ANOINTED AS ANTIOCH

The Gospel had come to the Gentiles. The power of the Holy Spirit led to breakthrough in the city of Antioch. In his book, “The Case for Antioch,” by Jeff Iorg, he presents the first characteristic of a transformational church as being spiritual power, using Antioch as the model, (pp. 42-59, Kindle edition). He points out that “three specific references to the Holy Spirit,” are stated in Acts 11:24, 28, and 13:2-4.  I would say that the Spirit’s work is summarized in Acts 11:21 with this: “the hand of the Lord was with them.”

The church was birthed at Pentecost by the coming of the Spirit in life-giving power. The book of Acts is not so much the Acts of the Apostles, as it is the Acts of the Holy Spirit (using the Apostles, of course). Then, as the church followed the Spirit’s direction and experienced the Spirit’s dynamic, we see a global move of God unleashed that has changed the course of history for eternity!

The reality is that, “All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down,” as the old hymn says—calling us to pray as the people of God for such a Divine encounter. If the hand of the Lord is not with us, then ZERO of eternal significance will be accomplished. Maybe we get kudos here and are recognized in the denominational press, but Jesus said, “for without  Me you can do NOTHING,” (John 15:5b, emphasis added).

Our world does not need what human hands can accomplish in the energy of the flesh. All that will transform lives is a church where the hand of the Lord is at work in the power of the Spirit!  Certainly, He will work through us—we are the Body of Christ—but it will not be by human ability, but heavenly anointing that life-giving and life-changing results are seen. Let us seek with all our heart that in our preaching of the Word, our assembling for worship, and our going out in witness to be anointed as Antioch.

THE PROMISE OF POWERFUL PREACHING

 

There is a puny, pitiful, punchless, powerless preaching that is pointless!  It is tragic and worthless. Concerning this, Paul spoke of God, “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬‬). “Letter” preaching may be “by the Book.”  That is, the content is Biblically based and doctrinally sound—as it should be—yet, is dry and deadening to the hearer. Old Vance Havner said, “You can be straight as a gun barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  It is the Spirit who gives life. He is the promised power in our preaching. Remember how in the vision of a valley of dry, dead bones, Ezekiel was told to preach to them—and this we must. But, it was when the Word of God was accompanied by the Wind of God—that same Divine Breath of Pentecost—coming into them, that they had life, (cf. Ezek.37:1-14). 

With this in mind, consider the promise of our Lord in Mark 13:11. “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”  (Mark‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬‬). In the context, where the preacher is arrested and will be indicted before a judge for preaching the Gospel, he will have no library, no Bible, no occasion of sermon preparation. Yet, there is no need to fear, for the Spirit will give the right message—an anointed one—in such an occasion. This does not mean under normal circumstances that we should not study and prepare, instead trusting spontaneity in proclamation. Should such need arise, God will provide. Yet, if we can prepare, we must. Do not be like the old boy that said, “Sometimes I preach from notes and sometimes I just talk out of my head.”  That is apparent from some sermons you hear! God does not bless laziness.  Study and have something to say.

Yet, there must not be reliance on preparation in your study, but dependence on the Spirit. He is the One who breathes life into dead bones. Preaching “by the letter,” is deadening. It may induce nodding heads of agreement as to content, but then leads to nodding  heads of slumber. It is promised, “the Spirit gives life.”  God’s man can claim the promise of the Lord not just when summoned from a prison, but when standing in a pulpit: “But whether is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” 

How does this happen?  I heard Stephen Olford say years ago, that there must be “emptiness, prayerfulness, and yielded-ness.”

There must be emptiness. God does not fill a man with His Spirit that is  full of himself. A glass cannot be filled with milk, if even a quarter of it is full of lemonade.  You must empty the glass and then you can fill it. Spiritually, this demands our repentance. We confess our sin and claim God’s forgiveness.  We head to the cross and die to all that we are in order to live in all He is.

There must be prayerfulness. James said, “Yet you do not have because you do not ask,” (4:2d). We must pray in faith, asking God to fill us. It is His will to do so, for He has commanded, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,”. (Eph. 5‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬). 

There must be yielded-ness. This is the surrendered life of utter dependence on the Spirit of God. As being filled with wine means one is under the control of alcohol, so being filled with the Spirit demands we be under the mastery of God. When I stand to preach, I need to be gloriously intoxicated with God!  As alcohol will impact every dimension of my life—how I think, see, speak, feel, and walk, thus the one who is filled with the Spirit will find his mind directed by Scripture, his vision focused on eternity, his mouth declaring transformative truth, his heart full of love, and his walk aligned with the Word.

This is the promise of powerful preaching!  May the Lord bless us with preachers on this Lord’s Day who stand and speak in the anointing of God’s Spirit!

THE FIRM FOUNDATION OF FAITH

The old hymn begins, 

    How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord 

    Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.

That firm foundation of faith is featured in Acts 4. There are several facets of faith that we see. 

FIRST, WE SEE A CONFESSIONAL FAITH (v.1-22). We have the confession of Peter and John. There are core convictions that Christianity has which are compelled to be communicated. Such terms as, “speaking,” (v.1), “teaching…proclaiming,” (v.2), and “the word,”  (v.4). As a result of the preaching, faith was formed in “about five thousand.”  The core message is Christ—“the name of Jesus…crucified, whom God raised from the dead,” (v.10). He is “the cornerstone” of faith (v.11) and the Gospel message declares, “there is no other name…by which we must be saved” (v.12). That confession is a must for true faith (Rom.10:9-10, 13). The Spirit bears witness to Christ through His church (v.8) compelling us to confess Christ, “for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard,” (v.20). 

FURTHER, WE SEE A COURAGEOUS FAITH (v.23-31). This courage is required because of the conflict. Proclaiming the Gospel is an assault on the kingdom of darkness. The devil and his minions will fight back, and so we note, “they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus,” (v.18). Such threats and rage had been predicted by David, writing Ps.2 quoted here (v.25-26). But, the kings of the earth are no match for the King of  Eternity!  The “Sovereign Lord” ( v.24), even uses the wicked to work His will (v.27), “to do whatever [God’s] hand and [God’s] plan has predestined to take place.”  The church’s prayer was not for the removal of conflict, but for the reinforcement of courage, “to continue to speak your word with all boldness,” (v.29). Such prayers will shake the world and send us out to speak boldly (v.31). 

FINALLY, WE SEE A COMMON FAITH (v.32-37). Now, by that, I do not mean the faith is cheap and ordinary, but that it is faith all believers have in common. This calls us to do life together in community (v.32). Such common faith produces uncommon fruit—“great power,” and “great grace,” (v.33), inspiring testimony and generosity (v.34-35).

THE SUPREME SERVANT

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,

My Elect One in whom My soul delights!

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.  ‎(Isaiah 42:1)

Jesus is the supreme servant—the model for all who are on mission for God; the only perfect pattern for Kingdom work.  Isaiah paints His portrait prophetically in chapter 42.

Here we see the MANNER of the Supreme Servant (v.1-4).  Though equal with the Father, the Son would take the role of the Servant in submission to the Father’s will.  He came to this world to accomplish His Father’s assignment.  His life on earth was not about asserting His position, but accomplishing His work.  He was the King who stooped to serve.  He ever brought delight to the Father, as we hear God say at both Christ’s baptism and transfiguration, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  Pleasing His Father was His passion—and He did that flawlessly.  His relationship with the Father was mirrored in His relationship with the Spirit—the harmony of the Trinity evident in the incarnation.  He was conceived of the Spirit, continually filled with the Spirit, and empowered by the Spirit for ministry.  Jesus lived as Man to show men how man was meant to live.  He was not boastful or boisterous.  Jesus was tender in His dealings with others and tenacious in His duties to God.

Next, we note the MINISTRY of the Supreme Servant (v.5-9).  His absolute love for the Father in the vertical dimension was mirrored in His manifest love for others in the horizontal relationship.  He had come to bring righteousness to the unrighteous that sinners might be accepted by a Holy God.  He would establish the New Covenant in His blood.  The Jews had failed to keep the Old Covenant, but Jesus would fulfill it, and in doing so would bring Israel into the blessings of the New.  Not only would Jews receive this grace, but Gentiles as well, as Jesus would bring them out of the darkness into the light.  Eyes blind to the truth would be opened by His teaching.  Souls held in bondage to Satan would be liberated by His power.  The glory of the invisible God would become visible in Him.  “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:18).

We further observe the MIGHT of the Supreme Servant (v.10-13)  We sing to Him a new song for He had done a new work.  His praise is to be universal because His service extends the offer of salvation for all.  God the Father receives glory from the saints for they have been redeemed by the Servant.  Jesus came as a man to reach men, but as God accomplished that which only God could do.  He was despised, but not defeated.  In His death, He procured the victory.  In His resurrection, He proclaimed the victory.  In His return, He will prevail in victory.  All His foes will be finished!

Jesus set the standard for every servant of God.  Try as we might, however, we frail creatures of flesh will fall short.  There is better news—the Supreme Servant now indwells us!  As He worked in His human body, He works through His body, the church, exhibiting His manner, extending His ministry, and expressing His might!

HE LIVES!

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  (John 20:19)

It is Holy Week—the calendar has brought us to recall the passion of Christ on Good Friday and how the darkness of the tomb yielded to the dawn of hope on Sunday.  Death has been defeated—Jesus lives!  While the morning had brought this startling news to the despairing disciples, we find that they were still wrestling with doubts that evening.  Then the Risen Lord arrives to greet them and His words spoken then still have profound implications for us today.

Jesus lives and that means we can have PEACE (v.19, 21a).  These are the first words He greets them with—and He repeats them to underscore their significance.  His resurrection meant His followers now had peace with God.  Jesus came to die—paying our sin debt of death by His crucifixion and demonstrating the purchase price accepted in His overcoming death by His resurrection.  Jesus shows them the scars from the nails in His hands and spear in His side (v.20).  This peace with God enables us to know the peace of God.  They were barricaded in the Upper Room, “for fear of the Jews,” who had crucified their Master.  Jesus calls them to courage.  “Because He lives I can face tomorrow; Because He lives all fear is gone.”  (Bill and Gloria Gaither)

Jesus lives and that means we can offer PRAISE (v.20).  Their sorrow was swept away by the resurrection reality.  Gloom was replaced by gladness.  Christians have a reason to rejoice.  We can sing the happy chorus of 1 Corinthians 15:55, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”  It makes me want to jump up and shout!  We worship on the first day of the week because He lives.  The people of God do not gather for a funeral, but a festival!  Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Jesus lives and that means we now have PURPOSE (v.21).  Because death is not the end of life, what we do in this life counts for eternity!  This gives us a purpose for this world that extends to the world to come.  We are not simply animals surviving day to day until the last breath in a meaningless pursuit of mere existence, but as we obey heaven’s mandate we are living for eternal reward.  In the same way that Jesus had a purpose in coming into this world, He has commissioned us to share the message of redemption!

Jesus lives and that means we can experience POWER (v.22).  His call to go to the ends of the earth with the Gospel is too large an assignment for human strength alone.  The good news is He has breathed His Holy Spirit into us—all the power we need to be all He wants us to be and accomplish all He wants us to do.

Jesus lives and that means we have a PROCLAMATION (v.23).  There is good news to announce.  The church can authoritatively decree that if a person believes in the Risen Christ their sins are remitted.  The converse is true also—if Christ is rejected then sins are retained bringing judgment.  How have you responded to this proclamation?

A HUNGRY FRIEND

And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  (Luke 11:5-8)

It has been said, “There is much we can do after we pray, but nothing we can do until we pray.”  It is true.  Apart from God’s activity what we accomplish is doomed to fail.  Jesus warned, “without Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5b)  Still, we try, don’t we?  The modern church has functioned without the power of God for so long, that the Holy Spirit could be withdrawn and it is unlikely we would notice.  That is to our shame and the great loss to those who need the Gospel.

As the Lord was instructing His disciples on how to pray, He shares with them this parable about a hungry friend.  The man arrives after midnight—hungry—and the host has no bread.  Middle-eastern customs of hospitality, however, demanded that he provide bread.  They had no 24/7 convenience stores in those days, so his only option was to go next door to his neighbor and seek to secure some.

The physical condition of the traveler mirrors the spiritual state of the sinner.  He or she has a heart hunger, but has no means to satisfy it.  Not that people don’t try!  They gorge themselves with all this world can offer—and may find it sweet for the moment—but, ultimately, what they are ingesting is poison.  The hunger—that is really a hunger for God—remains unsatisfied, and even intensified.  Some will make it to the church in their quest.  How many churches really have anything to give them?

Thankfully, the man in this story realized his own poverty to provide and sought help from another.  The neighbor didn’t want to be disturbed, but finally realizes that if he doesn’t get up, go to the door, and give his neighbor some bread, he is never going to get any rest. 

The point of the parable is that we must pray with persistence.  Those who seek the Lord fervently and faithfully are those who will have something to share with a hungry world.  The good news is that God is nothing like the neighbor.  He is never asleep.  He is eager to answer.  If a sleepy neighbor will finally respond, how much more should we expect God to answer our prayers!

It is time for the church to wake up, realize the emptiness of our activities, and seek the activity of God!  We advertise that we are a bakery with “The Bread of Life,” and yet people are dying around us in despair for our cupboard is bare!  Child of God, this need not be!  Let us urgently cry out to God today, for a hungry world awaits. 

THE ROD OF GOD

So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” (Exodus 4:2 )

Moses is one of the great Bible heroes.  His first attempt at delivering his people, however, had been a disaster.  Seeing an Egyptian abusing one of Moses' fellow Hebrews, he killed him and buried him in the sand.  How long would it have taken to deliver Israel at that rate--one per day?  Not only so, but Moses' bloody secret was out.  The cat was out of the bag--or in this case the corpse!  So, he fled for his life.  He would spend forty grueling years tending his father-in-law's flock on the backside of the wilderness.  This was God's discipline to humble him and shape him that He might use him.  Until God brings us to the end of ourself, we will never discover what He alone can do because He alone is all we have.

There was THE SERIOUS PROBLEM Moses posed to God.  When the Lord calls him, he recalls his failure, and an objection arises, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice” (4:1)  It was an excuse masquerading as a reason not to obey.  There was an element of truth, however.  If Moses could not back up his claims, then his efforts would bring another failure, on a grander scale.  The fact is that we cannot lead people for God publicly until the evidence is there that we have listened to God privately.

Here is THE STARTING POINT.  So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” (4:2)  We often think that when we get to a certain place, obtain better resources, or develop greater skills that God can use us.  What we fail to grasp is that God meets us where we are to bring us where He wants us to be.  In the midst of the mundane, God can intersect with us.  An old scrub bush in the wilderness can become the sacred spot where the Eternal One is encountered.  The piece of wood in our hands can become a tool for God to work wonders!  Remember how Jesus took a lad's lunch and fed 5,000?  The starting point of the miracle was when all was surrendered to Jesus.

We must deal with THE SERPENT'S POISON.  And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. (Exodus 4:3)  Moses must have wondered why God would have him throw away a perfectly good staff.  When he obeyed, he found it had the nature of the serpent about it so long as Moses controlled it.  Anything not surrendered to God does.

Moses then finds THE SPIRITUAL POWER.  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), “that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” (4:4-5)  From now on this staff that in the hand of Moses could only do what Moses could do would be known as the rod of God and through it God would do only what He could do!

What has God called you to do?  Will you surrender all you have so He can use you?

A HARVEST OF HOPE

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 15:13)

Today, we may gather a harvest of hope—and a bumper crop at that!  This hope is rooted in “the God of hope.”  He offers the certitude of His promise because of the character of His person.  Only God can bring such unfailing assurance because He has unlimited abundance—having both the means in His infinite might and the motive in His immeasurable love to bring to pass this hope.  Accompanying that hope is “all joy and peace,” which are also given in abundance.  This joy and peace are cultivated “in believing.”  This is how we, as God’s children, should all live at all times.  So, why don’t we?  Why does my life seem more like a crop failure when it comes to having hope, when it ought to be a rich harvest?  The soil of my soul, in its natural state, is under the curse of sin.  It grows weeds easily—complaining instead of joy, anxiety rather than peace, doubt where there should be faith, and despair in the place of hope.  All those weeds may be uprooted and my soul made fertile to receive the seed of God’s promises, however, because there is a new normal I can now know: “that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  He will generate this bumper crop of hope in my heart by giving me a new perspective and power to see and seize hope where the natural man does not!  Reach out now, and lay hold of the hope God has for you!