ENTHUSIASM The Missing Ingredient Acts 1:12-26

Portraits of Bible folk are never “touched up” People in the Bible are as real as you and me.

The lack of Enthusiasm in Bible days, was just as real as it is today The Word comes from two Greek words: – Theos = God – En = In Thus “God indwelt” or “God in you.” Real enthusiasm is more than personality, attitude, life-style. – It is the evidence and result of the fullness of God.

NOTE THE CONTRAST Mk 14:50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.

Instability prior to Pentecost Peter denied his Lord Judas betrayed Jesus All the other disciples abandoned Jesus on the night he was betrayed. After Pentecost there was an amazing faithfulness.

Even after the resurrection they were filled with fear and cowardice On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” – Jn 20:19 After Pentecost they had a holy boldness

Prior to Pentecost there was a loss of focus and purpose Peter announced that he was going back to fishing. – The others agreed to go with him. After Pentecost they were resolute in their ministry of the word

PERPETUATING THE PROGRAM They returned to Jerusalem… --v 12 …they went upstairs to the room where they were staying… --v 13 …it is written in the book of Psalms… --v 20

They seemed to do all the right things The obediently went back to Jerusalem The prayed They read the Word They had an election But there is no record of anyone being saved. No one was healed. No one was delivered. And we never again hear of Mathias.

PRE-PENTECOST RELIGION IS UNSUSTAINABLE Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses…

It is boring It lacks dynamic – There is no passion or unction from on high It lacks re-creative power – The law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

It is hard It is a form of Romans 7 living. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.“ -- Rom 7:15 Paul said, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.“ --Gal 5:16-17

It is unproductive Gal 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self- control..."

JESUS HAS A CURE He promised we could enjoy it But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. -- Jn 14:26

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you… Witnessing to the power of Saving Grace by the transformation of our lives. Witnessing to the uniqueness of the Name of Jesus. Witnessing empowered with Holy Boldness.

We need to wait... Acts 1:4 "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." Zec 4:6 "So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

OK, So what? How does all this affect us?

The reason we are here today…. We are believers – We know that God is true to His promises We have experienced the touch of God – In some way each of us has responded to God’s call and experienced God’s Grace. We delight in knowing Him more – We know we can’t effectively live life on our own. We really want our lives to count for Eternity. – We want to do God’ s will and be empowered by His divine resources.

But unless we allow God to fill us with His Spirit, we will fizzle out at anything important The Father is willing to give. We must be willing to receive. – But He is Holy – Nothing unclean can remain in His presence.

There are no shortcuts to Pentecost We come to God on His terms -- Through Jesus Christ. – We wait on Him for His Gift -- The blessed Holy Spirit. – We receive on His conditions -- unconditional surrender. – But it is in love. It is the surrender of lovers as in marriage.

God is good to His promise He was then and is today!