Great Power, Great Grace, Great Fear | Acts 4:32–5:11

Summary

In this message, TA walks through Acts 4:32–5:11 and shows that God’s vision for the church is that it would be satisfying, enjoyable, and worth telling others about. Through three specific “ingredients”, Luke shows us what must be essential if we want to be a church that is alive, unified, generous, and serious about holiness.

Key Takeaways

• Great Power (Acts 4:33): The same Holy Spirit who empowered the apostles lives in us. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power. When the Spirit fills and controls our lives, boldness to share and give a witness becomes normal.
• Great Grace (Acts 4:33): This was a season when God overwhelmed the Church with his kindness and favor. It was marked by supernatural unity and radical generosity.
• Supernatural Unity: When the Holy Spirit has control, Christ becomes our greatest joy, our greatest privilege, our greatest aim, and our greatest contribution. Unity requires everyone to play their part and resist division.
• Radical Generosity: People gave sacrificially to ensure needs were met. They understood they were not owners but stewards of God’s time, money, talents, and resources. Generosity was a response to God, not a reaction to pressure.
• Great Fear (Acts 5:5): Ananias and Sapphira’s story shows us that God is not okay with hypocrisy in his Church. God will not tolerate Christians pretending to be godlier than they actually are because he loves his Church and will protect its holiness.

Discussion Questions

• Where do you need to depend more on the Holy Spirit’s power instead of operating in fear?
• Is there anything in your involvement at Watermark that is not glorifying to Christ or submitted to his rule?
• Do you view your money, time, and talents as yours or as his? What would it look like to live more like a steward than an owner?
• Are you contributing to supernatural unity or unintentionally acting like an anchor?
• Is there any area of your life where you are tempted to appear more godly than you are? What would repentance look like?