THE DAY OF PENTECOST

10 December 2000
The trademark of Lucifer since he fell from his original position is strife, infightings, rebellion, lack of love, murder, hate and the list goes on and on. Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Revelation 12:7-17

Jesus identified Satan in John 8:44 as the father of all lies, and in John10:10 as the destroyer.

The apostle Paul teaches us clearly that he wants us to know the will of God, since we have now been delivered from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. Colossians 1:9-14

When Jesus selected his disciples, he took people from every kind of background and education. Luke 5:1-11, verse 27-29; 6:12-16

For the next three and a half years these men, plus the 70 others plus 39 women traveled, ate and slept as a group with Jesus. The Bible tells us that at times things could get very nasty. When they were walking from one place to the next, they often argued among themselves - Mark 9:33-36; they were trying to seek positions in the kingdom of God - Matthew 18:1-7; Luke 9:46-48; they were jealous of others, that did not belong to their group - Luke 9:49-50; at one time some of them became so angry that they wanted to kill people with fire from heaven - Luke 9:51-56

In Matthew 20:20-28 the mother of two apostles decided she was going to press Jesus for positions for her two sons, and the rest of the ten became furious.

The apostle Peter must have made a deep impression on the rest of the disciples, when he told Jesus that if all his followers would abandon Jesus, Peter would be the only one left standing - Matthew 26:31-35

Before Jesus could use this group of "hot heads," they had to be molded into a force of unity. Acts 1:1-8 It took seven days and nights in the upper room, until they all finally settled down and became one - Acts 1:12-26

The final result was spectacular - Acts 2:1-4

From time to time the Devil gets the best of some of God’s choice people - Acts 15:30-41

We, as the Resurrection Life of Jesus Church should ask two questions:

        1. WHY SHOULD NEW PEOPLE COME TO OUR CHURCH?  (To feed them)

        2. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER THEM? (Agape love; the love of God)

The greatest danger for a small church is, when it turns into some kind of a club, and the next spiritual disease to come is when people lose respect for one another and start to criticize and look down on each other.

WHO DID JESUS SEEK OUT ? THE SINNERS AND THOSE WHO WERE SICK! Matt.9:10-13; Luke 4:14-27; 14:12-14

THE REMEDY! That the believer in Christ becomes filled with the love of God, and takes on the nature of Christ! John 13:1-20

If you love God, then you want to show mercy and feed His sheep! John 21:12-19