Date: February 20th, 2011

Speaker:  Pastor Kevin Snyder

Title:  The Whisper to the Ordinary Part 2: Pray & Bloom

Text:  Acts 1: 4-26

Introduction
      
Johnny, a very bright 5 year old, told his daddy he'd like to have a baby brother and, along with his request, offered to do whatever he could to help. His dad, a very bright 35 year old, paused for a moment and then replied, " I'll tell you what, Johnny, if you pray every day for two months for a baby brother, I guarantee that God will give you one!"
      
Johnny responded eagerly to his dad's challenge and went to his bedroom early that night to start praying for a baby brother.
      
He prayed every night for a whole month, but after that time, he began to get skeptical. He checked around the neighborhood and found out that what he thought was going to happen, had never occurred in the history of the neighborhood. You just don't pray for two months and then, whammo- a new baby brother. So, Johnny quit praying. After another month, Johnny's mother went to the hospital. When she came back home, Johnny's parents called him into the bedroom. He cautiously walked into the room, not expecting to find anything, and there was a little bundle lying right next to his mother. His dad pulled back the blanket and there was -- not one baby brother, but two!! His mother had twins!
      
Johnny's dad looked down at him and said, "Now aren't you glad you prayed?"
      
Johnny hesitated a little and then looked up at his dad and said, "Yes, but aren't you glad I quit when I did?" 

Last week: 

How a group of ordinary people, living in a sin-permeated world… rocked their world.We talked about one of the things that enabled that.They were armed with a dream….not a dream they made up, but a dream of the Kingdom of God.

• A dream of what God wanted for this world.A dream of what lives, families, communities, and societies could be liked…a dream that embraced the world and the environment.  A salvation that was deeper and broader than just my soul.
• That dream so captured their hearts and minds that it catapulted these ordinary people into the streets, soup kitchens, youth rooms, kid’s place, their workplaces, and community…

It  motivated them to give their time, their resources, their lives to see this kingdom come about. 

It is amazing what God can do with a groupof ordinary folks armed with a dream, but it is even more amazing what God can do when those ordinary people are partnered with the Holy Spirit. 

Let’s read: Acts 1: 4-14  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with?a? water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk?a? from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. ”

 He also armed them with divine power.  He gave them the Holy Spirit. And he gave them a means by which to muster the power of heaven – vehicle of prayer. 

And I’m sure they felt the need of it. This dream, this kingdom was certainly  bigger than them.

• It was bigger than the 120 ordinary folk in that upper room.It’s bigger than 350 people who will gather today in this room.
• It’s bigger than us.

You see, this book of Acts could really be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.”  Because what we see is more the power of his activity than the genius of any human activity.These folks had a partner in this endeavour that went before them, went with them, and blew them away.

 Acts 1 talks about how we access that power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1 makes it clear that the way we access that power is through prayer.

 

• They prayed.When this daunting task was before them they prayed.They knew  they were up against spiritual forces in heavenly places.
• They knew that this war was no going to be won with more programs, more hours, more people…They knew the tide was only going to be changed  through prayer.

If this vision is going to change our world it calls on us to pray. Let me show you a video a video clip of what can happen in society when God’s people joing together in united prayer. 

Video cliphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBvxWl7jXr0&feature=related 

Story:

Bar – church praying for its demise. Burned down and owner sued the church claiming it was responsible. Church denied it had any part. Reporter: “Case of a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and a church that doesn’t”

 i.e.Practical Application On March 16 the Church of god in North America is joining together for what is called "FOCUS 40” 

 

Calling the Church to
Focus on 40 days of Prayer and Fasting

March 16–April 24

 It is 40 days of united prayer.The Church of God is being called to unite in a time of prayer and fasting during the 40 days leading up to Easter (March 16–April 24). Imagine the transformative power that could be unleashed if the church united in a time of deliberate prayer and fasting. How many lives could be changed? How many congregations could be healed and empowered for the sharing of the Good News of Christ? Imagine what could happen if we Christians humbled ourselves in submission, sacrifice and prayer? Focus 40 is a call for the church to join together for just such a period of worship and obedience.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray…” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Joel 2:12 NIV

And as a church we want to encourage you to participate.

a.  Calendar of  things to pray for everyday on website and at info booth.

b.  Daily devotion for the 40 days that will be available on website or linked to our website or you can order them in hardcopy  for a minimal cost.

c.  Encourage you to take a meal or a day per week to fast and pray for God’s kingdom to spread in those realms: (1 each week)

Own heart

Our families

Our community

Our  nation

Our world

d.  Prayer Event

 And so these people were armed with a dream….endued with a power that was accessed through unified prayer and…Their world was about to be rocked when the power of the Holy Spirit partnered with their activity…Do we believe God could do it again as we come together in united prayer. 

2.  ENCOURAGED TO BLOOM

 In Acts 1: 15 – 26 we read the process to replace Judas, the traitor, among the disciples. 

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers?b? (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17 he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” 18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms,

“ ‘May his place be deserted;let there be no one to dwell in it,’?c?and,“ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’?d?

They prayed, they established some criteria 

21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 

They narrowed down the search and then they put it into God’s hands

.v. 23 – 2623

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

They believed God placed  Matthias there.They believed God had his hand in choosing him for this role. 

Personalize this:

• Do you dare believe God has bigger purposes for where he has placed you?Do you dare believe God has you here in this church now for a reason?Do you dare believe he has placed you at your job for a reason?
• In your neighborhood?

In the Old Testament there is a book called Esther.  Esther applies  for and wins a beauty pageant and becomes the king’s trophy wife.  Perhaps some quasi-motivations  on her part.But she gets there and stuff happens in the kingdom.  A man who has ascended to a powerful government position wants to use his power and position to commit racial genocide.  And he schemes and connives and manipulates until he achieves his goal…he gets the edict.And the pretty little queen  who is enjoying daily spa treatments has her world rocked by her uncle who raised her: He said “Esther this is what is happening.  You alone are in a position to stop it. Will you answer the bell.”She isn’t convinced she has influence or opportunity and Mordecai says:“Esther, could it be that God has put you in this position for such a time as this?”

Friends, I don’t know how it works. 

• Sometimes we take jobs because we like the money….or the opportunity.We move because we like the neighborhood.
• We choose that church because we like the music or the Senior Pastor.

 But I believe Prov 16:9

People may make plans in their minds,but the Lord decides what they will do.

 Somehow  despite our quasi-pure motives God places us in the place he wants us for bigger reasons than we know. We plan our ways and he directs our steps.   

Could it be that God has placed us here, now, to serve this community, this generation?

That he has you there  to be salt & light?  To bring a credible witness of his love into that arena. 

And the key to realizing that is not …

• Whining about your jobComplaining how bad it is
• Bemoaning how unchallenging it perhaps is

But bloom where you are planted.

• Capture that maybe….just maybe God has you there for kingdom purposes more than anything else.

And the prayer you go with in the morning is not “Help me survive this next 8 hours.” But,

• “Lord, what do you have for me today? Who are you going to bring across my path that I can be a peacemaker?How can I be an agent of justice and mercy today?
• How can I be an agent of your love and acceptance?

 And  each day we just go about  our kingdom business not worrying about if anyone notices, if there are any ripples….but just believing God placed me there and I am just going to try and bloom where I’m planted. 

Wrap Up

These 120 or so ordinary people rocked their sin- permeated world to it’s foundations.  This  little gathering exploded in days to over 3000….then 5000.It spread from Jerusalem….to Judea…Samaria…Antioch, and it ends at the vortex of the then known world – Rome.

• Within a 100 years it had spread across the Roman empire.
• Within a couple of centuries it became the official religion  and dominated the then known world.

It happened because these ordinary people were

• Captured by the dream of the Kingdom of GodEmpowered by prayer with the power of the Holy Spirit
• And were determined to bloom wherever God had planted them….

 And it can happen again….in our day….in this place  

1.  Will you commit yourself to pray more intentionally and fervently for

a.  Own heart

b.  Our families

c.  Our community

d.  Our nation

e.  Our world

f.  Will you participate with Christians all across North America in Focus 40

 

2.  Will you commit to bloom where God has planted you.  To begin to look for why God has you there.  To be his ambassador in that part of this world?  To go into each day with Kingdom purposes on your mind.

 

Prayer

 

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a Or in

a That is, about ¾ mile (about 1,100 meters)

b Greek brothers

c Psalm 69:25

d Psalm 109:8

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 1:1-26

The Everyday Bible : New Century Version. Nashville, TN. : Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2005, S. Pr 16:9