Today’s message is entitled, Preparing Ourselves to Become More Contagious as Christians.  This message is meant to pave the way for the beginning of our church-wide small group study entitled, Becoming a Contagious Christian.  The study is a six week small group study that is meant to help us understand how God has shaped us for evangelism and to equip us to do evangelism.  There are spiritual dynamics of preparation for us as believers in order to become more contagious as Christians.  To see these spiritual dynamics of preparation allow me to share with you two passages of scripture where the first believers prepared themselves for the baptism of the Holy Spirit which after having received the fullness of the Spirit they were set on fire to be contagious Christians.  Do we realize that we are the beneficiaries of the original fire that was lit at Pentecost when the disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire?

Luke 24:49 & 52, “And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high…And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.”  Acts 1:8; 12; 14; 2:1-4, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth…Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room…All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer…When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Please note these spiritual dynamics of preparation for the day of Pentecost where they all became spiritual match-heads:

          Instant in joyful obedience:  The disciples immediately returned to Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension in direct obedience to His command to go back into Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit to be poured out upon them to empower them to be witnesses beginning in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth.  Jesus knew that there would be Jewish pilgrims in the city for their feast day from many different countries so then they would catch the good infection of the Gospel from Spirit filled contagious Christians and carry it back home with them.  If they had failed to be obedient to the Lord’s command the spread of the Gospel would have been slowed.  Is there anything in our lives where we are failing to obey Christ that is slowing the spread of the Gospel in Williamsburg and to the ends of the earth?  Remember delayed obedience is disobedience.

          They were in one accord:  There was a Spirit inspired unity among the disciples as they prepared themselves to be contagious Christians.  God commands His blessing at the point of unity.  God does not bless disunity in the body of Christ.  The book of Ephesians 4:3 teaches us to be, “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Disunity in the body of Christ grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit.  If we want the Spirit to move in power among and through us we must be in one accord.  Remember the Holy Spirit’s feelings are easily hurt.

          They were fervent in prayer & worship:  God wants us, to quote Sid Roth, to be, “red hot for Jesus.”  Jesus said to the Church at Laodicea, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.  Would that you were cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”  Jesus is looking for those that are fervent for Him that want to be spiritual match-heads.

          They were readily available:  The day of Pentecost found the disciples sitting on ready.  They were like Isaiah of old after the angel took a hot coal from the altar of God and touched his lips so that he said, “Here am I.  Send me.”

When the Lord finds believers who are instant in joyful obedience, in one accord, fervent in prayer and worship and readily available He will not miss the opportunity to pour out His Spirit so that they become more contagious as Christians.

 

Grace and peace – Pastor David