Acts 1-2
Why go to college? Times have changed; it’s so expense and if you go to college for the fun, or the friends, or the college experience, it won’t help you. Those are all good things, but not the purpose for college. That’s a lot of money to put at risk. The purpose of college isn’t realized until after you leave college. College is all about preparation – making sure you are ready to tackle the world and carve out your niche. While I enjoyed the whole experience of college, I remember clearly someone asking me what made it all worth it – what made college valuable to me and I told them with no hesitation – the certificate of completion: my degree. I was there to prepare for my career and my life and was ready to go when that job was done. I miss that time and my friends, but I wasn’t there for them; I was there to prep for the rest of my life.
Over the next few weeks will dive into one of the deepest truths of what it means to be a Christian: that you are saved, not only for yourself, but for the rest of the world. This gathering is not what being a Christian is all about, nor it is to be our top priority or focus. You were not saved to be a part of a group who sings songs. While it is an incredible joy to get to be together on a regular basis, we are saved for a mission. Jesus did not give His church a mission, but He gave His mission the church.
Jesus Didn’t Die to Make a Building
When John the Baptist’s disciples (in Luke 7) asked Jesus if they should be looking for someone else, Jesus didn’t reply with a resounding rendition of Kumbaya but pointed directly to the mission: the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. Jesus came to give people life—to the fullest. This was His top priority; His obsession; literally the reason He came and died. From the very beginning of His ministry scripture shows us that us His focus was on rescuing people from death: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19 ESV). His entire earthly ministry was about getting to the cross. Death and its defeat were the reasons Jesus came, why He preached, and why He appointed disciples. From the very start He was preparing them to take over His mission.
Because of Jesus’ followers, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, and the dead would be raised. It’s on the way to Jerusalem to be crucified that we see Jesus mention building His church – but please notice that He is not talking about a building. This building is not the church – the NT says the church is us – His followers. This body of people is the church, His people set and gathered to accomplish His plan, why Jesus brought the disciples together. They were to be His witnesses – the ones who would proclaim His name and His power to the lost and broken of this world. Not only did he say this throughout His time on earth, but the last words He said as He ascended into heaven confirm it. Jesus had a mission to His life that He passed on to His followers. The church was created to do His mission.
The Holy Spirit Isn’t Looking for Another Song
Jesus ascended into heaven and do you know what the disciples did next? They huddled together! The rest of Acts 1 goes on and shows that the disciples still don’t fully get it. They want to do what Jesus said, but their idea of that is huddling together and doing a committee vote. All talk, no action. But then we flip the page to Acts 2 and the Holy Spirit arrives. From that moment we see a very different group of people. No longer focused on huddling together, they are fully on mission. That day they were speaking, and people were hearing them in their heart language, Peter was speaking with power and authority, and 3000 people came to Christ. In the next series of weeks, as we explore the first section of the book of Acts, we will see the sick healed, the poor cared for, and countless more receive eternal life in Christ. None of this is so that God can find the next lead singer of a worship band or set up a committee of deacons. Look at the climax and resolution to this initial part of the story. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47 ESV). Those descriptions sound a lot like a church gathering: GOOD! Those activities build us up so that we can go out and be His witnesses. The church exists to be on mission for God.
Next Steps
You have not been saved simply for your own benefit; you have been saved to participate in the Great Commission. Go and make disciples of all nations… You were saved for mission. This must be your top priority.
- Connect to God through prayer for His filling of your Spirit
- Get equipped. Being here gives you the tools you need to thrive and succeed in the harvest.
- Start locally – engage with non-believers that share an interest, a hobby, or an office. Find common ground and make friends.
Gathering together at church is a wonderful blessing; I look forward to every moment people are here. But we are here to be built up, encouraged, prayed over, healed, all so that we can go back into the harvest and share the gospel. You were not made to be in here, but to work out there.
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