There are many good, great, busy, and important things that we can do. Many things that utilize our gifts, energy, resources and time. Yet, we are only truly effective, obedient, and happy when we give our attention to what God is calling us as individuals and as a church to do. In Acts 6, we see that the Apostles are confronted with competing “good” things to do. They chose what to put their focus on by listening to God and by utilizing other people’s calling and gifts. This New Year, we must give an ear to what the Spirit of God is saying and give our undivided attention to it.

Jesus was not merely a messenger of revelation from God (like all the other prophets), but was himself the source of revelation from God. Rather than saying as the Old Testament prophets did, “Thus says the Lord,” Jesus could begin divinely authoritative teaching with the amazing statement, “But I say unto you”. Jesus is the Logos (word, discourse or reason) of God!

On the heels of people pouring into the streets to be healed miraculously, the Apostles were arrested. During the night an angel of the Lord busted them out of prison, and told them to go to the temple courts and “tell the people the full message of this new life”. This is a directive to every disciple since then. What is the “full message”? Is there danger in only telling part of it? Do we still need the gospel preached to us as believers? We will look at what is the Gospel Message, summed up in three parts.

After healing the crippled beggar, Peter and John are brought before the Sanhedrin. They were asked, “By what power or what name did you do this?” It says Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, explained it was by Jesus’ authority. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized they were just ordinary, unschooled men, they realized they “had been with Jesus”. With the healed man standing next to them as evidence, there was nothing they could say. Love and trust that dispel fear comes from spending time with Jesus. Are people noticing the same about us? Are we walking in His authority and character by spending time with him?

Peter and John, going to a prayer meeting, encounter a crippled man in the midst of their regularly scheduled events of the day. They are suddenly presented with an opportunity to glorify God and radically transform not only the crippled man’s life, but also the life of the community. They ministered to him out of what they had (the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit). His Spirit was manifested and the man was healed on the spot. The ministry gift of healing is a powerful demonstration of the presence of God, not of our own power or godliness. Jesus promised that healing would take place through our hands as we touch the sick, this was among the “signs that will accompany those who believe” (Mark 16:15-18).

Matthias is chosen from the group of disciples to take Judas’ place among the apostolic leaders. A replacement was sought to fulfill prophecy as well as a void. We will look at what an apostle is and how they function. Not everyone is an apostle, but everyone can be apostolic. The Holy Spirit is an apostolic Spirit and the Church therefore needs to be an apostolic Church if it is to fulfill its mission.

Verses 22-34 of John chapter 3 gives us incredible insight into a man, John the Baptizer, greatly gifted and called, who must come face to face with a decision. That decision is “what is my role?” Through beautiful imagery of a wedding we see God’s purpose for his children through Christ Jesus. The Bride belongs to the Bridegroom. John chooses to be the shoshabin; the friend who attends the Bridegroom. The friend waits and listens for Him, full of joy when he hears His voice. We will look at the task of the shoshabin and as greatly gifted and called members of the Bride we too are face to face with a decision. What is my role?

Elijah was commissioned by the Lord to relate a word from the Lord during the showdown with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. With the people of Israel assembled he said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” The people said nothing. Elijah sets up the ultimate test to see which “god” answers with fire. The altar for Baal was ready for the sacrifice; ready to go! The altar for the Lord was dilapidated and in ruins. Before the Lord could answer with fire, the altar had to be repaired. What about our altar; the way, the time, and the places we worship God with our life and our service? Is it in disrepair? We need to fix our altar before God will answer with fire!

Jesus restores Peter and instructs him to feed His sheep. Peter is a huge component (or rock) in which the Church is built. Jesus asks him three different times if Peter loved him. We will look at what love is and see how Peter answered Jesus by actually choosing a different word for love in his response. We will then as a church celebrate the blessed union of Paul and Bonnie in matrimony.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion He was tried in court. First, in the religious court of the Sanhedrin before Caiaphas (Matt 26) Jesus remained silent until he was asked if he was the Christ (the King), to which Jesus replied it is as you say. His fight was not a religious fight. Second in the governmental court before Pilate (the governor). Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said yes- it is as you say. Jesus came to install a government over His people, not a religion. The phrase, ‘Kingdom of God/Heaven’ in Scripture is a dynamic concept—it means the action of God’s rule, more than the realm or place of God’s rule. Jesus said, ‘If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you’ (Matt 12:28). He didn't say a religion has arrived. “For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that He might destroy the works of the evil one” (1 John 3:8) The Kingdom of God in Scripture is not an idea; it is an event, an intervention of God in human history. What is our role in bringing His Kingdom on Earth as it is in heaven?

We need to get to know intimately the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit possesses the characteristics of a Person. He is not just some active force or abstract or metaphysical idea. We will look at these characteristics and especially focus on His convicting and convincing the world of guilt, righteousness, and judgment.

Jesus said that the very things that He did on this earth, His disciples would also do. In fact, He followed that by describing what we are capable of doing as “greater things than these.” We will talk about the reasons for this happening given within the text. One of our mandates in Scripture and also one of our “Circles of Discipleship” for The Church at Whistling Pines is to “Get Going”. Within this, we have the promise that Jesus will not leave us orphans but instead has sent us the Holy Spirit, the very active presence of God in our world to not only teach us, but to do the work. We will also talk about a few easy and practical things we can do to “Get Going”. Our legacy is to do what Jesus did; even greater things than these!