You Shall Receive Power
Sermon
Deformed, Disfigured, And Despised
First Lesson Sermons For Lent/Easter Cycle C
Luke gives a telling account of Jesus' instructions to the apostles before his ascension into heaven. Jesus speaks to them about the kingdom of God, the importance of waiting for the gift "my father has promised," and their coming baptism by the Holy Spirit. They anxiously anticipate and question him about the restoration of the kingdom of Israel and Jesus admonishes them not to concern themselves about times or dates of the coming kingdom, but promises them that they shall receive power when the Holy Ghost descends upon them so they will be witnesses to the ends of the earth.
The power of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost power) is unlike any other power. It is not a power that is invented, sculpted, or demolished by human hands. It is not a power that can be manipulated for political or social purposes. It is not a power that can be manufactured, canned, and distributed like dry goods. No! The power Jesus promises is a transforming, liberating, redeeming, life-changing, and saving power that can change the course of nations and history. It is Holy Ghost power that is unlike any other power man has experienced.
"But you will receive power." Jesus does not make this a conditional imperative. He states unequivocally and absolutely: you will receive power. Power to do what? Power to rule nations? Power to dethrone Caesar? Power to vanquish forever the enemies of Israel? Power to change light into darkness? Power to restore the Kingdom of Israel to its former greatness? What kind of power is Jesus talking about?
His apostles are nervous, anxious, excited. They envision a power that will forever change their lives and those around them. They sense that a new power is permeating the air: the power of renewal and change. To possess this power would mean a new might and spiritual hegemony for them as followers of Christ.
Jesus promises this power to his followers. During his ministry he gave the disciples the power to cast out demons and heal the sick. Some of them used that power and some of them didn't. Jesus promised it then and promises it now. Only we do not accept and receive the power that he has promised to bequeath. "You will receive power." Christ promises to give that power and we must trust in him to make good on his word.
The problem is he promises it but many do not believe and never receive it. A friend of mine tells the story of how he was constantly told by his father that he would be somebody of importance when he grew up. Early in his childhood he did not believe and did not receive it. But his father kept telling him over and over that he would be somebody. Despite his poor report cards and his numerous failings as a child, his father kept confidence in him until the young man finally believed what his father told him. "You will be somebody one day! You will make a positive contribution to your community," his father would tell him. The young man finally claimed this promise of his father and later went on to become a great neurosurgeon. His father told him he would be somebody, but it wasn't until he believed it and received it that he became a person of great power.
Jesus promises that we shall receive power, but it is our disbelief that often impedes the full gust of the Spirit's anointing power in our lives. Somehow it is hard to bring ourselves to believe that this power is given to little old me. But Jesus promises it. He promised it to his apostles and promises it to his people today who have faith in him. You can't claim what has been given or promised to you if you don't have faith. If you have faith, you can believe and achieve what God has promised and then you will receive power.
When the Holy Spirit comes on you -- thus the power comes when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. This is the crux, substance, core, and basis of the power. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the power of God will come upon you. You will have the power to preach and teach boldly in the name of Jesus, to stand up to power and principalities, to be Christ's witnesses in a world that assaults and persecutes you for your beliefs. When the Holy Ghost comes, you will receive a power you never thought you had. You will have a holy boldness, a joy, a fervor, a zeal that the world didn't give and cannot take away.
When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, stuff happens, things change, mountains move, valleys rise, troubles flee, sorrow waits, joy comes, tears wane, enemies bow, persecution is banished. When the Holy Ghost comes, the lame walk, the dumb talk, the blind see, and the deaf hear! When the Holy Ghost comes, the dead are raised, the mute shout the joy of Jesus, and the devil flees for a season. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the true power comes because it is a power not of the self but of God. It is a power that comes from on high and cannot be determined by things down low.
We cannot do what God calls us to do without the power, authority, leadership, anointing, and guidance of the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost comes upon us, something happens inside and outside. When the Holy Ghost comes, the devil and his demons move out of the neighborhood and evil and its cohorts find other hiding places. When the Holy Ghost comes, you will receive power!
Power to do what? Power to be witnesses. Power to overcome failure. Power to vanquish sin. Power to proclaim the Good News boldly in an unreceptive world. Power to help others to Christ. It is overcoming power. Power to do the impossible. Power to succeed for Jesus against great odds. The power to dodge the arrows that fly by night and noonday and power to avert the fowler's snare. It is a power that diminishes the devastation of death, heals afflictions, casts out demons, and causes one to become whole and well again. This is the power Christ gives to those who follow and have faith in him.
There is something about Holy Ghost power that charges, renews, refreshes, and restores. There is something about Holy Ghost power that gives joy in the midst of sorrow, victory amid defeat, and sweet release from the solitary confinements of sin.
What the church needs today is Holy Ghost power -- the power to heal, redeem, renew, and save lost souls for Christ. The church needs Holy Ghost power to proclaim boldly the Good News of Christ in a dying and crazy world. Where is the Holy Ghost power of the church? Has the Holy Ghost gone out of style? Is it now just a figment of the imagination? Do we not hear much about the Holy Ghost anymore in the church because it is no longer fashionable to be holy?
What happened to the power to say no to evil, to stand up to the enemy in ways that will encourage the saints? In an effort to be more secular than sacred and to accommodate the world, has the church compromised its Holy Ghost power?
Jesus promises that we shall receive it when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. He promises that when we receive that power we will be his witnesses in familiar and foreign, comforting and uncomforting places. But in order to receive that power, we must believe it, claim it, and achieve it by our faith in Christ.
Why do some churches close and die? Why are churches half empty instead of full? Holy Ghost power is three-pronged power: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Christians need the three-pronged power source. Have you noticed the difference between two-pronged and three-pronged power cords? The least little jerk on the two-pronged plug will disconnect the cord from the socket. With a three-pronged plug the cord is more firmly secured in the power socket. Some Christians don't have Holy Ghost power because they are still using two-pronged rather than three-pronged cords. The problem with other so-called Christians is that they are cordless Christians entirely. Some have two-pronged rather than three-pronged cords and others don't even have cords that will plug into their Holy Ghost power source.
Jesus says will we have power when the Holy Ghost comes upon us. In order to receive it, we must claim it and be open to be used by it for the glory of God and kingdom building.
Do you have the power to be his witness? Do you have the power to proclaim his love and truth? Do you have power to spread his message of goodness for kingdom building? Believe it and you shall receive it! Jesus promises. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Get ready, Saints, the power is coming!
The power of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost power) is unlike any other power. It is not a power that is invented, sculpted, or demolished by human hands. It is not a power that can be manipulated for political or social purposes. It is not a power that can be manufactured, canned, and distributed like dry goods. No! The power Jesus promises is a transforming, liberating, redeeming, life-changing, and saving power that can change the course of nations and history. It is Holy Ghost power that is unlike any other power man has experienced.
"But you will receive power." Jesus does not make this a conditional imperative. He states unequivocally and absolutely: you will receive power. Power to do what? Power to rule nations? Power to dethrone Caesar? Power to vanquish forever the enemies of Israel? Power to change light into darkness? Power to restore the Kingdom of Israel to its former greatness? What kind of power is Jesus talking about?
His apostles are nervous, anxious, excited. They envision a power that will forever change their lives and those around them. They sense that a new power is permeating the air: the power of renewal and change. To possess this power would mean a new might and spiritual hegemony for them as followers of Christ.
Jesus promises this power to his followers. During his ministry he gave the disciples the power to cast out demons and heal the sick. Some of them used that power and some of them didn't. Jesus promised it then and promises it now. Only we do not accept and receive the power that he has promised to bequeath. "You will receive power." Christ promises to give that power and we must trust in him to make good on his word.
The problem is he promises it but many do not believe and never receive it. A friend of mine tells the story of how he was constantly told by his father that he would be somebody of importance when he grew up. Early in his childhood he did not believe and did not receive it. But his father kept telling him over and over that he would be somebody. Despite his poor report cards and his numerous failings as a child, his father kept confidence in him until the young man finally believed what his father told him. "You will be somebody one day! You will make a positive contribution to your community," his father would tell him. The young man finally claimed this promise of his father and later went on to become a great neurosurgeon. His father told him he would be somebody, but it wasn't until he believed it and received it that he became a person of great power.
Jesus promises that we shall receive power, but it is our disbelief that often impedes the full gust of the Spirit's anointing power in our lives. Somehow it is hard to bring ourselves to believe that this power is given to little old me. But Jesus promises it. He promised it to his apostles and promises it to his people today who have faith in him. You can't claim what has been given or promised to you if you don't have faith. If you have faith, you can believe and achieve what God has promised and then you will receive power.
When the Holy Spirit comes on you -- thus the power comes when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. This is the crux, substance, core, and basis of the power. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the power of God will come upon you. You will have the power to preach and teach boldly in the name of Jesus, to stand up to power and principalities, to be Christ's witnesses in a world that assaults and persecutes you for your beliefs. When the Holy Ghost comes, you will receive a power you never thought you had. You will have a holy boldness, a joy, a fervor, a zeal that the world didn't give and cannot take away.
When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, stuff happens, things change, mountains move, valleys rise, troubles flee, sorrow waits, joy comes, tears wane, enemies bow, persecution is banished. When the Holy Ghost comes, the lame walk, the dumb talk, the blind see, and the deaf hear! When the Holy Ghost comes, the dead are raised, the mute shout the joy of Jesus, and the devil flees for a season. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the true power comes because it is a power not of the self but of God. It is a power that comes from on high and cannot be determined by things down low.
We cannot do what God calls us to do without the power, authority, leadership, anointing, and guidance of the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost comes upon us, something happens inside and outside. When the Holy Ghost comes, the devil and his demons move out of the neighborhood and evil and its cohorts find other hiding places. When the Holy Ghost comes, you will receive power!
Power to do what? Power to be witnesses. Power to overcome failure. Power to vanquish sin. Power to proclaim the Good News boldly in an unreceptive world. Power to help others to Christ. It is overcoming power. Power to do the impossible. Power to succeed for Jesus against great odds. The power to dodge the arrows that fly by night and noonday and power to avert the fowler's snare. It is a power that diminishes the devastation of death, heals afflictions, casts out demons, and causes one to become whole and well again. This is the power Christ gives to those who follow and have faith in him.
There is something about Holy Ghost power that charges, renews, refreshes, and restores. There is something about Holy Ghost power that gives joy in the midst of sorrow, victory amid defeat, and sweet release from the solitary confinements of sin.
What the church needs today is Holy Ghost power -- the power to heal, redeem, renew, and save lost souls for Christ. The church needs Holy Ghost power to proclaim boldly the Good News of Christ in a dying and crazy world. Where is the Holy Ghost power of the church? Has the Holy Ghost gone out of style? Is it now just a figment of the imagination? Do we not hear much about the Holy Ghost anymore in the church because it is no longer fashionable to be holy?
What happened to the power to say no to evil, to stand up to the enemy in ways that will encourage the saints? In an effort to be more secular than sacred and to accommodate the world, has the church compromised its Holy Ghost power?
Jesus promises that we shall receive it when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. He promises that when we receive that power we will be his witnesses in familiar and foreign, comforting and uncomforting places. But in order to receive that power, we must believe it, claim it, and achieve it by our faith in Christ.
Why do some churches close and die? Why are churches half empty instead of full? Holy Ghost power is three-pronged power: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Christians need the three-pronged power source. Have you noticed the difference between two-pronged and three-pronged power cords? The least little jerk on the two-pronged plug will disconnect the cord from the socket. With a three-pronged plug the cord is more firmly secured in the power socket. Some Christians don't have Holy Ghost power because they are still using two-pronged rather than three-pronged cords. The problem with other so-called Christians is that they are cordless Christians entirely. Some have two-pronged rather than three-pronged cords and others don't even have cords that will plug into their Holy Ghost power source.
Jesus says will we have power when the Holy Ghost comes upon us. In order to receive it, we must claim it and be open to be used by it for the glory of God and kingdom building.
Do you have the power to be his witness? Do you have the power to proclaim his love and truth? Do you have power to spread his message of goodness for kingdom building? Believe it and you shall receive it! Jesus promises. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Get ready, Saints, the power is coming!
