Kickin' It Up a Notch (9 of 13)
When God Takes You to Another Level
Series: Unleashed
Jeff Lynn
Acts 5:17-42
July 18, 2010
TEXT: Acts 5:12-16 ESV
PRAY
INTRODUCTION
Three weeks ago we saw where these new followers of Christ were gaining momentum.
The Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost and Peter preached the gospel and over 3,000 people were added to the kingdom of heaven that day.
They started meeting together to be equipped in their new faith in Christ and were treating each other as family.
Peter and John go to the temple one day and God uses them in the healing of a beggar who had been lame for 40 years.
People were filled with wonder and amazement at all this and Peter has a second opportunity to proclaim the gospel to the crowd that was gathered.
As momentum builds, some of the religious leaders in Jerusalem were annoyed with their teaching and that they were proclaiming that Jesus had risen from the dead.
So they arrested them and charged them not to speak about this any longer.
Satan tried to thwart the advance of the kingdom from outside pressure.
The apostles then prayed for boldness, and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
These followers of Christ gained more momentum as people were of one heart and soul and sharing with anyone who had a need.
But as the cause of Christ continued to advance, the enemy of the church tried to destroy the advance of the church by using Ananias and Sapphira to lie about what they made from a sale of the land.
We saw that sin in the church diminishes its power and disintegrates trust and unity.
Remember, some of the people in Jerusalem who heard about God smiting Ananias and Sapphira were afraid to join this new group because the stakes were high: holy living.
So, God dealt with the sin, and the church gained greater momentum, based on what we just read.
However, again, the very next word is "but."
As I said three weeks ago, there's always a ...
When God Takes You to Another Level
Series: Unleashed
Jeff Lynn
Acts 5:17-42
July 18, 2010
TEXT: Acts 5:12-16 ESV
PRAY
INTRODUCTION
Three weeks ago we saw where these new followers of Christ were gaining momentum.
The Holy Spirit had come at Pentecost and Peter preached the gospel and over 3,000 people were added to the kingdom of heaven that day.
They started meeting together to be equipped in their new faith in Christ and were treating each other as family.
Peter and John go to the temple one day and God uses them in the healing of a beggar who had been lame for 40 years.
People were filled with wonder and amazement at all this and Peter has a second opportunity to proclaim the gospel to the crowd that was gathered.
As momentum builds, some of the religious leaders in Jerusalem were annoyed with their teaching and that they were proclaiming that Jesus had risen from the dead.
So they arrested them and charged them not to speak about this any longer.
Satan tried to thwart the advance of the kingdom from outside pressure.
The apostles then prayed for boldness, and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
These followers of Christ gained more momentum as people were of one heart and soul and sharing with anyone who had a need.
But as the cause of Christ continued to advance, the enemy of the church tried to destroy the advance of the church by using Ananias and Sapphira to lie about what they made from a sale of the land.
We saw that sin in the church diminishes its power and disintegrates trust and unity.
Remember, some of the people in Jerusalem who heard about God smiting Ananias and Sapphira were afraid to join this new group because the stakes were high: holy living.
So, God dealt with the sin, and the church gained greater momentum, based on what we just read.
However, again, the very next word is "but."
As I said three weeks ago, there's always a ...
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