IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!!!

a2 PREVIEW SERVICE NOTES
DANGEROUS CHURCH – 1


SIX FACTS MADE CRYSTAL CLEAR IN BOOK OF ACTS:

1. It’s All About Jesus. It’s Always About Jesus. It’s Only About Jesus.

Acts 1:1-2 (NLT), Dear Theophilus: In my first book I told you about everything JESUS BEGAN to DO and TEACH 2 until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit.

One of the most striking things about the book of Acts is its continuing FOCUS and EMPHASIS ON – it’s out right OBSESSION – with JESUS. On what Jesus “began” to do and what He is continuing to do through His followers.

From the outset, if someone asks you what we’re about at a2, this is the answer: WE’RE ALL ABOUT JESUS. WE’RE ALWAYS ABOUT JESUS. WE’RE ONLY ABOUT JESUS.


2. The Holy Spirit Is ACTIVE.

Acts 1:8 (NIV), But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 2:4 (ESV), And while staying with them he ORDERED them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father…

The presence and power of the Holy Spirit is the MAIN PLAYER in of the book of Acts. And He has one goal – to lift up and exalt JESUS!

The book of Acts gives us a picture of the UTTER FUTILITY of attempting to follow Jesus or do life and ministry apart from the Holy Spirit working in and through your life… It’s impossible!

At the outset of a2, it’s important for us to understand that apart from the Holy Spirit we don’t have the POWER necessary to simply live the CHRISTIAN LIFE, much less accomplish the kinds of EXTRAORDINARY MIRACLES God wants to in and through this church.


3. Prayer Makes A Huge Difference.

Regardless of what else may be said about the first century church, it was a “praying church.” These guys and gals actually believed, “When we pray, things happen.”

Check out these passages:

Acts 1:14 (ESV), All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…

Acts 4:24 (NLT), Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them ?

Acts 4:29-31 (NLT), And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30 Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness.


4. Community Matters.

The book of Acts gives us a picture of what AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY and REALATIONSHIPS really look and feel like. It’s not a vague or illusory thing. It’s not simply a feeling of “good will” towards people. In the book of Acts, it’s a way of doing life.

Check out these passages:

Acts 1:14 (NIV), They all joined TOGETHER constantly in prayer…

Acts 2:1 (NIV), When the day of Pentecost came, they were all TOGETHER in one place.

Acts 2:44, All the believers were TOGETHER and had everything in common.

Acts 5:12, …all the believers used to meet TOGETHER in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Acts 14:27, On arriving there (Antioch), they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

A word that keeps showing up again and again is the word “together.” Believers in the first century church believed in doing life “together.”


5. Conflict Happens, But Can Be Resolved.

The book of Acts is very blunt about the fact that the people in the first century church were ordinary people who struggled with relational dynamics.

Check out the stories contained in passages like Acts 6, 10-11, and 15.

The first century church was filled with CONFLICT and TENSION. It wasn’t perfect. But through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit the people in that church learned to live together in UNITY!

At the outset of a2, it’s important to say right up front: EXPECT CONFLICT. It’s going to occur. But lets make a commitment today that we’ll be the kind of church that learns how to RESOLVE IT…


6. The Church Is Meant To Thrive, Not Just Survive.

The book of Acts outlines the birth, growth and development of the first century church. Luke peppers the book of Acts with all kinds of bullets about the EXPONENTIAL GROWTH of the first century church.

Check out the following passages: Acts 1:15; 2:37-38, 41; 2:47b; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1; 6:7; 8:12; 8:38; 9:35; 11:21; 13:12; 14:1; 16:5; 16:30-33; 17:12; 18:8; 19:19-20; 22:22


THIS IS CRUCIAL: The first century church wasn’t “seeker sensitive.” They were “seeker obsessed.” They made sharing the good news about Jesus a “top shelf” priority. It wasn’t something they did occasionally. It was something that defined them as a church.

From the outset at a2, we are going to be committed to OUTREACH and EVANGELISM.


a2’s SIMPLE STRATEGY FOR OUTREACH:

• INVEST in people unconditionally.

• INVITE to join the adventure.


Acts 28:30 31 (NIV), For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

There's something interesting about the way the book of Acts ends! It ends abruptly! There is NO FORMAL CONFLUSION. In fact, this is the only book of the New Testament that has no formal conclusion! I love what one New Testament scholar says:


“Church of Christ! The records of these acts of the Holy Ghost have never reached completeness. This is the one book which has no proper close, because it waits for new chapters to be added so fast and so far as the people of God shall reinstate the blessed Spirit in His holy seat of control.” ~ Arthur T. Pierson, Presbyterian Pastor

Welcome to the adventure.