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Galatians 1:3-6
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:”

I Corinthians 1:17, 18
“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Quote: “Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us—a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” John Piper

Quote: “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” John Stott

Quote: “Only those who are truly aware of their sin can truly cherish grace.” C.J. Mahaney

I. The Cross Is The Place Where Jesus Paid The Penalty For Sin

Luke 22:44
“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Colossians 2:13, 14
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

II. The Cross Was The Place Where Jesus Provided The Only Way For Us To Be With The Father

John 14:1-3
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

III. It Is Still The Preaching Of The Cross That Has The Power To Change Lives

Quote: “Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life.” Ravi Z.

1. A sin to confess
2. A burden to leave
3. A soul to reach

TEXT: John 13:1-17

Luke 22:24 “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.”

1. You Can Really Tell What Kind Of Servant You Are When You’re Actually Treated Like One.

Quote: “There are many of us who are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do the little things.” Moody

Quote: “Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” Moody

2. Your Capacity To love Is Directly Related To Your Capacity To Humble Yourself.

*People who are puffed up with pride never get low and serve others.

Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

*The nature of our salvation is a high call to get low and serve.

3. There Is Very Little Hope You Will Ever Be Happy Unless You Obey Jesus.

*Blessings flow from obedience.

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

*Joy is knowing Jesus and being known of Him and making Him known.

4. We Need To Confess Our Sins And Keep A Clear Conscience

I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

TEXT: Acts 4:23-35

II Peter 1:16
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

Romans 15:4
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

I Corinthians 10:11
“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

1. We must hear the Word.

2. We must heed the Word.

3. We must honor the Word.

*The power and presence of the Holy Spirit is still at work today!

Quote: “We may as well face it: the whole level of spirituality among us is low. We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone…. [We] have imitated the world, sought for popular favor, manufactured delights to substitute for the joy of the Lord and produced a cheap and synthetic power to substitute for the power of the Holy Ghost.” A. W. Tozer

I. THE SPIRIT’S MOVING

*They were connected and they were committed.

*There was unity in the community.

Quote: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity.”

*The world cannot tolerate what the Scriptures teach and they are not going to stand by the Church and coddle Christians.

*Prayerlessness is not a self-discipline problem, it is a sign that you are not walking in the Spirit.

1. Communion with God in His Word.
2. Close connections with God’s people.
3. Commitment to prayer with and for others.

"Never will I be satisfied until God works in convicting power and men and women weep their way to the cross…oh that He would break me down and cause me to weep for the salvation of lost souls." Oswald Smith

II. A MEGA CHURCH

*The result of believing in the Gospel and obeying the Gospel is that you become a bold and generous person!

1. Where do I see myself in the picture of what God is doing through His Church?

2. Who do I know that needs to become a part of the picture?

3. What am I willing to do in order to reach the people I know with the Gospel?

4. Will I pray for boldness to proclaim the gospel?

TEXT: Acts 4:1-22

Hebrews 11:36-38
“And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

Quote: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Tertullian

*Persecution did not destroy the church but instead it served to strengthen, purify and mature the church.

Quote: “Persecution is an inevitable element of genuine Christian faith”. R. Kent Hughes

John 15:18-21
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.”

Quote: “Suffering in the badge of Christianity. The disciple is not above his Lord. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Quote: “Salvation is free but discipleship will cost you your life”. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I. THE SAME PEOPLE AND SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE

*Religion and religious people always run to the rules and regulations to exercise control.

II. THE POWER OF JESUS NAME

*The name of Jesus is the only name that will save!

*Is it obvious to the people around us that we have been with Jesus?

Quote: “All religions are exclusive, but Christianity is the most inclusive exclusivity there is.” Tim Keller

*The beauty of the Gospel is that it confronts us in our sin and offers us grace.

III. THE BOLD PRONOUNCEMENT

*Are we obeying the high calling and holy command by Jesus to go and make disciples?

John 12:42, 43
“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

*Will there be overwhelming evidence of my love for Jesus this week?

TEXT: Acts 3

“Money has never made man happy, nor will it; there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.”¬ – Benjamin Franklin

*Everyone will come to a place in life where they realize that money is not the solution.

I. THE MIRACLE

*Healing was not a gift to believers to make them better. It was a sign to nonbelievers to convince them to believe the message of the gospel.

II Corinthians 12:7-10
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

*God may not heal you to keep you humble.

*God may not heal you to keep you close to Him.

*God may not heal you so that you might better help others.

*The biggest need in your life is not to be healed from your “issue” but to be made spiritually whole through salvation in Jesus Christ!

II. THE MESSAGE

Colossians 2:14
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

*Repentance, Refreshing, and Restitution.

I Peter 2:24
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

1. Contrition
2. Confession
3. Commitment
4. Confidence

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

*There is no refreshment and no restoration until there is repentance.

TEXT: Acts 2

I. THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD

*Everything must revolve around the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

*The cry in the heart of every lost soul must be answered with “repent”.

Luke 13:34
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”

*Repentance is always met with resistance.

*Lots of people like the idea of salvation but most people reject the repentance required for salvation.

*Repentance is more than tears over sin its turning from sin.

*Repentance is more than a onetime action or a prayer you pray but a life of continual confession and change as you follow Christ.

*Once saved forever following.

*Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change that publically declares you have decided to follow Jesus!

II. A PICTURE OF THE EARLY CHURCH

*Our mission never changes but our methods do.

1. Continually pray.

2. Consistently preach and teach God’s Word.

*We are to be more than just a Bible believing Church we are to be a Bible living church.

3. Come together for praise and worship of God.

4. Contribute to the mission of God.

5. Commit to fellowshipping with one another.

*The closer you get to God the closer you will want to get to your brothers and sisters.

*A Spirit filled church is marked by generosity, gladness, giving and growth!
Challenge:

1. Have I repented and turned to Christ for salvation?

2. Have I been Scripturally Baptized?

3. Am I A Church Member

4. Am I consistently praying, praising, and preaching?

5. Am I currently involved in making and teaching disciples?

6. Am I a generous contributor to the mission of the church?

7. Am I committed to fellowshipping with my church family?

TEXT: Acts 2

1. The giving of the Spirit.

2. The preaching of the first Christian sermon.

3. The picture of a Spirt filled church.

Quote: “God doesn’t have a mission for His church; He made a church for His mission.”

I. THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT

*Pentecost did not take place because the people were praying, Pentecost happened because God was fulfilling His promise!

A. The Sound of The Spirits Coming

John 3:4-8
“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

B. The Sight of The Spirts Coming

*A sure sign that we are filled with the Spirit is that we are proclaiming the name of Jesus.

Quote: “I set myself on FIRE, they come to watch me burn.” John Wesley

II. THE COMMOTION AND CONFUSION

III. THE CHARGE AND CHALLENGE

*God desires that all of His children declare the life changing Gospel message to those who are in need of the Saviour.

Quote: “If you have no wish to bring others to heaven, you are not going there yourself.” C. H. Spurgeon

Quote: “The church that does not evangelize will fossilize.” Oswald J. Smith

Quote: “It is not our strength we want. It is not our work to make them believe. That is the work of the Spirit. Our work is to give them the Word of God. I cannot convert men; I can only proclaim the Gospel” D. L. Moody

*The persistence of prayer, the power of the Gospel, and the presence of the Spirit is what will bring transformation to people.
Challenge:

*Has the conviction of the Spirit caused me to cry out to God for salvation?

*Am I living under the control of the Spirit sharing and showing the Gospel?