No series of events have ever happened in the history of the world that are as powerful, as world-changing, and as revolutionary as the events described in the first two chapters of the book of Acts.
I have heard many voices over the years express a sincere desire to establish the church on the pattern of the New Testament church. I share that belief.
We see in the early chapters of Acts the very way any church should be and interact both with God, each other, and the world. The context of these chapters is unique in history and we cannot hope to precisely mimic everything, line by line, for obvious reasons. We are living two thousand years later and it is incumbent on us to know and understand the key transcendent principles intended for us by God to apply in our generation.
The followers of Jesus were obeying his commands when they gathered in the upper room and prayed continuously, waiting on the promised Holy Spirit.
That is the first thing a church should do―gather together in the name of the Lord, waiting until he fills us with his Spirit to do his will in this city, preaching the gospel by any means to which he calls us.
Something was unusual about that first church prayer meeting. Men and women were praying openly and together. This was revolutionary. God always does new things and they are always revolutionary. Christ had broken down barriers―religious, gender, moral and racial (remember the Samaritan woman?)― and that is what he wants us to do―break down barriers with the gospel message.
There are many barriers in this city that we must overcome in order to proclaim the gospel. Some of them are financial. There are many needs in this area that we will meet in the power of Christ. Being a town near a border also presents unique barriers. Some are language, some are certain kinds of crime, and of course basic human needs.
I don’t think God is interested in revival as so many preach. I think God wants more than that.
I think God wants revolution.
God wants a church to engage in the same kind of spiritual revolution that he called the early church to. He wants to change everything. He wants us to preach the gospel in as many ways as we can in this city. To do that we must be an Acts kind of church. We must be continuously in prayer and mutual worship and servant ministry. His Word must be at the very core of everything we do.
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12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away). 13 When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there. 14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Acts 1:12–14 NET
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