Participants: Pr. Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP090608
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00:36 When You Come we will shout hallelujah
00:42 When You come the dead in Chris will rise again 00:47 When You come we will live with You forever 00:52 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 00:57 When You come 01:08 We believe the times is drawing near 01:13 When the sky will roll away 01:16 And night will turn to day 01:19 Riding on the clouds You will appear 01:24 As the chains of death are broken 01:27 And the graves begin to open 01:29 And the trumpet sounds to call Your children home. 01:34 When You Come we will shout hallelujah 01:40 When You come the dead in Christ will rise again 01:45 When You come we will live with You forever 01:51 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 01:56 When You come 02:02 When You come 02:08 We believe that we're called to proclaim 02:13 The message of salvation 02:16 To every tribe and nation 02:19 Until the day when we will all be changed 02:24 And every eye shall see You 02:27 As we rise up to meet you 02:30 And death is swallowed up in victory 02:35 When You Come we will shout hallelujah 02:40 When You come the dead in Christ will rise again 02:46 When You come we will live with You forever 02:52 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 02:57 You will wipe every tear from our eyes 03:03 Reunite us with our loved ones 03:07 To never part again 03:09 And Your glory will be our lives 03:15 And every eye shall see You 03:18 As we rise up to meet you 03:21 And Your kingdom will never end 03:26 When You Come we will shout hallelujah 03:32 When You come the dead in Christ will rise again 03:37 When You come we will live with You forever 03:43 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 03:47 We will sing a song 03:49 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 03:53 We will sing a song 03:54 We will sing a song of praise a praise 03:59 We will sing a song of praise 04:03 And we shall wait for the judgment day 04:11 Will you sing that chorus one last time with us? 04:14 When You Come we will shout hallelujah 04:20 When You come the dead in Christ will rise again 04:25 When You come we will live with You forever 04:30 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 04:35 We will sing a song 04:37 We will sing a song of praise that never ends 04:41 We will sing a song 04:42 We will sing a song of praise 04:45 A praise 04:47 We will sing a song of praise 04:54 When You come 04:59 When You come 05:16 Amen. How many can wait for that day? 05:19 Amen, will you stand with me 05:20 as we sing our opening hymn this morning. 05:22 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee. 05:24 Hymn number 12. 05:53 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee 05:57 God of glory, Lord of love 06:01 Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee 06:05 Hail Thee as the sun above 06:08 Melt the clouds of sin and sadness 06:12 Drive the dark of doubt away 06:16 Giver of immortal gladness 06:20 Fill us with the light of day 06:25 Thou art giving and forgiving 06:29 Ever blessing, ever blest 06:33 Wellspring of the joy of living 06:37 Ocean-depth of happy rest 06:41 Thou the Father, Christ our Brother 06:45 All who live in love are Thine 06:49 Teach us how to love each other 06:53 Lift us to the joy divine 07:29 The Lord is my shepherd 07:42 I will never want 07:58 I lie down 08:02 In green pastures 08:11 He leads me 08:15 Beside still waters 08:23 He restores my soul 08:30 He guides me 08:35 In paths of righteousness 08:42 For His Name's sake 09:04 For if I walk 09:07 Through the valley of death 09:14 I will not be afraid 09:25 For you, Lord, are with me 09:30 Lord, you comfort me 09:33 You comfort me 09:37 You prepare a place for me 09:43 You anoint my head with oil 09:49 My cup overflows 09:56 Overflows 10:13 Surely goodness and mercy 10:19 Will follow me 10:21 All the days of my life 10:28 And I will live 10:32 In the house of the Lord 10:36 And I will live 10:39 In the house of the Lord 10:41 Forever, forever, 10:47 Forever, forever, 10:52 Forever 11:02 Forever 11:15 Forever 11:20 The Lord is my shepherd 12:07 In case there is anybody here this morning... 12:16 who wants to live in the house of God forever and ever. 12:23 But you haven't made that decision yet. 12:29 This would be the perfect place for an altar call. 12:34 But I'm gonna hold it off until the end. 12:39 I want to plant that seed in your heart right now. 12:43 As the choir was singing I thought would- 12:48 God, if there is anybody in this audience, 12:53 anybody watching on television, 12:54 listening on the radio, anybody. 13:00 That he is not yet ready 13:02 to live in your house forever and ever. 13:05 Do whatever you need to do in these few moments, 13:09 tug it their heart, draw that life. 13:14 This is the day that Lord has made, 13:16 let us rejoice and be glad in it. 13:20 I want to plunge into our teaching. 13:21 I'm very excited about today's teaching. 13:23 But before I do, 13:25 give me just one moment, will you? 13:26 Then we'll have prayer. 13:28 I got an incredible story from Worcester, Massachusetts. 13:32 But before that I hold here in my hands, 13:38 a very lovely gift card, handsome amount on it, 13:44 expiration date is there, still plenty of time. 13:48 One of you, God bless you left it at prayer meeting, 13:54 this last Wednesday night at House of Prayer. 13:58 Somebody came up to me afterwards and say, 13:59 "Hey, pastor, look no name on it. " 14:01 But this is a wow gift card. 14:06 You went home with your gift card here 14:10 but I want to tell you something, 14:12 you went home last Wednesday night 14:15 with a very special gift. 14:19 That Youth Chapel was packed wall to wall. 14:25 You went home with Holy Spirit. 14:27 You say, ah, come on, Dwight, you can't prove that. 14:29 Yes, I can, acts of the Apostles, page 50, 14:31 "If all were willing, 14:32 all would be filled with the Holy Spirit. " 14:36 Everybody packed into that Youth Chapel, Wednesday night 14:38 was very willing for the Holy Spirit to fill us. 14:43 So you already went home with your gift, 14:44 you don't need this one, you already went home 14:46 with your gift. 14:48 I'm talking you into letting me keep it. 14:52 No, I'll give it back to you. 14:54 If you can tell me the company that is from, 14:58 the amount of money that it is for. 15:01 And the 16 digit identification code. 15:07 Otherwise I'm keeping it. 15:09 I'll give it to the Lord's work. 15:12 Seriously, if you recognize this 15:14 come and see me afterwards. 15:16 But the point is ladies and gentlemen, 15:19 we're gonna be right back there this Wednesday night. 15:22 You say, hey, Dwight, I already got filled last Wednesday night 15:24 and I'm not going again. 15:26 Are you crazy? 15:27 Somebody came up to Dwight L. Moody, 15:28 the great of evangelist of the 19th century, 15:31 and he said, are you filled with the Holy Spirit. 15:32 He said, yes, but I leak. 15:37 And that's the truth about all of us. 15:39 You got to keep coming back to that prayer to be filled. 15:46 And so we're gonna be right back. 15:47 By the way, we're not-- 15:49 we're just a few steps away from the sanctuary. 15:52 We pack it out there, we can come in here. 15:53 Don't you worry about the space? 15:54 We got space. 15:56 Listen, this isn't about you coming to hear the preacher 15:59 'cause the preacher isn't preaching. 16:00 It's my buddy Mark Finley on the big screen 16:02 and we had a great teaching last Wednesday night 16:05 and Mark's gonna be leading us all the way through October. 16:08 So, you want to come. 16:10 But the deal is this, guys, 16:12 it's when we unite ourselves in a common collective focus 16:17 as in Pentecost in the beginning, 16:19 that's when God responds. 16:22 So whatever you're doing Wednesday night, 16:23 would you please include House of Prayer. 16:26 It will be right over there in the Youth Chapel. 16:28 Bring a friend with you, bring five friends with you. 16:31 You come, you can't get it alone at home. 16:36 Now what God wants to give in primetime two 16:40 which we are living in today? 16:42 So, you come 16:47 and if this card is yours, 16:51 you get a double gift Wednesday night. 16:54 Seriously, if this card is yours, 16:55 you see me after this service. 16:58 All right. I got to go. Let's get into the story. 17:02 Father, Oh, the university singers today, 17:08 that song the old familiar Psalm 23 17:12 but rendered in a fresh new way. 17:15 I want to live in the house of the Lord forever and ever. 17:18 If there is anybody here is now ready to live in that house 17:22 but who is open to that decision in Christ. 17:28 You do your work 17:30 while this little preacher front preach a word, 17:33 you do your work in our midst 17:34 because the same Holy Spirit it was here Wednesday night 17:36 is back here Sabbath morning, 17:38 teach us, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 17:43 They were born identical twins preemies 12 weeks too early, 17:49 born in the Massachusetts 17:50 General Hospital of Worcester Massachusetts, 17:53 barely weigh two pounds. 17:57 Little sisters Kyrie and Brielle Jackson. 18:01 Now Kyrie snap right into it. 18:05 She began to gain weight, she slept nicely at nights 18:08 doing fine but little Brielle not doing well. 18:12 For some reason her weight was not gaining, 18:16 her blood oxygen level in her blood was low. 18:19 She had breathing problems, she had heart rate problem, 18:21 four weeks into Brielle's journey through life crisis. 18:30 Her stick arms and a tiny little face turn bluish gray. 18:36 Her respiration went off the charts, heart rate up. 18:40 She got the hiccups, a sign of dangerous stress 18:44 for that tiny little body. 18:46 Neonatal intensive care unit nurse Gayle Kasparian 18:49 tried desperately to stabilize Brielle all to no avail. 18:55 Then she remembered something 18:56 a colleague of hers told her once, 18:58 a common practice in Europe forbidden in this country, 19:02 it's called double bedding multiple birth babies 19:06 especially preemies. 19:07 Now in hospital against policy, 19:10 why we're afraid the twins might pass 19:11 some sort of infection between each other, 19:13 so they are in separate incubators. 19:15 Desperate though Kasparian scooped up little Brielle 19:20 raced over to the incubator placed her inside that hole 19:24 beside her sister Kyrie. 19:26 And in that moment and I'm telling you the truth 19:28 I went to snopes.com to check it out 19:31 and then read the record in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. 19:34 In that moment when Brielle snuggled up to Kyrie 19:37 her blood oxygen level suddenly soared, 19:40 she began to breathe easier, her crying stopped 19:42 and her skin began to turn back 19:45 to that normal pinkish complexion. 19:47 Somebody snapped a picture in that incubator 19:53 Life Magazine picked it up, Readers Digest picked it up 19:56 and you can understand it's all over the web today. 20:00 In fact, these little twins became so famous 20:04 and that picture became so famous 20:06 that the parents had to get 20:07 an unlisted number, people kept going. 20:08 How are little girls doing? 20:09 Well, the little girls are doing fine 20:12 and here is the picture of them in that incubator. 20:19 The picture circulated it for a while 20:20 and then it was given a formal title, 20:22 it's been called "The Rescuing Hug." 20:28 Proof enough photographically and medically 20:31 that we really do need each other. 20:35 I reread the story to Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2 20:38 and lo and behold I'm startled to discover 20:40 at the end of the story in Acts 2, 20:43 there is a rescuing hug. 20:45 I had never seen it before. 20:47 We have to go back to where we were last Sabbath, 20:50 go back to Acts 2 because look it, 20:52 tucked away there in the ending 20:54 is the strategic secret to a primetime generation 20:57 that would be you living in primetime history 21:00 and that would be now. 21:01 Open your Bible with me please, Acts Chapter 2. 21:03 You didn't bring a Bible, 21:04 oh boy, grab the pew Bible right in front of you. 21:07 Acts Chapter 2, you got to see this for yourself. 21:12 Acts Chapter 2, we'll pick it up 21:14 where we were last week together. 21:18 It's Pentecost Acts Chapter 2:1, 21:22 I'll be in the Today's New International TNIV, 21:26 if you grab the pew Bible that's New King James, 21:27 whatever translation you have is fine, 21:29 just make sure you have a translation. 21:31 You're listening in the overflow room, 21:32 grab your Bible there. 21:34 Acts 2:1, "When the day of Pentecost came, 21:38 they were all together in one place." 21:43 That's a whole point of this kind of praying, 21:44 you can't do it in your bedroom in home. 21:46 You can't do it in your dorm room. 21:47 This kind of praying has to be done in a group. 21:51 They were all together in one place, 21:52 that's why we have House of Prayer. 21:54 All together in one place and "Suddenly" verse 2, 21:57 "A sound like a blowing of a violent wind came from heaven 22:00 and filled the whole house where they were sitting." 22:02 We unpacked all of this last week, so keep reading. 22:04 Verse 3, "They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire 22:07 that separated and came to rest on each of them. 22:10 All of them," verse 4, 22:11 "were filled with the Holy Spirit 22:13 and began to speak in other tongues 22:15 as the Spirit enabled them." 22:17 For ten days, ladies and gentlemen, 22:19 let me remind you they have been in that upper room, 22:21 in this House of Prayer and they have been praying 22:23 and praying and praying. 22:26 What did they've been praying for? 22:28 They have been praying for the passion of God, 22:30 to become their passion too. 22:32 How do you know that, Dwight? Because of Pentecost. 22:35 Do the arithmetic. 22:36 Fifty days earlier from Pentecost would be Passover, 22:39 the feast of the unleavened bread. 22:41 What happened at Passover? 22:42 The divine Passover Lamb of God is lifted up 22:45 and Jesus says, "When I am lifted up, 22:48 I will draw all people to me 22:49 and boom to a gasping universe." 22:53 Universe mind you, 22:54 the earth is not watching to a gasping universe. 22:59 The all inclusive, all consuming, 23:04 supreme passion of God 23:07 is finally irrevocably revealed. 23:12 And that is God has a passion, 23:16 His hottest and most fiery passion 23:20 is for last earth's children. 23:23 They saw it, 23:26 50 days later, 10 days after Jesus has left. 23:31 Those ten days after Jesus left, 23:32 they are praying and praying and praying. 23:34 God, give us Your passion, please I'm pleading with You, 23:38 may I have Your passion. 23:39 I can't be a witness, 23:41 I cannot reach this world for you 23:42 unless you give me Your passion. 23:44 For ten days they're claiming 23:45 the last words Jesus spoke to them 23:47 before He ascended. 23:49 Just turn the page back, 23:51 we were there last week as well verse 8 of chapter 1, 23:53 you remembered this. 23:55 Jesus said, look at, "But you will receive power," 23:57 I'm telling you guys, you weighed upon, 23:59 you weighed upon God, you pray, you're gonna receive power, 24:03 verse 8, "When the Holy Spirit comes on you, 24:06 and you will be my witnesses..." 24:08 Something's gonna happen to you, 24:09 you will have new fire. 24:11 There will be a passion in your soul 24:13 that was not there before it will be mine. 24:15 "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, 24:17 and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 24:19 For ten days, they have been claiming this promise and boom. 24:25 While they're in group prayer, 24:27 they're not at home sleeping at night. 24:30 They've come back for a group prayer. 24:31 While they're in group prayer, 24:34 the heavens open, tongues flaming, 24:38 the very gift they were seeking, 24:40 God, loosen my tongue for You. 24:45 They received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 24:48 Now, let's move to that rescue hug ending in the story, 24:52 all right. 24:53 So last week we read verse 14, didn't we? 24:55 "Then Peter stoop up with the Eleven, 24:57 and he raised his voice and he addressed the crowd, 24:59 fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, 25:01 let me explain this to you, 25:02 listen carefully to what I say." 25:04 verse 15. "These people are not drunk, as you suppose. 25:07 It's only nine in the morning." 25:08 Come on, verse 16, 25:09 "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel." 25:12 Verse 17, "In the last days, God says, 25:15 I will pour out my Spirit on all people. 25:18 Your sons and daughters will prophesy, 25:20 your young men will see visions, 25:21 your old men will dream dreams." 25:22 Some of you are thinking, 25:23 I'm so old there is no Holy Spirit for me. 25:26 My friend, you are so wrong. 25:29 If you're thinking I'm so young there is no-- 25:32 you are wrong as well. 25:33 By the way that's why when pioneer worships, 25:35 we worship all together. 25:36 We don't put young adults over here. 25:37 We don't put teenagers over here. 25:39 We don't put children over here. 25:40 We don't put the senior citizens over there 25:42 where they all have hearing aids, 25:44 we all come together. 25:48 Because Joel and Pentecost are about everybody together, 25:53 not all of us corral in our little play pens. 25:57 When you need that we need cross cultural, 26:00 cross generational worship in prayer together 26:04 and that's what happened. 26:06 And, oh, boy, look it out, now verse 22. 26:08 Now he is moving to-- 26:10 this is the heart of a sermon, verse 22, 26:11 "People of Israel, listen to this, 26:13 Jesus of Nazareth 26:15 was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, 26:18 wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, 26:21 as you yourselves know." 26:22 Verse 23, "This man Jesus was handed over to you 26:25 by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge, 26:27 and you, with the help of wicked men, 26:30 you put him to death by nailing him to the cross." 26:32 But verse 24, "God raised him from the dead, 26:36 freeing him from the agony of death, 26:38 because it was impossible for death 26:41 to keep its hold on him." 26:43 Now verse 36, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this, 26:48 God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, 26:52 both Lord and Messiah." 26:54 Hit the pause button right there. 26:56 I got to ask you a question, 26:57 help me out here I'm little confused. 26:59 Is this the same Simon Peter 27:02 who 50 nights ago 27:07 crumbled with a query of a fair maiden. 27:12 We say, hey, wait, wait, wait, 27:13 aren't you one of these Jesus guys' followers? 27:17 Is this the same Peter who reaching you as 27:19 fishermen's book of obscenities and turn the air blue, 27:22 I never knew that blanketing blank, blank, 27:24 blank man in my life. 27:26 Is this the same Peter who was gripped by fear? 27:33 So and secure, so unconfident, 27:36 so unable to say a word in public except curse. 27:42 Is this the same guy? 27:45 Apparently when the Holy Spirit comes into you, 27:50 inarticulate though you may have been, 27:52 timid though you are, 27:53 fearful though we all are at times. 27:56 No matter how it is inside, 27:58 when this Holy Spirit comes upon you, 28:00 apparently that little orange tongue is a promise 28:04 that I'll take your tongue 28:07 and I will give a witness through you 28:09 that no other human being at this moment could give but you. 28:16 Same Peter, 28:17 apparently the Holy Spirit can turn a coward 28:21 into a champion for Christ. 28:23 Good news for you and me, 28:25 thinking, well, you know about this primetime series, 28:27 I don't think it's gonna be able to really help me, please. 28:33 All it takes is your praying, 28:35 your pleading to be filled with a spirit of God 28:38 and the passion of God. 28:39 And by the way get this. 28:41 All of the while you are witnessing wherever it is, 28:44 you're witnessing in the dormitory, 28:45 in the cafeteria, you are in a business, 28:47 somewhere in this community, you are in the county 28:50 wherever it is that you're having this conversion. 28:52 All the while you are witnessing, 28:54 the Holy Spirit is working on the hearts of those 28:57 who are listening or the heart of the one listening. 29:00 That's what happening in the story. 29:02 By the way John R.W. Stott in his wonderful commentary 29:05 in the Book of Romans. 29:06 He made a point once and I have never forgot it, 29:09 I'm gonna put it on the screen for you. 29:10 I want you to remember this as long as you live, 29:13 "Always remember, 29:14 the other man's conscience is on your side." 29:20 When you're witnessing to somebody, 29:22 it's not you against, 29:23 it's not you against that person, 29:24 it's two against one. 29:26 Because the mighty spirit of Jesus 29:28 is the conscience is controlled by the Holy Spirit, 29:30 the mighty spirit of Jesus is inside that other mind 29:33 and is tugging and saying, you know what? 29:36 This girl's got a point. 29:38 This guy has a point. 29:40 Even with an atheist. 29:42 When you witness to an atheist, 29:43 she has a conscience 29:46 and that conscience, 29:47 his conscience is just like this 29:49 under the control of the Holy Spirit, 29:51 you need to be-- you need to know. 29:55 Whenever you open your mouth for Christ, 29:56 the spirit is working on your side. 30:00 Isn't that great? 30:02 And by the way, we're gonna-- 30:03 how do you witness to an atheist? 30:04 Half way through this series, we're gonna spend two Sabbaths 30:06 talking about atheists, okay. 30:11 All right, verse 37, so while Peter is preaching, 30:14 look at the Holy-- this is the proof, 30:15 the Holy Spirit is working verse 37, 30:17 "When the people heard this, 30:19 they were cut to the heart," that means conscience, 30:22 it's been already going. 30:23 "They were cut to the heart 30:26 and they said to Peter and the other apostles, 30:28 'Brothers, Brothers, what shall we do?' 30:31 And Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, 30:35 every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ 30:37 for the forgiveness of your sins.'" 30:39 And get this, 30:40 "And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 30:45 Hit the pause button right there. 30:47 If you have never been baptized before, 30:51 you do not have the gift of the Holy Spirit right now. 30:54 The only way you can have the gift of the Holy Spirit is 30:57 what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3, 31:00 Unless a woman is baptized by water and the Spirit. 31:03 Unless a man is baptized by water and the Spirit, 31:06 he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 31:08 You have to be baptized by water. 31:15 To be baptized by the spirit. 31:17 If you have not been baptized by water. 31:21 My dear friend, why wait, this is it. 31:26 You can be baptized, you'll get the gift. 31:30 Two baptisms go together. 31:33 Cornelius Acts 10, 31:35 somebody pointed this out to me, 31:36 Lowes did after first church 31:38 she said, you know what, Dwight, 31:39 the gentiles in Acts 10 actually got the Holy Spirit 31:41 before they were baptized, she is right. 31:45 Spirit first then they went right in the water, 31:48 it happens together always. 31:51 Why put it off, be baptize-- 31:53 you want the Holy Spirit, don't you? 31:55 It's a greatest gift the human being can receive. 31:57 Huh, all right, verse 39. 31:59 Oh, by the way Peter says, 32:00 "The promise is for you and your children," 32:02 and then he's thinking about you and me 2,000 years later. 32:04 "And for all who are far off," 32:07 boy, we are far off from back then. 32:09 "For all whom the Lord our God will call." 32:11 Hold on, verse 40 and, 32:13 "With many other words he warned them, 32:14 and he pleaded with them, 32:15 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."' 32:17 Verse 41, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, 32:20 and about three thousand 32:21 were added to their number that day." 32:26 And many people in the story of Pentecost right there, 32:28 halleluiah, 3,000 baptisms in one day 32:32 and I have always done the same. 32:36 Until I found out that the secret, 32:39 the secret is tucked away at the end of the chapter 32:42 right after what we've read. 32:45 The secret is the rescuing hug. 32:48 In fact, I wish you get that down 32:49 right now in your study guide. 32:50 Where is this study guide? Pull it out please. 32:51 Take your study guide and jot that down, 32:53 the secret to Acts 2 is the rescuing hug. 32:56 You didn't get a study guide. 32:57 We've got the friendliest ushers in the world 32:59 and they come in your way 33:00 hold your hand up, you want to have this. 33:01 I've got four strategies for you right here. 33:03 You gonna want these four strategies 33:04 just hold your hand up all the way to the back of the balcony. 33:06 And those of you watching on television 33:08 we're delighted to have you. 33:09 You can go to our website, get the identical study guide. 33:11 Let me put it on the screen for you www, 33:14 that's our website pmchurch.tv. 33:18 And you're looking for a new series called Primetime. 33:22 This is part two, last week was playing with fire. 33:24 If you didn't hear last week, you just click on 33:25 and then you get the podcast later. 33:27 But right now, you're looking for 33:29 the kingdom advances among friends. 33:33 When you're looking for those two words study guide, 33:35 when you click on study guide you'll have the same one. 33:38 So you've got a study guide, all right, 33:39 don't get discouraged, they're coming your way 33:41 hold those hands up ladies, 33:43 fellows, okay. 33:46 And fill it in, Acts 2:42-47 33:49 is the secret of the "rescuing hug." 33:51 That's what we're looking for, 33:52 we're looking for this rescuing hug. 33:56 So let's put it down before we read those final verses. 33:59 Acts 2:42-47 is the secret of the rescuing hug. 34:05 All right, keep your hands up, we're coming to you. 34:08 But look at verse 42, 34:09 so 3,000 were baptized plus the 120 in the upper room 34:12 that makes 3,120 in this new church. 34:14 Verse 42 and, "They, all of those, 34:17 devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching." 34:20 Now the only book the apostles had was the Old Testament 34:22 and they taught out of the Old Testament. 34:23 So this is Bible study. 34:24 So number one, they have Bible study, 34:26 the apostles' teaching. 34:27 And to fellowship, number two they were big on community, 34:30 they were having that interaction. 34:31 Number three, they devoted themselves 34:33 to the breaking of bread. 34:34 And you need to understand 34:35 this is eating in each others homes 34:37 as well as having the Lord's Supper. 34:38 It can go either way, they did both. 34:41 And finally number four, and to prayer. 34:43 Now the problem in this translation is 34:45 the Greek is plural, it should read and to prayers. 34:48 F.F. Bruce, the great New Testament commentator 34:51 he says, that's describing the seasons of united prayer 34:56 that the early Christians enjoyed. 34:58 Again you can pray at home alone all you want, 35:02 it's not the same, you will not experience the same. 35:06 It is in the collective united gathering 35:10 that we grow spiritually 35:12 and the Holy Spirit is poured out. 35:14 So that's what they did, those four compulsions. 35:15 Now, look at this, this gets better, verse 43. 35:18 "Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders 35:21 and signs performed by the apostles." 35:22 Verse 44, "And all the believers were together," 35:24 that's a keyword here you'll count it three times. 35:26 "All the believers were together 35:28 and had everything in common. 35:30 They sold property and possessions 35:31 to give it to anyone who had need." 35:33 Verse 46, 35:34 "Every day they continued to meet together." 35:37 Not just once a week or twice a week, everyday, wow. 35:41 "In the temple courts, they broke bread in their homes 35:44 and they ate together with glad and sincere hearts." 35:48 Verse 47, "Praising God," 35:50 Oh, Luke, loves that phrase praising God, 35:51 the shepherds are praising God. 35:52 The angels over Bethlehem are praising God. 35:55 The next chapter has the people praising God, 35:57 "They're praising God 35:59 and enjoying the favor of all the people." 36:01 Now here is where the light bulb went out for me, 36:03 this last line, watch this now, final line. 36:06 "And the Lord added to their number daily 36:11 those who were being saved." 36:14 Isn't that amazing, ladies and gentlemen. 36:16 Did you ever noticed this before, 36:17 verse 47 follows verse 41? 36:20 Did you ever see that before? 36:22 47 comes after 41. 36:26 What's happening? 36:28 In that sequence the strategic primetime principle 36:32 that we're locking on today is revealed. 36:35 Jot it down. What's that principle? 36:36 "The Kingdom of God grows 36:38 not only through public rallies." 36:41 Oh, big, big evangelistic meetings. 36:44 Yeah, we've all been to those, halleluiah for them. 36:47 But note, "The Kingdom of God 36:49 grows not only through public rallies, 36:51 but just as successfully through private relationships." 36:55 Public venues, yes, but private visits. 36:59 My friend, Ruthie Jacobsen, I love the way she puts this, 37:02 jot it down again, 37:03 "The kingdom advances among friends." 37:09 That's how God grows His kingdom. 37:11 Hey, praise God for the 3,000 that joined the church 37:13 in that single day. 37:14 But no less significant, 37:16 are the countless numbers of men, women, children 37:19 who were daily, in fact, you know what 37:21 the church had these few of these public venues 37:23 but they had way, way more of the daily. 37:28 Men, women and children being added daily, 37:30 daily, quietly through interpersonal interaction. 37:35 The kingdom of God advances among friends. 37:37 How is it work, Dwight? 37:39 Let me share it with you, I'll sit down now 37:40 after I give you these four, 37:41 four methods then I'll sit down. 37:42 Method number one, how does it work? Jot it down. 37:44 Enlarge your circle of friends. 37:47 I'll show you how it works. 37:50 Enlarge your circle of friends. 37:51 So, who are the friends that God is hoping and praying 37:54 that He can reach through you because of your gracious, 38:00 very unique and personnel kind of witness. 38:02 Who are the friends? 38:03 Listen, I don't need to tell you who your friends are, 38:05 you already know who your friends are. 38:06 But so that you won't forget, let's do this right now. 38:09 Let's take a moment 38:10 and write down on our study guide. 38:13 Write down the friends you have who are lost. 38:16 They have to be lost, I don't want family members, 38:18 these are friends. 38:19 Not children, not parents and uncles and, 38:21 no, these are friends. 38:23 If Jesus were to come tonight, you know, 38:25 they would not be ready to go to heaven with Jesus. 38:27 Who are those people? Would you jot their names? 38:29 We put the blanks on the screen and you just fill it in. 38:32 Who are the people you know who are lost right now. 38:45 I see some of us-- already looking up aggravated, 38:48 that one isn't very long. 38:51 You know what? 38:53 We probably don't need a lot of time to filling out 38:55 a list of the lost people that we are friends with 38:59 because we don't have very many friends who are lost.. 39:06 Bill Hybels' wonderful book Just Walk Across the Room. 39:10 I'm reading that book right now 39:11 and in this book he shares two graphs, 39:14 and you see in your study guide where it says graph 1, graph 2. 39:16 Let me put the graph on the screen for you. 39:17 Let's take a look please at graph 1. 39:20 Interaction with people far from God. 39:22 Now you see that, the years walking with Christ, 39:24 that's when you accept the Jesus 39:26 and you became a follower of Christ. 39:27 And year 1, year 2, year 3, year 4 to all the way down. 39:30 You see that graph. 39:31 When you accepted Christ, 39:33 you, let just say you knew 20 people 39:36 at high school, at college, at work, 39:39 20 people who are lost. 39:41 But notice what happens to that graph. 39:44 Where is the line going as every year progresses, 39:48 isn't that a reality of our lives, 39:49 we know less and less people who are really lost. 39:57 Is he on to something here? 40:02 The longer we live in this community of faith, 40:03 and by the way Berrien Springs is a fortress of faith 40:06 where too many of us hide. 40:09 The longer we live, 40:11 the less number of people you can count on one hand 40:13 who I know are lost and are my friends, 40:16 or you can name everybody in the town if you want, 40:18 but not one of them is a friend of yours. 40:21 Bill Hybels puts it this way, 40:23 "This trend spirals downward year after year 40:26 until Christ followers face their dying day and realize 40:29 they have become completely insulated 40:32 in an evangelism-void vacuum." 40:35 This is no soul winning taking on, happening at all 40:39 'cause I don't know anybody who is lost. 40:42 And then he describes how you and I... 40:45 Oh, boy, does this sound familiar. 40:46 He describes how we horse-trade with God. 40:49 All right, God. I got a deal for you. 40:50 Here's what let's do. 40:52 Let me put it on the screen for you, 40:53 these are Hybels words. 40:54 "But here's my deal, God. 40:56 I will get all over spiritual development." 40:58 Man, I'm gonna be really into developing my self spiritually. 41:01 "I will be a Bible knowledge hound. 41:03 If you want, I'll throw myself 41:05 into building Habitat for Humanity homes," 41:07 all over Benton Harbor, "every summer, in fact. 41:10 And I'm gonna climb all over volunteerism." 41:12 If there is a ministry fair coming, I'm signing up, 41:14 "I'm gonna show up at church 41:15 five nights a week if you ask me to." 41:16 I'll even go to House of Prayer. 41:17 "You let me off the evangelism hook, 41:20 and I'll prove my love to you 41:21 in a half dozen other ways if it kills me. 41:23 That's my deal." 41:27 You say, I've never made that deal with God, 41:29 I'm grateful you haven't. 41:30 If you are young adult, you haven't probably. 41:33 Don't look around you. 41:35 There are some who are older than you 41:37 and this horse trading with God is not an aberration. 41:43 I'll get involved in all kinds of ministries in this church, 41:45 I'll just do it. 41:47 Just let me off this business of having to find lost people 41:50 and win them to you. 41:51 Just give me a pass on that one 41:53 and I'll really word hard here. 41:59 Graph number 2, Bill Hybels, 42:01 let me put it on the screen for you. 42:02 This is a love quotient graph. 42:04 You know, graph number 1 is our typical lifestyle, 42:06 lifecycle rather. 42:08 This is the lifecycle of Jesus is calling you and me to, 42:11 you come to Christ in year 0, year 1, you're so excited. 42:15 You're beginning to accept grace 42:16 just follow that graph, you're accepting grace. 42:19 Man, I got some gifts, I got to help grow this kingdom. 42:21 And then you start focusing on people 42:23 and a few years into it, 42:24 you're spreading grace to others, 42:25 you're looking for people every where you can, 42:28 you are looking for lost people. 42:30 That's a cycle. 42:34 Christ calls His followers to, 42:36 until finally Hybels says, he puts it down here. 42:38 "The longer you walk with God, the more open your arms become. 42:42 Instead of clenching tightly to a small circle of insiders 42:45 you throw out your arms, 42:47 you are opening them to those outside the circle 42:49 who many need to come in." 42:50 Let's think of it as the rescuing hug. 42:52 You just say, who can I touch? 42:54 Who can I hug for Christ? 42:58 You say, oh, Dwight, how can I possibly do this, 43:00 I don't have any lost friends? 43:01 How can I grow a list of lost friends? 43:03 All right, the final three 43:04 of how you can grow that list, let's go. 43:06 Method number two, engage in low-risk high-grace activities. 43:10 Oh, I like that. 43:11 Low-risk, high-grace activities. 43:14 And Ruthie Jacobsen's delightful new book 43:16 Bridges 101. 43:18 She describes what she means by this phrase. 43:20 This is in your study guide. 43:22 "By definition, low-risk/high-grace 43:26 is any Kingdom witnessing activity 43:28 that is comfortable for the timid 43:30 but has the muscle to make a powerful grace statement. 43:34 It's a love-sharing activity that is doable even for those 43:36 who have never seen themselves as members of the God Squad. " 43:40 Low-risk, 43:42 her little book is chock full of stories of activities 43:44 as simple as giving away, at the county fair 43:46 giving away bottles of water free. 43:47 On the back of little tag from the church and the phone number 43:50 and Jesus loves you something like that. 43:53 It's going into a village 43:54 gas station like we have here in Berrien 43:55 and deciding there for two hours, 43:57 gas is going to be reduced, 43:58 we will subsidize gas 50 percent, 44:00 50 cents on every gallon. 44:03 So the price drops for 50 cents during those two hours 44:05 and that little team is up moving up 44:07 washing the windshields, handing out granola bars 44:10 and welcome cards. 44:13 I love this one. 44:14 She tells a story in her book about little Johnny. 44:17 Johnny has-19-year-old and has down syndrome. 44:21 Vice presidential nominee for the Republican Part 44:24 held a little down syndrome 44:25 baby up in front of the world to watch. 44:28 So this Johnny, he is 19 now. 44:31 He went to church and heard about this business of, 44:33 you know, witnessing in some kind of 44:35 simple and easy way for Jesus 44:36 and he talked it over his dad and he said, 44:38 what are you thinking came up with an idea. 44:40 He decided, he would write a little phrase 44:42 just a little feel good picking up phrase 44:45 and he would coin himself. 44:47 And that- 44:48 he is working at the supermarket, 44:49 every bag that he packed at the supermarket 44:52 he would drop a little slip at the end. 44:54 Low-risk, high-grace, nobody even saw it at first 44:58 people started going home- hey, 44:59 where is this come from, let's put it. 45:00 Hey, this is from that supermarket kid. 45:04 Few weeks later the manager came walking out in the store. 45:05 What is the problem here? 45:08 Because there is a line snaking from Johnny's check out counter 45:12 all the way through... 45:16 what's the word. 45:18 Freezer, frozen foods, thank you. 45:19 We're there for a service. 45:21 You need to stay with me, help me out. 45:24 Frozen foods. 45:27 That was our children from a prayer service, 45:29 a choir as they listen hard as in prayer service. 45:34 So thank you for that. 45:35 Hey, look, we got three other aisles here, nobody is here. 45:37 And they went over, say, hey, you got a free aisle here, 45:39 you got a free aisle here, and free aisle here. 45:40 And everybody said, no, no, no, 45:41 we want to be in Johnny's aisle. 45:43 The kid made an impact 45:44 by dropping a simple little piece of paper 45:47 where he coined a pick in up phrase. 45:49 A woman came in tears one day to the manager and she said, 45:51 you know, something I've been coming back here everyday. 45:54 He says, good. 45:55 I've been coming back here everyday 45:58 because that one day when my heart was broken, 46:00 Johnny dropped a slip in that bag 46:02 and it spoke to me and God touched my life. 46:05 Hey, listen guys, it's called low-risk, high-grace. 46:09 You got a bright mind, 46:11 you got a timid heart like mine, that's okay. 46:12 You got a bright mind, use that mind. 46:14 What can we be doing around here? 46:16 What can I be doing around here? 46:17 Low-grace, high-risk. 46:20 All you need is a heart to praise. 46:21 And by the way we got a ministry 46:22 for your coming, look at this. 46:24 We got- let's put it on the screen. 46:26 The poster for this, 46:28 this Friday night, you got to come. 46:30 Friday night, I don't care who you are, 46:32 where you live in the community. 46:33 And of course university students, 46:34 Friday night look for the big tent on campus 46:37 'cause we're gonna fill it with low-risk, 46:39 high-grace ministries, you can sign up 46:42 and you almost begin him to develop 46:44 a new circle of lost friends. 46:46 We want to help you. 46:47 We don't have to make this, it's not like pulling teeth, 46:50 we want to make it easy, volunteer low-risk, 46:53 high-grace, Friday evening. 46:55 You come, you come and bring your friends with you. 46:58 We'll have a great time together. 46:59 Why not? 47:01 It's about extending, it's about engaging 47:04 in activities low-risk, high-grace. 47:06 All right, method number 3, spread your warmth. 47:09 Spread your warmth. 47:10 Ruthie's husband, Don, was my preaching prof. 47:13 by the way in the seminary when I was here, 47:15 great man, Don and Ruthie are wonderful people. 47:17 Anyway, he was traveling over in Japan. 47:20 So, he is on a Japanese airplane 47:23 reading a Japanese magazine that he does not understand, 47:25 he just, you know, he's looking at the pictures. 47:26 And he comes to a- oh, this is a ugly ad, 47:30 it's gray, it's drab and there is old butterfly on it 47:33 and he's just sitting and looking 47:34 and there are Japanese words underneath it. 47:35 I can't figure it out. 47:37 And the Japanese businessman beside him 47:39 realized the quandary he was in 47:40 and explained to him, what this instruction say is, 47:43 put your hand over the butterfly 47:44 to which Don complied, 47:46 put his hand over that butterfly 47:48 and pulled hand away 47:49 and through special ink that butterfly had turned into 47:53 the glorious colors of one of God's great creatures. 47:57 And then Ruthie says, 48:00 who in your world needs a warm hand 48:05 to help them blossom to came alive. 48:08 This is not rocket science. 48:10 You can take the warmth of Christ wherever you go, 48:12 just put your hand on somebody. 48:15 Bring out the colors of God distant into that life, 48:17 just put your hand out. 48:19 You know what? 48:21 It's like stopping and talking to a stranger, 48:22 so you're pumping gas together. 48:24 She is on the next pump over. 48:25 What's wrong we're talking? 48:26 What's wrong we just say, hey, what's up? 48:28 You're just stopping to talk. 48:30 Maybe it's a little old lady crossing the street, 48:32 you race over to help. 48:33 You're in the cafeteria. 48:35 Now, boy, I'll tell you, 48:36 be great when they get their full cafeteria going 48:38 because it's very crowded downstairs as you know. 48:42 But even so you will find people in the crowd 48:45 who will find a place to be all alone. 48:47 You know why? 48:48 Because they don't have anybody to sit with that's why, 48:49 it's not like they're hermits, they just don't know anybody. 48:52 You go across that cafeteria, 48:54 you take the long walk and you put your tray down 48:56 you say, hey, can I sit- 48:57 I notice this seat is- can I sit here. 48:59 Just put your hand, 49:00 let the colors of that butterfly begin to emerge, 49:03 just show some warmth. 49:05 Get the Laundromat, 49:06 lot of Laundromat usage in a university town like this, 49:09 talk to the people who are in the Laundromat. 49:11 Spread the warmth. 49:14 May turn out to be you are the rescuing hug 49:16 if that person was desperately needing 49:18 that very moment in time. 49:20 Method number four finally, practice radical inclusiveness. 49:24 Would you jot that down please? Radical inclusiveness. 49:28 Bill Hybels describes this radical inclusiveness this way. 49:31 He says when you have this, "You have new eyes. " 49:34 You see that, that you're gonna have to fill it in. 49:35 "You have new eyes to see things as Jesus saw them. 49:39 You allow people's foibles and failins 49:41 and faults to fall away, 49:43 instead you seeing them their potential. " 49:45 Write that word in. 49:46 It's now what's there now and trust me, 49:48 it is not what's there now but you see the potential. 49:53 Spirit-infused, you see a spirit-infused state. 49:55 Now I love this illustration. 49:57 "You see filthy-mouthed, party-loving, 50:00 woman-chasing Joe, and you say, "what would Joe, what would- 50:04 even a guy like Joe, what would he be like 50:06 if God ruled and reigned in his heart? 50:09 Joe would be incredible if Christ invaded his world!"' 50:14 I mean, you see somebody walking by dressed in gothic, 50:18 you say, ah, brother. 50:21 No, you see what we've been doing is, 50:23 we've been walking by all the Joes and Jills 50:25 that just don't fit in to our very proper paradigm. 50:30 Oh, that's a hopeless case, forget it, 50:32 look at the guys they're druggy man. 50:34 What are you gonna do? Try to witness to him. 50:37 We keep walking by the very people 50:39 that may be wide open for that rescue hug. 50:43 Practice radical inclusiveness instead of writing people off, 50:46 find a way to draw him in, circle him, touch him, 50:51 bring the warmth, 50:53 you say I'm here on behalf of the Lord Jesus to tell you, 50:57 you can live in the house of the Lord forever and ever. 51:01 You say, Dwight, I'll never be able to do that. 51:02 Oh, please, you can. 51:06 Radical inclusiveness means, 51:08 we've got to reach out to the people 51:11 we don't feel comfortable with. 51:15 You may be I repeat, the one rescue hug 51:18 that that little preemie is desperate to have 51:23 in order to live forever and ever. 51:28 By the way, Bill Hybels, 51:30 I got somebody who wrote 51:31 a hundred years earlier the very same point, 51:35 in fact if you come to our contagious Adventist seminar, 51:37 you'll get this syllabus 51:38 and this quotation will be in the syllabus next Sabbath, 51:42 only next Sabbath, you have an opportunity to sign up 51:44 for the contagious, alpha version 51:45 contagious Adventist seminar next Sabbath. 51:49 Here's the quotation that's in 51:50 what would be your new syllabus, watch this. 51:52 This is written, words written a hundred years ago, 51:54 "Christ's methods alone 51:57 will give true success in reaching people. 51:59 The Savior mingled," hey, hey, what is mingled mean? 52:04 What's mingled mean? When you mingle what do you do? 52:08 Yeah, you're just hanging around, 52:09 you're just hanging around. 52:11 Jesus mingled with people 52:12 to the place people were saying, 52:13 you know, what the problem with this guy is? 52:15 He hangs around, he mingles with prostitutes 52:18 and tax collectors and other sex sinners. 52:20 Jesus said, it's not about me, it's about them 52:24 and He let the reputation go. 52:26 He mingled radical inclusiveness, he mingled. 52:31 He say, yeah, you're having a party, can I come? 52:33 He didn't do what they were doing in the party 52:36 but He was there so that He could touch them in the party 52:39 and there is the worldly difference. 52:42 Radical inclusiveness, isn't it something? 52:44 He mingled, "The Savior mingled with them 52:47 as one who desired their good. 52:48 He showed His sympathy for them, 52:49 He ministered to their needs, He won their confidence. 52:51 And then He bade them. " 52:53 Hey, guys, girls, follow me now. 52:56 And boy, were they ready to line up? 52:58 I'll follow this guy to death because He won them, 53:01 He won their friendship. 53:03 The kingdom of God advances among friends, 53:06 not among strangers, among friends. 53:11 Ladies and gentlemen, primetime one Pentecost one, 53:14 if it work that way with Pentecost one, 53:17 don't you suppose that primetime two, 53:19 Pentecost two it's supposed to work the very same way. 53:24 The kingdom of God advances among friends. 53:27 I want to be, I want to be that kind of friend. 53:31 I want to be that kind of a friend 53:34 to the human race, don't you? 53:36 Don't you? 53:38 You want to be that kind of a friend stand on your feat. 53:40 You say, okay, Dwight, yup, you're standing, I'll stand, 53:43 sure, I want to be that kind of friend. 53:45 I'm willing to, I'm willing to get timid over this. 53:51 But this is a low-risk, high-grace appeal, 53:56 I'm willing to stand. 53:59 I want to be a friend of the world, 54:01 I want to be a friend to this campus. 54:04 I want to be a friend to this village. 54:07 I want to be a friend in Weimar. 54:10 I want to be your friend wherever I go. 54:14 Oh, Jesus, this isn't rocket science, is it? 54:20 Simply being like you, 54:21 it's the way you wore radical inclusiveness 54:23 that's the way you live, you mingled 54:26 among men and women and young adults. 54:28 And you said, hey, watch out and you hung there, 54:35 you stood there, you were a friend there. 54:40 We stand because we want to be friends too. 54:43 We want to be friends to those who need. 54:45 Jesus, take this humble little tiny response 54:49 that we're making and grow it. 54:53 And fill us with Your passion for lost people 54:56 I pray in the name of Jesus. 55:02 Amen. 55:05 Jesus, keep me near the cross 55:13 There a precious fountain 55:20 Free to all 55:24 A healing stream 55:29 Flows from Calvary's mountain 55:38 In the cross In the cross 55:47 Be my glory ever 55:57 Till my raptured soul 56:04 Shall find 56:08 Rest beyond 56:12 The river 56:19 And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 56:23 and the love of God 56:25 and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 56:27 be with you all, amen. 56:41 It's been a pleasure to be able 56:42 to worship with you again today. 56:44 I hope the spirit of Jesus has blessed your time with us. 56:47 You know what? We've got people all over this earth, 56:49 who join us every week for this worship hour. 56:52 As a consequence we're always looking for new ways 56:55 to bridge to somehow allow these 56:57 who worship with us to be bridged 57:00 to the truth about Jesus for this critical time in history. 57:04 One of the areas of bridging, 57:05 that's quickly growing is our website. 57:07 We have more than 140,000 visitors a year. 57:11 It is an amazing opportunity 57:12 that God has given us to expand His kingdom here on earth. 57:16 If you'd like to partner with us, 57:18 as we seek to spread the everlasting gospel, 57:20 I'll tell you what, would you be willing to call this number? 57:23 Let me put it on the screen for you 877, 57:25 it's toll free, 877 the two words, His Will. 57:29 One of our operators will be glad to help you, 57:32 work through the details of that partnership, 57:34 or if you prefer you can do it all online 57:36 in the privacy of your own home. 57:38 The website, you know it, www.pmchurch.tv. 57:43 I'll be honored 57:44 for the privilege of partnering with you 57:46 as we seek to spread the truth about Jesus 57:48 for this generation. 57:50 If ever there were an urgent generation 57:52 to get the good news out, it's got be this one. 57:55 So once again, the toll free number 877, 57:58 two words, His Will. 58:00 Thank you in advance for your generosity. 58:02 I'm looking forward to the continuing worship journey 58:04 that you and I share right here. |
Revised 2015-03-05