Power to Tell Others about God.

 6^th Sunday of Easter!

 Series: Power to Live!

Intro:

A.   In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit comes with power upon the church, and all present are able to hear the gospel message in their own language!

 

B.   We find the end results of this recorded at the last of the chapter where Luke records, (read vs. 42-47)

 

C.   The Holy Spirit so empowered the church that souls were being added to the church daily!

 

D.   Jesus gives us the power for that to happen today!  For us to tell others about God!

 

E.   This all starts with telling our friends about Jesus.

 

F.   We see this modeled in the New Testament when Jesus is calling his first followers. 

 

Prayer

John 1:35-50 & Mark 1:14-20

 

I.   What is a friend?

 

A.   Webster:  A person to whom one is attached by affection; an intimate acquaintance.

 

B.   A friend is someone we share life with.

 

C.   If we get something good, we want to share it with our friends.

 

II.  We see in this account of the calling of some of the first

     disciples how when Andrew & Philip found something good they

shared it with their friends!

 

A.   They had a great love for their friends!

1.   They were special to them!

2.   They wanted them to have good things too!

 

B.   Christ, the Messiah, was a good thing!

1.   He was the one who was going to destroy their enemies and

release them from bondage!

2.   He promised them no more hurt, no more pain, no more oppression!

3.   Summed up, he promised them hope, a light at the end of

The darkness!

 

 

C.   So they wanted their dear friends to share in this new-found

"Hope!"

 

D.   In Mark=s account of the calling of the first disciples, Jesus says, AFollow me and I will make you fishers of people.@ Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)

 

     1.   Without getting into the differences of the accounts, the

          message is clear that Jesus wants us intentionally

          telling the Good News!

     2.   In Johns account, they immediately began doing that; they

          began to tell their friends and relatives!

     3.   That is what we are here for, to tell the good news and

          Make disciples by word and deed!

 

III. Do we have friends?

 

A.   Do we believe that the message of Christ is good news?

 

B.   Do we want our friends to have good news?

 

C.   Of course we do, we love them!

 

D.   We want the best for them if they are true friends!

 

IV.  We too have a great Hope in Jesus; that is good news!

 

A.   The Israelites misunderstood the prophesies & promises of the

Messiah!

1.   They thought Christ was going to deliver them from the

bondage & oppression of other nations ruling over them!

2.   They were expecting an Earthly Kingdom!

 

B.   But we know today:

1.   That the delivery from bondage was from that of sin;

Christ destroyed sin's hold on us!

2.   That the no more pain and no more hurt referred to a

Heavenly Kingdom!

3.   Besides this, we know that living for Christ gives life

meaning today!!

     4.   We know that Christ wants us to live as kingdom people

          And make a difference today!

a.   Feed the hungry!

b.   Cloth the poor!

c.   Overcome oppression!

 

C.   So Jesus is the best this life has to offer!

 

V.   If we really love our friends, shouldn't we want to share Jesus with them today just as the 1st disciples did?

A.   That is why we teach or preach!  Because of love, we are

Sharing Jesus with a friend!

 

B.   But each one of us should be involved in the ministry of some

way, some how sharing Jesus with a friend!

1.   We can invite others to church or our small group.

2.   We can tell them what Christ means to us!

3.   We can talk about it while we are doing the things with

Our friends through the week: shopping, working, playing.

          4.   As we do these things with our friends, we can create a

time to share!

          5.   Are we involved in this ministry of sharing Jesus with a

friend?

          6.   As you go out, we have a sign that says you are now

entering the mission field.  Are you being a part of this

ministry as you go forth or is church just a Sunday thing for you?

     C.   But we don’t go alone because of the resurrection!

          1.   Christ goes with us!

          2.   The Great Commission in Matt. 28:19-20 ends with “And

remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

          3.   As you leave and go into the mission field, Christ goes

with us! We signify that each Sunday with the taking out

of the flame at the end of the service.

 

Conclusion:

A.   That is the way the first disciples shared!

 

B.   That is the way the good news can be shared today!

 

C.   Jesus gives us the Power to tell others about God!

 

D.   Have we tapped into that power?

 

     As we encounter Christ at the table today, we can tap into the power to tell others about God. Thanks be to God!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion