Category: Podcasts

ACTS PT5—From Mountaintop To Mainstreet

Acts 3

The church had just had a “mountaintop” experience in Acts 2. Now it’s time for it to go to Mainstreet. Ministry is done in the streets.

Mountaintop experiences are good and necessary. These experiences are intended to empower us to minister in the “streets.” God told Moses to get off the mountain and go to the people. (Ex. 32:7)

What can we learn about how to take our mountaintop experiences to the main street?

There are four responses for us to take our mountaintop experiences to Mainstreet.

God wants us to have a persistent prayer. V.1

After the life-changing experience with Pentecost, they understood the value of corporate prayer and worship.

Sometimes after a deep spiritual encounter people grow impatient with the ordinary routine of church.

Like in Acts 2:42, the organic church started to become organized. They continued in the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.

There is a connection between our effectiveness in people and our prayer life.

God wants us to care about people. V. 2-5

We are endued with the power to help people.

Peter and John understood that God had vested them with power and authority to continue Jesus’ work on the earth.

The man wanted money but needed a miracle. He wanted coins but needed a cure.

God wants us to notice, care, and do something about the plight of others. The experience of the Holy Spirit is not just for us.

God wants us to believe for a release of power. V. 6-9

Peter and John were penniless but not powerless.

The name of Jesus can activate the power of the Holy Spirit when accompanied in faith during a time of need.

We need to stop wringing our hands in hopelessness and reach our hands in hopefulness.

Do we expect that we have something that can help others?

God wants us to passionately preach. V. 11-26

The miracle gave Peter a platform for a message.

The message:

Peter gave Jesus the praise. V. 12 – 16

Peter called out their sin. V. 17-18

Peter preached about God’s plan of forgiveness through Jesus. V. 20-25

Peter commanded them to repent. V. 19 and 26

God wants us to preach the Gospel to the world.

God is calling us to have a mountaintop experience that will prepare us to help others on Mainstreet through praying, caring for people, believing for a release of power, and passionately preaching.

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Pastor John-John Carmichael

06122022

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Acts Pt4—From Organic To Organized

Acts 2:37-47

[Act 2:42 NASB95] 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

The church was built upon more than mystical experiences.

What helped the church go from that experience to an established church?

There are four aspects of the church that helped them go from the outpouring to an ongoing establishment of the church.

Devoted to apostles’ teaching.

Acts 4:2; 5:25,28, 42; 15:35; 18:11; 20:20; 28:31 (last verse in Acts is preaching and teaching.)

[Act 15:35 NASB95]

[Act 18:11 NASB95]

[Act 20:20 NASB95]

[Act 28:31 NASB95]

Bible teaching and preaching will consist of new revelation and constant reminders.

Teaching and preaching was central to the life of the church in Acts. Church history would verify that teaching and preaching has been part of the growth and development of the church.

Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint you to value and receive teaching and preaching of the Bible.

Devoted to fellowship.

Stanley Horton, “God never saves us to wander by ourselves.

[Act 2:46 NASB95]

[Eph 4:11-12 NASB95]

More than meeting together. There was a partnership.

Unity in purpose. Not just the Apostles were committed.

Devoted to the breaking of bread.

The Lord’s Supper and table fellowship. Paul possibly stopped it in 1 Corinthians 11:22.

[Act 2:46 NASB95]

[1Co 11:20-22 NASB95]

Devoted to prayer.

[Act 1:14 NASB95]

[Act 3:1 NASB95]

· What devoted are you to the teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer as a church?

· Are these important to you as part of the church? Or are you a lone ranger?

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Acts pt3—The Outpouring

Acts 2:1-36

Today is Pentecost Sunday. This is part 3 of the Acts series.

Acts 2 speaks about the empowerment of the church. It might be considered the first revival. Saints were empowered. Sinners were convicted. God was glorified.

God wants to experience this kind of revival today!

What can we learn from the Acts 2 outpouring that will prepare us for today’s outpouring.

There are three truths God wants us to know about the outpouring of His Spirit.

God wants us to prepare for an outpouring.

The 120 prepared for the outpouring.

They were saved. [Jhn 20:22 NASB95]

They prayed. [Act 1:12-14 NASB95]

They stayed. [Act 2:1 NASB95]

How bad do we want this experience? Bad enough to prepare for it?

God wants us to experience the outpouring.

The outpouring was experienced with their senses.

[Act 2:2-4 NASB95]

Sound – noise like wind

Appearance – tongues of fire

Action of the Holy Spirit

All filled v 4

All spoke v4

Others heard

[Act 2:6, 8, 11 NASB95]

[1Co 14:2 NASB95]

Not just sensory, but also significant.

Are we seeking for and practicing this experience? Is it worth our time?

God wants us to understand the outpouring.

Peter defended the outpouring.

Not drunk

[Act 2:15 NASB95]

[Act 2:13 NASB95]

Prophetic v16-21

Last days v17 [Act 2:17 NASB95]

For everyone v17-18 [Act 2:17-18 NASB95]

To the end v19-20 [Act 2:19-20 NASB95]

Salvatic v21 [Act 2:21 NASB95]

Its about Jesus’ atonement and resurrection

V. 22-36

Be witnesses – [Act 1:8 NASB95]

As we understand the purpose of the outpouring we can make a better defense of it.

God wants to us to continue to experience an outpouring of His Spirit. We need it. The world needs it.

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Acts Pt2—The Ascension of Jesus and Us

[Act 1:9-11 NASB95] 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Visibly and physically ascended

The ascension of Jesus was an act of the Father. It is all over the NT while only Luke gives the description of the event. There were details that were given in Luke 24 and Acts 1 that are not discrepancies just additional details (time and location.)

Is the ascension of Jesus important to us today?

There are five important truths of Jesus’ ascension that affects us today.

Jesus is interceding for us.

[Psa 110:1 NASB95]

[Act 2:33 NASB95]

[Rom 8:34 NASB95]

[Heb 9:24 NASB95]

[Heb 1:3 NASB95]

The Holy Spirit descended for us.

[Jhn 16:7 NASB95]

[Act 2:1-4 NASB95]

There is a mandate for us.

[Act 1:8 NASB95]

There has been a repositioning for us.

[Eph 1:20-23 NASB95]

[Eph 2:4-7 NASB95]

Jesus is coming back for us.

[Dan 7:13-14 NASB95]

[1Th 4:16-17 NASB95]

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Acts—Part 1—The Kingdom of God and the Spirit of God

[Act 1:6-8 NASB95] 6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Acts 1:1-8

The disciples were either ambitious or curious. Their question has some many problems.

Jesus refocuses them on the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit.

How does the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the work of the Holy Spirit through the church and in the Christian?

There are four aspects of the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the work of the Holy Spirit through the church and in the Christian.

The advancement of the Kingdom of God & work of the Holy Spirit through the church.

Spiritual in character.

“…restoring the kingdom…”

[Rom 14:17 NASB95]

Not national or political. It does have implications in the political and social.

The disciples were looking for the external work.

International in membership.

“…to Israel?”

V8 – “even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Every tribe, nation, people, and language.

Gradual in expansion.

“… at this time…”

“It is not for you to know… times and epochs… the Father has fixed…”

V. 8 – “Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

He was working through the whole world.

Powerful in proclamation.

V8 – “but you will receive power… and you will be My witnesses…”

Jesus refocused them on the Work of the Holy Spirit through them.

They witnessed about Jesus to the world through the Holy Spirit.

The advancement of the Kingdom of God & work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian.

God inhabits you.

Luke speaks of the Holy Spirit in you.

[1Co 6:19 NASB95]

The more we allow Him to work internally, the more we see effects on the externally.

God choses you.

You are included in the plan of God.

[Act 2:17 NASB95]

Jesus accepts you.

God transforms you.

We are in a process.

[2Co 3:18 NASB95]

God empowers you.

Luke speaks of the empowered believer.

[Luk 24:49 NASB95]

God wants to advance the Kingdom of God and the work of the Holy Spirit happens through the church and in the Christian.

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