The Movement Begins

series: First Things First the movement begins Acts 1:1-11 No church has ever faced a more uphill challengethan the First church, yet they grew rapidly. They grew because they fully embraced the gospelof Jesus. Acts 1:1-11 The First church was filled with people who had apowerful, personal experiencewith the gospel of Jesus. Acts 1:1-3 The message of Jesushad captured the apostles’ hearts, but that is not why they changed the world. A catalytic event emboldened them: the resurrection. Not every believer in Acts saw the resurrected Jesus, but every believer had a personal experience with Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5) The primary task for the early church was to witnessabout the gospel. The scope of their task was global, and the strategy was multiplication. Each member took personal responsibilityto reach the world. Acts 1:8 common excuses “I don’t have what it takes.” “It’s not my gift.” “I witness with my life.” “I don’t have time.” “It makes me feel weird.” They had confidence in God’s power. Acts 1:4, 8 They understood the urgency of the task. Acts 1:9-11 The return of Christand the significance of the gospelmake this a time-sensitivetask. Today’s Takeaways 1. Personal relationships with Christ are what create impactful churches. 2. Witnessing is everyone’s job. 3. If God calls youto do a task, He has equipped you. 4. We must not be distractedfrom the call to share our faith.