Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

If you were physically with Jesus at the time He was here on this earth and you knew it was going to be His last day here, where would you go?

What would you do?

What would you say? 

Gathering together in corporate worship is extremely vital to our spiritual health.

Throughout the Scriptures, Jesus gathered together with His disciples to talk, teach, and even rest, but the point is, they gathered together.

Jesus, called His disciples together that they might be with Him (Mark 3:14), spend time with Him and minister to others with Him.

Today, many come together, missing the worship and leaving right after the message, not hanging out fellowshipping with one another.

In our walk with the Lord, we are to keep our eyes (spiritual eyes) fixed upon him, and coming together strengthens us to do so.

These are just some of the topics we will be discussing in our time together.

!! A.                 The disciples came together again (v.6a).

!!! 1.                  “Therefore, when they had come together…”  (v.6a).

!!!! a)                  The importance of fellowship.

!!!!! (1)                 We read later on in chapter 2, the importance of continuing steadfastly:

*Luke says *"They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

(Acts 2:42, NKJV)

*The writer of Hebrews says *"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

(Hebrews 10:24-25, NKJV)

!!!!! (2)                 Dwelling together in unity is vitally important:

*David writes saying *"How good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore."

(Psalm 133:1-3, NKJV)

!!!!! (3)                 There is the fellowship of the Spirit:

*In chapter 1 of Philippians, Paul speaks about suffering, then he says in chapter 2 *" Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?

Any comfort from his love?

Any fellowship together in the Spirit?

Are your hearts tender and compassionate?

Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose."

*This happens when we come together *(Philippians 2:1-2, NLT)

*When Paul said that he wanted to know Christ, his desire was* to "know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," (Philippians 3:10)

!!!!! (4)                 The fellowship with Christ:

*The apostle John says *"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7, NKJV)

 

!! B.                Scene 1: Jesus promised the kingdom (v.6b-7).

!!! 1.                  “Will You at this time restore he kingdom           to Israel…  It’s not for you to know…”  (v.6b-7).

!!!! a)                  The disciple’s earthly concern.

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus had been talking about the Kingdom of God of God & they thought that the kingdom was going to be set up immediately.

In fact, they thought that Jesus was going to set up the kingdom.

!!!!! (2)                 They were shocked when He was crucified because they had been anticipating that He would set up the kingdom.

!!!!! (3)                 Their desire for the kingdom was not the purist, why?

Because they were thinking selfishly of positions that they would have in the kingdom.

They were arguing among themselves as who would be the greatest when the Lord set up the kingdom.

!!!! b)                  The disciple’s spiritual concern.

!!!!! (1)                 *We must always remember this:* Christ /is going to set up His kingdom on earth/.

!!!!!! (a)                 There is a future aspect to His kingdom as well as a present rule and reign in human hearts.

*Jesus spoke about this *"When He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’

For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”" (Luke 17:20-21)

!!!!!! (b)                Christ promised the apostles they would sit upon thrones judging the people of Israel.

!!!!!! (c)                 He also promised believers they would receive a hundredfold and rule over the world.

But the concern of the believer is not to be a reward, not to be a carnal craving for...

(i)                   position and influence

(ii)                 authority and power

(iii)                money and possessions

(iv)               recognition and prestige

(v)                 rule and reign

(vi)               the material and physical

!!!!! (2)                 The believer’s concern ought to be service and ministry.

Proclaiming the salvation of Christ.

!!!!!! (a)                 We must not be so concerned with the day of Christ return is because Jesus Himself had said that even He did not know when He was to return and set up the kingdom.

!!!!!! (b)                We ought to live as though Christ was to return at any moment:

(i)                   *(Romans 13:14) – */we are to awake out of our sleep/.

(ii)                 *(1 John 3:1-3) – */if we have this hope, then we ought to be purifying ourselves./

*Peter said *"Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, *[what things?

The heavens and the earth] *what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

(2 Peter 3:11-13, NKJV)

 

!! C.                Scene 2: Jesus assigned the believer’s great task—the great commission (v.8).

!!! 1.                  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”  (v.8a).

!!!! a)                  Their equipping: the Power of the Holy Spirit (v.8a).

!!!!! (1)                 The power to be a witness for Jesus Christ.

This is the power to live in such a way that your life becomes a reflection of Jesus.

That’s what a witness is.

!!!!! (2)                 It is interesting that in Antioch the people began to call them Christians because they were like Jesus.

They did not take the name upon themselves, but it was a term that was given to them by the press and the media at the time because they were like Christ.

!!!!! (3)                 Therefore, a Christian is to be Christlike, a reflection of Jesus Christ.

*However, I cannot reflect Jesus Christ without the Power of the Holy Spirit, Paul said *"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

(2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)

!!!!! (4)                 I cannot forgive.

I cannot love.

I cannot be kind and considerate as Jesus was without the power of the Holy Spirit.

I can’t do it in myself.

!!!!! (5)                 But through the power of the Holy Spirit, He transforms me.

He not only transforms me, but He conforms me into the image of Jesus.

!!!! b)                  The Four Prepositions used in conjunction with the Holy Spirit and the Believer.

!!!!! (1)                 What is the Holy Spirit trying to show people who have not accepted Christ (John 16:7-11)?

!!!!! (2)                 *John 14:16-17** – *the two prepositions used are (*/para/*/ /“with” v.16) &/ /(*/en/*/ /“in”v.17)

!!!!!! (a)                 The disciples went from */para /*to/ *en*/ in John 20, when Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

!!!!! (3)                 The next relationship centers around the preposition */“en”/*.

!!!!!! (a)                 According to Romans 8:9, where the Spirit dwell */“en”/*/ /or */in /*/you/

!!!!!! (b)                The moment you accepted Jesus as the Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit came into you and began to indwell you, you went from /para/ to/ en./

!!!!!! (c)                 Not every believer, however, has the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

!!!!! (4)                 The next relationship relates to the word /upon/ */“epi”/*/.

/ 

!!!!!! (a)                 This is the same as the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

!!!!!! (b)                This */epi/* empowers the believer for service—*Ex. of “jack hammer” & “cup of water”*

!!!!!! (c)                 The same power that raised Jesus from the dead & seated Him in heaven is present in you by God’s Spirit to:

(i)                   cause you to overflow with hope (Romans 15:13)

(ii)                 help you bear up under and escape temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)

(iii)                equip you to be a servant (Eph.3:7);

give you inner strength (Eph.3:16)