May 27, 2007 by PastorMark.

#278, Why I am a “Pentecostal”, Sunday 05-27-2007

Text: Acts 2:1-4
Theme: Acts 2:1-4 is the fulfillment of these promises.

Introduction:

1. Today is the Day of Pentecost.
   1. Fifty days after the Sabbath of the Passover week. (The Sunday, or first day of the week)
   2. Also called the “Feast of Weeks” (Deuteronomy 16:10) and Feast of Harvest, day of first fruits.
2. Jesus and John the Baptist predicted a coming “baptism”
   1. Mark 1:8 “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
   2. Acts 1:4-5 “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
3. Acts 2:1-4 is the fulfillment of these promises.
   1. Most believers in Christ would agree with the fact of the Day of Pentecost and that the first century church of the Bible was a Pentecostal church.
   2. What is debatable is:
   3. Is this experience a one time event?
   4. Is this for a short time only?
   5. Are tongues simply a gift for some or is tongues one evidence of this experience?
4. What about Pentecostals today?
   1. Most Pentecostals are Pentecostal because they believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4)
   2. They do not believe in cessessionism (the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was no longer needed after the Apostles died or after the Word of God was complete.)
   3. Pentecostalism experienced a revival in the early 1900’s: 1906 Azuza Street meetings in LA.

Pentecostalism is never merely doctrinal, but involves yourself.
This is my own personal journey

1. My Pentecostal church helped me find God.
   1. After I had strayed, the youth helped me.
   2. The sincerity of my mother and the people influenced me.
2. My own “Pentecost” came a few months after my salvation.
   1. I believed this was from God.
   2. I was hungry for God and what He promised.
   3. I knew that my baptism in the Holy Spirit was not “made-up”.

Why have I stayed a Pentecostal? Is it just because of my upbringing?
Some reasons why I love being Pentecostal:

1. I see the Pentecostal experience as Biblical.
   1. (if I were on an island with only the Bible, I would still believe this)
   2. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit were important to them
   3. We must be careful to “test everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:20)
2. I have experience Pentecostal people as real.
   1. They have emphasized a love for the Word, Christ.
   2. They have emphasized the importance of the Spirit in fulfilling the mission of Jesus.
   3. They have emphasized the “go” in Gospel.
   4. Missions has always existed in the DNA of Pentecostalism.
   5. At the second General Council of the Assemblies of God the leaders committed themselves to, “the greatest evangelism movement the world have ever known”
   6. Some statistics on Pentecostals:
   7. 25% of Christians in the world today are Pentecostal.
   8. Pentecostals are growing at about 19 million a year. There are about 500 million total in the world right now (over 20 million in the US)
3. I am challenged by Pentecostalism.
   1. I am challenged to live filled with the Holy Spirit.
   2. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not for salvation, but for empowerment and fullness.
   3. I need to have both the fruit and the gifts.
   4. I am challenged by Pentecostalism to stay close to God.
   5. My prayer language is a priceless gift.
   6. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit helps “convict” me when I drift into “status quo.”

What about you?

Are you open to experience what the 120 experienced on the Day of Pentecost?
This can happen anywhere, anytime.
Are you willing to be refilled?

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May 20, 2007 by PastorMark.

#277, A Powerful Practice, Sunday 05-20-2007

Text: Matthew 6:16-18
Theme: What does Jesus teach us about fasting?

Introduction:

1. After “the Lord’s prayer” Jesus spoke about fasting.
   1. The people of Christ’s day were familiar with fasting.
   2. Today fasting is associated with medical procedures.
   3. The understanding and practice of fasting has become a lost treasure.
2. What in the world is fasting – biblically?
   1. Fast = to abstain from food (and liquids sometimes) for a religious exercise or purpose.
   2. I don’t like to fast … but I like the results.
   3. You may not be interested in fasting or feel able to fast but …
3. What does Jesus say about fasting?

Text: Matthew 6:16-18 - What does Jesus teach us about fasting?

1. There’s a wrong way to fast. (v 16)
   1. You can do the right thing in the wrong way.
   2. Some ultra religious people (Pharisees) loved to fast.
   3. They would fast twice a week.
   4. They loved the recognition from their fasting.
   5. They fasted to impress others with their spirituality.
   6. In reality they were “carnally” minded, but tried to “overcompensate” by “super spiritual” words.
   7. These hypocrites “disfigured” their faces – they wanted you to know they were suffering.
   8. These hypocrites received “their reward” … the shallow applause of people.
   9. There are other “wrong ways” to fast.
   10. Out of guilt, confusion.
2. There’s a right way to fast. (vv 17-18)
   1. We are instructed to be “indescreet” (in secret)
   2. Put oil on your head, wash your face.
   3. Don’t hang a sign around your neck. (I am fasting)
   4. We are to “fast to your Father who is unseen” (v 18)
   5. We fast because of our relationship with our God.
   6. We don’t fast for salvation or to “pay” for our sins.
   7. What are some specific purposes of fasting to the Father?
   8. To draw near to God. (we give up something important for something better)
   9. To get through a crisis.
   10. To receive guidance, direction and power.
   11. To mourn for a lost nation.
   12. To humble ourselves.
   13. “Yet when they were ill, I put on sack cloth and humbled myself with fasting.” (Psalm 35:13)
3. God blesses when we fast in the right way.
   1. “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (v 18b)
   2. How does God reward us?
   3. Our fasting doesn’t obligate God to do our will – He changes our heart and character, to do His will.
   4. The ego is submitted to Christ.
   5. He gives us strength and renewal. Breakthroughs happen.
   6. How often should we fast?
   7. He leaves this up to us.
   8. Start gradually – don’t start with a forty day fast.
   9. We can fast as we feel led or on a regular routine.

Conclusion:

The most important question: Why should we fast?

1. Jesus fasted and He taught us to fast.
2. Fasting is a spiritual weapon needed for these desperate times.
3. Pick a day, meal before Global Day of Prayer.

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May 6, 2007 by PastorMark.

#276, Praying Through Temptation, Sunday 05-06-2007

Text: Matthew 6:9-13
Theme: You can live in victory over temptation and evil.

Introduction

1. As he shared with me, I felt badly.
   
   1. He was bound in all kinds of habits, addictions.
      
   2. But, he considered himself a believer going to heaven.
      
   3. There was no “family resemblance.”
      
   4. Salvation is not a ticket to heaven, but the entrance into a life of transformation.
      
   5. “But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1:12
      
2. As believers, we must address the reality of temptation and evil.
   
   1. We are still in a fallen world.
      
   2. We are still in fleshly bodies.
      
   3. We are still in the presence of evil, Satan.
      
   4. Jesus knows our struggle. He came to defeat the world, flesh and devil
      
3. He teaches us how to pray. Matthew 6:9-13
   
   1. He instructs to first consider the Father ad His Kingdom. (vv. 9-10)
      
   2. He then reminds us of our source of food, life. (v 11)
      
   3. He teaches us the power of forgiveness. (v 12)
   4. What about after forgiveness?
   5. True forgiveness will be followed by a desire for ongoing victory over sin and evil.
   6. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13
      

Theme: You can live in victory over temptation and evil.
We need to stop accepting defeat as “normal.”
We need to understand this prayer of Jesus.

1. 1. Temptation is a test.
      
   2. The test reveals our character and inner heart.
      
   3. There are two principle “actors” in this drama.
      
   4. The tempter (whose chief attribute is subtlety, deceit.)
      
   5. The tempted (one who is often weak and gullible.)
      
   6. Temptation is a battle. (inner war)
      
   7. There is the attack of the temptation (manipulation, deceit)
      
   8. There is the process of fighting the “allurement”
      
   9. There is the closure of the battle.
      
   10. A resisting of temptation – victory.
       
   11. A giving in to the temptation – defeat.
       

   1. Sometimes temptations come to us.
      
   2. This is common to all of us.
      
   3. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
      
   4. Sometimes we go to the temptations.
      
   5. We can’t blame others for these temptations.
      
   6. “Why is God allowing this?”
      
   7. “The devil made me do it.”
      
   8. We must take personal responsibility for our temptation.
      
   9. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each of us is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” James 1:13-14
      
   10. The good news: we are not powerless “victims” of temptation. Sin is not an “incontrollable disease.”
       

   1. Prayer. (pray Jesus’ prayer)
      
   2. Don’t pray that you won’t ever be tempted.
      
   3. Realize your need for God.
      
   4. Don’t be deceived by self-confidence.
      
   5. Example: Peter – “I’ll never deny You.”
      
   6. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41
      
   7. Practice.
      
   8. We want to win the game without any practice.
      
   9. Get God’s Word inside you. (“It is written.”)
      
   10. “Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
       
   11. Predetermine.
         

   12. To expose your life to what is good.
       
   13. To turn or shun evil.
   14. Take the high road.

2. What is temptation?
   
3. How are we led into temptation?
   
4. How are we to live in victory over temptation?
   

Conclusion:

1. There is victory over temptation and evil.
2. He is able to deliver us and to keep us.
   

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