, you know when we.
Study a book with the the weight of.
In the history of Acts, you know we'll.
We'll do our best to. Get through the whole thing.
We're going to be studying it from now.
All the way through. Spring and then up until the
summer months all the way till our church in the park.
And so that's kind of our God graced calendar in the book of
Acts. And the way we're going to be
studying it is really looking for a, a, a dominant theme that
is in the book of Acts. And we're, we're calling that
theme. The power of the Church this
this book. We study it and we see the birth
and the. Growth of the very first.
Movement of what? We call the church.
And so we're going to. Look at the the power.
That started that and continue that that we stand on today and
so we'll be in Acts chapter 1 and we're going to look at so
much of that foundational story this morning but we before we do
let me just. Share with you.
My heart and I hope that you can sense some of what I want to
share. As to why this?
Is such an important? Topic The The Power of the
Church. Is incredible we stand some 2000
years downstream of this movement of.
History where a radical. Transformation happened from an
empty tomb to a movement that within a few centuries took over
the known world. And how?
And it's not just a question of history, it's a question for
right now, I think. If you're at.
All in tune to the times we live in.
You're probably aware that the. Current model and season or
let's. Say church age we.
Live in is somewhat in the balance many people are asking
the question of you know the essence of church and all the
things that we do and and and the.
Way that we've structured. It and the way we've organized
church and and there's good questions to be asked about.
What? What is really?
God's design and God. 'S heart for the Church.
And this question. Will be wrestled with all.
Of you, no doubt. And it's a question that we live
in real time. Consider this, this is an
article that I that I read in preparation for this.
I stumbled upon it and the headline says this 100,000.
Churches are about to close. In our country, well praise God,
there's that many churches that can close but.
But why? What's?
Going on, here's an excerpt. It says in the in the coming
years, the United States. Could lose.
Approximately 100,000 churches, according to the National
Council of Churches. Financial strain, accelerated
societal shifts. The pandemic's disruption of in
in service. Worship are a few factors.
Driving this historic change and religious leaders warn that
these. Closures.
Will permanently transform the fabric of our nation some of you
have probably felt that some of you may have come from churches
that. Felt.
These pressures and are now, you know, not around in the last.
Few years. Some of you are going to feel
that in your personal life because not on the list are the
things that are unique. To your life that will.
Also make you question where you fit in.
To the church. And I have to say, I was
wrestling with this question. How does a church endure?
How do we find the power and the confidence?
To look at this. Warning and not lose heart and
actually look at it and say that's.
OK. The Church will in fact endure.
It despite all of these. Changes.
There the the the way. The Church May is structured and
the way it looks in our country may change, but we stand on
enduring. Power, but how?
And that question, I have to admit to you, is the same
question I wrestled with almost 10.
Years ago to the day. When it was the first Sunday
after Easter 10 years ago that I became the lead pastor.
Of this church. And I had to wrestle with it in
real time, just. For our church, how does?
A church endure all the Well, wait till you hear the sermon
before you clap, clap at the end if you like the sermon.
But you know, 10 years, a blink of an eye, right?
For all of us, some of you around 10 years ago, some of you
just found out. That there was a pastor.
Before me so but the question that I would wrestle with, how
do we endure? How do we take something and and
transfer it in a way? That will will last.
More than one generation. And as I wrestled with that
question, it was not looking at. The best strategy?
For the 21st century. Or.
The small little church movement we belong to.
Called Calvary Chapel. The answer that I was drawn to
was to study. How the church started and.
That is the answers that I have found.
That would be the only answer I have.
For you as to why. We have endured my leadership
and you and and endured our little season of being part of
this. Church.
And the answers found in the very beginning are in fact how
the. People of God called the.
Church will endure and it's also how the person of.
God that you are. This is the only way you're
going to endure in the next few years, another 10 years.
The the the church. Is going to look different and
each one of you. Will have to wrestle with how.
To endure a changing landscape. For your faith.
So this morning we look at. Just this this story that
explodes with hope that the church.
Made it through insurmountable odds, from doubt and
hopelessness to a movement that would take.
Over the globe and the truth of how the church was started is
the truth. Of how the church endures today.
We'll look at that this morning. I want to share with you 5 very
simple ways. That the the.
Beginning of the Church. Was was started with such power?
That is the non negotiable power we stand on today and as we go
through. The rest of this book.
Over the next coming months, we are going to continually look
at. This power.
That we have now been. Entrusted with that will give.
Us the confidence that God. Is.
Good and his church will endure. Amen.
So this is the setup to the book.
Of acts we'll start in acts chapter 1 and this morning
we'll. We'll look at these these the
the power that is. On display in this story and
we'll also get a little bit of forecasting for where the book
is going to take us some backdrop of the story in verse
one it says the former I count account I made O.
Theophilus of all that Jesus. Began both to do and teach until
the day in which he was taken up after.
Through the Holy. Spirit had given commandments to
the apostles whom he had chosen. This is a perfect overlap
between where the gospel. Of Luke.
Ends. Which we looked at last.
Week and where the the. Story of the The Book of Acts.
Begins and it is an overlap because it has the same.
Author. The Gospel of Luke starts by
writing. To a specific person named
Theophilus and the the. Book of Acts starts by.
Writing to the same person who this person is.
Is debated. We're not going to spend a ton
of time trying to figure it out. We know that it means the person
who. Loves God.
It probably was. One specific person that
commissioned the writing. For the Gospel of Luke.
To have the resources necessary to write it.
But it is for all of us who love.
God no doubt, and he says now this is going to be the story of
everything that Jesus began the the the things that he taught
and he began. It's a continuation.
It is, in fact. The sequel as we studied through
the gospel of. Luke and we saw the earthly
ministry of Jesus and his teaching and his raising up of
disciples. Now we study the.
Gospel or the The Book of Acts? As the continuation of that.
Through the apostles. And this is going to cover
about. 30 years of church history.
We're going to go from the year. Roughly 8033 until roughly 8060.
And this is going to give. Us the story of how.
On Earth, we left off with confused and worried.
Disciples of Jesus to people who would be.
Transformed to start a global movement who that has been
endured to millennia. So he says this.
In in Acts chapter one verse 3 now.
To whom he also. Presented himself alive after
his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them
during 40 days, and Speaking of the things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God. So we have the Easter Story Part
2. It's a.
Shame that so many people came to Easter didn't come back, they
didn't get the. Rest of the story, but.
Good on you. You came back after Easter,
faithful Bible students. This is now a very important
part of the Easter message. The Easter message is not he has
risen, you know, roll credits. And now we're all here.
The Easter message. Is that Jesus?
Spent it says 40 days with them teaching.
We know it's 50 until his and until the the point out of the.
Spirit, but it says that he was. With them giving them infallible
proofs and teaching them the things pertaining to the Kingdom
of God. And this right here we can pause
and look at something that is non negotiable, foundational.
It is the only way any church gathering can ever exist and
continue. And without this, you will not
continue in fact. It would be good for the the
church to fade out who loses? Sight of the first power.
Which is the. Power of the Resurrection.
We, we. We.
Spent all of last week celebrating it and and and we
spend our church calendar revolving around it and part of
the the discussion we had around the resurrection was First
Corinthians 15 makes it very. Clear without the resurrection?
Go home if the resurrection didn't happen.
Your faith is empty. My preaching is empty.
There is no point or purpose to the hope that we have placed in
Jesus that we have anything worth enduring for.
We cannot lose. Sight of the power of the.
Resurrection, and for that reason.
The author, Luke, starts. In the beginning of the church,
with a reminder of what Jesus came.
To deliver. He came presenting himself alive
and it was so important that the disciples and the early
believers got this message that he spends 40 days giving.
What the the word? Calls infallible proofs one of
the persons. At the this 40 day.
Crash course of infallible proofs.
Was the apostle. John, and he writes this in
First John, that which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes.
Which we have looked. Upon and our hands have handled
concerning. The word of life.
Infallible proofs. Undeniable for those who were
going through the transfer of the earthly ministry of Jesus to
the beginning of the Church. Was they?
Had to know with confidence that.
Jesus. Actually Rose again, John says
they heard him, he spoke to them, he said peace be with you.
He interacted with them in the way that only.
A resurrected physical. Person could interact, he says
they saw him, he appeared to them, they physically interacted
with him, it says they touched him or handled him and we.
Of course have the. Story of Thomas having his
doubts and Jesus saying here physically look at my hands,
feel my side, handle me without a doubt infallible says in the
gospel of John they ate with him, they were interacting with
him in a real intangible way and as we looked at in first
Corinthians chapter 15, which gives the hypothetical
alternative as if the resurrection didn't happen.
Paul also. Says, but it did.
Happen and there were 500 witnesses who saw him, some of
them still alive at time of writing.
He wanted everyone to know, undeniably, it was not a
hallucination, it was not a myth, it was not a legend.
It wasn't a good idea. It that, you know, was handed
down through history. It wasn't something that came up
later. From the very beginning.
You have to believe in the power.
Of the Savior of the world. Conquering death and pouring out
his spirit to bring life and I say all of.
This. As one of the.
Ways that we look. Into a future and we see.
The the the. Horizon line of church closure
and a landscape that is going to shift under our feet and we look
for power that will endure and this is a non negotiable.
Power because Jesus says the gates.
Of hell will not prevail against my church, and he proved.
That he was declared reliable. In that when he stood against
the gates of hell and overcame and conquered.
And so we know. Those of us.
Who believe in the power of the resurrection.
You can throw anything at the Church of God You can throw
tragedy and scandal and hardship and difficulty and division.
You can throw in the the. Fall of leaders.
You can throw in the. The cultural shift away.
From, you know, a, a, a Christian friendly culture and
what we know. Is that death itself?
Doesn't win what we know. Is that whatever?
Happens. There is going to be life, and
life more abundant in the face of insurmountable odds.
That is true of the Church, and it's true of your.
Life. That is the only way your faith
will endure because Jesus promised in this world you'll
have much trouble, and part of that trouble will call into
question the faith that you've put in Jesus.
And if you do not have a theology of resurrection, you
will not endure the trouble when the marriage falls into crisis
and when the hardships come. Because you've lost your job.
And you've got all sorts of diagnosis that just seems to
remind you. Of trouble, trouble, trouble.
You must be a confident person that no matter.
What the world? Throws at you.
The promise is true. Take heart.
Jesus has overcome the first power.
Is the power of the resurrection.
He also says. Second part of verse 3 that he
showed them infallible proofs and he was speaking to them the
things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
I I've heard so much speculation about what?
This 40 day crash. Course must have been like.
What? Would it have been like?
To be a family. On the wall or a disciple in the
room when the resurrected Lord spends 40.
Days teaching. Things pertaining to the Kingdom
of God, and there's all sorts of speculation about what that
might have looked like. And ultimately, we don't know in
full, but we do know in part, we know in.
Part what he was. Teaching his disciples who would
become his apostles, He was teaching them.
That what had just happened. In spite of all of their doubt,
instead of all of the confusion of what they were expecting
versus what they actually are seeing, he was showing them that
it was. All.
A fulfillment of Scripture we know, in part because the only
explanation we get of what Jesus was teaching post resurrection
is him teaching the Word. You'll remember in Luke chapter
24 in the first Easter morning. It was a morning.
Filled with doubt, filled with people.
Who are mourning the. Loss of the hope they.
Put in the Savior Jesus. And in one of the scenes of that
first morning we found two men on the road to Emmaus going back
to where they came from. Hope shattered, heads down, and
as Jesus met with them, he rebuked their unbelief because.
What? Was happening was all a
fulfillment of everything God? Said would happen through his
word. Luke chapter 24, verse 25.
He says to them, oh foolish ones, and slow of heart to
believe in. All the prophets have spoken.
Ought not the Christ? To have suffered these.
Things and to enter into his glory and then it says this very
importantly and beginning at Moses.
This is the. Book of the Bible called.
Genesis and the books that Moses wrote, beginning at Moses and
the prophets. He expounds to them the
Scriptures of all the things concerning himself.
So we don't know. Exactly what these 40 days were
like. But we know that he opened up
the word and he showed them all. Of the ways that this.
Was the plan all along. They are now being confirmed by
Jesus teaching them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom
that the redemptive plan of God is on track and on time.
Just like he said. Through the prophets and the
Bible in the Old Testament, and one of the reasons I'm confident
that that is. Part of the crash course that.
These guys were getting. Is because you.
Cannot read the book of Acts without noticing.
All sorts of old. Testament quotes that come up.
Throughout the first birth of the church.
Moments in in acts chapter 1, the story will continue and
Peter will stand up and say. We we've got to fulfill what it.
Says in Psalms that the betrayer must be replaced and they.
Cast lots to betray to replace Judas.
Acts, Chapter 2, Peter. Stands up and he realizes that
the pouring out of the spirit. Is a.
Fulfillment of the prophet Joel and he then.
Quotes the Prophet. David in Psalms that said that
the Holy One will not see corruption and he later quotes
Deuteronomy and says that. This is all the the.
Fulfillment of the promised One like Moses who would be greater
and each time these men stand up to bring.
Clarity to what was. Happening and this massive
explosion of church growth is happening.
They're opening the Old Testament and saying this was
God's plan all along and the reason that is going to be
something that is so important for us to hold on to.
As we look for the power of the Church is that is just as.
True in our day that you must. Have the power of the Word of
God. If you're looking for one of the
through lines. As to why?
Churches that will have gatherings and they'll have
worship and they'll have a momentum.
They're meeting in a building. Why do some make it and why some
don't? One of them will be the
preaching of the powerful. Word of God.
And I have to say in my 10 year. Review and I've thought through
all of the. Ups and downs of why we've made
it in spite of times I didn't think we would.
It's because every Sunday I knew exactly.
What to do? There's a lot of confusion.
I didn't know what to do all the time, but I knew on Sundays we
would open the word and we would.
Do our best. To understand what God was
saying through it. So when you find a church that
has sound doctrine and does its humble best to understand how to
teach and obey the Word, you will find a church.
That has the. Power to endure a church that's
willing to preach the unchanging, always timely but
timeless. Word of God.
In spite of what the culture thinks, in spite of what the.
Preacher would. Prefer in spite of what you want
to hear when you find a church. That preaches the power of the
word. You'll find a powerful church to
endure, and the opposite. Is true, of course, if you.
Are looking for why some churches are withering on the
vine. It is.
Because they have instead of standing on the word, they've
made cultural stances instead of preaching what it says and doing
your best. To obey whether you like.
It or not, it has found a way to conform the word.
To the people, so that the people.
Can conform their lives however they want.
And what is? True of the people of God is
true of the. Person of God, you want to have
an enduring faith, never mind what you want to hear.
None of us are wise enough to know what is good for us.
Find the. Power of the Word of God, true.
As a foundation of your. Life are your.
Decisions rooted in the wisdom of the Proverbs.
Is your worship rooted? In the the the.
Praise. Of the Psalms, is your design
for life rooted in the teachings of Christ, telling you how to
find life and life more abundant?
Jesus says that. Heaven and earth will pass away,
but by no means will my word ever pass.
Away the word of God. Will not pass away.
There will be church styles and church structures and church
functions and church brands that pass away, but the Word will
endure, and so the power must be found in the Word Now.
It says in verse 4 and be 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 and here is the promise for.
John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with
the Holy Spirit. Not many days from now, this is
going to be the most glaring and obvious, foundational and
powerful. Marks of the First Church.
And of your life, everything that we've said so.
Far. Is pointing us to our absolute
need for the Holy. Spirit, the word is.
Not living and. Active, able to cut through.
Bone and marrow until it is alive.
By the Holy Spirit. And your ability to have the
newness of life promised in the resurrection, that is not just.
A historical fact, but it is a spiritual for.
Reality for anyone who puts faith in it is a spiritual born
again reality. By the power of the Holy Spirit.
Says in Romans. Chapter 6.
Verse 3. Do you not know that as many as.
Of us who were baptized. Into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death. Good Friday is something that
you are modeling in your life. You give your old life.
To the water of baptism. Therefore we were buried.
With him through the baptism. Into death, that just as Christ
was raised from the dead by the glory.
Of the Father, Even so. We also should walk.
In the newness. Of life by the power of the Holy
Spirit, the power of the Holy. Spirit is what makes a church
alive and you know I can say that confidently that all of the
other things that we. Do by the grace of God to.
To to be conformed and moved and allow the Holy Spirit to animate
our efforts are fine, but none of them matter unless they are
empowered. By the Holy.
Spirit sermon series three songs and a message greeting people
with a with a friendly hello all of these things are fine, but
unless they are part of the. Power of the Holy Spirit.
Making us alive in Christ, then they don't matter.
And this is not only the the most glaring and obvious.
Powers of the First Church. It's also the most difficult.
To actually. Be obedient to in our.
Lives we actually get. A reminder just the human nature
tendency to listen to this message and then and then kind
of go about our business as usual.
Jesus gives them this beautiful promise of the Father that
they're going to have the. Spirit.
And this is their response. Therefore, verse 6.
When they had come together, they asked him saying OK.
Cool Lord at this. Time will you restore the
Kingdom of Israel? Great.
So all that stuff about the Spirit.
Sounds great. We also have some functions we'd
like to bring to your attention. According to our reading of the
word and the crash course we just got on the Old Testament,
there is a restoration of the Kingdom.
We're very in tune with that and we would like to, you know, get
on with that work. We thought our hopes were.
Dashed when you died, but now you're born.
Now you're you're, you're alive. And we're alive in the hope that
we can get back on track. And how many of us can relate
to? The desire to.
Hear the message of the. Word put our.
Confidence in the message of the resurrection and then say OK
and. I love the speech about the Holy
Spirit. But I've also got some plans
that I'd like to present to you. Jesus says to them now or to
them then and us now. It's not to for you to know the
times or the seasons which the. Father has.
Put in his own authority, he's less concerned about when the
work and the movement. Of the.
Restoration in its full happens, and he's more concerned with how
I think that's just a word for us this morning.
In the church age we live in, it's like all of this is in the
balance. I know that I have often times.
Asked the Lord to. Hurry up with the plan for the
revival. Hurry up with the the.
Next great awakening of this country.
It is now the Time Lord We just had a great Easter message and
some people gave their life to you.
Now is the time correct? No doubt you feel that in your.
Life as the word speaks. And you get encouragement and
the Lord is clearly giving you the promise of what he's going
to do in your life. And you say, OK, well then let's
do it. He says it's not feeding other
times. But this is this is not the
wind. This is the how.
Here is the how it's going to happen.
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.
What made these men go from afraid and hopeless to bold and
powerful was witnessing the power of the resurrection,
putting their confidence in the word of God, and then having all
of it come alive with the. Power of the Holy Spirit alive.
In them and this is going to be true.
Of our age as well. I can't think of how many
strategies for the coming years that we can come up.
With as good creative. Thinkers on how to.
Curb the. Horizon line of 100,000 church
closures and we can come up with better brands and better
strategies and better ideas to organize and and figure.
It all out but the. Only.
Way that the church will. Actually, endure is for us to
wait and trust that God has more power.
Through His Holy Spirit. Animating people who will trust
in him and be used by him than. All of the.
Church strategy workshops combined and this is one of the.
Great tests of our faith. I think once again back to my my
10 year acceptance of this role and I remember just feeling.
What I hope. All of you feel at times in your
pursuit of following Jesus. Lord, I think you've called me
to something by mistake. I think you got the wrong guy.
This is not something that comes naturally to me and I don't
have, you know, all of the required tools in my current
tool belt to do this. I can't do this.
And if you haven't felt that way in your.
Pursuit of Jesus. You might not be pursuing him to
the things he's actually calling you to because when you get.
To the place to say. Lord, I can't do this.
You are now ready to receive the promise of the.
Power of the Holy. Spirit who can do it in you?
And this is our only hope. As the people.
Of God and the season that we live in.
AW. Tozer wrote this nearly a
century ago, and I think it's worth sharing now.
He said if the Holy Spirit was. Withdrawn from the church today,
95%. Of what we do would.
Go on. And no one would know the
difference if the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New
Testament church 95%. Of what they did would.
Stop and everybody would see it. This is what you.
Actually long for, you know, part of the reason that I was so
excited to look at the beginnings of the church is
because I'm full aware that we live in a church age that can be
so confusing. With what is Holy Spirit?
And what? Is the power of God.
And what are the bells and whistles of the modern American
church? And so.
As we go through this. Journey with the First Church.
May we long for the actual? Power to be the Holy Spirit it
the. Power will not be in a better
liturgy. The power will not be in a
fancier service or more eloquent speaker.
The power will not be that the music is.
Just right, all of those. Things we can do, and God can
bless. But the power.
When you strip everything away. Is.
Only. The power of the Holy.
Spirit making the people of God completely different than the
people. Of the world, Paul says.
This to the church in Corinth, and my speech and my preaching
were not. With persuasive.
Words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration.
Of the spirit of power. That your faith should not be in
the wisdom of men, but in the. Power of God this.
Is just the memory verse. For our age, get.
Rid of the eloquent speech and the demonstration of personality
and the things that we look at on the stage.
Of the churches that we've. Built up and look for the
demonstration. Of the power of God.
If for some of you, maybe you're.
At our church for. The second week ever, because
you're, you know, came to Easter, you said I'll try it
again. Look for the demonstration of
the power and don't look for it in just the people that stand on
the stage. But we look for it.
In the. People that we are the.
Church, Does God have your life demonstrating?
His power. And when he does, we're going to
go from churches closing to churches planting.
We're going to go from people predicting the the demise.
Of the church to people. Trying to explain the revival of
the church and this is now the. Great 4th power.
And this is the. Power of the First Church.
This is the power of every revival.
You'll ever study? This is the power.
That we long for and the power that I am so encouraged by over
the last 10 years, and this is the.
Power. Of transformation.
Jesus says that. You.
Are going to be my witnesses. The the Spirit is poured.
Out not just so they get some, you know, spiritual excitement
and emotional moment. Not so they can have some, You
know, a moment where? They get to speak a A.
Language they never knew it's not so they have.
A. A.
A a little. Church gathering that seems
really exciting. The Spirit is poured out so that
God. Can show the.
World what it looks like. When he.
Has a hold of a. Man or woman's life, you're
going to be witnesses to my power now.
They were literal witnesses. To the bodily.
Resurrection. They have a different kind of
witness than we do, but we are witnesses to the.
Power of the Holy. Spirit to transform a life says
you're going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and
Samaria and all the end of the earth and as we, you know, study
this as our intro to the book of.
Acts, I will say. That that is going to give us a
little outline to where the book takes us.
Witnesses in Jerusalem Acts chapter one through 7 witnesses
in Judea and Samaria acts chapter 8 and 9 and then to the
end of the earth it'll end in Rome, which is the.
Seat of the. Empire of the Time, that will be
chapters 10 through 28. This is This is.
How the book unfolds now. But if you're looking for
another way the book unfolds, you can really break it down to
two people. You can see the life of Peter
and the life. Of Paul.
And when you see it in those lens, what?
You actually see is you're. Reading a book and a history of.
2 lives that are specifically highlighted.
So that we could understand the operation of the Church.
Is to show the power. Of transformation, Peter going
from denial and betrayal and doubt and fear to standing up
and preaching A sermon that created.
The biggest church growth. Sermon of all time 3000 saved.
Peter will go from not fully understanding the the the
welcoming of the Gentile world into commissioning it, and Paul
will go from enemy of the church to missionary of the church.
This is the greatest. Testimony of the Power of the
Resurrection and it. Will be the power of the future
Church age. That will be undeniable.
It is why I continue to be a pastor of with encouragement and
excitement. It's because I know over the
last 10 years I have seen lives go from broken to healed, from
lost to found, from darkness to light.
From someone who had doubt to someone who has hope.
And when the power of transformation on is on display,
when the light shines. Out of the church.
The Church doesn't just endure. But the church explodes.
And what is? True of the people of God is
true of the person. Of God.
That is the call. On your.
Life to be a. Person that is being
transformed. Day by day by day.
The power of transformation is the power.
Of the church. And finally, we'll look at this
in verse 9 now, when he had spoken these things.
While they watched. He was taken up and a cloud
received him out of their sight and while they look.
Steadfastly towards. Heaven as he went up, behold, 2
men stood by them in white apparel, 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.
This is the ascension. This is Jesus fulfilling the
promise. That it would be better.
For him to go because when he is removed.
He pours out his spirit. On the church, the helper has is
on its way. Jesus has made room.
For the people of God. To now be animated by the Holy
Spirit of God and we end here one because this is just an
incredible moment of church history when you know, wouldn't
you love to see the. Replay of this.
As Jesus ascends into heaven. But also because this gives us.
Another incredible moment of power, and that is a power any
one of. These you lose this.
Moment of power and you begin to lose the enduring power of the.
Church, this is the power of hope.
Look what? It says once again the angels
look at them. They say what are you staring?
The same Jesus will so come in like manner as you saw him
leave. The church had a crash course.
To understand the redemptive plan of God, to give them the
confidence that they were on time for the church age.
They looked back to understand the power.
Of the word. And from that moment on, from
the ascension on, they lived with the incredible hope that
they now have a clearview of the end.
Of the story. Same way you saw him leave, he's
going to return and with confidence that he was coming
and coming quickly. They were willing to give their
lives the mission of Christ. One of the challenges of your
faith in Christ, one of the challenges that the church.
Always has to face. Is the reports of impending
doom. You know that if you if you
didn't know. The story of the Gospel.
That Jesus is coming back. There's a.
Lot of different alternative endings that you may hear
preached from the world it's going to end in a a nuclear
Holocaust. It's going to end in World War
three. It's going to end as the the the
power source of the sun just. Fades us all to black.
There is no ending that gives you hope until you know the
ending of the coming King. For his people.
And when you know the ending, you can stare at the impending
doom and say that's not the end, he's coming again in the same
manner he left. And when you have the confidence
of that? As a.
Church and as a person of God, you have the most.
Radical hope. That will help you endure.
All of the. Ups and downs and church in the
balance moments. So you put it all together,
Power of the resurrection, the power of the Word, the power of
the Holy Spirit to give you the. Power of a transformed life and
when you. Have all of that.
We are the people. We're not some of the.
People, we are the people of hope.
On this planet, and that is the mission.
That the church started. Then and the Church Now holds
now. Thanks for joining us today.
If you would like to watch the full service, check out the link
in the description. For next steps and to learn
more, visit calvaryboise.com.