Continuing Jesus' Mission Through His Followers

Jesus is moving in the world in fresh new ways all around the world today let me tell you I don't want to miss any of it I want to be on The Cutting Edge Of Everything Jesus is doing in bringing to a consummation this age in finishing the Great Commission and reaching all the unreached peoples in Awakening and quickening his church into word and in prayer and if that's what Jesus is doing then I want to know what kind of people we should be [00:00:08]

I am so glad that God puts it into the heart of many doctors to do more than men bodies and make bucks I think I know all the doctors at Bethlehem and I think I can say that all of our doctors believe that their life is meant for more than mending bodies and making bucks but I have one favorite doctor that I thank God for more than any other doctor and for whom I am so thankful that he gave his life to more than mending bodies and making bucks and that is Dr Luke [00:00:62]

Luke alone is with me when I read that I just had to stop and weep Luke alone is with me I thought how many times you know when Paul listed off his sufferings he said five times I was given 40 Lashes less one picture that five times he was whipped 39 times imagine what your back looks like after 39 39 times that happened to Paul five times who do you think tended him as he lay in the dirt at the end of those beatings Luke bathing with his own tears no doubt his friend and the apostle [00:03:06]

I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day when he was taken up the word in that sentence that is all important for your grasping the purpose of this book the meaning of our church and the nature of this age is the word began now in case you read over it too quickly let's read it again in the first book o Theophilus that is in the Gospel of Luke I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up in the Ascension into heaven [00:07:57]

the finality of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and in the resurrection I know and I cherish the teachings of the book of Hebrews for example that say when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God I love that don't you for all time one sacrifice it is finished the debt is paid the sins are covered the guilt is lifted the throat of Satan is mortally slit at Calvary it is done [00:09:18]

I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has worked through me to win obedience from the Gentiles by word and deed now Mark that isn't that an amazing correspondence to what he did and taught in Acts 1 1 what he began to do and to teach now he continues to do and teach no the two words do and teach and here in Romans 15 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what this Jesus has worked through me to win obedience from the Gentiles by word and deed [00:13:15]

in order to be an instrument in the hand of the living Christ we need a fresh spirit authenticating command or commission verse 2. picking up on verse one I dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach now verse 2 until the day when he was taken up after he had done something namely after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen so that's the first thing that had to happen to these Apostles they needed a fresh Spirit authenticating command or Commission [00:15:53]

you can't be an authentic instrument in the hands of the living Christ if you are not persuaded in your mind and gripped in your heart that he's alive you can't do it you're just utterly inauthentic if you try to do the work of the ministry or try to be a Christian or try to Bear witness and you don't even know if he's alive and reigning and Powerful triumphant over death that's what had to happen to these men they had to see and know deep down no more doubts no more discouragement he's alive [00:20:29]

we've seen first that he's alive and that he's doing his work and then we saw that we need a spirit authenticating commission we need a verification of his life and victory and finally we need instruction about the kingdom you see that at the end of verse 3 appearing to them during 40 days and speaking of the kingdom of God speaking of the kingdom of God do you remember how slow of heart these disciples were to believe all that was written by the prophets [00:23:24]

I think Luke wrote the book to demonstrate for us the sort of mixture the sort of failures the sort of futility that we're up against in a fallen sinful age mixed with a lot of wonderful work of the living Jesus something that will constantly keep us questioning will he do it here will he do it here will it be this way or will it be this way and I think the book of Acts is going to give us a careful Weather Vein as to how the wind of the spirit is blowing on this side of the Ascension [00:24:97]

I want to illustrate this and how it can be from the life of Paul instead of having you look it up let me just quote for you Romans 15 18. listen to how Paul articulated his ministry in view of the life of Jesus doing the ministry Paul said I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has worked through me to win obedience from the Gentiles by word and deed now Mark that isn't that an amazing correspondence to what he did and taught in Acts 1 1 [00:13:03]

I believe in that little word began he is speaking and he is acting he is alive and that's why I believe this book is so relevant for us because I believe Jesus is moving in the world in fresh new ways all around the world today and I'll tell you I don't want to miss any of it I want to be on The Cutting Edge Of Everything Jesus is doing in bringing to a consummation this age in finishing the Great Commission and reaching all the unreached peoples in Awakening and quickening his church in the word and in prayer [00:14:60]