Birth by wind and fire | Colin D cruz

This message was preached by  Colin D cruz at Word of Grace Church  Pune, on the 8th of June 2014 . You can listen/download to the audio by clicking here

Its good to know where are heading as a company of people. We often use the word Church very loosely. Church is a company of people and not a building.

Acts chapter 1&2

In Acts 1 Jesus appears to his disciples. He wore the Victors crown. Verse3 – He appeared to them for 40 days. Jesus gave the one command to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit.

Verse14 There were 120 people who gathered together for prayer.

Chapter 2:1-2 suddenly a violent wind blew and tongues of fire fell upon 120 people and the church was birthed.

Verse14. Then Peter stand up and explains what is happening from the book of Joel.

So what do we learn from here? This is the blueprint of the early church.

1. As a church we are called to be a people of the Spirit. On that day 3000 were saved!!! Ephesians 5 encourages us to be filled with the gifts of the Holy spirit. Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing. Jesus was filled and was led by the Spirit he healed the people.

Without God’s Spirit we can’t do anything. We need more and more of his spirit.

As the spirit was poured out great things happen- miraculous signs and wonders took place.

2. We need to be a people of the WORD. Peter stood up and quoted Joel. Acts 2:42-  devoted to the Apostles teaching. We need to feed on the word of God. It is crucial to our Spiritual growth.

1Peter 1:23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

We are born again through the Word of God and we live by the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Do you have a regular quiet time? Do you have a reading plan? We need to meet Jesus on a regular basis. We take other opportunities to feed ourselves. We have arranged Solid Food, IDT etc for you. The Sunday preaching of half an hour a week is not enough to nourish your spirit. You have a responsibility to feed yourself.

So we need to be people of the word and the Spirit.

3. Prayer – The early church were a prayerful people. We have so much going on, on social apps but no time for prayer.

Acts4:31- while they were praying they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke boldly. Is prayer a priority in our lives?

4. Fellowship – They were a people of fellowship, partnership and relationship. Christianity is a religion of relationship with god and with one another. We become brothers and sisters. It is a supernatural bond.

Verse 46 tells us that they devoted themselves – they met every day!!! They ate, prayed, and broke bread. Take every opportunity to grow in fellowship. Let’s grow in hospitality and opening up our homes. We share life together. It’s also partnering together in the purposes of God. At the end of the day we want to see the kingdom advance. So it’s not a focus on ourselves but to see how we can do what God has called us to do.  Each one of us has a role to play. God has given us gifts, the Word of God, one another and the Holy Spirit.

V44. They shared. They helped each other. As you meet and eat you will realize that people have needs and God will use you to care and share.

So let’s be full of the spirit and the Word, committed to fellowship and one another. As we do this you will grow and the church will grow.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.

     Please check google maps for directions!