Surprising my mom.
I can only think of a couple of times in my life when I was really able to surprise my mother.
Tell the story of getting engaged to Corrie. Tell the story of her 60th birthday party.
Today, we want to begin to make 2011 a year of surprises. A year where we do something both heaven and earth will react powerfully to…
Surprise your Father by how you react to trouble. Read text (Acts 4:23-24a)
Distress forces us into difficult decisions: Introduce the trial of Acts 4. Then, share personal story of how we reacted during our church planting years.
Regress and run? How will you live out this year when trials come?
Or talk with dad? We need to build our conversation with Jesus… our commitment to conversation with the Father… remind audience of the surprise of parents when a child actually asks for help.
Surprise your Father by how you pray. Read text (Acts 4: 24b-30)
To become a house of prayer, we must praise. See Acts 4 story and how they began. Plus “do not be anxious” thoughts.
To become a house of prayer, we must have a perspective change. Realize that our struggles and attacks are against God‟s Kingdom… not us personally.
To become a house of prayer, we must pray “otherly.” Jesus and the apostles were always teaching us to encourage each other, love each other, be patient with each other… but it all starts with us praying for God to affect others! Notice how they didn‟t pray for their own protection, but rather that God‟s Kingdom would come in preaching and power. Good reminder that national Vineyard is emphasizing reaching.
Be surprised by your Father’s reaction! Read text (Acts 4:31-35) Every time I read this story, I get the impression of God sitting on the edge of his throne in anticipation…
He comes with power beyond our understanding. He sends earthquakes, wow (Rev 8)… and he fills them with the Holy Spirit, did they ask for that?
He comes with better answers than our questions. Unity, boldness, no poverty!
He comes with the Kingdom. Look at how POWERFULLY the Father blessed their prayers! Their prayers were simple, but the reaction of heaven was not. When God‟s Kingdom breaks in, it looks like nothing we can possibly imagine under our own power… Illustration of a child coloring with daddy/mommy.
Begin your year with a commitment to deeper conversation with the Father.
For many of us, this is a conversation that hasn‟t started yet: a call to salvation.
For others, we need to stop neglecting this conversation: a call to break apathy.
For some, you feel the need to grow really deep: a call to our prayer opportunities/meetings.
The Believers Pray for Courage – ACTS 4
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God:
“O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, „Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.‟
27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God‟s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.
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