“And when they went up to the upper room, where they were staying…These all continued with one accord in prayer with the women…And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, the number of names together were about a hundred and twenty.” Acts 1:13-15 (KJV)
These disciples of the Lord were just told to go into Jerusalem and wait until they “received power.” The above verses of scripture tell us four things about this first Church of the Lord Jesus Christ; 1) The Church’s meeting place, the upper room; 2) The Church’s number, one hundred and twenty; 3) The Church’s condition, unity; 4) The Church’s work, prayer.
Out of these four things two of them were important to releasing God’s power and two were not. Let’sfirst look at the two that had no bearing on whether or not God released His power.
Storms Are Plentiful – verses 22-24
We pick up this story right after Jesus had fed the 5,000. This was a tremendous miracle which created a lot of excitement and momentum for the cause of Christ.
But, right in the midst of this celebration Jesus puts His disciples in a boat and sends them away. The King James states that Jesus “constrained His disciples to get into the boat.” The Greek word is “parabiasomai,” which means to employ force contrary to their will.
The disciples weren’t wanting to leave. They had just been involved in a great miracle. They had become the stars of this event. In the John 6 account of this there was talk to make Jesus King. The disciples got caught up in this. They too were wanting Jesus to finally take His role as king and restore the nation of Israel. If this would have happened the disciples would have been His generals. They were wanting weapons, but instead they got oars. Rather than being sent to fight, they were sent to float.
Jesus knew how seductive the intoxicating the wine of newfound popularity can be. So,He sent them away because He didn’t want their perspective clouded.
Jesus not only made them leave a positive experience, He sent them into what at first glance would look like a negative experience. He sent them into a storm.
The Church’s meeting place, the upper room.
This was a small room that was attached to an apartment. It was a humble, obscure, small but sufficient place. It would seem throughout the Bible and history that the place that God chose to birth something of Him wasn’t all that important. In the Bible, God chose a mountain on the backside of the desert instead of the Egyptian palace to speak to Moses. King David’s mighty army was birthed in a cave. Jesus was born in a manger. In history, God chose two women in a poor section of town to birth the Welch revival. The Azuza street revival started in the poorest section of town.
The Church’s number, one hundred and twenty people.
These were unschooled, ordinary, scared, weak and different men and women. The quantity and quality of the Lord Jesus’ three and a half years of ministry didn’t look like much. From this group, it would seem that God is looking for people who don’t have much, who don’t know much and who can’t do much. For it is people like these who will
depend on the Lord, Who can do much.
Now let us look at what God does require in order to release His power.
The Church’s condition, unity.
The Bible says that they were in “one accord,” which means to have the same mind. This word is used ten times in the book of Acts. Every time, it describes the condition of God’s people prior to God moving in a powerful way. What was this “unity” based on? Was it based on His provision? No, because we all have different needs. Was it based on His purpose? No, because we all have different callings and gifts. Was it based on His person? Yes, because both provision and purpose come out of His person. Things that pertain to life are eternally linked to things that pertain to godliness. His promises are linked to His nature. What God has is linked to what God is.
The Church’s work, prayer
The Lord was looking to see something, “unity,” and He was looking to hear something, “prayer.” It was the combination of these two things that released God’s power. It’s what the scriptures call “lifting up one voice.” Acts 4:24
Almost all of the prayers found in the New Testament were prayers for others. It was prayer centered around mission and not maintenance. It was prayer not centered around getting something from God but becoming something for God and accomplishing something on behalf of God. It wasn’t for their needs, but for the needs of others.
God doesn’t require a spacious place, or a lot of people to release His power and birth His work. What He does require is unity and prayer.
For the true and real influence of a church does not consist in the number or social position of its members, nor in the stateliness of its building, but in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit
“The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach.” Acts 1:1 (NASB)
The book of Acts is a continuation from the book of Luke. In the Greek the emphasis is on the word “began.” It implies what the Lord began on earth, He is going to finish from heaven. It means that Jesus has not finished “doing” or “teaching.” What He started in the flesh He is going to finish through the Spirit. It means the Ascension did not rob His followers of His presence, or His power. The paradox is that He was never so really with them as much as He was after He left them. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall know that I am in My Father and you in Me, and I in you.” John 14:18-20 (NASB)
Through-out the book of Acts Jesus is the chief actor and activator. Acts is all about what the crucified, risen, ascended Jesus continued to do by His Spirit through His chosen witnesses. You do not merely work for Jesus, He himself is in control working with us. Mark 16:20
The key thought in Acts is that of witness to Christ. The key verse is Acts 1:8 In this eighth verse, we have the Divine appointment (wait in Jerusalem,) the Spiritual equipment (the Holy Spirit) and the geographical sphere of Christ’s witness (Jerusalem, which is accomplished in chapters 2 to 7; Judea and Samaria, chapters 6 to 12; and the uttermost parts of the earth, chapters 13 to 28.)
For our purposes we will focus on receiving the spiritual equipment that will enable the Church to engage the work of witnessing.
Acts 2:1-4 tells us four things about receiving the power of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 1, when it came; “When the day of Pentecost had fully come.” God’s working is always in harmony with the “fullness of time.” The Lord does nothing prematurely. Another way of saying it would be at “the right time.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 says there is a time for everything. Genesis 18:14 tells us there is a right time to receive a promise. Psalm 105:16-19 tells us there is a right time to end a trial. And Acts 2:38-39 tells us there is a right time for receiving the Spirit.
Verse 2, how it came; “suddenly.” It was a surprise; it is always a surprise. It doesn’t come through a process or development. It doesn’t evolve out of self-effort. It was a gift from the Father in answer to believing prayer.
It came “as a mighty wind and tongues of fire.” Symbolic of a personality that cannot be limited or controlled. You can’t figure it out and you can’t use or abuse it.
It came and “rested on each head.” It came to stay, the word “sat” or rested literally means to dwell. It found a home. The Spirit is looking for a home and not a workplace. The Spirit wants an environment where there is intimacy and interaction.
Verse 3, to whom it came; “to each one of them.” God is not a respecter of persons. Every waiting and believing heart will be filled. The gift is the same for each but will be manifested differently through each person.
Verse 4, why it came; “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit came to empower the Church in five distinct ways. 1) We have power to do good and overcome evil. Acts 10:38 (its power to demonstrate the message.) 2) We have power to give utterance. Acts 2:4 (its power to communicate the message.) 3) We have power to be bold. Acts 4:31 (its power to validate and authenticate the message.) 5) We have the power of God’s wisdom. Acts 6:10 (its power to make the message irresistible.)
The Holy Spirit will enable us, His witnesses, to do good and overcome evil. He will enable us to teach and preach. He will enable us to persevere under trials. He will enable us to open us the hearts of the lost with signs and wonders. And He will enable us to silence our enemies with irresistible and irrefutable wisdom. Remember where the ministry of the Holy Spirit is absent, the Church is but a breathless body.
Jim Newsom
Diane’s Updates
Here is the latest on my ankle, even though it had been healing some, it started to get worse again. The doctor said that I must have surgery to repair the tear to the tendon, and to restore an arch to my foot. The surgery will entail another 8 weeks of being non-weight bearing, and then months of physical therapy. With this set back, trying to go through and unpacking my boxes has been delayed. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t finish them until the end of summer! Please pray that God would guide the surgeon and bring about a quick and complete healing of my foot and ankle. Ronan just competed in his first Synchronized Ice-Skating Competition. His team, the Shooting Stars, did a fantastic job and won second place. Here is a picture of his team in their uniforms, they are 7 to 11 years old.
Diane’s Exciting News!
Someone recently requested that I write a book that would contain the catchy phrases that Jim always said when preaching. It just so happened (not a coincidence, God at work) that a few weeks before that I came across a note pad that Jim had written down a list entitled “Things I always say.” I will be using that list as well as digging some out of his newsletters and sermons to put together in a book. Over the years, we called his catchy phrases “Newsomisims,” so that will be the title of the book with a subtitle of “things my husband always said.” Not all of sayings are original from Jim, as some he got from reading or hearing someone else speak.
So, if you remember a catchy phrase that Jim said that I could add in the book, please send or text it to me at the address or phone number above. And I would appreciate your prayers as I figure out what format to use for the book and what all to include. God’s help will be needed, as this will be an emotional journey for me.