ACTS 1; 6 TO 14

Next week is Pentecost when we remember and celebrate the person of the Holy Spirit coming upon the first disciples to empower and equip them to carry on Jesus’ work.

I say person, because the Holy Spirit is a person. He is the third person of the Trinity.

He is referred to in scripture as the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Jesus and as I hope we’ll see this morning he has an absolutely vital role to play in our lives and in the church.

Today’s reading from Acts recounts what happens immediately before Pentecost. We have an account of the final conversation between the risen Lord Jesus and his disciples before he returned to his father in heaven.

And what I find really surprising about this conversation is that Jesus’s disciples still don’t understand the nature of the kingdom that he wants them to play a part in establishing.

If you look at verse 6 they ask Jesus – “Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel.”

They were still expecting Jesus as the Messiah to establish an earthly kingdom – rather than a heavenly one.

They were still expecting him to overthrow the Romans and restore a time of blessing and prosperity to the Jewish nation such as they had experienced under king David.

Their understanding of Jesus and his intention to build his church was extremely limited.

And we see this limited understanding of the church – what is was and who it was for - continue in the early chapters of Acts.

For instance, it was a tremendous surprise to Peter and the early Jewish Christians when Gentiles started to receive the Holy Spirit and become Christians too.

This is perhaps not altogether surprising because as Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, the creation of the church was a mystery that was kept hidden from previous generations by God.

We can understand the concept of the church because it is revealed in the New Testament – but the early disciples only had the Old Testament to go on.

Their thinking, which was based on the law of Moses and the prophets – needed to change, and their minds needed to be transformed and renewed, because God was doing a new thing.

And so, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was vital for a number of reasons.

It was to empower and to equip the disciples to share the gospel and build the church – but it was also to change their understanding of the purposes of God and their thinking.

To give them a completely new outlook on life and the people around them, particularly Gentiles.

As Jesus said – “when the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.”

And of course, this is what the Holy Spirit wants to do for us if we will allow him.

Before we become Christians we too have very little understanding of the church as the body of Christ, or the nature of Jesus’ kingdom.

But when we become Christians our view of life and the world around us starts to change.

As we read and submit our minds to God’s word – to the bible – the Holy Spirit gives us insight and starts to change our view of life and the world around us.

As Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians – “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”

The Holy Spirit helps us to start to see life and the world around us from God’s perspective. And he helps us to understand the nature of God’s kingdom and the part we can play in extending it.

And then as we start to understand these things, he wants to empower and equip us to play our role in building the church.

He wants to enable us to be witnesses as Jesus puts it in verse 8, people who experience the new life that Jesus came to bring and then seek to share it with others.

So, when the Holy Spirit comes – yes he brings power – but he also brings understanding and purpose. And the power that he imparts to us is specifically to enable us to carry out the purpose he has for us.

The purpose that we have as Christians is twofold. It is both corporate as members of the body of Christ – and individual – our own specific God given calling.

Our corporate purpose as Christians is to build God’s church here in Brenchley. We are each called to play some part in the life of All Saints Church as we seek to reach outwards to those living in our parish – both adults and children - with the good news of the gospel.

As we seek to care for the people in our parish and to show them something of God’s love. And as we seek to encourage and build up one another for this mission.

Our individual calling is the specific role God is asking us to play. This is both in building up our local church but also the role he has for us to play in our daily lives and the life of the wider church.

As well as working to build our local church – God wants us to be his witnesses in our everyday lives – to reach out to our family and friends and neighbours and work colleagues.

And to play some part in building the church nationally or even globally. There are a huge range of areas that God calls Christians to work in.

It may be working in the NHS or in politics. It may be hospital visiting. Or you may do part time work for a Christian charity. You may have a heart for people who are in prison or for the homeless.

You may have a heart to pray for Israel and the Middle East. You may have a heart for persecuted Christians or for the people of some specific country.

You may be an intercessor – someone who can pray for prolonged periods about specific things that God puts on your heart.

You may be an administrator or someone with a gift for hospitality.

Whatever your role is – it will be perfect for you and for your life.

However, in order to do anything for God – as Jesus makes clear in this passage we need to be empowered by God.

We need to be filled with his Holy Spirit. We need to be filled with his life and his love – because this is what inspires and enables us to serve him.

God longs to fill us with the Holy Spirit but this filling is for the work that God wants us to do – both in our local church and in our everyday lives.

And as we are filled with the Holy Spirit he will guide us and teach us and help us and empower us specifically to do this work – to fulfil the role God has for us.

And he will give us exactly the right spiritual gifts for this work.

The question we then need to ask ourselves is are we willing to offer ourselves to God in his service? Are we willing to play the role that he has for us – both in our local church and in the wider world?

Are we willing to say yes Lord – use me – use my time and my talents – work through me to extend your kingdom in the world.

Show me what it is that you want me to do for you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Fill me with your power and your love so that I can serve you, so that I can make you known.

Send me out in the power of your spirit to live and work for your praise and glory in the world.

I think sometimes we can be hesitant about offering to play a role in the life of the church because quite frankly we don’t feel up to it.

But as Joyce Meyer says, God is more interested in our availability than our ability.

We need to step out in faith and say OK Lord – you know my weaknesses and my limited abilities - but if this is something you want me to do – I’ll do it.

And then we’ll find that God helps us and equips us – and we’ll realise that we can always rely on him to help us do whatever it is that he’s asked us to do.

And why is it so important that we offer ourselves to God and roll up our sleeves and work for the extension of his kingdom?

It’s because as we see in verse 11 – one day Jesus is going to return and when he does, judgement is coming with him.

A separation will occur between those who believed in him and worked for the extension of his kingdom and those who didn’t.

Of course, we don’t know when he’s going to return – and equally we don’t know how much longer we each have on earth to make a difference. So the time we have now, today, is precious.

And we all want our families and friends to be saved. And God wants our families and friends to be saved – but the only way that is going to happen is if we co-operate with him.

The more we give ourselves to him and his purposes the more he can work though us to touch the lives of those around us.

I’d like to end my talk today with a time of reflection and prayer.

A time when we can each consider whether we want to play a part in building God’s church and extending his kingdom in the world.

And then if we do, a time when we can offer ourselves to God and ask him to fill us with his Holy Spirit.

To guide and show us what it is that he wants us to do – and to equip with whatever gifts we may need to do this.

So let’s start with a time of quiet when you can reflect on whether you want to help build up God’s church.

On whether you want to offer your gifts and talents to God to help people come to know him.

You may not be sure what it is that he wants you to do – but that doesn’t matter.

All that matters is your willingness to play a part.

And if you are willing, tell God now in the quietness of your heart.

You can share anything that worries or concerns you with him.

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And now – let’s pray.

Lord Jesus thank you for your presence among us now. Thank you that you know us so well. You see what is going on in our minds and hearts.

You understand our weaknesses and our fears and that is why we so much need your Holy Spirit to help and guide and empower us.

Lord as we offer ourselves to you now - we ask you to come and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your life and your love and your power.

Lord impart to us now whatever it that we need to serve you.

Now just rest for a few moments. If you feel comfortable hold out your hands to Jesus and receive from him whatever it is that he wants to give you.

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In the name of the living God. Amen