Beyond The 12! October 23, 2011

"Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

In today's message we are going to explore the Word of God that reveals to us the part of the foundation of our heritage that is the Apostles! These messages have been given under the directions of the Holy Spirit to teach us the strength of our Christian Foundation. We need to know this as “every wind of doctrine” comes forth to deceive the Body of Christ [Ephesians 4:14]. We can endure the trials and temptations, the persecutions and stresses of our day because we are founded upon the Prophets and the Apostles – permanently cemented into the Corner Stone, which is our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. We know this, but as wickedness seems to be rampant in our society and there are multitudes of churches that line our streets, we need to be secure in the Truth! Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” There will be false doctrines that come in His name, but of such we are to turn away. Therefore, we must know the Truth – we must be grounded in His Foundation. [Mark 13:22-23]. The Apostles were primarily Jews. Jesus gave them the Great Commission to “go into all the world!” How then would the Gospel of Jesus Christ reach into the Gentile world? How would the Gospel go beyond the Jewish world? God had a plan. His Son’s Sacrificial Gift would go “beyond the 12” He had brought to the Last Supper. The Apostle Peter would receive a vision upon the housetop that would change his life forever. The Spirit of God would send him to a Gentile named Cornelius and prepare him for the Apostle Paul who would come to bring the Gospel message to the Gentiles. The Commission to “go into all the world” would go “beyond the 12” and reach even into our day. For the Spirit of the Lord is calling His saints everywhere to rise up and be a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May we have an ear to hear the Spirit of the Lord as He calls those “beyond the 12!” Together let us listen for His Still Small Voice within and answer, “Here am I Lord, use me!”  Loving you, Pastor