The King's Church in Ilford
The following is the text of the talk given on 16th May 2010 by Robin Hawkins
"Being with Jesus"
- Acts 4:5-13
Do you remember the Icebreaker: "Who would you most like to have a One-to-One with?" Of course, most people in the Cell Group said "Jesus", and those who didn't felt really unspiritual! So we usually had to qualify this and say "..apart from Jesus!"
Georges and I have been blessed to spend two days with Jesus this last week - when we got together with other Newfrontiers leaders for two days of prayer. I don't know if it shows or not, but some of those times were heavy with His presence. I'm not somebody to whom prayer comes naturally, but I tell you, I wouldn't have been anywhere else in the world at those moments.
The greatest encouragement anyone could give you or I is for them to be able to recognise that we have been with Jesus. Now I know that Luke is simply saying here that leaders in the Sanhedrin remembered at this point that they had seen these men with Jesus. But it's true also today, that you can tell when someone's been spending time with Jesus, and I want to spend a little time this morning trying, with God's grace, to give you a hunger to spend more time with Jesus.
Now you may not be a follower of Jesus this morning, and you may be asking yourself the question, "Why would I want to spend time with Jesus?" Dear friend, the answer to that question is in the previous verse; "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." Salvation is a "must". It's a must-have! Forget your mobile phones, satellite dishes, iPods and other must-haves around us today. You can't take them with you into eternity. This life may seem long, but it goes quickly, and then we have to face God and account for what we have done with it. We take out insurance policies for many things that might happen, but ignore the one 100% certainty in life - that at some point we are all going to die, and we need to be ready when we do. We need to prepare now for eternity. We all need to accept Jesus now as the only one who is able to make us ready for eternity. He's the only One who has died for all our sins so that we can stand righteous and guilt-free before God. Come and see me afterwards if you want to know how to find salvation in Jesus.
In the gospels, people loved to spend time with Jesus. For one thing, you never knew what was going to happen next. Then there was His teaching - people hung on every word, and amazingly were able to remember in great detail what He said. He told stories about farmers, crops, families, finance & running businesses - because that was where people were at. If He was here today, He'd probably tell stories about 2 women going into Sainsburys.. or if somebody cuts you up on the road, give way, let them go, stay cool. How about this one: Jesus was teaching them about being good mates to each other, and some smart alec pops up with the response, "How do you know who your mates really are?" Well, Jesus was ready for that one and He says, "Look, this West Ham supporter was going to see his team play in the cup at Milwall, but on the way he got mugged, had his mobile and wallet half-inched, and the villains left him half-dead on the pavement. "Well this copper comes by and says to his mate, "These WH supporters get drunk before the game never mind after it." They had a good laugh about it and walked on. Then this match official comes by and he weren't much better 'cos he had to get to the game. Then this Milwall supporter comes by, and says, "Cor, you're an Elliot Ness, mate aren't you." So he calls an ambulance on his bone, and went with him to A & E, even tho it meant missing the match - (which Milwall won - surprise, surprise!) Anyway he wanted to make sure the bloke was all right." So, said Jesus, "Who was a good mate to the bloke that got mugged?"
It wasn't all sitting round with Jesus. Being with Him meant going where He went, and doing what He did. But when you hang around long enough with someone, you end up like them. That's what happened here. In v.8, we read, "Then Peter, full of the Holy Spirit.." It was the norm for the disciples to be full of the Holy Spirit, but Luke says there was something about Peter that day above the norm. The Holy Spirit was all over him. As Georges pointed out last week, that Sanhedrin was designed to be intimidating; but Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit, stood unfazed before them and berates these priests for calling him and John to account for an act of kindness and miracle done to a cripple. Then he lays into them, rebuking them saying "Listen, it was done in the name of Jesus - whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead!" He left all these religious people gob-smacked - astonished at the response from these uneducated country bumpkins! Then they realised - they had been with Jesus!
This is the Jesus-effect. He makes men out of wimps. But it starts when we start hanging out with Him, and He starts rubbing off on us. It becomes more obvious when we become men and women filled with the Holy Spirit. This is vital for us. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. It's the Holy Spirit who puts the hunger in us to seek Jesus more and the desire to know Him better. It's no coincidence that 1000's of new worship songs started to be written in the 60's when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the Charismatic Movement. People came alive with Jesus, were thrilled by Him as they were baptised in the Holy Spirit. They wanted to hang out with Jesus, spend time with Him, discover His teachings, do His work - because that's what the Holy Spirit does.
But I've discovered that you've really got to want this. "Seek (and go on seeking) and you will find; ask (and go on asking) and you will receive...If you that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask." "Anyone want a drink? Anyone thirsty? Come to Me and drink," said Jesus, "and streams of Living Water - the Holy Spirit - will flow out of him."
So we have to ask ourselves, how thirsty am I to know Jesus, and experience more of Him? How much do I really want what He wants & to do what He's doing? It is different for us now. We can't eyeball Jesus like the disciples could, but we can have His presence inside us through the Holy Spirit. But do we want Him enough to make time for Him? That's the rub. We've got such busy lives, that Jesus can get squeezed into the fag-end of a day.
"Martha Mary"
Somtimes busy couples need to diarise quality time with each other. They talk at a superficial level, but can't find space to talk about things that matter. Quality time means time to listen as well as time to speak. It should be unrushed and uninterrupted - not easy in a house full of children, but for the good of the children Mum & Dad need to have that time. In the same way, we need quality time with Jesus. Now I can't tell you when the best time for you is; all I can tell you is that we need it, and when we're thirsty for such time, we'll find a way of getting it. Somehow we'll always manage to find time for the things we really want to do.
But what then? You've made the space. The answering m/c is on. Mobile's off. You're sitting quietly before the Lord. Sure as eggs is eggs, you'll remember something you've just got to do! Have a notepad. Make a note. Do it later!
1. Anything to confess? Do it right away. Get it sorted.
2. Ask Jesus to fill you afresh with His Spirit.
3. You could start to thank Him for what He's done; praise Him for who He is.
4. Or you can get into the Word at this point. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak.
5. If a truth strikes you, make a note of it in a journal.
6. As you read the Word, perhaps it will prompt you about a person or situation. Pray for them. Pray into that situation.
7. Perhaps you'll be moved to speak in Tongues for a while. Do it.
8. Maybe you'll be moved into Woship. Sing a song to the Lord. Be amazed!
The fact is that there are so many ways that we can have quality time with Jesus. There's no formula. But try not to settle for second best. Praying on the underground, when you're squashed like sardines may be better than nothing, but it's probably not the best place to hear God! The goal is quality time with Jesus. It'll show by what you come out with in the office, or the LG, or Sundays. My prayer is that for all of us it'll be obvious to others we've been with Jesus.
