Redeemer Fellowship Johnson County

As we grow as a church, there will always be gaps in the way that we are meeting the needs of our body. The way that we handle those needs can lead either to division, which threatens and hinders the mission, or unity as we all work together to accomplish what God has called us to. We need to all be asking what God has called and equipped us to do as a part of this body, continue to grow in character, and put our hands to work for the glory of God and the good of the city. The mission of the church can only advance as we fight to maintain the unity of the Spirit, and put do our part to advance the mission that God has called us to.

This passage is not about being more radical. It's about the captivation of the human heart. Our behavior is the fruit of what has captivated our affections and this scene is an invitation for us to become more captivated by Jesus which will embolden and compel us to share the Good News about him. The two main issues presented in the text are the significance of resurrection theology and the exclusivity of Jesus' comprehensive saving power. The two main applications of the text are that transformation comes only through experiential proximity and relationship to Jesus, and that Biblical boldness has more to do with what you say about Jesus than how you say it. Because the Holy Spirit dwells inside all believers, we can have confidence in understanding, applying, and proclaiming the Gospel both personally and in our spheres of influence.

The core of what Luke wants us to see today is that Christ, the promised Messiah has come—fulfilling the promises of God and the words of the prophets. He has come to bring the blessing of Abraham, the healing and restoring presence of the Kingdom of God to the nations. He has come to bring us the blessings of forgiveness, refreshment, and hope. But the only way to receive this blessing is to repent of all of the ways that we are pursuing blessedness outside of him and receive him. You cannot receive the blessedness that he offers without receiving the one who brings the blessing.

The point of the Christian life is not "getting back" to the book of Acts, but responding to God's invitations in the present.

At Jesus's ascension he left his disciples with a mission to bear witness to him to the nations. But he didn't just give them a mission, he promised that the presence and power of God would carry them along. The Holy Spirit would empower them to bear witness, and he empowers us to bear witness still today. The only way that we will be able to accomplish what God has called us to in this city is in the power of the Spirit.