Video
The Spiritual Rights Movement – Mike Underhill
Sermon Preached on February 23, 2014
Notes & Scriptures
Introduction
– People were used as property
– Civil rights brought political equality to all
– People stood up for, “equality for everyone”
– Frederick Douglass
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
– Finally, the civil rights act in the 60’s
Acts 28:17-22
– A little view of the church in the 1st century
– People everywhere talked against the church
– The church had made an impact everywhere
– Many people wanted to know their “views”
– Killing, torturing, did not stop the disciples
– God cannot be stopped
– Eventually, Rome itself adopted Christianity
TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
Acts 3:1
– With the title, “disciple,” comes expectation:
– “I WILL turn the world upside down!”
– Who were Peter and John?
– Fishermen from Galilee!
– Jesus had to restore them to the ministry
– They abandoned him after his death
– Now on their knees praying to advance the kingdom of God
(1) We need a heart of prayer
Acts 6:1-4
– Some of the disciples needs were overlooked
– What to do? Speak out – find a solution
– Different men must raise up to meet needs
– We have need in this church that must be met!
– The leaders have (2) responsibilities:
– [a] Prayer [b] Ministry of the Word
– Our movement starts with the heart of prayer
– Want to change the world; don’t make time
– How does it start?
– You must prioritize spending time with God
– Must imitate the 1st century heart of prayer
– Must go after God with your whole heart
Revelation 2:1-5
– When we stop prioritizing our prayer life:
– What happened? You lost your first love!
– Did you stop seeking God wholeheartedly?
– It is NOT OK to stop loving God wholehearted
– As disciples, we can be in conflict if lost God
– If that’s the case, God is saying “COME BACK”
– “Make it all about me”
– You can’t think because you USED to workout
– That you are STILL in shape
– Mike realized something, “I’m out of shape!”
– Now he’s trying to get back on track
– Ephesus had a blindness about their passion
– Because they lost that: God said GET IT BACK
– Some of us used to pray a lot
– Now we don’t anymore!
– And we think we’re spiritual!
– Must get back into committed life with God!
Notes
– The danger of the spiritual birthday
– Have you lost first love, even though here?
– Don’t lose your first love!
– Must get the distractions out of your life
– Sometimes, even ignore everything else!
(2) We need a hardworking heart
Mark 1:35-39
– Jesus did not have excuses to not pray!
– Sometimes, God ends the prayer for work!
– There is work to do
– Don’t use prayer as an excuse to not work
– Do you pray with others?
(3) We need a heart to lead the lost
Acts 3:1-10
– What happened after the disciples’ prayer?
– A MIRACLE
– A changed man!
Acts 20:30
– The miracle was for the people to believe!
– The gospel was not written down
– They needed the miracle to believe!
– We walk around with same power as them!
– We can show others the Word of God!
– It’s here that we might believe and have life!
– Any disciples with a Bible can change world
– Read the miracles, believe in Jesus
– Now: have the ability to change everything
– We can change campuses, cities, countries
– The Words of God radically change people
Isaiah 55:10-11
– God’s Word does not come back empty
– Do you call people to the word of God?
– Or do you call people to yourself?
– Is the Bible your standard for life?
– Something amazing: watch the miracle!
– Watch the Bible change EVERYONE
– It’s the Bible that changes men
– You have it
– Are you using it?
Acts 3:11-16
– Peter PREACHES THE WORD after the healing
– It was not complicated
– He preached the Word!
– What is the Word? “Jesus is Lord”
– If you don’t have faith; it’s simple solution
– Read the Bible!
– When you read the Bible you know:
– We will turn the world upside down
Matthew 9:35-38
– Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers
– When Jesus saw the crowd; what heart?
– He had compassion on the lost people!
– He thought about others!
– His heart cried out for their salvation
– This world is condemned
– People must follow Jesus
– That’s billions + billions of people
– God’s wrath is real and the world is under it
– Jesus says: “You’re the light of the world”
– God says: “I appeal through you!”
– We must live as if it depends on us!
– We must pray as if it depends on God!
– We do the work
– God gives us the power and strength
– If you accept, people are condemned
– You are fired up to save them from the fire
– We’re heading toward heaven as disciples
– We have a chance now to grab someone
– We want to take SOMEONE with us
– Who’s it going to be?
– Who am I going to save?
Notes
– Form an awesome relationship with people who want to know God!
– They need best friends who are disciples!
– Are you best friends with the people who want to know God?
– Do you consider them family?
– Would you die for them?
– Are you leading the lost in your classroom?
Acts 4:3, 4, 18-20
– The number of disciples is growing!
– Even if you tell us to stop… what will we do?
– NOT STOP TALKING
– Who do we obey?
– We obey God!
– The leaders pray for boldness
– God shakes the world with an earthquake!
– God commanded them to preach
– Men commanded them to stop
– A man-focused disciple, stops preaching
– A God-focused disciples, LAYS IT OUT
– Peter could not stop
– “Can’t stop, won’t stop!”
– Even at the risk of your own life, preach!
– Is this message worth more than your life?
– Would you rather die than stop preaching?
– Every apostle was martyred
– Why? You couldn’t stop them!
Notes
– 1st century spiritual rights movement
– It took over the Roman Empire!
– Prayer
– Heart to love
– Heart to lead
– Heart to die for God and others
MLK, Jr. Quotes
– “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
– “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
