Acts 2:42-47
- A church that is devoted, generous and sharing the love of Christ
- Devoted – bible/fellowship/prayer
- Generous – extravagant/giving away
- Sharing the love of Christ – people coming to faith daily
Acts 13:1-3
- A church that is diverse and creative
- There’s diversity in the Acts church and Acts 13 is the turning point in church history,
- Hope church is a diverse church and we celebrate God’s creativity. We’re different in so many ways but united in Christ, Galatians 3:28.
- All the revivals and church plants and miracles in Acts begin in this moment in Acts 13.
- A legacy is what others accomplish because of you.
Acts 17:16-18, 22-23, 32-34
- A church that brings light to the darkness
- Paul doesn’t debate the morals and ethics but brings it back to Jesus and the resurrection.
- People in Athens were spiritual but had questions and Paul uses the culture of the time to point people to Jesus.
- Paul brings light to the darkness and leads to Dionysius who became the first bishop of Athens.
- When we share Jesus it’s not about the numbers, it’s about individual people connecting with the gospel.
- Where you are shine the light of Jesus.
Two challenges
- We’re to consecrate ourselves before the Lord – Joshua 3:5
- Consecration means to depend on God above ourselves, spending time alone with God, putting the bible as our main source of wisdom, worship first rather than worry.
- When we consecrate ourselves before God it then draws us out to others.
- Be uniquely used by God – Numbers 11:26-30
- Be ready to be uniquely used by God, don’t worry about a past formula or being boxed in.