Acts: The Gospel Unleashed Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever know of someone who has taken upon themselves a task that was simply impossible.
Germany WWII invades Russia in the winter.
Jerusalem, Judea, Samria, and to the ends of the earth.
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Delay
Delay
Why did the disciples delay world evangelization?
Why did the disciples delay world evangelization?
Christ’s Life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension were complete.
World evangelization is a human impossibility.
World evangelization is a human impossibility.
More than 7 billion people.
There are an estimated 7,000 different languages.
The exact number of unwritten languages is hard to determine. Ethnologue (21st edition) has data to indicate that of the currently listed 7,111 living languages, 3,995 have a developed writing system. We don't always know, however, if the existing writing systems are widely used. That is, while an alphabet may exist there may not be very many people who are literate and actually using the alphabet. The remaining 3,116 are likely unwritten.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 1
Reaching areas where there is no Christian witness and no government permission to do so is one of the daunting challenges facing missions today. On average three countries per year legally close their doors to traditional missions.
Reaching areas where there is no Christian witness and no government permission to do so is one of the daunting challenges facing missions today. On average three countries per year legally close their doors to traditional missions.
An impossible task requires an omnipotent God.
An impossible task requires an omnipotent God.
Without the power of the spirit of God there is no advancing of the great commission.
Gospel proclamation without the Spirit is pointless.
Gospel proclamation without the Spirit is pointless.
Pray
Pray
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
12-1
Pray persistently
Pray persistently
“devoted” To persevere obstinately in prayer or to be constant.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Pray corporately
Pray corporately
They prayed together. I don’t mean to minimize the need for individual prayer but the New Testament shows there is profound power in corporate prayer.
31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Acts
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
There is power in corporate prayer.
There is power in corporate prayer.
A church that prays together
Prayer is the default poster for the people of God!
Pray purposefully
Pray purposefully
The final thing I want to draw your attention to is in verses 15-26.
Obey
Obey
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,
16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”
18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “ ‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Acts
Listen to the word of God.
Submit to the will of God.