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Sunday Life Mirror
Theme: UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH (7)
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Topic:
THE CHURCH: IT'S POWER
TEXTS: Acts: 1:8
Memory Verse:
But you should 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. Acts: 1:8 (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION
On the day of Pentecost the church received power to evangelize the world.
When the hundred and twenty came down from the upper room, they came in the dynamics
of the Holy Spirit. It was a spiritual phenomenon issuing forth in joyful ecstasy and
miracle-working power, resulting in conviction of sin, ˇ°repentance toward God and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christˇ±(Acts 20:21). Some were empowered for special service, but all received power to witness.
First, let us treat the case of a brother who sins against a brother
The real power of the church is not found in:
- Modern buildings or unique methods of preaching and teaching.
- Its great wealth or how that wealth is used.
- The church's prominence or popularity. The Laodicean church was the first bragging congregation (Rev.3: 14-22), but not the last.
- They said, ˇ°We are rich." God said they were poor.
They said, "We are wealthy." God said they were wretched.
- They said, 'We do not need anything.' God said needed everything.
- They said, 'We are busy in the church. God said were miserable.
- They said, 'We have a vision." God said were blind.
- They said, 'We are clothed in fine garments." God said they were naked.
They said, ˇ°We are satisfied." God said make Him sick.
- You can always recognize a Holy Spirit-power church. The evidence is obvious; they have power to:
- Evangelize:They share their faith with the lost and souls are saved.
Evangelism is the only way to make full proof of your ministry (2. Tim. 4:5), through it,
you create the atmosphere/ avenue for the Holy Ghost to manifest His diverse miraculous power.
When a church is not involved in winning souls,
it grieves the Holy spirit and is void of power.
- Reproduce: Souls are born into the family of God by incorruptible seed, which is the word of God (1 Pet. 1:23). The Spirit filled believer sows the seed: this is evangelism. The Holy Spirit hovers over the seed, convicting and leading the lost to repentance. This is the spiritual birth.
- Change: people (Acts.2: 37-41); places (Page221-Acts5: 28; and.things (Mtt.17: 20, 21).
- Turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6)
This is the power that filled the upper room congregation on the day of Pentecost. That power is with the believer today in the person of the Holy Spirit. He is the power of the church.
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Thank you
See Archive for Past Study Outline
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