The Heroic Heart that Propelled the Movement, Part 2

Janie Greer your generous person. Your generous with your life, your possessions are generous with your time generous with your forgiveness, your generous with your witness right see that's what they were the generous people know what you take allies from us. We still think is more important you know the gospel than for us to be safe in the middle of the teaching series called getting a fresh perspective on the book of acts. Now how many of you like a good superhero movie. I know I do. If you're like most people you picture in your mind what a hero actually looks like, but today Pastor Janie offers that real look at heroism for the picture that you had in your mind teaching today is from acts chapter 4 verses 2337.

The message that he's titled the heroic heart that propelled really rude look like morning are not flashy but quiet behind the scenes.

We have no way of knowing about it.

If the Holy Spirit had recorded a forest what you see how they responded to the threat see how they responded to danger and to see what made them heroes by our chapter 4 verse 23 the context.

First, in case you how you were here last week or you got a bad memory. Notice that in the first sign of danger their instinctive reflex is what this prayer, say to you on a perfect model of what a man of prayer ought to be, but I can tell you that started me out on a day I begin to pray much more reflexively and instinctively because I begin to crave the spirit of God's power and everything that I'm doing prayerless.

This is a sign not that you're not disciplined enough. It's a sign that you're disconnected from the spirit of God you pray for and persecution what you pray for and pain. Typically, we pray for protection.

Pray for deliverance from the pain and I'm sure they one of those things. By the way, I'm sure they eventually got around asking for them is nothing wrong with asking for those things. But before they pray for those things I pray for God to make them bold within the circumstances.

If I can take another drag us down before they asked for a positive outcome around them.

They pray for a faithful spirit within them. They pray for faith to be able to respond in a faithful way to whatever the situation will be heroes because they prayed this way because they responded this way the gospel would continue to spread around the world and eventually become overweight us there heroism led to our salvation. Here is my question for you.

What is boldness and courage like that was a come from.

I daresay just my knowledge of you and people like us. We want more courage we will love the people courage come from. You can willed up inside you doing what you do. This strategy before. Visualize a positive outcome, and I will help you be bold you give her the strategy the authors and over that strategy were still positive thinking.

I know people use that frequently can work for. But there's a problem. The problem is is even if you visualize good things happening that I think is still having there's gotta be a better way right there is no C-5 elements in their prayer that made them bold that you be to review number one they believe in God's sovereignty in their trial, they believe in God's sovereignty and their trial, supra, 24 sovereign Lord told you were sovereign means in control of everything. Truly, in the city were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus always people to do whatever your hand in your planet predestined that take place. What you believed that kind of sovereignty was over your pay. What is your first response and whatever painful situation you find yourself in.

Was this what is God's purpose in this vein she was in faith during the problem is more important than fixing the problem. See you around. Affectionate, I'm just saying that maybe you stop in whatever situation you say God I know that your sovereign sovereign Lord. All these things happen because you were directing them to be still and I want to know that you're got mature to be exalted among the nations is in the flipside, before doing all your blessings. Your sourcing guide you get this blessing you gave your job you gave me this raise you getting this thing what was your purpose in giving me that maybe it was for his purposes, and not my thing. That's what I want you to start thinking about as you get into these things.

I want you to be still and know that he is God. Number two than in the Scriptures that in the Scriptures you see on the first thing out of their mouths and prayer with an Old Testament Psalm where they claim the promises of God that shows you shows you the new pray in various situations because there were so bathed in the word of God that when like sharp images came out. I love what Eugene Peterson says about the true prayer is not just talking to God. True prayer is answering God. God's already spoken in his word prayers as a response to what he is said I want you to see the world to the lens of gospel promises because when the word of God is in your heart and the word of God is on your lives in the spirit of God be working through you to bring the power of God in your situation thing number three. They were in all the greatest hero number three, there were in all the greatest hero was significant about that Jesus is totally different than Hercules is very different than every other C4 superhero. We never come up with. You want to know why superheroes become superheroes with their massive strength, but Peter just said that Jesus was superhero because he died in weakness, in fact, he leveraged his power not to crush his enemies. He leveraged his power to die weakness for his enemies so that he can reconcile his enemies back to himself and see that fundamentally change how the apostles saw themselves so they start saying things like paying God for who can be against us.

Either did not spare his own son, how will he not also freely give us all things to separate us from the love of God in Christ is not ironed up your power runs our anybody's power right if God is force you to be just as all things you were together for good to those who love God are called according to his purpose more than conquerors and I don't pick up a sword is the power of resurrection at the side of us are death works or not. Life works in you because that's how God works.

You see, if you believe the gospel if you're in all the greatest hero you become bold, how could you not right in the crawl she be given the greatest grace to you become gracious to others in the resurrection you been given the greatest promise. You have confidence in the Holy Spirit you been given the greatest possession you got nothing to lose and if you got the greatest grace and the greatest promise in the greatest possession you become bold as a matter of instinct not as a matter of discipline.

See number four they possess a generous spirit they possess a generous room to show you where you can see this helpful number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul.

No one said that any of the things I belong to him was his own bed everything in common, shared everything with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and God's grace was so powerful at work among them all is not a single needy person among them, not one for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and elated at the apostles feet and from there, was distributed to each as any had need you to see from that their boldness and witness was an extension of the generosity of lifestyle you see their boldness got them in situations where to be bold and to be faithful to gospel method that will lose their lives, but because they were so naturally accustomed to. Just sharing their lives when they had to choose between personal safety and faithful witness.

They always want a faithful witness because they learned not to hold on the things I gotta given them to die like you say they want selectively generous because if you are a truly generous person.

You're never just generous in one area of your life and I don't want to smack you good on like this to, but if you're generous and only a few areas but not others. It shows that you're not really a generous person you just got a guilt trip about I am full of things. So if you're generous person you're generous with your life, your possessions are generous with your time. You're generous with your forgiveness. You're generous with your witness Frank PC that's what they were.

They were just generous people know IK if you take allies from us. We still think it's more important you know the gospel than for us to be safe and assert as a missionary in Southeast Asia.

I have told you before the situation were not getting a lot of trouble for my friends were put in the prison. I was put under house arrest. I would member how spiritually low.

I was during the times I was afraid and I wanted to be home so badly.

One of the things of the Holy Spirit used to pick me up out of that pit was. He gave me a vision small. The vision of a friend of mine who I got to know who was very lost over there and basically the Holy Spirit asked me this question.

My heart is that console worth is his soul worth you being over your way from friends and family. Is it worth you been over here risking your life as I'm not promising you to get out of your life alive. Is it worth your life to save his soul mate. Artists sprung up was like yes Lord, not me.

It was anything was more of a meager response essay that was the beginning of God. So in real boldness, as opposed to bravado in my life is a big difference in bravado is what you get a personality. Boldness is what you get by the Holy Spirit and see what God did as he then put me down to a place basically said I came, I deliver my son. My son died to you to be safe. Somehow, some of the liver. You either unite in the same place Jesus did, because I used his generosity and his sacrifice is your salvation. Maybe you can have a chance to do that for somebody else somehow to be real with us for minute many of us, whether at the first sign that somebody is not like us so much. I think were weird or some I don't talk about us to friends if we come across as too bold a witness and I got nowhere for you, except you need to repent, coming down on it is on their half-time to say we serve a Savior who not only risked his life, but actually gave his life so that you can be saved and you, whether at the first sign that some as you think that your little your little your little too excited for you little too much of a Jesus freak really really what he do to save your soul and you're not a little little little opposition negative little gossip they scored him so badly.

They stripped him naked and made him die alone in the sun and you want people talk about but you're on the water cooler. You need to repent. I need to repent. Because F, motivated like a war they can think about me if I do this number five overfilled repeatedly by the Holy Spirit to fill repeatedly by the Holy Spirit. You see that an answer to the prayer.film of the Holy Spirit became so powerful he shook the place where they were meeting about me for subleasing with what I would ask you what you get. The significance of that right. So every time in the Old Testament when God came down to earth play shook right in Isaiah 6 when God comes into the temple. It shakes when God comes out of Mount Sinai little play shook and usually it's a terrifying experience and people cower in fear.

Now the Holy Spirit is coming and they're not cowering in fear. The rising up in boldness why watch the significance of that will because when Jesus died. Matthew 27 there was an earthquake. When Jesus was resurrected. It says there was a kind of small earthquake.

What's happening is Jesus received the earthquake of God's judgment and the earthquake of God's terror that I could receive earthquake of his power. So in the spirit of God comes upon us, we now shake not with fear, like they did in the Old Testament shape with boldness like you do and ask for we shake with worship because we are amazed that the God who saved us. The God who is so holy that not one sin can enter into his presence. God now lives inside of us that God is for us to be against us.

How could I not shake with boldness and power. The sewer says at the places shaken within the next fracas is and they continued to speak the word of God with boldness. The more the place was shaken, the less the Christians were the more they were shaken by the Holy Spirit unless they were shaken by the threats of their enemies and they needed this kind of experience often they needed this kind of experience often resuming again his career with you for minute they felt a need to be filled Holy Spirit repeatedly was left on US for the fullness of the Holy Spirit to Peter and John thought they needed all the time but you superhero. You will need it. Your time say good really is Peter and John there and that they're desperate on full disclosure.

Electoral theology wasn't the Holy Spirit. Yet Savior baptized, one baptism, verse 2413. But once we are all about thousand one body you got all the Holy Spirit about point where there are frequent repeated fillings throughout the book of acts and you gotta seek those as they are the air you breathe your food for your soul, and without those things will never be bold. That's how they were both a refill… What's that will what what's in full as always, what was that like the analogy argues with you for years and I think it's so clear and helpful for me at least come from a Puritan in Thomas Goodwin Thompson… Here's what it's like. He says he uses the example of a father walking along the young son. My son is three years old. So for me, so I got my three-year-old son Adnan is walking beside me and then I looked down at him and I just get overwhelmed.

This feeling of how cute he is and so I pick him up spin around and I you throw them up in the air safely and catch him and I and I blow raspberries and a snack and I decide who's your daddy with the building we go through in and he's like you met at your where engines is also a moment and then the moment passes and putting down an old exam week were you walking now?

Was he anymore my son when I picked him up and he was when I was in holiness and no legally not one bit more, but he was every bit as much legally much on them as he was in a pick them up but he felt his son ship more in that moment that he did when he was walking on the ground, the fullness of the Holy Spirit does not change your status as a son or daughter is not make you closer to God. That is fully settled legally in Christ but what it does is it increases your awareness of your son ship so listen to what Paul says Paul says I pray that you might have your mind open to how wide, how high, how deep and how long is the love of God, because then you will be filled with all the fullness of God.

So another words the fullness of the Holy Spirit is when your mind has been open to how glorious God is. How great of a father years how great his grace is the sinner you were how close he is to you that feeling flood your heart and you are spun around in his arms.

You come down from that experience bold and you are ready to preach the gospel because you know the sense they needed that often they needed it often and I would say that I look at many of you, and if we just had an honest moment. That was the last time you asked for the photos of the Holy Spirit, the question would not be one of the last time the question will be when ever have. I asked for the fullness of the Holy Spirit is just like you need to be asking for all the time. I try to, you need to, because without him. You can do nothing.

So five things I gave them boldness and to give you boldness they believed in God's sovereign purpose in their trials. Number two, they knew the scriptures number three they were in all the greatest hero for their generous spirit. Number five, they were frequently filled by the Holy Spirit to me is my last bit of time here to ask you this question how you apply this good. I was think about that as I got to the end of the message because I don't like but I'm kind person who always gives to do lists and personally give to the list so the bill that how do you what you do this week.

As a result of this flight. I was first tempted to tell you some glorious stories of people going overseas and given their lives boldly because the gospel is worth it. I was tempted to do that and by the way, there are a bunch of you and all of our campuses. That is exactly how you need to apply this message God to lead you overseas either the Boulder to give up your life so giving of the gospel, but that's not the main way that I thought we should ended because while that apply some of you does not apply to all be honest when it comes to boldness were we baby's abdomen. Some of you boldness for beginners cannot be insulted by that was his boldness for beginners. I would use them so that every single one of you could do this week that would be your first step toward boldness regarding the handful of here a saying something and say nothing would be easier saying something and say you know you know exactly what I'm talking about. You have that moment, you probably know the spirit of God. But when the spirit of God put something in your heart that you really ought to say to somebody, is a lot easier to not warn them because you don't want to put the relationship or risk and you say nothing in the way that you can be bold this week is by saying something and say nothing will be easier B take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves often pray for somebody you're having a conversation at work and it comes up and you just say hey I want make is where we cannot pray for you right now the best witnesses you can have is letting somebody here.

You talk to your father about their problem because they hear tenderness they hear your faith as you do that by the way, that's an easy way to preach the gospel to do that all the time that I pray for waiters and waitresses all the time people I never met and I just pray the gospel to this person's told me this and I want to pray about that got also want you to know that you now want them to know that you died for their sins, and you did that so that they can be set up for they become better that one day this pray for I have on this.

I'm asking them if you can share your story with them. That's a very nonthreatening way to begin the conversation right okay I'm your friend cannot just tell you a few things God is on my life and the different cities made in a restaurant owner in our church this week who said God is been getting a hold of her life and she said you know I'm training a new set of employees is never done this before, but in the middle training. Then I just like I needed to give God glory for what he is done here at our restaurant has a lot of stop and I said hey that's what you guys know that we treat other people around here. The weather we think God treated us and the key to our love of excellence is the fact that God treated us actually Jesus I give God glory. That's all I said that's a beginning step toward boldness right there. C. Creating opportunities any similar grid different group of people at lunch. You're the new codger Bible behind her back.

When you go in away for good to say the wrong thing and it touts document aphasia is not being taken out and looking for a chance for you to pray for looking for a chance for you. Tell your story. Maybe inviting them to read the Bible to come to church with you this letter as a way to plan on creating opportunities. How about when you go home not just driving your car in the garage, shut the door and go in for the rest of the evening my MBI nose like you come almost as your neighbors are out charge whatever you like in the garage boom shut down.

That's it right your first baby step four boldness could be maybe partner call. Walking back out and just have a conversation because you never to be able speak a word out of people's lives.

If you don't know right, geez, get to know people take in creating opportunities D getting involved in the mission. I didn't but will train you if you didn't volunteer, we will muddle you a little dirty secret you know what we try to get your mission trips we knew of the mission field. We want you overseas, but we know there's no better way to train you to share your faith in us and you overseas so we got an ulterior motive to let you pay $2500 or $1500 homes across all embassies to learn what you really should be doing here, but for some reason it just works. You go as a missionary. You come back as an actual disciple that's art that's art or gameplay just didn't go on one eye.

E. How about just asking God for boldness to be your first baby step four boldness is ask God to make you both right. That's a bold step is a God make me bold, small step, believing the word of God. Looking to the Holy Spirit and letting him do the work we have a God in the Holy Spirit who loves to help yourself out there, take a first step. During her current leaning into the power of the Spirit shall either create an opportunity to seize one already in front of you. It's time to be intentional as you get involved in the mission of God around you. You're listening to Senate life with pastor JD Greer in a message titled the heraldic heart that propelled the movement. If you joined us late or if you've missed any of the previous messages in this series, you can listen by visiting us@jdgreer.com at the summit church we set a goal to plant 1000 new churches in our generation that JD were not doing that just to get more Senate church is right. Give Molly we we embraced a while ago the understanding that for us to fulfill the great commission of what happened to the summit church a larger larger is to be a part of a church planting movement disciple making movement right and so are our heart, our desire is to lift up other churches to bless of the churches to spawn other movements to raise up leaders from our own church and send them out to plant new independent churches. We would love for you to be a part of that mission because there's a reason we think that you're listening to this program. There's a reason that you are edified and built up through what you have taught here. We want to invite you to go from just being a listener to be part of mission we got to get new churches beginning in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Miami Florida Nashville Tennessee dream one of those areas, and many of you right now are listening in one of those areas where you got family or friends in the cities need a local church community. What you listen up and write these churches names down okay in Miami. Check out reality church in Pittsburgh steel city church and proclamation church in Nashville who started by one of our most beloved Summit staff members Derek Delaney if you go to JD Greer.com there's a link in the bottom footer of every page is a list of all the churches that we planned in the United States you can see whether there's one in the city where you are or in a city where you know somebody you can encourage them to be a part of of what God is doing to that church is now you're on the website sure is second to get our latest resource study guide comes from the book of acts, volume 1, and it was created especially for listeners for your $25, give us a call and 35 5228 339 20 I give online JD Greer.com don't forget to check out all of our collaborative church around the country. Molly benefits so glad you joined.

My name is Katie my name right here in front of my