Empowered to Serve: Encountering God and Community Needs
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect on the importance of encountering the living God and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We began by acknowledging that true transformation comes not from mere rituals or services but from a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. This encounter empowers us to approach God with boldness and confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for us.
We delved into Acts chapter 6, exploring how the early church managed its explosive growth and the accompanying needs. The church in Jerusalem grew from 120 to potentially 10,000 members in a short span, creating significant logistical and spiritual challenges. The apostles recognized that they couldn't manage these needs alone and called for the congregation to select seven men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to serve the community. This delegation allowed the apostles to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word, ensuring that the church's spiritual and physical needs were met.
We emphasized that every believer is saved to serve. The early church's success in meeting needs and spreading the gospel was due to the collective effort of its members, each using their God-given gifts. This principle remains true today. Our church, like the early church, faces numerous needs—from childcare to youth ministry to community outreach. We are all called to step up and serve, not for personal recognition but to honor Jesus and meet the needs of our community.
We also touched on the inevitability of persecution. Stephen, one of the seven chosen to serve, faced severe persecution and was ultimately martyred for his faith. His story reminds us that following Jesus and serving others can come at a great cost, but it also brings great reward in the eyes of God.
In conclusion, we are reminded that the key to multiplying the church and spreading the gospel lies in our willingness to serve and meet the needs of others, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Let us commit to serving with all our hearts, trusting that God will use our efforts to further His kingdom.
### Key Takeaways
1. Encountering the Living God: True transformation comes from a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ, not from rituals or services. This encounter empowers us to approach God with boldness and confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for us. Reflect on how you can seek a deeper, more personal relationship with God in your daily life. [21:35]
2. Saved to Serve: Every believer is called to serve. The early church's success in meeting needs and spreading the gospel was due to the collective effort of its members, each using their God-given gifts. Consider where God might be calling you to serve within your church or community. [45:27]
3. Delegation and Focus: The apostles recognized the importance of delegating tasks to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. This allowed the church to meet both spiritual and physical needs effectively. Reflect on how you can delegate tasks in your own life to focus on what God has specifically called you to do. [43:42]
4. Unity in Diversity: The early church included diverse groups, and the apostles appointed leaders from different backgrounds to ensure everyone's needs were met. Embrace the diversity within your church and community, recognizing that different perspectives and gifts strengthen the body of Christ. [01:13:39]
5. Perseverance Amid Persecution: Stephen's story reminds us that serving Jesus can come at a great cost, but it also brings great reward. Be prepared for challenges and opposition as you serve, but take heart in knowing that your efforts are seen and valued by God. [01:16:02]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[21:05] - Boldly Approaching God
[21:35] - Encountering the Living God
[29:28] - Introduction to Acts Chapter 6
[30:48] - The Importance of Response
[31:59] - The Early Church's Growth
[34:07] - Boldness Through the Holy Spirit
[35:00] - Explosive Growth and Needs
[37:11] - Background of Pentecost
[40:01] - Challenges and Needs in the Church
[43:42] - Delegation and Focus
[45:27] - Saved to Serve
[47:03] - Serving Jesus, Not Just People
[53:20] - Practical Ways to Serve
[01:16:02] - Persecution and Stephen's Story
[01:22:07] - Call to Serve and Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 6:1-7 - The selection of the seven men to serve the early church.
2. Acts 7:54-60 - The martyrdom of Stephen.
3. Hebrews 4:14-16 - Boldly approaching the throne of grace.
#### Observation Questions
1. What logistical and spiritual challenges did the early church face as it grew rapidly? ([35:00])
2. How did the apostles address the complaints from the Hellenists about their widows being neglected? ([43:42])
3. What qualities were the seven men chosen to serve the community required to have? ([44:36])
4. How did Stephen respond to his persecution and what was his final prayer? ([01:17:30])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the apostles prioritized prayer and the ministry of the Word over serving tables? How does this reflect on the roles within the church today? ([43:42])
2. What does Stephen’s story teach us about the cost and reward of serving Jesus? ([01:16:02])
3. How does the diversity within the early church, as seen in the selection of the seven men, strengthen the body of Christ? ([01:13:39])
4. In what ways does the Holy Spirit empower believers to serve and face persecution? ([21:35])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your personal relationship with God. How can you seek a deeper, more genuine encounter with Jesus in your daily life? ([21:35])
2. Consider where God might be calling you to serve within your church or community. What specific steps can you take this week to start serving? ([45:27])
3. Are there tasks in your life that you need to delegate to focus more on what God has specifically called you to do? How can you start delegating these tasks? ([43:42])
4. How can you embrace and celebrate the diversity within your church and community? What actions can you take to ensure that different perspectives and gifts are valued? ([01:13:39])
5. Stephen faced severe persecution for his faith. Are you prepared for challenges and opposition as you serve? How can you find strength and encouragement in knowing that your efforts are seen and valued by God? ([01:16:02])
6. Identify one area in your church or community where there is a significant need. How can you contribute to meeting that need this week? ([40:01])
7. Think of a time when you served others but felt unappreciated. How can you shift your focus to serving Jesus rather than seeking personal recognition? ([48:39])
Devotional
### Day 1: Encountering the Living God
True transformation comes from a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ, not from rituals or services. This encounter empowers us to approach God with boldness and confidence, knowing that Jesus intercedes for us. Reflect on how you can seek a deeper, more personal relationship with God in your daily life. [21:35]
Bible Passage: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: How can you create space in your daily routine to encounter Jesus more deeply? What specific steps can you take to move beyond rituals and seek a genuine relationship with Him?
### Day 2: Saved to Serve
Every believer is called to serve. The early church's success in meeting needs and spreading the gospel was due to the collective effort of its members, each using their God-given gifts. Consider where God might be calling you to serve within your church or community. [45:27]
Bible Passage: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)
Reflection: What unique gifts has God given you, and how can you use them to serve others in your church or community this week?
### Day 3: Delegation and Focus
The apostles recognized the importance of delegating tasks to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. This allowed the church to meet both spiritual and physical needs effectively. Reflect on how you can delegate tasks in your own life to focus on what God has specifically called you to do. [43:42]
Bible Passage: "Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God.'" (Exodus 18:17-19, ESV)
Reflection: What tasks or responsibilities can you delegate to others so that you can focus more on your spiritual growth and the specific calling God has placed on your life?
### Day 4: Unity in Diversity
The early church included diverse groups, and the apostles appointed leaders from different backgrounds to ensure everyone's needs were met. Embrace the diversity within your church and community, recognizing that different perspectives and gifts strengthen the body of Christ. [01:13:39]
Bible Passage: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively embrace and celebrate the diversity within your church or community? What steps can you take to ensure that different perspectives and gifts are valued and utilized?
### Day 5: Perseverance Amid Persecution
Stephen's story reminds us that serving Jesus can come at a great cost, but it also brings great reward. Be prepared for challenges and opposition as you serve, but take heart in knowing that your efforts are seen and valued by God. [01:16:02]
Bible Passage: "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it." (2 Timothy 3:12-14, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways have you faced challenges or opposition in your journey of faith? How can you find strength and encouragement in knowing that God sees and values your perseverance?
Quotes
1. "See, it's not necessarily another song or a sermon or a worship service. What you need to do is encounter the living God. You need the living God to move in your life this morning. And there's only one. And that's The Lord Jesus Christ. And so in this moment as they sing I just ask you to bow your head. Look in your heart. Ask God what you need to do. How's the Holy Spirit want you to respond." [21:35] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We believe the whole reason we met here, the reason the air has been on, early this morning, the reason the lights are on and the bathrooms are clean and everything's ready for you to be here is for the response time. It's not the singing, it's not the preaching. We worship together, but we worship towards responding to God and obeying God. And at Hollywood, that just can happen at any moment, as you just saw." [30:48] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I really think the reason we don't see the things that the early church saw is because we're not really operating on Holy Spirit power. So I'm grateful that God's meeting with us this morning. The Holy Spirit's here speaking the lives, and it always is a sweet, incredible moment when he comes and meets with us, and we encounter God in this moment." [29:28] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We need to care for people and minister to people, love on people and meet the needs of people. And we can't, we can't meet every need. We can't pay everybody's house payment. We can't. Good Lord. Have you seen what house payments are these days? We can't, we can't buy everybody groceries, but we can, we can do our best to meet needs within the family, within the needs that are here to try to help folks and encourage people to follow God." [52:28] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Every member of the church is gifted and called to serve. If you're a believer, you are gifted and called to serve. That's the crux of the message this morning. If you're a believer, you're gifted and called to serve. What are you going to do with that gift? What are you going to do with that call to serve? That's what's happening in the church there. And that's what needs to happen. We need to go back to that today." [01:12:07] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "The Bible teaches that. That every Christian is gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve in some capacity. Every one of us have at least one gift, a spiritual gift that God gave you at salvation to find a place to serve. I've told this story. I don't know how many times when I, when I have, uh, when I really had my come to Jesus moment in my twenties, the whole bathroom floor story, looking at the ceiling, realizing I'm about to die and praying and begging God to spare my life." [01:05:41] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We need to be a church that prays. We need to individually, corporately, in your homes and families, we need prayer. Anybody say amen? We need prayer. Can I say, our nation needs prayer. If you don't know what to pray for, why don't you start by praying God send revival to America. It's time to quit saying God bless America. It's time to pray America bless God. Come back to God." [01:01:45] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "I'm not going to run from the truth of God's word. And I'm asking you today, let's step into the Holy Spirit power of serving God, serving the church, serving the community and seeing what God will do. You know what? Ultimately it's up to God, isn't it? Ultimately I put my faith in him. I put my faith in Jesus. I put my trust in him of what he's going to do with me and you and this church. And I want to trust him with all my life." [01:20:26] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "The key to multiplying the church is people serving people, caring people, ministering to each other. Preaching the truth. The truth of God's word. Letting the world know that we believe this book is true and we're going to stand by it. That's the key to who we're supposed to be." [01:21:28] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "There's people sitting all around you. This is the way I put it. On every row, every section, there's somebody hurting that you may not even know that they're hurting. There's somebody with a need that you may not even know that need exists. And we need to become aware of what's going on around us and how, as a church, can we minister to each other?" [47:54] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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