“Zero to Sixty”
#LetsRoll Week One
Pastor Kris Freeman
Revolution Church
Scripture: Acts 10:34-43 (NLT)
34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public,[d] but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
The journey of the development of the early church:
- Old Testament prophecy and the Law
- Coming of the The Messiah
- Jesus Ministry on Earth
- Death, burial and crucifixion of Jesus
- The Resurrection
- The Day of Pentecost and Coming of the Holy Spirit
- Gathering of the “first” churches
Every pathway of discipleship and growth is a JOURNEY.
In Acts 11, the followers were first called “Christians” when they gathered.
And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:26)
After two thousand years of slow progression, the “church” saw rapid ACCELERATION as the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread outside of Jerusalem.
Slow progression growth in the modern church:
1. Discipleship
2. Leadership development
3. Buildings and Facilities
4. Financial Security
5. Vision and Strategy
Rapid movement in the church:
1. Salvation and life change
2. Baptism
3. Crowd swell (make sure it’s community and not hype!)
4. Momentum
Slow progression is SPIRITUALLY SUCCESSFUL with SYSTEMATIC planning. The Bible is a series of systematic plans laid out by God - not in chronological order - but in spiritual depth.
Rapid progression is EXCITING but can be dangerous and DECEPTIVE if not adequately DISCIPLED.
Ekklesia is a Greek word which meant assembly. It was used to describe the church in Acts 11:26. The meaning of the word did not associate with the church until the gathering of the people became what the church is today.
There is something that changes in a setting when the group goes from a gathering to a BODY or a FAMILY.
When you grow, then you can go. When you go, then the church can grow.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
#LetsRoll
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