“Supernatural Mission”
Acts 1:1-11
Sermon Series: “Supernatural”
Introduction: Do you view life as a mission or an existence? If you are a Christian, you have a God-given mission for you life. Let’s look at this Scripture so we can understand what our mission is and how we can successfully accomplish it.
1. Our mission is to be witnesses of Jesus from here to the end of the earth. This is the calling of every Christian. It is not optional. When Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me,” it was both a promise and a command. God’s heart beats for the entire world, and He wants His followers to have the same heart. He does not want us to just stand around looking at the sky waiting for His return, and He does not want us to spend our lives attempting to build earthly kingdoms. Rather, He wants us to be a part of building His Kingdom by sharing the good news of the Lord Jesus. The gospel is the greatest power in the world (Romans 1:16-17). A witness is someone who shares what they have experienced so anyone who has met Jesus can share Him with others. The Greek word for witness is where we get our English word, “martyr,” so a witness may be required to give his or her life for the Lord.
2. The church is the team that is working together to accomplish this mission. The church is the missionary! This mission is not given just to preachers or denominational mission agencies. The whole world can only be reached by the whole church. The early church as depicted in the book of Acts spread the gospel to the entire know world of that time because they shared Jesus wherever they were. That is what is needed today as well. Every church must see itself as more of a missionary outpost than a religious gathering spot.
3. We are supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish this mission. Jesus said, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:18). Jesus came into this world on a mission to save the world, and He has now sent us to complete His mission by sharing the gospel so that people can believe in Him and be saved. He fulfilled His mission through the Holy Spirit and how now sent the Spirit to indwell and empower the Church as the means by which He works through us to accomplish His mission. The Holy Spirit is the power of God in the life of a believer, and this power includes Him empowering us to be His witnesses. The Greek word that is translated power in verse 8 is the word from which we get our English word, “dynamite.” Think about how dynamically and radically the Holy Spirit transformed the apostles. They went from cowards to world changers in less than two months. If He can do that in them, He can transform us also. The Holy Spirit:
A. Calls people out and leads them to witness.
B. Supplies the message through the Word of God. C. Gives boldness.
D. Makes our proclamation effective by working
through the gospel to regenerate people.
Conclusion-Applications:
1. We cannot claim to be Spirit-filled unless we are being witnesses of Jesus.
2. Share our faith and invite people to church.
3. Pray for people to be saved and for God to call workers out into the harvest fields.
4. Give generously.
5. Serve.
6. Small groups reach out in the community.
7. Go on mission trips, including Honduras next year.
8. Develop the mindset that we are missionaries and seek to live that way wherever we are.
