At the Gate: In or Out?

At the Gate: In or Out?


Acts 3:1-6

I. Introduction
-What do you expect here?
-What are you looking for here?
-Maybe what you seek, is all you will find?
1. How far you're willing to go is all the farthest you'll ever get!
2. You are the church!
-Different Question: What do you want to be spiritually?
1. What do you want God to make you?
2. Are you content where you are at?
3. What would you be willing to do to grow in the Lord? (Give up sin.)
-Ill. Song: "Somewhere between Jesus & John Wayne."
1. I hate that song (on Christian radio).
2. Is that all you have?
3. Is that all you ever will be?
4. If so, I'd say you were a spiritual lame beggar.

II. Scripture

III. Peter & John Together
-Unity
-The greatest battle of the church today is for unity.
1. I'm not talking about disagreement &/or difference of opinion.
2. I'm addressing unity.
-At the hour of prayer... there must be unity.
-The greatest battle of the church today is a unity of spirit.

IV. Background
-They took him to the gate to beg for alms.
-Never expected to go into the sanctuary.
1. I'd say he knew what went on in the sanctuary, but never really participated.
2. But he did beg for change from those coming & going.
-He hoped for a little ‘over flow' blessing.
1. Some left-overs.
2. Some scraps.
-Query: I wonder why we settle for left-overs?

V. New to Church
-Sinners/ Lost/ New to church kind of enjoy the gate.
-Sinners at the gate experience the leftovers/ crumbs and think it is wonderful.
-Compared to the world, the gate is a great place!
-Problem: But for many, years from now, if they settle for the gate, they'll be in the same place... a lame beggar living off crumbs.
1. And they'll still think its great.
2. And they'll think they great with God.
-Just b/c you get blessed at church doesn't make you a Christian.
1. That just means you have a soul!
2. That just means you still have a spirit w/in your body!
-You're living off the blessings of others.
1. You're living off the spirituality of the preacher.
2. You're living off the walk of your parents.
-Ill. Wedding clean up.
1. Rice, napkins, cake, confetti
2. You can tell what happened in the place, but that's much different than being in the wedding!
-Don't settle for crumbs at the gate, when our Savior has prepared a banquet table/ a feast!
-Ill. Prodigal Son
1. He was eating pig slop.
2. He was happy to come back and be a servant in his Father's house [at the gate].
3. But his Father was ready to make him a son again!
-Don't you dare...
1. ...stop at the gate!
2. ...settle for spare change!
3. ...be content with a good service!
4. ...adjust to spiritual begging
5. ...get use to God working around you!
-Not when God wants to work in you!

VI. "Regular Attenders"
-People in the church, but not "in the sanctuary."
-Some here this morning are just barely surviving spiritually.
-It's hard to describe where you're at spiritually.
-When ppl talk about where you are at, what might they say?
-Might they say...
1. Out and out sinner.
2. Godly saint.
3. ...or maybe: I don't know.
-"Some are too saved to be lost, but too lost to be saved."
1. Who knows?... only God?
2. They've got it! They've not.
3. Maybe! Maybe not!
4. And if you're there, you're trying to figure out where you're at too!
-You don't have to set an alarm on Sunday morning, you just wake up, but your ears have dulled to the voice of the Spirit.
1. If God sat right next to you and screamed in your ear you wouldn't hear it.
2. You know when to sit, when to stand, & when to sing.
3. But you don't know how to get to the banquet table.
-You're barely surviving spiritually & you're content with that.
1. You've done just enough to feel like you'll make it.
2. Just enough to seem deep.
3. Just enough to appease the preacher.
-You're at the gate.
-You're keeping God at arm's length.
1. That tension is not normal, it's you fighting God trying to move you past the gate!
2. God never intended to be kept at arms length.
-The Bible only once tells you to go to church; but over & over again it commands us to be the church.
1. What if you stopped coming here and started belonging here; had a calling here?
2. The more spectators we have (ppl at the gate) the weaker we are as a church!
-Where are you at spiritually?
-You'll never know what you're missing if you never make it past the gate!
-When the lame man finally got into the sanctuary (praising God), the crowd saw him...
1. v. 10b "...And they were filled w/ wonder & amazement at what had happened to Him."
2. You "get in" and ppl will be amazed.

VII. Continued...
-"At the gate" ppl are the least ministered to.
1. You might come to church often, and b/c you do you fade into the background.
2. Regular attendance does not = heaven.
-You might be "regular" but you need to move beyond the gate.
1. Don't sit there Sunday after Sunday unresponsive.
2. Say "Yes, Lord" more than just when we sing.
-Ill. We talk a lot about "being fed" in a church.
1. What we don't talk about is helping prepare the food.
2. We treat this place like a restaurant... we want to be served.
-Ill. Evangelist & a "gate man"
1. "I didn't get anything out of your preaching."
2. "That's b/c you didn't put anything into my preaching."
-But that attitude will leave you begging at the gate.
1. It won't take you into the holy place!
2. It will leave you a spiritually lame beggar!
-But oh if you would move past the gate... into the presence of God!

VIII. Past the Gate
-Examples of people going past the gate.
-Ill. Geneva Penick, Larry P's mother.
1. Mother of 4 boys & 2 girls.
2. Gathered them every night around her feet and read from the Word.
3. Getting past the gate.
-Peter in the boat.
1. "Lord if it's you ask me to come to you on the water."
2. He stepped out of the boat and walked to Jesus. (He did risk a lot!)
-Ill. Edi Burton
1. Naomi Nazarene
2. Breast cancer, lived 4 weeks after moving there.
3. "Come morning we'll meet by the river."
4. They carried her into the sanctuary that morning, but only physically.
-Ill. Willard W. Metz
1. Kneeling around the couch.
2. I can still remember the smell.
3. They passed the gate every day, but never paused to beg for crumbs.
-You'll never know all God wants to do if you stand at the gate and look in.
-You'll never be in the middle of what God is doing... only catching the run-off.
1. You'll never be a 1st hand witness to the work of the Spirit... only through hear-say will you be privy to the work of the Lord.
2. You'll never experience Christian fullness... only scraps from off the floor.

VII. Conclusion
-I was asked one time if I went to a full Gospel church.
1. "No a half Gospel church."
2. "No a 2% Gospel church."
3. YES!?
-We teach the whole message of God's Word.
1. You've got to do more than like Jesus.
2. You've got to do more than love Jesus.
3. He must be everything to you.
4. He must be your Lord & Savior.
5. All your life must glorify Him!
-Ill. Eating at parishner's homes growing up.
1. For dessert... cherry pie!
2. Every time!
3. Meals included onions, peppers, etc.
4. #1 Rule: You have to try it.
5. "If you don't try it you'll never know if you like it."
-Problem: The Devil will make you believe that you're okay at the gate.
1. Are you okay with someone else's leftovers?
2. Are you content with spare change?
-Or are you looking for a healing?
-If you came seeking alms this morning, I hope you're disappointed.
-If you've grown comfortable at the gate; I hope you're uncomfortable this morning.
-I don't want you to stay at the gate.
-May I say to you like Peter said to this lame beggar: "Rise up, and walk [on into His presence]." -Come for a healing today, get past the gate.

Response: "Rise & Be Healed"

What Believers Need...

Acts 15:4-9

What Believers Need: Holy Spirit Purity

I. Introduction
-What more do you need?
-...as a Christian?

II. Scripture

III. Background
-Peter's vision
1. Sheet w/ unclean animals comes down from heaven.
2. Kill & eat.
3. It's unclean, I've never done that, I will never do that.
4. God said: "What God has made clean do not call common."
5. This happened three times.
-As Peter was trying to figure it out, a knock on the door.
1. Cornelius, a centurian, had also had a vision from God.
2. Note: God will bring true seekers to our church if we will truly seek God.
3. He sent three men to find Peter.
4. The Spirit told Peter to go w/ the men.
-These were Gentiles! (Non-Jews)
-You see how God works things out?
-Can you see God's fingerprints in your life?
-I want to point out a few things about the passage we read in Acts 15 referring to 10.

IV. A Specific People
-The Holy Spirit doesn't just fall on anybody.
-This wasn't just a group of ppl pulled in off the street.
-Cornelius "pastor"
1. Acts 10: he brought his relatives & friends together.
2. They were having church.
-Who is He?
-Acts 10:1-2 "At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, [2] a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God."
-Note a few things about him:
-First, He was a devout man.
1. Definition of devout: devoted to God.
2. He worshiped the true God.
3. He did not worship all the Roman gods.
4. Lived for the Lord.
5. He was an earnest seeker.
-Second, He feared God.
1. We don't have any fear of God.
2. We treat Him like a Teddy Bear.
3. No awe, reverence, or fear of the Lord anymore.
4. Always remember you are unworthy for everything God has done in your life.
5. You don't deserve someone dying for you, you haven't earned heaven, you're not good enough for God.
6. Fear Him!
7. Fear of God reduces fear of other things. (Death, humanity, poverty, etc.)
-Third, that fear was in his whole house.
1. Cornelius was a spiritual leader in his home.
2. Men, you have a responsibility!
3. This is the most effective preaching that can take place: your family says you live out your faith in Christ.
4. That is a testimony!
-Fourth, he gave alms.
1. He gave from a large heart, liberally.
2. Stingy, self-centered spending rules today.
3. Debt, economic crisis, all spending on self.
4. Giving is an act of worship.
5. Not only to God/church, but to other ppl.
6. Be a spender on other people.
7. Give stuff away to others. (Not junk, but valuable stuff to you.)
-Finally, he prayed continually.
1. Ppl would find him on his knees in prayer.
2. At lunch hour, on breaks, in the morn, in the evening, before meals, in the midst of decisions.
3. He was continually in the "spirit of prayer."
4. Times I'm w/ Sarah, but not talking to Sarah, but we are still constantly communicating & enjoying the bond we have.
-These were ppl, though lacking much knowledge about Christ, were Christian.
-Only Christians receive the Holy Spirit, not sinners.

V. How They Received the Spirit
-First, it was instantaneous.
1. It was not something they grew into.
2. The Spirit fell on them.
3. This is not a spiritual discipline or an issue of maturity.
4. It is an issue of purity.
5. This is not something worked for, it is something sought for.
6. It is not something earned, it is something received.
-There are no degrees of Spirit baptism; you either have received or haven't.
-Second, God knew their hearts. (15:8)
1. When the heart is ready, the Spirit is given.
2. You will never be on a waiting list.
3. You will never be stalled or delayed.
4. God knows your heart & knows when it is ready!
5. Genesis 6:5 "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
6. 1 Samuel 16:7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.""
7. Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander."
-Your heart is either a catalyst or a road block for God's work in your life.
1. Hearts are hard to judge.
2. "Is your heart in it?"
3. "Close to my heart."
4. "What does your heart tell you?"
-Apply the perception of the heart to spiritual matters.
1. Your heart might tell you that things aren't right.
2. Listen to it.

VI. The Effects of the Spirit
-Hebrews 10:14-16 "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. [15] And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, [16] "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
1. Law on hearts is in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Romans, & Hebrews.
2. There is something about your heart that God wants.
3. Hosea 6:6 "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
-Acts 15:9b "...having cleansed their hearts by faith."
1. God wants your heart.
2. If He has that, He has all of you.
-We would rather give God things...
1. Time, money, work in the church.
2. But heart is different.
-Even if we give our heart, God cannot accept it like it is.
1. It loves you.
2. We are our own greatest lovers.
3. Me, my way, what I want, vying for power, demanding our own way, insisting on my preferences, fighting for my reputation/ rights.
4. All that must be cleansed.
-Point: I find that among Nazarene, a "holiness" people, we have failed to allow God to cleanse our hearts.
1. "Preacher, I don't believe that's possible."
2. ...cleansed their hearts by faith...
3. You don't believe, it will never happen (just like justification).

VII. Conclusion
-In the last few years we have had a number of new ppl begin attending our church.
1. For the first time, in a long time, we have began baptizing ppl who have been born-again.
2. It's time for us to be a holiness church.
3. To you new Christians... seek a pure heart.
-After becoming a Christian you will feel the pull.
1. The love of self/world.
2. Conflict spiritually.
3. "I need something more."
-You need to be forgiven, and then to have a heart cleansing.
1. It comes in what Jesus promised as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
2. Nazarenes sometimes call it what Paul does in the epistles to the Thessalonians... entire sanctification.
-1 Peter 1:16 "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
1. God does not say we are to be holy as He is.
2. God says we are to be holy b/c He is.
-Ill. Witnessing models...
1. Often ask: "Have you been forgiven?"
2. That's a good question for someone who has not been born-again to think about.
-Ill. Holiness question...
1. Let me ask you a question.
2. Has your heart been purified by the Holy Spirit?

Response

Prelude to Revival

Acts 4:21-31

Prelude to Revival: Four ‘C's of Revival

I. Introduction
-There is only one expert on revival.
-There are vast libraries of books written on the subject.
1. We read them as prescription.
2. Do this, do that, and you will have revival.
-But revival has to do with the heart.
1. Revival does not begin with an evangelist, program, or schedule.
2. It begins in the hearts of real people.
-It is not what you create, but what you are.
-Revival is best summed up in the early church.

II. Scripture

III. Background
-Pentecost in Ch. 2 (revival)
-Ch. 3- Peter & John heal lame beggar
1. They commence to preachin'
2. Revival service!
-Ch. 4- they are arrested.
1. Trial before the High Priest
2. Threatened never to speak of Jesus again or further punishment.
3. Revival! (v. 21)
-It would seem like Revival is over.
1. Everyone goes home.
2. They talk for weeks/years afterwards of the great revival they had.
-No, revival breaks out again!
-Let me share with you four scary words that I believe are a prelude to revival...

IV. Change
-Change, Conversion, etc.
-Scary Word!
-Not change for the sake of change.
-Conversion will bring revival.
1. There is nothing that brings the presence of God and blessings of the Spirit more than someone becoming a Christian.
2. Conversion can set the church on fire!
-The Church is a living organism, b/c it is the body of Christ.
-Ill. Sometimes we over-spiritualize ourselves.
1. If you don't like me, it's b/c you don't like God.
2. If you don't like the way I preach, it's b/c you don't like God.
3. ...or could it be that I am ineffective?
-Ill. Dying churches point their fingers at the world and claim the problem lies with the world.
1. They say: "People just aren't the same anymore."
2.Sin is the problem.
3. But maybe some churches are not willing to do what it takes to minister to people.
4. They are not willing to change.
-We believe b/c we are saved, now everyone else must do the changing.
1. So we're not open to God doing anymore in our lives.
2. We are not finished products!
3. Maybe we're too at home in the world.
4. Too many Christians living in sin!
-Maybe we're too busy changing the wrong things.
1. Even in the church we tend to make spiritual things second-rate.
2. God is always plan B.
3. Don't talk prayer, talk programming!
-Before revival happens there are spiritual changes that must occur.
1. Peter & John go back to pray for more boldness!
2. Never content with the good of the present.
-Leonard Ravenhill in ‘Why Revival Tarries' says: "The church began with these men in the ‘upper room' agonizing– and today is ending with men in the supper room organizing. The church began in revival; we are ending in ritual. We started virile; we are ending sterile. Charter members of the church were men of heat and no degrees; today many hold degrees, but have no heat! Ah, brethren, flame-hearted men are the crying need of the hour!"
-Why is there no difference between the church & the world?
1. Families are the same.
2. Lifestyles are the same.
3. Choice of entertainment the same!
4. Where is the difference?
5. Is the church not the "called out"?
6. Are believers not to be "set apart"?
7. The world doesn't want/ need what it already has!
-Ill. Prayer in school
1. "In God We Trust" in the pledge & on the new gold dollars
2. We throw a fit about the Bible & prayer being taken out of schools
3. But you can't find those things being used in Christian's homes!
4. You can even go into some churches and find that those things are not being used!
-Change is going to have to come to the church before revival ever gets here!
-"Change my heart O God."

V. Commitment
-This one is almost a bad word in the church: commitment.
-I believe before revival will ever occur in the church today we must have ppl committed to the Lord & His work!
-Scary ‘C' word!?
-I'm not really asking whether you are committed.
1. You are committed.
2. What I am asking is, are you committed to the right things?
-Ill. We are committed to all kinds of things.
1. Our Job- that's okay, but is placed above our heavenly father?
2. Our family- that's great, but is it placed above God?
3. Our money, our stuff, etc.
4. All comes down to my commitment to myself.
-Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."
-Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
-Christians today are not committed.
1. Example: Going over time in church vs. ball game.
2. Everything comes before church. (More important?)
3. Committed to so many things we don't have time for devotions or prayer.
4. Can't do anything for they body of Christ, but you can do everything else?
5. Sick, so I skip church, but back to work on Monday.
6. Involved in so many things, that we rarely mention God.
7. You will be known for what you are committed to!
-Americans spend more money than any other nation in the world on entertainment.
1. Movie stars, sports stars, musicians, & entertainers = millionaires!
2. Entertainment is the substitute for Christian joy!
-Bob Pierce said: "My single greatest concern is the growing inertia I see, inertia born out of our luxury and materialism. People are fooling themselves when they say the job is done... The vast body of people in the world today have never been given enough information to know if they accept or reject Jesus... Most people think what the gospel needs is more clever, skilled people, when what it needs is more people who are willing to bleed, suffer, and die in a passion to see ppl come to Christ."
-Are you really committed to Jesus Christ and His Work?
-We need some to commit to...
1. ...prayer, witness, inviting,
2. ...His Word, holiness, etc.
-Peter & John committed their lives to the cause of Christ!
-We don't like it, but we must respond to it!
-If we want revival, I think we're going to need to see commitment!

VI. Calling/Commission
-Before revival ever becomes a reality there is a calling.
-Peter & John had the calling.
1. They had been commissioned.
2. They received a calling from the Lord!
C. But we're talking more than a mission statement!
D. Ill. Blakemore board meeting
1. Honest about our situation.
2. DS wanted to close the church
3. I don't want to invest in a losing project.
4. A board member said: "I was called to this church."
5. Even in this difficult time he maintained his call.
-Ill. We talk about ppl being called to preach.
1. What are you called to do?
2. We rarely ask anyone else that important question!
-Ill. Board member with a God-given vision for Blakemore.
1. "Open, free sanctuary"
2. It became a reality.
3. I walked home from church, he said: ‘I saw our pastor walking the sidewalks in our community.'
-Ill. Samuel the prophet.
1. He heard the voice of God.
2. God called Him!
-Do you know that what you are doing has been commissioned by God?
1. What is your calling?
2. Have you heard the voice of God?
-Too many churches have no calling/purpose/meaning!

VII. Consecration
-Consecration is another prelude ro revival.
-Do not confuse this with commitment.
-Commitment has to do with things.
1. Time, talents, treasures.
2. They are impersonal.
-Consecration has to do with you
1. It's about who you are.
2. It's a living sacrifice.
3. (Consecration includes commitment, but is not limited to commitment.)
-Sometimes it may be difficult to put some stuff on the altar, but the most difficult thing you will ever do is put yourself on the altar!
-Why is consecration so difficult for us today?
1. Consecration = ownership in the church
2. More than attending, participating, or witnessing.
3. ownership = responsibility
4. ownership = Putting yourself on the line.
-Committing your resources, services, etc. is safer than consecration.
1. Military general can send troops into battle.
2. Its different to make the decision to enter the battle yourself.
-Is your all on the altar?
1. That's commitment
2. Are you on the altar?
3. That's consecration.

VIII Conclusion
-Prelude to Revival...
1. Change/Conversion
2. Commitment
3. Calling/Commission
4. Consecration
-What is the church to you?
1. Some say it should be like a refrigerator.
2. The church should seek to preserve the saints.
3. We have a lot of formaldehyde Christians!
4. Cold, stiff, & dead; but they sure are preserved!
-Some say the church should be like a fire burning stove.
1. A fire burning stove is used to prepare the meal.
2. They believe the church should seek to prepare ppl for eternal life!
3. That kind of church needs fire (the Holy Spirit) and fuel for the fire (you & I).
-Are you ready for revival?
-Query:
1. Are there any changes you need to make?
2. What is your level of commitment?
3. Do you have a calling from God?
4. Have you consecrated all to God?

Response: