PROGRAMS – OR- PRESENCE?

ACTS 2:42-47: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,  to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.  [43] Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.  [44] Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.  [45] They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. [46] Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,  [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” CSB

OBSERVATION: In just a couple of weeks it will be Easter Sunday – RESURRECTION DAY! This is the highest and holiest day in the church calendar. It is the reason for our faith and the difference between religion and relationship. Paul emphasized the importance of the resurrection with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14: “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,  how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?  [13] If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; [14] and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.” CSB

If the RESURRECTION is not a historical fact, if Jesus is not alive and seated at the right hand of the Father, then the Day of Pentecost was a hoax and we might as well close up shop. If our churches have become mere programs without the living presence of God in our midst there is no power to change lives and there is no hope for the life to come. We are merely spinning our wheels!

The early church after the Day of Pentecost was vital and alive. It was filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit and wonderful things were taking place. While we cannot reduplicate this day we can learn from it. This mighty move of God was clothed in simplicity and sincerity. There were no programs. They relied fully and completely on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

This was a day that had no sound systems, video projection, smoke machines, or special effects. In fact, there were no church buildings except for the Synagogues and the Temple. Not welcomed in the Synagogues this new church met in homes and at the Temple. They focused on five simple things in their early church life.

• Continuing in the Apostles doctrine.

• Sharing in fellowship in the Lord.

• Celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

• Prayer.

• Meeting the needs of the church family.

There was no program, official guidelines, and no denominational curriculum. They only had the Old Testament Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. Their hearts were open and they were experiencing a continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Luke records – “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.” 

There is nothing wrong with programs within themselves. Programs are a natural outflow of organization. As we read the New Testament we see that as the church grew it had to respond with programs. Acts chapter 6 gives us the outline of a program to meet the benevolence needs of this growing church. However, it does not take long for a church to begin to rely on programs rather than contending for the presence of God. The presence of God is vital to the life of any church. Without it, there is no power, no life, and no lasting growth.

You can gather a crowd with programs but you cannot change a life with the same. People who attend a church because of programs can continue to live in their brokenness and will soon become tired of the programs and go to the next church that has a better program, or stop attending church altogether. Programs don’t open the eyes of the blind and they do not set the captives free.

Only the power of God’s presence can set the captives free! When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove. After Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit He faced Satan in the wilderness temptation. When Jesus left the wilderness we read,

Luke 4:14-21: “Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,  and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity.  [15] He was teaching in their synagogues,  being praised by everyone. [16] He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.  As usual, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.  [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written: [18] The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.   , [20] He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.  And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. [21] He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” CSB

Jesus did not call His disciples to implement a program. He called them to follow Him. He called them to imitate Him. He called them to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The presence of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, was the key to Jesus’ ministry and it is the key to ours. This principle is so important that Jesus warned the disciples to wait until they had received it. They could not fulfill the call of God with a program.

They needed the power of His presence!

Acts 1:4-5: “While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.  “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; [5] for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” CSB

The revival that is sweeping college campuses across the nation is one that is marked by the presence of God. When young people are willing to worship for hours on end, with no hype, no smoke machines, and no Christian celebrities, we are experiencing the power of His presence. When lives are transformed when believers love and forgive one another, pray for one another, and humble themselves – we are experiencing the power of the presence of God.

How do we enter into God’s presence? Peter reminds us in his great Pentecost sermon.

Acts 2:38-40: “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,  each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off,  as many as the Lord our God will call.” [40] With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” CSB

When we humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, when we offer ourselves in repentance, when we lay down everything we are trusting in other than the Holy Spirit – we position our hearts for a fresh outpouring of the presence of God. The power of His presence is always followed by a call to return to the basics of our faith in Christ.

We begin our journey of faith at the cross and we find renewal and the presence of God at the same place.

This Easter, my prayer is that you will meet the presence of God in Jesus Christ the Lord. I pray that you will not be merely moved with emotion by a spectacular presentation or sermon – but you will be moved to sincere repentance and enter into the fullness of His presence. On the Day of Pentecost, the 120 encountered the presence of God. As we celebrate RESURRECTION SUNDAY – may we too enter into the presence of God!

Acts 2:2-4: “Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.  [3] They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. [4] Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,  as the Spirit enabled them.” CSB

In Jesus’ Name!