Momentum - Week 4

When I say “Momentum” I am hoping that all of us will experience the definition.  I want you to experience:

Momentum
Transformation gained by a series of personal wins

Throughout this series, I want to help you gain personal wins in your life that builds momentum.

Growing up, I acted just like the friends I hung out with. The more time I spent with them, the more I became like them. If they spit spitballs from a straw in the cafeteria, I spit spitballs from a straw in the cafeteria. If they superglued their fingers together, I superglued my fingers together. If they did dumb things, I did dumb things. My teachers always told us that we acted just like each other.

If you are a follower of Jesus, the more you observe the life of Jesus through prayer and reading the Bible, the more you will reflect the character of Jesus. In the passage of scripture we are about to read, momentum was building and on the side of God’s Kingdom.  Over 3,000 people responded to the first sermon Peter ever preached and surrendered their lives to Jesus.  And from that moment, every single day, somebody on our planet is being saved and trusting Jesus as their Savior.

The passage we are about to read is a snapshot of spiritual momentum: how a personal decision to follow Jesus leads to daily transformation that draws others to Him.

Acts 2:41-47 (NLT2)
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. 42  All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43  A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45  They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47  all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

The promise Jesus made to his followers in Matthew 6:33 had been embraced by these new believers.  They believed if they focused on God’s Kingdom, God would provide all their needs.  And that is precisely what we see take place.

How do we know that they were putting God’s Kingdom first in their lives?  Because every single day the Lord saved people. Every day, the good news of Jesus was changing people's lives.  But it was not because of what believers were saying, it was because of how they were living.

If you want to put God’s Kingdom first and begin to develop momentum in your life,

THE FIRST WIN:
BE BAPTIZED PUBLICLY

They REPENTED, then, they were baptized. Understand this: Baptism always comes after you make a life-changing decision to trust and commit your life to Jesus.  Baptism is a PUBLIC sign of the PERSONAL decision you have made to follow Jesus. Have you been baptized since you trusted Jesus as your Savior?

See, I have been baptized twice.  My mom was catholic, and I was baptized as an infant.  There was this belief that I needed to be baptized so that I could go to heaven. But that is not a biblical belief.  It was a tradition, yes. But it is not biblical.  Baptism is the first step of obedience after a person surrenders their life to Jesus. Going under the water symbolizes Jesus’ death and burial. You are saying, “The old me is gone.” Your past is buried. Coming out of the water represents Jesus’ resurrection. You are raised as a new person, forgiven, free, and fully alive in Christ.

We have our Beach Baptisms scheduled for June 1, July 6, or August 10 @ 7:00 pm at Plyler Park. And you can sign up through the connect tab on the Beach Church app.

You can be baptized if…

YOU CAN BE BAPTIZED IF:

1. You have received Jesus as your Savior at some point and have not yet been baptized.

2. You were baptized BEFORE you received Jesus as your Savior.
   (Perhaps as an infant…)

3. You want to publicly recommit to Christ.

One of the reasons more people were having a life-changing relationship with Jesus every single day is that believers were being baptized. Can you imagine what it was like to see 3,000 people become believers in Jesus and then see 3,000 people get baptized! It must have been amazing! If you cannot make it to the beach, complete an online connection card and let us know you would like to be baptized.

Secondly,

MOMENTUM GROWS AS YOU LIVE LIKE JESUS DAILY.

People were surrendering their lives every day, but it was not because people were preaching; it was because of how people were living.

As a Pastor for 27 years I believe the Church has been getting evangelism training wrong for the past century. At Beach Church, as we think through leading people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus, it is important that everyone understands that EVANGELISM happens through more methods than simply telling others about Jesus. Evangelism happens naturally when people who follow Jesus, live their lives as Jesus did.

After Peter preached, 3,000 people became followers of Jesus. But the momentum didn’t stop there, the church grew daily. Why? Because evangelism isn't only about one preacher sharing the Gospel. Evangelism involves the entire community flexing the life-changing power of Jesus together. If you have been attending our church over the last few years, we probably have noticed that my belly has…expanded.

The good news is if you are looking for an “anchor” for a tug of war competition, I can help.  I weigh more now than I have at any point in my life. And, I have been a member of a gym since January, and it hasn’t helped one bit.  I went to get my money back because I have not dropped any weight.  They scratched their head and asked how often I used the Gym, I told them I haven’t yet, but I have a membership. It’s intimidating.  Guys are looking in the mirror, flexing their muscles, and women are filming their workouts. Every time they flexed, a different muscle was shown. Triceps, biceps, pecs, lats, calfs, thighs…

And at Beach Church, if you have never told anybody else the Gospel, the good news of Jesus, take a deep breath and relax, because we believe that evangelism should look more like Evangelism in Acts 2:41-47 when the body of Christ flexed the Gospel.

Look back at Acts 2:41-47 and see the ways these new believers flexed Jesus:

1. They were baptized (41)

2. They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching (42)

3. They lived transparently (fellowship) (42)

4. They were welcoming and hospitable by sharing meals together (42)

5. They spent consistent time in prayer (42)

6. They generously shared their resources (45)

7. They gathered in both large and small groups (46)

8. They celebrated often (46)

9. They worshiped God and enjoyed being together (47)

As a result, more people were drawn to Jesus and surrendered their lives to him.

Acts 2:47 (NLT2)
… And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Every single day, somebody was surrendering their lives to Jesus. Not because of the preaching. Not because the people had been trained in the Evangelism Cube, The Bridge Illustration, The Romans Road, or any other method – it was because the people of God loved each other without excluding those who were not yet part of the people of God. So, that’s why we view evangelism a little differently. We believe that leading people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus involves living like Jesus did.

LET’S FLEX THE G.O.S.P.E.L. TOGETHER

The first thing that stands out in this passage is the generosity of the believers.  They were generous with their food, their homes, their possessions, their time, their joy, and their money. Generosity is one of the ways evangelism occurs here at Beach Church.

Generous Giver

You may keep everything about following Jesus private.  But you have still been involved in the mission to lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.  How so?  You have been financially supporting the mission of the church through giving.  You regularly contribute to the church and support the ministries, the building fund, mission trips, etc.

Others Focused

We see people inviting others to their homes, inviting others to worship, inviting others to experience life as a follower of Jesus together. You often INVITE people to worship. You say things like, “Come check out Beach Church, you will love it.” You want people to experience the powerful presence of God through our worship service each week.  You use the invite cards, know our service times, and invite people to events we have.

Selfless Servant

In Acts, someone was responsible for cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the household. You are doing evangelism if you are serving in an area of the church.  It may be that you are serving on the Tuesday Crew, First Impressions, the tech team, the children’s ministry, the student ministry, or the nursery…You may serve in our community, with Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, food distribution, or Parents Night Out…You may not be talking about Jesus yourself, but you are actively serving in whatever capacity is needed. Serving is part of sharing the Gospel.

Prayer Warrior

If you ask God to draw people to Jesus during the message, you are part of evangelism.  If you serve on the Prayer Team and pray for others as they come forward, you are part of the Body of Christ at Beach Church, flexing the Gospel.

Earnest Evangelist

You often share your story of how Jesus has changed your life.  You might tear up as you speak about the grace, forgiveness, and mercy you have found.  You know the Romans Road, the Bridge Illustration, you quote scripture and invite people to surrender their lives to Jesus.

Live Transparently in Lifegroup and Large Group

The early believers did not just attend church; they lived transparently while they were there.  And if you are involved in a sermon-based life group and are transparent about how you can apply God’s Word to your life, you are drawing others to Jesus through your transparency.  If you are in large Group worship and you engage with God through lifting your hands, tears, or just singing loudly, you are involved with evangelism!

See, evangelism happens through smiles, laughter, prayer, tears, generosity, confessing your struggles, sharing meals with others, life groups, and baptism. And every time someone flexes their part of the body, that’s a win. And those wins stack. And that’s how momentum is built.

Evangelism happens when the whole body flexes. Not everyone teaches. Not everyone tells. But everyone reflects the character of Jesus together.

That’s what happens in the Book of Acts, and that is what will continue to happen here at Beach Church, if we stay out of God’s way, and flex the Gospel with Joy.

Momentum - Week 3

Have you ever felt stuck in your faith, wondering how to move forward or feel more connected to God? In Week 3 of our Momentum series, Pastor Shawn reminded us that momentum in our spiritual lives doesn’t come from striving harder—it comes from surrendering to the power, presence, and purpose of the Holy Spirit.

We walked through the powerful moment in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the early believers. It wasn’t subtle. It was loud, supernatural, and unforgettable.

The Spirit Comes with Power

“When the day of Pentecost came... suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven...” (Acts 2:1–4)
God’s Spirit didn’t sneak in quietly—it came with power. Flames, wind, languages. It was clear that something divine was happening. The Holy Spirit still empowers believers today, giving strength and boldness we can’t generate on our own.

The Spirit Speaks to All People

What’s remarkable is that everyone heard the message in their own language—dozens of nations represented, all understanding. (Acts 2:5–13)
It’s a beautiful reminder that the gospel is for everyone. No one is left out. The Spirit speaks every language, reaches every heart, and moves across every barrier we tend to put up.

The Spirit Points to Jesus

Peter didn’t waste a moment. He stood up and, filled with the Spirit, preached boldly about Jesus. (Acts 2:14–36)
The Holy Spirit doesn’t draw attention to itself. It always points us to Jesus—His life, His death, His resurrection, and the invitation to new life.

The Spirit Convicts and Converts

Peter’s words cut to the heart. People asked, “What should we do?” And the answer was clear: Repent. Be baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37–41)
That day, about 3,000 people said yes to Jesus. That’s what the Spirit does—He awakens our hearts, convicts us of truth, and leads us into life-changing transformation.

Reflection: Are You Experiencing the 3 P’s?

Pastor Shawn closed with a challenge—the “3 P’s Litmus Test” for your walk with God:

• Power – Are you walking in God’s strength or your own?

• Presence – Are you aware of God with you, even in ordinary moments?

• Purpose – Do you know your life matters in His bigger story?

Momentum builds when we yield to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Whether Sunday’s message encouraged you, convicted you, or left you with questions—lean in. The Spirit hasn’t stopped moving. He still speaks, empowers, and leads today.

Momentum - Week 2

Last week we kicked off our sermon series from the book of Acts.  When I say “Momentum” I am hoping that all of us will experience the definition.  I want you to experience:

Momentum:
Transformation gained by a series of personal wins

Throughout this series, I want to help you gain personal wins in your life that builds momentum.

Growing up in Bumpus Mills, we had a small hill that we explored daily.  It was overgrown with Kudzu, bushes, briars, weeds and trees.  Every now and then, a neighbor would mow it all down with his tractor and bushhog. Sometimes we would try to ride down the hill on our bikes, but the terrain was too rough to build up momentum to keep going. Then, my dad brought home an old 50-gallon burn barrel.  It took about thirty minutes for my brother and me to push that barrel to the top of the hill, stick our youngest brother inside it, and push him down the hill.

Now, unlike our bikes, the weight of that metal barrel and brother handled the stumpy terrain like a boss, and with just a nudge, that barrel took off with Mike inside it. While the barrel rolled faster and faster, gaining momentum, his arms and legs flopped out of the opening.When we finally caught up to him at he bottom, he probably had a concussion, but we talked him into going down again.

Momentum in life is easy when everything is going downhill.  When my brother and I were grunting and rolling that barrell uphill, we had ZERO momentum, but that sucker had a whole lot of momentum going down hill. I hope that this series keeps you rolling in the right direction and helps generate serious momentum in your life.

Acts 1:6-11 (NLT2)

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7  He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9  After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10  As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

There were two plans in this passage of scripture for the lives of the disciples.  The disciples had their plans, and Jesus had his plans for them, but only one of those plans was going to be realized. The disciples had BIG plans now that Jesus defeated death. They believed that Jesus would declare himself as King over Jerusalem. They believed they would be in leadership positions under this new Kingdom, serving on the right and the left of the man who defeated death. They believed that their path forward was now EASY. They could coast. They would no longer have to follow Jesus around, sleep in the fields, and travel from house to house, city to city. Now, they could live in a castle, have dominion over their enemies, eat the finest foods, and make all the rules for life. I mean, they were going to reign with the man who raised himself from the dead. They would reign with the man who took the worst punishment possible. Jesus' back was ripped open through the scourging, he was nailed to a cross, then stabbed through the heart, and then died. They knew the world could not overthrow the Kingdom that Jesus was about to establish on this earth, and they would be right there with him, ruling and winning. So, if you are looking to build momentum in your life, understand that…

MOMENTUM STALLS WHEN WE SEEK CONTROL
Acts 1:6

The disciples had their plans, but Jesus had other plans for them.Jesus told them his plans in this conversation when he told them, “No.  I am not establishing a  Kingdom on this earth right now.  In fact, I am leaving the planet.  And the way you lead in my Kingdom is to tell everybody about me.”

If you are already a follower of Jesus, meaning you have trusted in Jesus as your Savior. You have become a born-again follower of Jesus, and you have already surrendered CONTROL of your life to HIM. And since you surrendered control of your life to Him, the plans for your life changed, too!

Jesus was very clear with his disciples that their new plans was a mission to carry the message of hope into the world wherever they went. And the mission of Jesus is now your Mission too.  Because Jesus came to seek and save the lost, it is now your mission as well.

At Beach Church, we are not confused about why we exist as a church.  Because Jesus came to seek and save the lost, the mission of Beach Church is to lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus. It is not our mission to grow a large church. It is not our mission to make a difference. It is not our mission to feed the hungry, provide stoves for the Mayan people, build homes for people in our community, take care of orphans, or have a great kids ministry.

Our mission is to lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.  The mission of Jesus comes first and is the reason for every single thing we do. We feed the hungry, provide stoves, build homes, take care of orphans, TO lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus. And as a church, the more we understand and focus on our mission, the more God provides the resources to continue the mission.

Three years ago, Beach Church was in a downward spiral of giving and attendance.  But because we refocused and refined our mission, God has blessed with the resources to continue his mission. It is not karma that it works out like that; it’s a result of the promise Jesus made to his followers. He said,

Matthew 6:33 (NLT2)

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

We seek the Kingdom of God by leading people to a lifechanging relationship with Jesus, and God provides for us. If you want to gain momentum in your life and build momentum by stringing together little wins, you must put the Kingdom of God first in your life, because

PURPOSE POWERS
MOMENTUM IN LIFE
1 John 2:6

There is something about living for the greatest purpose in all of life that powers momentum.

There is no greater purpose than to seek the Kingdom of God by leading people to Jesus. And when you make the decision to put God’s Kingdom first, you will begin to LOVE people and show the love of Jesus to others. And, when you show the Love of Jesus to others, it means you interact with others the same way Jesus interacted with others. That means: Don’t trample on others. Don’t point out the faults of other people. Don’t make it your mission to judge everybody else for their actions.

When purpose powers your momentum in life, you don’t shame others for what they wear, decisions they make, or mistakes they have made. Jesus came to this earth on a mission to SHOW people that there was a God who created them, who loved them, and he would show the fullness of His love for people by dying for their sins. And if we are followers of Jesus, we are to SHOW that we love others too.

LOVE is the most excellent way to live
1 Cor. 12:31

Love is defined and described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1.

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1 (NLT2)

31  ….But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 1  If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

The very best way to live out the mission in life to lead people to a life-changing relationship with Jesus is through love. We could build homes, take care of orphans, feed the hungry, lead people in worship, but if we didn’t love them, we could never lead them to Jesus because we would only be as obnoxious as a clanging cymbal!

Now imagine if you were serving in a soup kitchen, cooking, preparing the food, and serving the food to those who were hungry.  But while people came through the line, as you served them their food, you insulted them, called them names, and made fun of them. That would be crazy.

Yet, people who focus on their purpose, without operating in the power of Jesus love, do just that. They fall into the trap of judging friends and family. They become known as “bible thumpers”. They become skilled in knowledge. They become excellent apologists – but they are irritating because they are not loving other people. They may often say things, “The truth hurts.”  “If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t say it.”

That doesn’t have to be you!  I have found that when that little Pharisee in me begins to raise his little head, the more I pray, the more I become like Jesus in my actions. And since LOVE is the most excellent way to live, the more you genuinely love others, the more you use your influence to lead people to Jesus, and the more you lead people to Jesus, the more God provides for you, and the more God provides for you, the more momentum is built in your life because you stop worrying about the necessities in life, because God is keeping his promise and providing for you!

And, as the momentum begins to churn in your life…

Pray for family, neighbors, coworkers

As you talk to the Lord, the greatest thing you can do is mention another person’s name as you talk to God. Rather than simply talking to the Lord about your own needs, you include the names of other people in your life who need to experience the life-changing power of the Love of God. What an incredible way to love and honor somebody else, when you mention their name to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I am humbled when people tell me that they are praying for me.  To learn that when other followers of Jesus are mentioning my name and my needs to God during their personal quiet time – it is such an honor. When you pray for your family, your neighbors, and your coworkers, you are going to see God begin to build momentum in their lives.  You are going to see God interact with others and use your love to impact them.

Now, let me point out the end of this passage of scripture to you. As the disciples stood there staring up into the sky, and watched until Jesus disappeared from their sight, angels showed up and said something significant. They said, “Why are you standing here staring – just as you saw him leave – he is going to return.

By faith, I believe that one day Jesus is going to come back.

Some people predict dates and times that Jesus is going to come back – and they never come true. Why? Jesus said that not even he knew when he was going to return to the earth – so I immediately doubt anytime somebody says that they know when Jesus is going to come back. In fact, if somebody says a date that Jesus is going to return – I can guarantee He will not return on that day – because Jesus said he his going to return like a thief in the night – unexpectedly!

So the date and time is not important – but this truth and question for you is:

ARE YOU READY
FOR THE RETURN OF JESUS?
Acts 1:10-11

I am ready for Jesus to return because I know Him as my Savior. By faith, I have been made a new creation through the GRACE and FORGIVENESS of Jesus death on the cross.  By faith, I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, that he rose from the dead, went up into heaven and will one day return. But I am not ready based on what I believe. I am ready because I have RECEIVED the free gift of forgiveness.

In 1991, I knelt beside my youth pastor, and I asked Jesus to forgive me, and I invited Jesus into my life.  I had already KNOWN what Jesus had done for me.  But I never received him as my Savior. The Bible says in 1 John 1:12:

John 1:12 (NLT2)

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Have you accepted Jesus?  If you haven’t, I invite you to pray with me right now and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Say something like this:

Dear God.

I am ready to receive Jesus as my Savior.  I believe that Jesus paid the punishment for my rebellion and sin. I believe he suffered, died, and rose from the dead. I believe he went up into Heaven and will one day return.  God, I give you my life and accept Jesus as my Savior.  Thank you for forgiving me!

Momentum - Week 1

Today we are beginning a new series called Momentum. For the sake of this series, I am defining Momentum as:

Momentum:
transformation gained by a series of personal wins.

Most of us want to change. We want something to move. Something to shift. We want transformation to happen in our mindset. In our habits. In our relationships. But for a lot of people, life feels stuck.

Growing up, there were many dirt roads around my home in Tennessee.  And, after a good thunderstorm or a long season of rain, those dry dirt roads became perfect roads for “muddin’.”  My friend Chad and I would ride with his dad down those old muddy roads, and his dad would intentionally steer into the mud puddles and mud.  I loved the smell of the spinning tires, the truck sliding and rocking around.  The tires would spin, the mud would spray into the treeline and cover the sides of the truck. And, when the truck got stuck, Chad and I were the ones behind the tailgate pushing the truck forward, and the mud would spray all over us.

Sometimes we would just have to give the truck a little nudge, and it would move forward.  Other times, we would be stuck for hours, rocking backward and forward, trying to build momentum to get the truck unstuck.

Getting stuck in the mud in an old, firewood hauler is one thing.  But feeling like you are getting stuck in life is – well – it stinks.  Even since I became a follower of Jesus, there have been so many times in my life when I have felt stuck. I have felt stuck in depression and anxiety. Finances. Health. But the only thing that has lifted me out of that mud in life has been the Holy Spirit.

You may feel stuck in anxiety. You may feel stuck in addiction. You may feel stuck in unforgiveness.  And, you wish you could just get a good grip with your feet and move forward.  You want a win.  You want a victory.  You just wish you could come up for air and breathe, but you feel like life just keeps knocking you back down. You are trying – your engine is revving, but your wheels keep spinning in the mud. You want just a couple of wins, because you feel like if you could get a couple of consecutive wins, you will start to be able to build some momentum to take that step into the next step that God has for you.

Jesus said if we seek first the Kingdom of God, all the other things we worry about will be taken care of. Then, he left.

As we begin this series through the first fourteen chapters of the Book of Acts, it is my prayer that you will be able to string together little wins to develop momentum to move forward.

Acts 1:1-5 (NLT2)

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2  until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3  During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4  Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5  John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The very first thing I want you to understand – if you are a follower of Jesus -  is that…

JESUS' MOMENTUM WILL CONTINUE THROUGH YOU

If you were with us in 2023, you may remember that we walked through the entire Gospel of Luke in a sermon series called “Meeting Jesus.” In his Gospel, Luke told the story of Jesus. Luke was a medical doctor, a travel companion of the Apostle Paul, and he had been changed by Jesus through surrendering his life to Him. Like you, Luke never met Jesus.

Luke was not one of the twelve disciples.  He was not one of the crowd that followed Jesus.  At some point after Jesus ascended into heaven, Luke surrendered his life to Jesus, was forgiven for his sin, and began to live for Him. And, he wanted to know everything he could about Jesus, so he exhaustively interviewed the people who knew Jesus best.  He listened to their eyewitness testimony, he cross-examined other witnesses, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the Gospel of Luke.

He showed us how Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He showed us how Jesus healed the broken, welcomed the outcast, taught with authority, and gave His life on the cross. And Luke had no intention that you and I would be reading his words 2,000 years later.  He didn’t write the Gospel of Luke for a church; he wrote it to share the life-changing power of Jesus with one man: Theophilus.

In the very beginning of the Gospel of Luke, Luke writes:

Luke 1:1-4 (NLT2)

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2  They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3  Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4  so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

In his own words, Luke carefully investigated the reports, the people, and the early followers of Jesus. So, why did I take us back in time to a sermon series from 2023? Because our Momentum Series will lead us through the first fourteen chapters of Acts. And, you will never guess who wrote Acts.  Luke.

Acts 1:1 (NLT2)

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach

Luke wrote Acts to describe what happened to the mission of Jesus after Jesus left the earth. Jesus rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit. And the momentum of change that began in the life of Jesus continued to build through his followers in the Book of Acts.

And, the difficulty for those of us who feel stuck is that…

MOMENTUM BEGINS BY WAITING, NOT FORCING

We want to get unstuck, yesterday. We want the win, now. We want to fix it. We want to change it.

Jesus' mission is to see every single person surrender their lives to Him, receive forgiveness for their sin, and begin a relationship with Him. Nobody wants to see more and more people become followers of Jesus than Jesus himself.  But the first thing Jesus told them to do was to wait. He told them to stay in place. He told them not to move, yet.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites faced war after war and battle after battle.  Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost. King Jehosophat was the King of Israel at the time when three nations joined together to wipe the Israelites from the face of the earth.  The armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir marched together to overthrow the Israelites.

When the messenger brought news of this to the King, he was terrified. If you know anything about leadership, if you know anything about being a King of a nation, you know you have people looking to you for protection, direction, and leadership.  Warriors were warriors because they had children and wives, and they fought to protect their families. Warriors do not want a terrified King – they want the King to be fearless and lead them courageously.

But, sometimes, courage and fearlessness are foolish. Sometimes, rushing ahead and forcing a plan to get unstuck is foolish, too. So, King Jehosophat called all of Judah and Jerusalem together, prayed, and said something significant:

2 Chronicles 20:12 (NLT2)

O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

Momentum begins with waiting, so we learn to stop trying to wriggle free of the mud and the mire by ourselves. We wait because we are often too prideful to ask God for help.
We wait because we think we can do it on our own. The more we fight and wrestle in the quicksand, the deeper we sink. But if in the waiting, we can be vulnerable with the Lord and say, "God, I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on You." "I am looking to you for help."

If we can say that and mean it, if we can say that and wait…then we are closer to getting unstuck than we realize. And maybe for the first time in a long time, we can start to build a little momentum. So, tell God, “I don’t know what to do, but I’m looking to you for help.”

POWER FOR DAILY CHANGE COMES THROUGH THE SPIRIT

The disciples had to wait for the Holy Spirit, but now, you do not have to wait to receive the Holy Spirit.  When you surrender your life to God and trust Jesus as your Savior, you also receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples to wait because He would send them the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:5 (NLT2)

John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

If you are new to following Jesus, please understand. The HOLY SPIRIT of God does not live inside a church building, a statue, or a painting on the wall.  The Holy Spirit of God lives inside YOU. Growing up, I was told the church building was God’s House. I had to speak reverently and quietly. I had to dress nicely. I couldn’t wear a hat. When I would run through the worship center and play hide and seek in the basement, I was lectured to behave in God’s HOUSE.

I now know that God does not live inside brick, steel, and drywall. The house of the Holy Spirit is reserved for God’s most incredible creation - you and me. The same Spirit of the Lord that created all of life lives in you. But the Spirit of God is not your shortcut.  The Spirit does not drop you at the finish line overnight. But to build momentum in your life, the Spirit will guide you, and you will begin to string together small, faithful wins.

Under the Holy Spirit's daily leadership, He will lead you to…

• One hard conversation at a time.

• One confession of sin at a time.

• One apology you have been putting off.

• One decision to walk away from temptation today.

• One act of generosity when you feel stretched thin.

• One moment of worship when you feel empty inside.

• One choice to stay in your marriage rather than running.

• One invitation to church when fear wants you to keep quiet.

• One more day of reading and praying in the Word.

• One phone call to check in on someone who is hurting.

• One more morning, you choose prayer before scrolling your phone.

• One night, you go to bed forgiving instead of resenting.

Momentum is not experienced by trying harder; it is built through small steps of obedience, stacked day after day, in the same direction. You will not fix everything today. You will not wake up tomorrow and find that every problem is solved. But you can start waiting instead of pushing forward to trust God. Start trusting the Spirit of God to lead you to the next right step.

And if you do that, if you will trust Him for today, then momentum will begin to build.

And little by little, the Spirit will do what you could never do by yourself.