RUT TO REVIVAL - THE CHURCH IN REVIVAL
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion. CLICK HERE to find a discussion group. Enjoy!
Sermon Title: THE CHURCH IN REVIVAL
Main Scripture: Acts 2:1-21
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
This week, Pastor Ryan began to share how the church began in the New Testament is how the church should continue, today. The church was built on the foundation of the Gospel, the testimony of the apostles, a hunger and worship of God, the Spirit filling and empowering believers, and the church committed to fulfilling God’s will on earth. We learned in this sermon that these areas were a focus (and many more) and had contributed to not only Pentecost but the birth of the church and a revival that has rippled into our lives. Pastor Ryan challenged us to get back to God in at least these four revival points so we can be in revival, today!
Notes:
Recap: Revival begins with each of us. Personal revival begins in our relationship with Christ. The source of revival is Jesus. As we remain in Christ through faith and loving obedience, the Holy Spirit feeds and grows the fruit of the Spirit, Godliness, Christlikeness, and so on. As Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…” The fruit are signs and products of Christ flowing and working in your relationship. Bearing fruit is a sign of Christ’s life, which is no doubt, revival life. Last week I shared how I have been living in personal revival for years. Some of the signs you are in personal revival are you are hungry for more of God, you’re living in obedience to His commands and you desire to see others saved, love God, and obey Him as well. This past week my friend said that when I shared those signs it hit him that he is also living in personal revival. I was able to affirm that he certainly is living in revival. He and his wife are both on fire for the Lord and doing His work in this church and state. Praise God! Now, they didn’t go to a revival (and there is nothing wrong with that), they went to Christ and are following Him to be a revival for their community and circle of influence.
Let us add to and compound last week's message by looking at what stirs or fuels if you will, a church revival. Everything I say today can and does happen in a personal revival too, but our text in Acts 2 is in the context of the church being together and a revival or the birth of the church begins.
Acts 2:1-21 NLT
Pentecost is the Greek word used for an old testament festival called the Feast of Weeks. In Greek, Pentecost means “fifty” and the Jews celebrated this feast, on the 50th day after the Passover. The Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus’ followers in the room they were gathered in 50 days after the resurrection of Christ.
Symbols to explain the Spirit have come from this moment such as wind, fire, and doves from the baptism of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit came upon each of them, showing that baptism in the Spirit is for all people who yield and are open to receiving Him.
They spoke in other languages and tongues as enabled by the Holy Spirit.
I find verse 11 fascinating. This is possibly hinting at what we are praying in the Spirit when we are first filled or praying in the Spirit on our own. We can’t be totally sure.
Verses 7;12-13: Amazed and perplexed is understandable. It was the first time this happened for everyone. Outsiders won’t understand and have mocked this experience, even believers have.
A demonstration like this in front of God-fearing Jews (But they are not Christ-followers) requires preaching and teaching. Peter responds accordingly!
Verses 16-21, Peter connects the dots to OT Prophecy and part of the signs of the last days. Verses 19-20 have not yet taken place so half of this prophecy is being fulfilled.
The Culmination of Revival.
What stirred and fueled this revival? What were the ingredients, if you will, to have this glorious launch of the church? If I may, let me share these things and not be limited or held back by a progressive order, although we could probably do such a thing, I see these things overlapping all at once, a combination of events and works of God culminating into what we call Pentecost or Pentecost revival.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The church seeking more of God (particularly, seeking the Holy Spirit)
The filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit
The will of God
All of these working and culminating together fueled and launched the church. So shouldn’t this still be the focus of the church? Yes. There is no reason this can’t continue and happen in our day but the issue would be if the church is willing to focus on these four areas and others.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Acts 2:22-24
The Gospel is the good news of Jesus. The birth, life, the miracles, the preaching of repentance, salvation and the kingdom of God, the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ.
Christ’s followers, especially the apostles were eye-witnesses of the gospel. The women left the tomb proclaiming the good news, “He is alive.”Jesus appeared to over 500 witnesses.
Romans 1:16 says it all, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
There was Gospel urgency in the early church. To share, proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel was urgent not just because of time, but because it was the only way to be saved. There is only one true gospel, one true name by which we can be saved.
Don’t we have this Gospel message too? Shouldn’t we share this good news with all who will listen? Is it not an urgent need in our world and state?
We share the gospel according to the Holy Bible, we testify and share our testimonies of the work of the gospel in our lives. We demonstrate the truth and love of the gospel by living and loving like Christ.
The church was seeking more of God
Acts 1:4-5. The church had seen Jesus alive, they saw Him ascend, but before he left he told them to wait for the promised gift of the Spirit to come.
Acts 1:14; 2:1. They obeyed and their hearts were devoted and focused on Jesus. They met in unity and prayer, together, seeking and worshiping God when the Holy Spirit fell on them…
Can’t we do the same? Can’t we meet together and seek God and the Holy Spirit?
The filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit
Acts 1:8. They would receive power through the Holy Spirit to be witnesses.
In John 14-16, the disciples were told the Holy Spirit would come to be a helper and advocate to come alongside them just like Christ. The church knew that apart from Christ they could do nothing so they also understood the importance of having the Holy Spirit help them here on earth.
The church simply knew they needed the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would be their helper in sharing the gospel. In the following chapters, it was the gift of healing and the Spirit’s leading that helped Peter heal in Jesus’ name.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Romans 15:18-19 NLT Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
The Holy Spirit is the power behind and at work in revival
Did the need for the gospel end in our world? Did the need for the Holy Spirit end? No. Maybe in individual lives, we’ve ignored the need and power of the Gospel to be shared or the need for the Holy Spirit’s help, but the world still needs Jesus, and disciples of Christ depend on the Holy Spirit to help them minister so this should be applicable for today?
The experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit…The initial physical evidence
The will of God.
Acts 2:16-18; 22-24; 32-34.
The redemptive plan or will of God is all about restoring what was lost in the garden. God promised to crush evil and restore the relationship between God and humanity. He established a covenant with Abraham promising that ALL people would be blessed through Him. This blessing was Jesus Christ. Jesus is the prophesied Messiah that has come to restore all things and He finishes His work on the cross. God raises Him from the dead so He can sit at the right hand of God (Acts 2 refers to this). God promised in the book of Joel that His Spirit would come and fill us, that work begins on the day of Pentecost. The church was and still is commissioned to, go, make disciples, and live Holy and Godly lives while we wait for the final pieces of God’s redemptive work (the return of Christ to gather the church, judge the world and create the new heavens and new earth.)
Isn’t it God’s will to complete His work on earth? Isn’t the church part of God’s will? Yes.
We are in God’s Will to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to share, preach and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Revival is already here if we would seek more of God and obediently join in the will of God that is already at work and moving forward.
A church in revival shares and lives the Gospel!
A church in revival is worshiping and seeking more of God!
A church in revival is filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit!
A church in revival is doing God's will on earth!
Let us remember the Gospel.
Let us seek more of God and His Spirit.
Let us be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Let us be servants who will do His will on earth.
There is no greater cause than this…
Discussion:
What stuck out to you scripture reading in Acts 2:1-21?
Overall, what stuck out to you from this sermon?
What were the ingredients and events leading up to this moment in scripture and what were the followers of Christ doing for this revival to break out?
Why are the four areas of revival: The Gospel, Seeking God, Spirit Empowerment, and doing God’s Will so vital to a church being in revival?
What would it look like to pursue and live these out in a practical way?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!