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Feb 26, 2017

Bold Worship and Prayer Produces Bold Movement and Bold Community

Passage: Acts 4:23-35

Speaker: Colin P. Thornley

Series: Acts: The Perpetual Power of the Gospel

Bold Worship and Bold Prayer propel Bold Outreach, Bold Community and Bold Generosity. These things are so seamlessly connected in this passage that it would be impossible, in my estimation, to emphasize one without the context of the whole.

Worship Order

Prelude: Music Special - Love Is A Verb

Performed by Grace Band: Piano & Vocals - Tonya Hudson, Guitar & Vocals - Ben Hallman, Bass - Jeff Hinkle, Drums - Michael Leyshon

Call To Worship: Colossians 3:16-17 ESV

Songs: Joyful Joyful, Desert Song

Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3;10 ESV

Songs: !0,00 Reasons, Pure As Your Son

Prayer: Victory (Adapted from The Valley of Vision)

Community & Care: Missions - New Life School

Sermon Title:  Bold Worship & Prayer Produces Bold Movement and Bold Community

Central Text: Acts 4:23-35 ESV

Song: A Mighty Fortress                   

Benediction: Romans 15:13 ESV

Scripture Readings

Call To Worship: Colossians 3:16-17 ESV
LEADER: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

 

ALL:  17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3;10 ESV
LEADER: 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty

 

ALL: 10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,

 

Central Text: Acts 4:23-35 (36&37 next week) ESV
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

 

Response: Victory (Adapted from The Valley of Vision)                       
 
LEADER:       O Divine Redeemer, Great is thy goodness.
ALL:               in undertaking our redemption.
 
LEADER:       Great is thy wisdom,
ALL:               in devising this eternal means of salvation.
 
LEADER:       Great is thy love,
ALL:               in manifesting and fulfilling this great work.
 
LEADER:       And great is thy sovereign grace,
ALL:               in giving the Spirit as teacher, guide transforming power.
 
LEADER:       Bathe our souls in the rich consolations of life in You.
ALL:               And lead us to love and serve one another by the power Your Spirit.

 

Benediction: Romans 15:13 ESV
LEADER: 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

ALL: In Christ alone.

 

Post-Service Text: Acts 4:33-35 ESV
33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.  

 

Related Scriptures:
Psalm 2. 1,2
Isaiah 37.16 & 20
Psalm 18.49
Mark 14.26

Romans 10:14-15

 

Discussion Questions 
  1. Read verses 18-21 and 23-24a.  How did the apostles respond to resistance of proclaiming the gospel? Have you ever been rejected or treated differently for being a Christian?  Why?  How have you responded when people around you become hostile or resistant to your faith in the finished work of Jesus?   
  2. What part does praise, worship and prayer play in your relationships with close friends and your Christian communities outside of Sunday worship services?  How could you begin to incorporate bold prayer and worship with fellow Christians?
  3. Why do you think the apostles’ close connections were so emboldened and energized in this passage?  How did that renewal and encouragement propel them into action?
  4. What prevents you and others from experiencing the type of strong connections and love described in Acts 4.23-35?
  5. How does strong connections with other believers ignite radical gospel generosity?  In what areas of your life are you most generous with your time and money?  How might that reveal our hearts?
  6. What exactly is it about the gospel that propels us into action and active community with one another and missional living?
Related Books

Seven Biblical Reasons Why Singing Matters

 

The Singing Jesus

 

Jesus Sings

 

The Believer’s Prayer for Boldness

 

The Generosity Paradox

 

The Missional Church

 

Answering God by Eugene Peterson

 

Quotes

"God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them." - George Whitefield

 

"Withhold no part of the precious truth, but speak what you know and declare what you have seen. Do not allow the toil or darkness or possible unbelief of your friends to dissuade you. Let us rise and march to the place of duty, and there declare what great things God has shown to our soul." - Alistair Begg

 

"Christ is with us until the world's end. Let his little flock be bold therefore." - William Tyndale

 

Related Sermons

Generosity Sermon Series by Timothy Keller

 

The Memorable Hymn by Charles Spurgeon

 

The Word and the Spirit by Timothy Keller

 

The Empowering Spirit by Justin Anderson

Related Media

 2.26.17 Album