Wesley Sermon #24

SCRIPTURAL CHRISTIANITY

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 4:31)

The earliest church consisted of people who were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were radically changed at the heart level. They were passionate to spread the Gospel. They were turning the world right-side-up.

To be a member of the earliest church meant a dramatic change of heart had taken place. You now recognized Jesus as Lord and were filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Your life was marked by love for God and people. You daily grew in grace. You abstained from evil and did good.

To be a member of the earliest church meant being passionate to reach the world. You possessed the best of news. The world was full of bad news. How could you sit idly by? You became a witness. You faced persecution, but witnessed all the more. You shook the gates of hell.

To be a member of the earliest church meant bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. As a church, you were fulfilling outstanding prophecies. You were on a trajectory toward a planet filled with holiness and love.

Where does this Christianity now exist? Are we, in any sense, a Christian nation? Do we have Christian leaders? Christian Pastors? Christian Scholars? Christian Students? Or do we merely trifle with God? Scriptural Christianity and contemporary Christianity seem to be at odds.