1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,040
I think in years to come, if the Lord tarries, we will look back upon the spring of 1988

2
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:13,480
as one of those significant times in the history of our church.

3
00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:22,240
We're in the midst of a campaign that promises to lay a foundation for future ministry that

4
00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:27,080
is far beyond any of us could have imagined seven years ago.

5
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:32,840
And a God-ordained part of this time was the Spring Conference, which is now history, of

6
00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,080
course.

7
00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:40,600
That has been a mountaintop experience for many in our congregation.

8
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:49,480
It was a time of intense examination of our lives and a renewing of commitments to the

9
00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:51,360
Lord.

10
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:57,720
We learned from our guests regarding the price that we must pay for continuous revival, price

11
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:03,760
primarily of time and prayer, surrender to the Lord.

12
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:11,200
We talked about the principle of obedience, doing exactly what God says immediately and

13
00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,000
with the right heart attitude.

14
00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:20,260
Then we learned about the principle of forgiveness and had the opportunity to put that into practice

15
00:01:20,260 --> 00:01:25,520
and concluded Wednesday evening with the priority that we must have as a church in getting out

16
00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:31,400
the good news of Jesus Christ and telling others of Him.

17
00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:36,960
It was a mountaintop experience and as I think about that, I find some interesting parallels

18
00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:44,400
between our situation today and that which was faced by the apostles in Acts chapter

19
00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:49,440
1, our text for today where I invite you to turn.

20
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:56,040
The Lord Jesus Christ had laid down His life that had been followed by His resurrection

21
00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,800
from the dead just as He had predicted.

22
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:08,940
For 40 days then, He met with His disciples on several occasions during that period.

23
00:02:08,940 --> 00:02:15,960
He taught them, instructed them, and prepared them for the apostleship which was theirs.

24
00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:21,400
And then at the end of the period, He gathered them on the Mount of Olives.

25
00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:28,480
They heard from Him again the promise of the Holy Spirit coming.

26
00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:34,840
He gave to them rather the commission to be witnesses of His throughout the whole world

27
00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:40,160
beginning right there in that city and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

28
00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,720
After He had spoken those things, He began to be lifted up from them.

29
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:48,440
And the scriptures tell us that He ascended into heaven and clouds took Him out of their

30
00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:50,240
sight.

31
00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:56,520
And angels then standing beside them promised that this same Jesus that they had seen go

32
00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,160
away would come again.

33
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,440
Now imagine that kind of a 40-day mountaintop experience.

34
00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:09,720
If our four-day conference was a spiritual high for us, can you imagine what that 40-day

35
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,920
period was to those apostles?

36
00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:20,360
But then dramatically and rather suddenly, Jesus was gone.

37
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,880
It might be that they asked themselves, where do we go from here?

38
00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,280
What should our next step be?

39
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:34,360
I think by tracing the actions of those early believers and how they answered that question,

40
00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,800
you and I can get some important insight as to where we go from here too after such an

41
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,160
effective meeting as we've had.

42
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:51,480
These actions that we will see from Acts chapter 1 and chapter 2 made that post-resurrection

43
00:03:51,480 --> 00:04:00,360
mountaintop experience, that 40-day spring conference with Jesus, if you please, these

44
00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:10,560
actions made that experience the door to historic ministry and not simply a dead-end spiritual

45
00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,200
high.

46
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:18,600
We begin in verse 12 where it says, then, that is after what had happened, they returned

47
00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:24,240
to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's

48
00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,400
journey away, about a half a mile.

49
00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:29,400
What did they do first?

50
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,760
They went back to the familiar.

51
00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,800
Not only did they go to Jerusalem, but it says in verse 13 that when they had entered,

52
00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:43,000
they went up to the upper room where they were staying.

53
00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,640
So what did they do?

54
00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,640
Where did they go from the end of that 40-day conference?

55
00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,920
The first thing they did was to go back to that which was familiar to them.

56
00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:59,200
And that's exactly what you and I have experienced over the last three or four days.

57
00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,400
Mountaintops do not last.

58
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,520
They're not intended to.

59
00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:10,760
Life is mostly made up of routine, of ordinary.

60
00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:18,260
The heights of the peaks soon give way to the level of the plateau.

61
00:05:18,260 --> 00:05:26,120
It is there in the level plane that we are called upon to daily learn and practice the

62
00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:30,080
discipline of our walk with God.

63
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:36,360
Those early apostles went back to the familiar, and that's where you are today.

64
00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,160
It doesn't mean that it's a rut, but it does mean that it's the familiar, what we're

65
00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:42,480
used to.

66
00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:50,880
The challenge that we face is this, to bring back to the familiar the routine of life,

67
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:56,860
those lessons which God taught us in the special season of blessing.

68
00:05:56,860 --> 00:06:06,000
The application of those lessons to daily life, to daily experience, is the evidence

69
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,480
that we have genuinely grown and matured.

70
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:18,700
It's important for you not to be surprised if, in fact, the conference was indeed a high

71
00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:21,280
point for you.

72
00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:25,920
It's important that you not be surprised if, in fact, you've already experienced a period

73
00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:31,120
of depression, for that is normal.

74
00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:37,480
It may be that you have also experienced a time of intense trial in your life.

75
00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:44,720
It is perfectly normal for that to come after a concentrated period of spiritual renewal.

76
00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:50,960
God's plan is that we come down from the mountaintop back to the routine and the familiar of life,

77
00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:57,000
and there learn to put into daily practice through hard discipline those special lessons

78
00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,400
that God wrote upon our hearts on the mountaintop.

79
00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,400
Moses did not always stay in Mount Sinai.

80
00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:09,000
He met there with God and received from God what was needed, but then he went back down

81
00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:14,760
to the camp of the people of Israel, and there sought to lead them.

82
00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:20,080
He went back to the familiar, and that's what we are to do as well.

83
00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,800
They went back to the familiar, and then I notice in verse 14 that they also devoted

84
00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,320
themselves to prayer.

85
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:32,960
It says, these all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with

86
00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:38,160
the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

87
00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,120
So they were gathered together in prayer frequently.

88
00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,240
They devoted themselves to that.

89
00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:44,240
Why?

90
00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,040
Why did they do this?

91
00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:53,320
Well, it seems to me it was the most natural thing for them to do for at least three reasons.

92
00:07:53,320 --> 00:08:01,020
In the first place, it was their way of continuing fellowship with their beloved Christ.

93
00:08:01,020 --> 00:08:05,760
They knew that he was hearing them as they prayed, and so they devoted themselves to

94
00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,320
prayer knowing that in praying they would continue fellowship with the one that they

95
00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,200
had seen go back into heaven.

96
00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:19,040
Secondly, it was the way in which they would praise God for what had taken place, for the

97
00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:26,160
great miracles that they had seen culminating with the resurrection of Jesus.

98
00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:30,640
And so as they devoted themselves to prayer, it was in worship of God who had fulfilled

99
00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:37,120
his great promises of redemption through the death and resurrection of his Son.

100
00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:45,280
And finally, they devoted themselves to prayer in expectation of the promise of the Father

101
00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,640
which Jesus had given to them.

102
00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:53,080
That promise being, according to verse four, or verse five rather, the baptism with the

103
00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,800
Holy Spirit.

104
00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,320
That is the coming of the Spirit of God upon them.

105
00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:03,400
The initiation of something brand new which they did not realize or understand at this

106
00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:10,080
point, but it was the whole unique body of the church of Christ being called out in this

107
00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,080
age.

108
00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:19,480
And so they devoted themselves to prayer in expectation of what God was going to do.

109
00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:29,160
This attitude of worship and spirit of dependence and faith was vital and real to them.

110
00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:35,360
It expressed their continuing dependence upon their Lord.

111
00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,760
And it was something that they continued to do.

112
00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,960
You can read about it in chapter two, you can read about it in chapter six, you can

113
00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,440
read about it in chapter 13.

114
00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:48,600
Prayer was a natural part, a vital part if you please, of the experience of the early

115
00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:49,600
church.

116
00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:55,920
And may I say to you today that that is something that must be true of our church as well.

117
00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:02,640
We must become more than we have ever been before, perhaps more than any individual of

118
00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:08,100
us has experienced before, a people of prayer.

119
00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:12,000
Not prayer as a ritual or as a show.

120
00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:19,880
Not prayer as a gimmick or an empty form, but as the very heart, the very heart of an

121
00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:21,760
ongoing ministry.

122
00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:28,400
It is essential that we become a church of prayer.

123
00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:37,920
And we will be a praying church to the extent that we are praying individuals, won't we?

124
00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,840
There have been a number of requests that we continue the morning prayer meetings, Monday

125
00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,600
through Saturday, and that is something that we are planning to do.

126
00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,440
In fact, you will see an announcement about that in the newsletter.

127
00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:54,320
Just as before, 6.30 Monday through Friday, room seven will be open for prayer.

128
00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,980
There will be someone here to pray with you.

129
00:10:56,980 --> 00:11:02,160
Come for two minutes or an hour, whichever you can, or however long you can, come and

130
00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,200
pray.

131
00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:09,000
But that's not the only thing.

132
00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,200
We need to be praying throughout the day.

133
00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:20,720
I want to exhort you to seek to add to your life the discipline of praying morning, noon,

134
00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,560
and night, three times a day.

135
00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:28,960
Most of us commonly have a time when we turn to the Lord in prayer, whether it be in the

136
00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:34,120
morning as we get up or in the evening before we go to bed, or some other time in the day,

137
00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:40,760
that we set aside, hopefully, for devotions, or whatever you call that in your life.

138
00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:46,040
But I would like for us as a people to set as a goal before us to learn to pray morning,

139
00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,320
noon, and night, three times a day.

140
00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,240
Perhaps we'll want to talk to God about three different things on those three different

141
00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:57,720
occasions, divide our prayer life into three parts.

142
00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,720
You do it however you want to, but seek to become more than ever before in your life

143
00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:03,420
a praying person.

144
00:12:03,420 --> 00:12:05,240
Where do we go from here?

145
00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,920
The answer is we must go to the place of prayer.

146
00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:14,420
We must devote ourselves to prayer, as did the early church.

147
00:12:14,420 --> 00:12:17,560
After that, I noticed that they reconstituted the 12.

148
00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:20,640
This is the third action they took.

149
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:27,180
Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and he said, as it records in verse 16,

150
00:12:27,180 --> 00:12:32,000
Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth

151
00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:37,960
of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

152
00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:43,080
For he was counted among us and received his portion in this ministry.

153
00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:50,360
Verse 20, it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his homestead be desolate, and let no

154
00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:55,080
man dwell in it, and his office let another man take.

155
00:12:55,080 --> 00:13:01,000
It is therefore necessary that one of the men who have accompanied us all the time that

156
00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:06,400
the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning with the baptism of John until the day that

157
00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:13,680
he was taken up from us, one of these should become a witness with us of his resurrection.

158
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,760
And so it says that there were two names that were proposed.

159
00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:23,920
One was Joseph, who also went by Barcibus or Justus, and then there was Mathias.

160
00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:30,980
And it says they prayed and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which

161
00:13:30,980 --> 00:13:38,240
one of these two thou hast chosen to occupy the ministry and apostleship from which Judas

162
00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,840
turned his side to go to his own place.

163
00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:47,800
And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Mathias, and he was numbered with the eleven

164
00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,040
apostles.

165
00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:55,600
So the third action they took was actually a getting together of their act, so to speak.

166
00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,880
They reconstituted themselves as the twelve apostles, believing that that was exactly

167
00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:06,480
what God wanted them to do and basing that upon the verses of Scripture that Peter quoted.

168
00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:13,200
It is interesting that at the same time, Peter simply rose to the occasion of leadership

169
00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:18,200
and accepted the position as spokesman for the apostles, which he becomes now in the

170
00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,680
early chapters of the book of Acts.

171
00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:27,640
What I'm saying is that the apostles took the necessary steps to get organized and positioned

172
00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:33,400
for the blessing of God which they were expecting, for they were in prayer expecting that the

173
00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,920
promise would come from the Father which Jesus had talked about.

174
00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,200
In the meantime, they got themselves organized.

175
00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:45,880
They got positioned so that they would be ready to move when that blessing came.

176
00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:53,640
It seems to me that there is a parallel to where we are today as a church.

177
00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:59,440
We are involved, as we have said in this campaign entitled Sharing the Vision, which is for

178
00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:07,940
us today a means of getting our act together as a church, getting ourselves positioned

179
00:15:07,940 --> 00:15:15,720
as a congregation so that as God blesses, we will be ready to move forward.

180
00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:21,840
He has already enabled us through the worksheets that many of you filled out to get a better

181
00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:29,960
grasp of the vision of ministry which we have within our congregation.

182
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:35,720
Combining what was done in February and early March with what was done in March of last

183
00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,800
year, putting those two together, we have a, I think, a legitimate and firm hand on

184
00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:48,720
what the vision of our church corporately is, the things we ought to be doing to minister

185
00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,200
to the needs of people.

186
00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,280
God has helped us to do that.

187
00:15:54,280 --> 00:16:01,720
Now He has brought to us some very fine people to help us in Nehemiah Ministries.

188
00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:03,360
They have worked closely with us.

189
00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:10,900
They have spent hours and hours with our leadership, sometimes as individuals, sometimes as larger

190
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:19,920
groups of even 50, 60, and 70 people, putting together ideas, fine-tuning, honing the vision,

191
00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:25,600
putting together the challenge materials as they are right now.

192
00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:30,720
One day very soon, you and I are going to be faced with the opportunity to commit ourselves

193
00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:35,560
afresh to our common vision.

194
00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,680
We will have the opportunity to commit ourselves in three important areas.

195
00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,960
Number one, prayer.

196
00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:50,200
What will I do as a child of God and as a part of this body of believers in prayer?

197
00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,420
More than I am doing now, how will I increase my commitment there?

198
00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:56,400
We will talk about giving.

199
00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,760
As a child of God, as a member of this body of believers, what does God want me to do

200
00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,200
in my giving, to be a part of getting our act together as a church?

201
00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,080
We are going to talk about serving.

202
00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:14,840
As a child of God, as a member of this local body, as a gifted servant of the Lord, what

203
00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:21,880
need I to be doing more than I am now to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and get our church positioned

204
00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:26,840
and ready for the blessing that God is going to bring upon us?

205
00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:34,280
Just as those early apostles, after that mountaintop experience, got their act together, positioned

206
00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,360
themselves for the blessing.

207
00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:40,280
So that is exactly where we are today as a church too.

208
00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:45,000
As we enter into these next weeks and we have the opportunity, as all of us will personally,

209
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:53,800
to respond and interact with these commitments, I am excited to think what God may well do.

210
00:17:53,800 --> 00:18:00,800
As all of us together see the vision and commit ourselves to it in these vital areas that

211
00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,180
I have suggested.

212
00:18:03,180 --> 00:18:08,640
Getting our act together is more crucial now than it has ever been before.

213
00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:09,640
We are on the right track.

214
00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:13,240
I am convinced of that.

215
00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:20,680
Then notice fourthly that in response to the great mountaintop experience which they had,

216
00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:26,840
they went on to proclaim the message of Jesus in the setting of ministry that God had given

217
00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,360
to them.

218
00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:36,960
We see this in chapter 2, for they were gathered together, the Spirit of God came upon them

219
00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:42,360
and they began to speak in the tongues of many nations.

220
00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:48,560
The nations mentioned there in verses 8, 9, 10, and 11.

221
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:55,200
Through a miracle of God on the day of Pentecost, their ministry was multinational.

222
00:18:55,200 --> 00:19:01,460
They were proclaiming the word of God and people were hearing in languages of their

223
00:19:01,460 --> 00:19:06,240
own nations, their own ethnic background.

224
00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:13,080
And then Peter stood up with the other 11 apostles, again as the spokesman, and he began

225
00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:15,000
to preach to them.

226
00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,320
He says, men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and

227
00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,200
give heed to my words.

228
00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,680
Proclaiming at that point, he preaches to them Jesus Christ.

229
00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:32,360
In verse 22, Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God.

230
00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:42,080
In other words, he says, I am proclaiming to you Jesus of Nazareth, a man that was attested

231
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:48,460
by God to be whom he claimed to be by the miracles, signs, and wonders which were performed

232
00:19:48,460 --> 00:19:49,460
in your midst.

233
00:19:49,460 --> 00:19:55,200
Then in verse 23, he says, this man was delivered up.

234
00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,200
How?

235
00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,080
By the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.

236
00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,880
In other words, it was God who delivered him up.

237
00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:09,000
But nonetheless, he says, you nailed him to a cross by the hands of godless men and put

238
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,000
him to death.

239
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,160
And so he gives the human responsibility aspect.

240
00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,080
And then he says in verse 24, God raised him up.

241
00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,480
And he goes on to preach at length about the resurrection.

242
00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:27,920
In verse 33, then mentioning Christ's exaltation to the right hand of God.

243
00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:32,480
And then he says in verse 38, repent and let each one of you be baptized in the name of

244
00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:38,220
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy

245
00:20:38,220 --> 00:20:39,720
Spirit.

246
00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:41,240
So what are they doing here?

247
00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:46,520
Well, the apostles went to the temple and to the Jews and then ultimately beyond the

248
00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,760
Jews to the Samaritans and then to the Gentiles.

249
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:54,320
They proclaim the message of Jesus.

250
00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:55,320
What do we do?

251
00:20:55,320 --> 00:21:00,960
Where do we go from here after a conference like we've had when so many of us have experienced

252
00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,440
a deep working of God in our midst?

253
00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:05,120
Where do we go?

254
00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:10,360
The answer is that we go to that place where God has called us to minister.

255
00:21:10,360 --> 00:21:15,400
And there we proclaim Jesus Christ.

256
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:22,760
It was no accident that Mr. Brewer concluded the meeting this week with the emphasis on

257
00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:27,320
Wednesday night of evangelism.

258
00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:35,960
Inner renewal must turn outward to the needs of the world around us or it will become lost

259
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,760
in a maze of introspection that leads nowhere.

260
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:46,160
It is important that we begin looking in, that there be that time of renewal, but we

261
00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:52,680
must turn that outward then to be concerned about those who need our Christ.

262
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:59,960
There were many of us, several hundred of us Wednesday, who made out lists of people

263
00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:04,400
for whom we will be praying.

264
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:10,840
We will be seeking strategies to win them to Christ over the coming months, praying

265
00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:17,000
that at least one person on that list would come to Christ in the next year.

266
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,680
There are others of you that were not there on Wednesday night, and I would invite you

267
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:29,720
to join us in that respect, to think through your associates, your neighbors, your friends.

268
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:34,420
Who are those that need Christ that you are particularly burdened for?

269
00:22:34,420 --> 00:22:36,980
Would you begin praying for them?

270
00:22:36,980 --> 00:22:41,120
Would you write down their names in the back of your Bible or someplace where you will

271
00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:43,460
often see that list?

272
00:22:43,460 --> 00:22:49,100
And begin praying regularly that God would move in the hearts of Joe and Susie and Mary

273
00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:54,160
and Jim?

274
00:22:54,160 --> 00:23:02,920
Then would you ask God to give you a strategy, to give you a door, an opening, a bridge into

275
00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:08,120
the lives of those people?

276
00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:09,320
Where do we go from here?

277
00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:15,420
The answer is we go out to a world that needs the message God has given us, or we cannot

278
00:23:15,420 --> 00:23:20,400
be content simply to sit on the mountaintop with Jesus.

279
00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,300
We have to come off the mountain, get out into the world where He's called us to carry

280
00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:34,660
out the commission, to be His witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth.

281
00:23:34,660 --> 00:23:40,800
Then again in chapter 2 of the book of Acts, I notice that they devoted themselves to meaningful

282
00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,000
fellowship.

283
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:48,280
We see this in verse 41 where it says, So then those who had received His word were

284
00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:56,080
baptized and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.

285
00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:01,680
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship,

286
00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,000
to the breaking of bread into prayer.

287
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:09,200
Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe and many wonders and signs were taking place through

288
00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,040
the apostles.

289
00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:15,200
All those who had believed were together and had all things in common.

290
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:20,320
They began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all as anyone might

291
00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,000
have need.

292
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,800
And day by day, continuing with one mind in the temple and breaking bread from house to

293
00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:33,940
house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising

294
00:24:33,940 --> 00:24:37,880
God and having favor with all the people.

295
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,600
Here you see dynamic fellowship in that early church.

296
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,920
A number of things incorporated here.

297
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,760
First of all, they gathered for instruction.

298
00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:51,400
They devoted themselves, it says, to the apostles' teaching.

299
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:56,400
Of course that was necessary for these were the men who were trained.

300
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:01,000
They in turn had to train others who would then train others and then train others.

301
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:05,560
But here we're in the very early stages, of course, of the church and the apostles are

302
00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,360
the ones who had the message.

303
00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:14,680
And so these thousands of people who had believed would gather together for instruction.

304
00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:17,760
That's a vital part of fellowship.

305
00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:23,920
Fellowship that is not based upon the instruction of God's Word will soon go astray.

306
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,960
It will not accomplish much of eternal benefit.

307
00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:33,520
It must be devoted to the Word of God, to the instruction that's found in these pages.

308
00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:39,040
And then I noticed it also involved gathering for fellowship, which was breaking of bread

309
00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:40,760
and prayer.

310
00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,720
That's what he means here by fellowship.

311
00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,520
It involved breaking of bread and prayer.

312
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:55,800
The breaking of bread may have been a meal together, could have been the Lord's Supper.

313
00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,500
Probably it was a combination of both.

314
00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:03,640
They would gather together to eat, but also as a part of that then to observe the Lord's

315
00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:04,720
Supper.

316
00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,560
And then they would pray together.

317
00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:12,600
That was a dynamic part of the body life of that early church and it ought to be, must

318
00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:20,080
be, has to be a vital part of a church today that's going to do something for God.

319
00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:26,600
There has to be the coming together to break bread and to share together one's heart needs

320
00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,320
and requests and prayer.

321
00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:35,360
Then there was thirdly a concern for the needy among them.

322
00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:41,440
There were those who had particular needs, others who had the ability to sell lands or

323
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:47,960
properties would dispose of them and then bring that money voluntarily so that it might

324
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,640
be distributed to those who had needs.

325
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:53,120
So they cared for one another.

326
00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:56,040
They were concerned for the needy.

327
00:26:56,040 --> 00:27:00,600
You then notice that that fellowship involved a oneness of mind.

328
00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:07,520
It says that they were with one mind in the temple.

329
00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:09,360
Their hearts beat together.

330
00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:12,340
They were all moving in the same direction.

331
00:27:12,340 --> 00:27:17,040
They had the common vision of what God wanted them to do and be.

332
00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:19,920
That's vital in a church, isn't it?

333
00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:25,200
We're seeking to bring our vision more together than it's been in the past.

334
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:30,360
We've had good vision, but the vision has at times been a little diffused.

335
00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:35,640
We want to bring that together more commonly so that all of us understand clearly the direction

336
00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:36,640
we're heading.

337
00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,560
We're in the midst of doing that.

338
00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,800
It's exciting to see it come together.

339
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:42,800
Oneness of mind.

340
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:47,960
And you notice they spent time with one another, breaking bread from house to house.

341
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:52,480
They were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.

342
00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,360
They looked for opportunities to be together.

343
00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:56,360
They were hospitable.

344
00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:58,500
They opened their homes.

345
00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:01,320
There was a warmth of fellowship.

346
00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,120
They enjoyed spending time together.

347
00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:11,040
Folks you can't have fellowship unless you spend time with others.

348
00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:16,560
The degree to which I experience fellowship will be the degree to which I am able to be

349
00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,320
with other people.

350
00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:25,080
If I am a loner and I sit back by myself and complain I have no fellowship, I have but

351
00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:29,360
one to blame and that's me.

352
00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:32,120
Fellowship demands that I be with others.

353
00:28:32,120 --> 00:28:34,640
Here it talks about meal time.

354
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,040
It talks about breaking bread from house to house.

355
00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,240
It talks about in the temple.

356
00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:48,400
So when there was a gathering, large like in the temple or small like in a house, they

357
00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:50,600
were meeting together.

358
00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:56,880
Then notice that they did this with gladness, sincerity of heart.

359
00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:03,600
Joy and sincerity characterizes a church that has dynamic body life.

360
00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,200
It involved worship of God.

361
00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,640
They were praising God it says.

362
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:15,760
And the result was they had favor with all the people, that is the common people, not

363
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:21,560
the leaders of the religious community at least, but with the common populace they had

364
00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:28,640
favor who wouldn't want to be a part of, who wouldn't approve at least this kind of

365
00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:34,920
love and care and joy for one another.

366
00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:40,800
Developing and maintaining this quality of fellowship is demanding.

367
00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:47,080
It is demanding of everyone who wants to be a part of it.

368
00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,080
It demands time.

369
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,080
It demands energy.

370
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,400
It demands effort.

371
00:29:54,400 --> 00:30:01,800
But the result or the fruit of it is the sweetest thing this side of heaven itself.

372
00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:08,800
My prayer is that we as a church may devote ourselves to meaningful fellowship.

373
00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:15,560
Not just getting together to get together, but getting together to share our lives with

374
00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:20,720
each other.

375
00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:26,760
Then I notice number six, that they reached more people as the Lord added to their number.

376
00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:31,880
Where did they go from the top of Mount Olivet?

377
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:37,320
They went out to proclaim Christ and they had meaningful fellowship as people then were

378
00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,680
added to the body, they grew.

379
00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:45,040
They reached more and more people, it says in verse 47, and the Lord was adding to their

380
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:49,880
number day by day those who were being saved.

381
00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,200
So the Lord was increasing the church.

382
00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:53,200
Why?

383
00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,360
Because it was a healthy church.

384
00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,600
A healthy church will grow.

385
00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,940
Not always at a rapid pace, but it will grow certainly.

386
00:31:01,940 --> 00:31:02,940
It must grow.

387
00:31:02,940 --> 00:31:05,480
It's an organism.

388
00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:10,240
The kind of growth that is mentioned here is real growth, not transfer growth.

389
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:14,720
There wasn't another church to transfer from in Jerusalem.

390
00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:19,040
These were people added to the fellowship who were coming to Christ and that is the

391
00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:23,440
kind of growth that real church growth is.

392
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,840
It's people being saved.

393
00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:34,120
It's interesting to ponder how they were able to keep up with the growth with as many

394
00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,080
converts as they had in those early weeks of the church.

395
00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:41,360
There were thousands even the first day.

396
00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:46,120
And then every day beyond that for weeks there were hundreds and thousands more coming to

397
00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,720
faith in Christ.

398
00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:50,400
How were they able to keep up with that?

399
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:55,400
How were they able to incorporate these people?

400
00:31:55,400 --> 00:32:00,080
I think that they did basically what we've tried to do here and that is that they met

401
00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:06,000
in larger groups in the temple, that was the natural place for them to meet.

402
00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,400
They were Jewish background entirely at this point.

403
00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:13,920
It was a large gathering place.

404
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:21,960
At least had the permission of the religious leaders, though they may have regretted it

405
00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:24,720
a bit later on in particular.

406
00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,880
They gathered in larger groups of thousands there in the temple compound.

407
00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,800
But then it's clear that also from house to house they met.

408
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:38,320
And so they had the large group, they had the small group.

409
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:45,200
Someone said in my presence recently that he believes that a church has a maximum point

410
00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,200
of growth where it can be effective.

411
00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:53,760
And he felt it was somewhere around 900,000.

412
00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:54,760
What did he mean?

413
00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,080
Well, he was by exaggeration saying this.

414
00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:03,480
There is no such thing as this is as large as a church should be.

415
00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:10,880
A church can grow to any size provided that it does exactly what they did in Acts chapter

416
00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:19,200
2, provided it breaks down into small groups where people identify, where people are associated

417
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:25,240
together in caring groups, where they know each other, where they can look after each

418
00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:30,800
other, discipline each other if necessary.

419
00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:39,560
The early church grew to a church of multiplied thousands within days of Pentecost.

420
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:44,600
And yet it seems that they were able to handle that because they kept breaking into smaller

421
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:46,480
groups all the time.

422
00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,240
And that is the challenge that we face here.

423
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:54,840
We want to reach more people for the Lord as a church.

424
00:33:54,840 --> 00:34:00,800
To do that, to continue to grow, we have to keep breaking down into small groups, small

425
00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:08,000
churches, flocks, care groups, so that people feel a part of it.

426
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,240
So that when they're gone, they're missed.

427
00:34:11,240 --> 00:34:16,360
So that when they're hurting, someone knows, can go and pray with them.

428
00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:20,520
So that when there's a particular blessing, there are those they can share that with who

429
00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:28,680
can enter into the real joy and excitement of it because they know them.

430
00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:34,040
I want to encourage you, if you are not involved presently in a smaller group, to get involved

431
00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:35,660
quickly.

432
00:34:35,660 --> 00:34:39,040
That is vital for your faith.

433
00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:43,600
It's not simply an option that you can do if you've got time to do it.

434
00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:48,920
The point I'm making this morning is that it's absolutely mandatory as a church grows

435
00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:57,840
larger for each person of the larger body to be plugged into a smaller group somewhere.

436
00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:01,320
If you want to know how to do that, you can call the church office and one of our pastors

437
00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:07,080
can get back to you with specific information.

438
00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:13,100
It seems to me that they also use the daily routine events of life as the opportunity

439
00:35:13,100 --> 00:35:15,400
for discipleship.

440
00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,440
I don't read a lot here about discipleship groups meeting.

441
00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:23,680
Now they may have, but it doesn't really say that here.

442
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:28,120
They simply use those occasions when they were together to lay life upon life, whether

443
00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:34,320
it be meals or be there in the temple, whatever the occasion may be, they use those natural

444
00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:40,680
routine opportunities of life to disciple, to bring people along.

445
00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:46,760
I think that too is part of the secret of how they incorporated their growth.

446
00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:50,760
My question that I've been trying to answer this morning from Acts 1 and 2 is this, where

447
00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:55,840
do we go from here after a conference like we've had?

448
00:35:55,840 --> 00:36:00,200
The answer to that is that we go in the same direction that the early church did.

449
00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:06,880
That we go back to the familiar, to the place of assignment where God has placed us in His

450
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:07,880
will.

451
00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:15,160
We go to devotion to prayer, making that a vital part of our lives, not just for a specific

452
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:22,560
period leading up to a meeting, but now ongoing as a vital part of our everyday walk with

453
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:23,560
God.

454
00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:26,080
Where do we go from here?

455
00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:32,760
We go to a time of getting our act together, which will culminate in just about a month

456
00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:39,920
as we come to the end of the challenge portion of the campaign called Sharing the Vision.

457
00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:41,560
Where do we go from here?

458
00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:46,360
To the marketplace or to the temple or to that place where God has put us in His will

459
00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:49,720
to proclaim the message of Jesus.

460
00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:52,160
Where do we go from here?

461
00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:57,520
Hopefully to devote ourselves to more meaningful fellowship than we've had in the past.

462
00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:03,600
To identify with small groups, to get together with some other believers and tie our lives

463
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:08,400
together, to bond ourselves together.

464
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:09,720
Where do we go from here?

465
00:37:09,720 --> 00:37:17,640
To being a part of an expanded ministry, reaching more people who need to know Christ.

466
00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:21,760
As was pointed out to us a few weeks ago, we're actually losing ground in our community

467
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:27,920
here because when we started seven years ago, something like nine percent of the people

468
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:32,240
in this community, in this area were involved in a Bible teaching church.

469
00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:37,060
Today it's about half of that because of the turnover in the community, new families

470
00:37:37,060 --> 00:37:42,040
coming in that are not rooted in church in this community.

471
00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:48,200
And that could probably be reproduced in the community where you live, where I live.

472
00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:53,320
And so we have a tremendous challenge before us and a great door of opportunity.

473
00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:56,160
Let's not miss it.

474
00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:57,440
Where do we go from here?

475
00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:05,320
To the place of blessing, the place of expecting God to do a miracle in our midst.

476
00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:07,560
That's where we go.

477
00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:11,880
What does this specifically mean to each of us today?

478
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:21,680
I believe that we need to first of all look back, look back with gratitude to God for

479
00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:26,640
what He did in our midst in the spring conference.

480
00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:31,120
Now if you weren't a part of that, I'm sorry you missed something very special.

481
00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:33,060
There are some tapes available.

482
00:38:33,060 --> 00:38:35,880
You can sort of get a little bit by osmosis that way.

483
00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:39,000
But what special days these have been for us.

484
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,880
And those of us who have been a part of that can look back with gratitude for what God

485
00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:43,880
has done.

486
00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:51,080
Then we can look up, look up with commitment to continue an active prayer life.

487
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,440
Will you do that?

488
00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:58,400
Will you commit yourself to continue an active prayer life?

489
00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:00,520
We can look forward.

490
00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:07,500
Look forward to the culmination of this campaign and how God wants me, wants you to respond

491
00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:09,960
to the potential commitments.

492
00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:16,720
We can look on the harvest field that's all around us with a heart burden for those who

493
00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:18,440
are lost.

494
00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:25,040
We can look for ways to become vitally a part of the fellowship of this body.

495
00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:32,440
And we can look with anticipation to see how God is going to expand our ministry.

496
00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:39,560
See how He's going to add to our church those from our own spheres of influence whom

497
00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:43,240
He died to save.

498
00:39:43,240 --> 00:39:48,100
Would you bow together in prayer with me?

499
00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:53,040
Would you begin by looking back this morning and say, Lord, thank you.

500
00:39:53,040 --> 00:40:02,640
Thank you for what you did in my heart, what you've done in our church.

501
00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:10,680
Would you look up then, look up to Him with commitment to continue your active prayer

502
00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,280
life?

503
00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:19,080
Or if it's not active, to make it active?

504
00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:26,320
Would you look forward with anticipation to the commitments that we've talked about as

505
00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:32,960
a part of the Nehemiah campaign?

506
00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:46,320
Will you ask the Lord right now to enable you to respond then according to His will?

507
00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:53,160
Will you look on the harvest field where God has placed you and allow Him to burden you

508
00:40:53,160 --> 00:41:06,040
for two, three, four, five people, families, and covenant to pray for them?

509
00:41:06,040 --> 00:41:15,440
Feel free to write those names down right now even so that you'll remember to pray.

510
00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:23,800
Will you look for ways to become a vital part of the fellowship in our church?

511
00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:32,440
Father, I pray that all of us will look with excitement and anticipation to what you're

512
00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:35,320
going to do in our midst.

513
00:41:35,320 --> 00:41:42,300
May we see the mountaintop that we've been on as a preparation.

514
00:41:42,300 --> 00:41:47,760
May it not be for any of us a dead-end spiritual high.

515
00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:56,880
Brother may the conference be for us a door that we've now entered so that more than

516
00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:02,080
before we're prepared for the blessing you desire to give.

517
00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:07,080
Lord lead us on from here, I pray, to greater heights, greater things, whatever that may

518
00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,440
mean.

519
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:14,600
We pray that our ministry will be effective, that we will have a brightly burning testimony

520
00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:21,080
for the Lord Jesus in our region.

521
00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:25,320
To that end, I pray that each of us this morning will commit ourselves in these various ways

522
00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:30,560
that we've suggested.

523
00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:42,960
We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.