Luke 24:44-53 TARRY UNTIL
Intro: Ill. The context of the verses. Jesus is expounding on the events
of His life, including His death and His resurrection. He goes on to tell His disciples
that they have been chosen to carry the Gospel of God to all the world. We find this
teaching, call the Great Commission, in Matthew 28:19-20. After this, He tells them to
wait at Jerusalem to be endued, or clothed upon, with power from Heaven. Then, Jesus
ascends up into glory.
All of this is pretty amazing stuff! However, a few days after Jesus
ascended, His disciples find themselves still in this world, scared, hunted and with a big
job that needed to be done. These followers of Jesus, however, took Jesus seriously and
returned to Jerusalem and waited fro Jesus to fill them. When He did, they went into all
their world and touched it for the Lord. They made such an impact that they were accused
of "turning the world upside down," Acts 17:6. They were able to accomplish
these great feats because they did what Jesus had said to do. They tarried until He
empowered them.
Now, here we are 2,000 years later and we are organized, we have nice
building, we have music, pews, lights, air conditioning, trained preachers, and complete
copies of God's Word. We have everything we need to impact this world for Jesus, except
for the one thing that will get the job done: the power of God. Why do we not have His
power working in and through the church? Because many have never carried out this command
in their lives. Many have never tarried until they were endued.
Therefore, I believe that the greatest need in our churches, if not in
the whole world, is for a church that is filled with God's Spirit, and endued with His
power. Tonight, I would like to focus on these verses, particularly on verse 49 and preach
for a while on the subject, "Tarry Until."
I. TARRY UNTIL GOD'S PROMISE IS FULFILLED
A. The Entrance Of The Comforter - (John 14:26)
- Jesus had promised the Disciples, only days before, that God would send His Spirit, the
Comforter, into the world. This was simply a restatement of promises first delivered
hundreds of years before, Isa. 44:2; Joel 2:28-29. This promise was literally fulfilled on
the Day of Pentecost, when the Disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:4. As a
result of being filled with the Spirit, the Disciples were able to carry out the Great
Commission, Acts 1:8.
B. The Extent Of His Ministry - Is the Holy
Spirit only for a selected few who meet a list of demands and have had some extraordinary
experience? No! The Holy Spirit is given to "every" born again believer - Rom.
8:9; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 12:7. Every child of God possesses the Holy Spirit.
C. The Exhortation To Christians - If we are to
experience God's presence in our worship, both public and private, God's power in our
witness, and God's provision along the way, we need to allow God to do all He wants to do
in and through us. To do this, we are going to have to make Ephesians 5:18, "And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" a
reality in our lives. We must "be continually be being filled" with the Spirit.
(Ill. Nothing is full until there remains no room for anything else!) The good news is
this, God wants to fill us with His Spirit and will not deny us this blessing.
I. God's Promise Is Fulfilled
II. GOD'S POWER IS REVEALED
A. The Source Of This Power - In ourselves, we
are weak and can do nothing, Rom. 7:18. If there is there any power in any person tonight,
it is the direct result of God's indwelling and infilling! We use Phil. 4:13, to say that
with Christ we can do all and that is true! However, I am not strong simply because I know
Him, I am only strong when I allow Jesus to work through my life - Eph. 3:20.
(Ill. Jonathon Edwards' sermon "Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry
God." This one sermon had a tremendous impact on New England in the 1,700's, and the
ripple effects of that one sermon are still being felt in our world today. Many know about
that, the 500 souls saved in that service and the manifest power of God, but few people
are aware of the reason that this one sermon was so successful. It seems that a few people
there in the same village were concerned about a move of God in another village nearby.
They were hearing of the wonderful things God was doing over there in that town and were
afraid that their humble town would be passed by in revival. They spend the entire night
before this great sermon was preached on their knees in prayer that God would manifest His
power in their community. God answered! In spite of Edwards' style, in spite the fact that
he read from a manuscript in a high squeaky voice. In spite of the fact that he held the
paper so close to his face to be able to read it that his eyes could not be seen. God
still sent a great move of His Spirit into that church and region.)
B. The Scope Of This Power - There is no limit
to the power of Almighty God! He has the ability to do whatever needs to be done - Matthew
28:18. God's power can soften the hardest of heard, move the highest mountains, lift the
greatest burdens. His power is absolutely unlimited! He is totally omnipotent - Eph.
1:20-21!
(Ill. We still have a New Testament God capable of doing all the great
things He did then. The problem today lies not with God, but with His people. We have a
New Testament God, He just doesn't have a New Testament church!)
C. The Strength Of This Power -
The word power comes from the word "dunamis." This word means, "the ability
to perform anything." This is the power that works in every child of God. We get our
words dynamite and dynamic from it. Basically, this teaches us that we are indwelled by
His Spirit, God's power resides in us, and when it is needed, it will explode from us and
work in the world.
(Ill. We need this power! Souls are perishing for lack of power.
Churches and church members are drying up due to a lack of power. Sin, in this society, is
running rampant because there is no manifest power and presence of God among His people.
Oh, if you are saved, the power is there, but it never gets manifested because few are
paying the price in prayer. Few are totally yielding every fiber of their beings to God.
The secret to His power isn't getting more of God! You got all there was of Him when you
were saved. The secret is giving more of yourself to Him.)
(Ill. I am tired of reading about what God did 200 years ago. I am glad
that He did it then, but I want to see it now. I am hungry to see Jesus Christ adored and
worshiped as He deserves today. I long to see a church that is New Testament in every
sense of the word. I just want to experience the awesome power of God in these days in
which we are living.)
I. God's Promise Is Fulfilled
II. God's Power Is Revealed
III. GOD'S PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED
A. The Character Of God's Plan - Involves
tarrying! The word tarry simply means to "sit down." Jesus told His Disciples to
"sit down" until they were filled. How did they spend the 10 days between this
command and the actual filling? They spent them praying, Acts 1:14, and waiting for God to
fill them for service.
(Ill. This is one crucial element that is missing in our day. There are
very few who are willing to spend extended periods of time in prayer calling on God.)
(Ill. The great revivalist Charles Finney was always preceded, in every
campaign, by a man named Daniel Nash. Nash joined Finney as a 48 year old preacher who had
experienced little success as a pastor. Nash, who was called "Father Nash",
would come to town 3 or 4 weeks ahead of Finney and would find a hotel room where he could
stay. He would hole up in that room and call on God for power for Finney until the
meetings were ended. He rarely went to the services because he felt he better served the
need by being in prayer. Nash died in 1831, and within 4 months, Finney had stopped His
revival services and had taken up pastoral work. He didn't have the same success without
Nash. Without the man who was willing to tarry on the Lord.
(Ill. Even the altars in the building designated as the
"House of Prayer", Isa. 56:7; Matt. 21:13, are deserted, or filled with shallow,
embarrassed, hurried prayer. God help us to learn the value of waiting on God until the
answer comes. The secret is in tarrying before the Lord.)
B. The Cost Of God's Plan - When you decide to
tarry before the Lord in prayer, other things are going to take a backseat. It all boils
down to a simply matter of priorities. What is more important in your life, those things
you love so dearly, or the power of God?
C. The Consequences Of God's Plan - Ill. The
Disciples were willing to tarry before the Lord and as a result, they were rewarded with
His power. They literally changed their world through the power of God in their lives.
(Ill. We can see God move right here in this church and in our lives. We
can see many sinners save, homes salvaged, lives reclaimed. We can experience the manifest
presence of God in our worship services. We can experience God's conviction moving on the
hearts and lives of all those who come to this church. If we are willing to pay the price
to see it happen.)
Conc: Have you ever tarried before the face of God until he filled you
with His power? Have you wrestled in prayer for your family, your church, your country or
yourself? Are you guilty, as I have often been, of being too busy to pray? I am calling
you to join me in prayer before the throne of grace this evening. We are a needy people
but the one thing we need the most is the very thing God wants to give us most - His
power! Will you honor God tonight by coming before Him and calling on His name, expecting
Him to move mountains and do miracles? Will you tarry until?
