Power and Boldness

Pastor Matthew Johnson closed the series on the Holy Spirit with a message from the book of Acts. Throughout the series, the church explored what it means to be in a real relationship with God and His Spirit. In this final message, Pastor Matthew focused on how the Holy Spirit empowers us to do things we never thought we could do.

Pastor Matthew began with an honest admission. Following Jesus can be both difficult and scary. The reason is simple. Our relationship with Jesus is built on faith. We are saved by trusting in Him, and we keep walking in obedience by trusting in Him.

That means Jesus will keep calling us to places that require trust.

"Jesus is never, hear me now, never going to call you to a place of comfort because comfort doesn't require faith." – Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew named some of the ways this shows up. Jesus calls us to share our faith or invite someone to church when it feels awkward. He calls us to love people we would rather avoid and to forgive when we would rather hold on to hurt. He calls us to give when we fear we won't have enough and to serve when we would rather rest. He asks us to take the next step before we can see the whole path.

Then Pastor Matthew made a bold statement. The calling of Jesus is impossible. He paused to let people wonder about his theology, then finished the sentence. The calling of Jesus is impossible without the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.

He pointed to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20. Jesus told His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. At that point, Jesus was speaking to 11 average men from Galilee. Spreading His message to the whole world was an impossible task for them alone.

That is why Jesus told them to wait. In Acts 1, Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father. The disciples still did not fully understand. They asked if Jesus was about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus answered in Acts 1:8.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Pastor Matthew invited the church to reflect. Is it possible that we struggle to live out God's calling because we are not inviting the Holy Spirit's power into our lives? Maybe we are trying to do it alone.

To show what the Spirit can do, Pastor Matthew turned to Peter. He shared how much he relates to Peter, a man who went from being a coward to a person of great courage.
Peter started as an average fisherman. Jesus called him and his brother, along with two friends, to follow Him. Over three years of ministry, Peter became part of Jesus' inner circle.

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples they would all abandon Him. Peter stood up and insisted he would stay loyal to the end. Jesus told him that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Him three times. Jesus also told Peter that Satan had asked to sift him like wheat. Yet Jesus had prayed that after Peter fell and recovered, he would lead.

Later that night, Jesus was arrested. Peter followed from a distance and slipped into a courtyard. One man asked if he was a follower of Jesus, and Peter denied it. A servant girl recognized him, and he denied it again. When a third person asked, Peter denied Jesus once more. The rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked at Peter.

Peter went into hiding. After the resurrection, he went back to fishing. That is where Jesus found him. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. It gave Peter the chance to confess Jesus three times after denying Him three times. Each time, Jesus reaffirmed Peter's calling to care for His people.

Then Jesus told Peter in John 21:18 that his life would end in martyrdom. Right after that, Jesus said to him, "Follow me."

Pastor Matthew explained that this was the calling Jesus gave all His disciples. They did not know the path or where their story would end. Jesus simply asked them to commit to follow Him. From there, Pastor Matthew shared five truths from Peter's story.

Even though Jesus told Peter it would cost him his life, Peter resolved to say yes. Pastor Matthew explained that living out the calling of Jesus begins in the mind, the heart, and the spirit. We decide to say yes before we know the details.

He shared a story from his son's soccer game. His family was talking about a woman who joined a connect group. When his wife asked how long she had attended The Tree, she said the previous Sunday was her first. She had no church background, but she heard about connect groups and wanted to connect to God. That group changed her life.

Then Pastor Matthew spoke bluntly. Most people decide they will evaluate the calling first. They hear the call to serve and check their schedule. They hear the call to join a connect group and think about what makes them comfortable. They hear the call to put God first in their finances and look at their budget. He warned that this is a dangerous place to be.

Jesus told the disciples to wait, so they waited. Acts 2:1 says they were all together in one place on the day of Pentecost. They did not know the third, fourth, or fifth step. They only knew the next step.

Pastor Matthew described the 10 days of waiting. They prayed day after day while nothing seemed to happen. They likely grew impatient or wondered if they had missed it. Still, they obeyed.

"You can commit to obey without knowing all the next steps." – Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew said he cannot think of a story where power comes before obedience. David said he would fight the giant, and then the power showed up. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said no to the king, and then the power showed up. The same was true for Daniel, Moses, Peter, the apostles, and Paul. He encouraged anyone who is afraid to take the first step of obedience as an invitation for God's power.

Pastor Matthew read Acts 2:2–4. A sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the house. Tongues as of fire rested on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. This was the moment Jesus had promised.

He asked how many people feel more comfortable doing something scary when a friend comes along. Most of the room raised their hands. He shared that as a high school freshman, he did not approach the girl he liked directly. He had his friends talk to her friends instead. That girl later became his wife.

At 47, Pastor Matthew said he is still wired that way. He is shy by nature, so he often brings his wife or Pastor Tim from X Church to conferences. Then he asked the church to imagine having God with them. That is what changed Peter from a coward into a man of courage.

At that moment, Jerusalem was full for the Feast of Pentecost. It was one of three annual feasts that required Jewish men to travel to the temple. Tens of thousands of people were there.

Peter's eyes were open. He asked God what He wanted him to do, and God opened a door. In Acts 2:14, Peter stood with the 11 and lifted up his voice. He explained that the prophecy of Joel was being fulfilled and that God was pouring out His Spirit on everyone.
Pastor Matthew reminded the church that this was the same Peter who denied Jesus to a servant girl about a month and a half earlier. Now he boldly preached to the same crowds that had cried out for the crucifixion. He said Peter did not suddenly get tough. Peter became a vessel for the Holy Spirit.

When the crowd heard Peter's message, they were cut to the heart and asked what they should do. Peter answered in Acts 2:38.

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."

He told them they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and that the promise was for them, their children, and all who are far off. About 3,000 people were added that day.

The man who denied Jesus now confessed Him, and 3,000 people were saved. The church began that day.

Pastor Matthew explained that being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event. It is a new rhythm. After big moments of obedience, fear may come again. So we resolve to follow Jesus again, begin to obey, let the Spirit empower us, look for opportunities, and stop to be amazed at what He has done.

Peter lived this rhythm. In Acts 3, Peter and John healed a man who could not walk at the temple steps. Many more people were saved. Then the religious leaders arrested them and threatened them. Peter and John spoke so well that the leaders were amazed, because they were ordinary fishermen. Peter told them he would keep lifting up the name of Jesus.

Afterward, Peter and John felt afraid. They did not let fear win. They gathered with other believers and prayed. Acts 4:31 says that when they prayed, the place was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Pastor Matthew shared that when Peter later faced crucifixion, he asked to be crucified upside down. He did not feel worthy to die the same way as his Lord. The coward Peter ended his life in total courage because the Spirit of God was working through him.

Pastor Matthew closed by naming what makes following Jesus scary. It is scary to witness and to forgive people who hurt you. It is scary to honor God in your finances and to join a connect group with people you don't know. Serving means saying no to other things, and starting something new can make you feel unqualified. But each of these is an opportunity to see the Holy Spirit's power lead you further than you imagined.

He asked the church to think about what God is calling them to do that they have said no to. What would happen if they said yes today? How would it change their lives and the people around them?

"The Holy Spirit wants to do something in you, but he wants to do something through you." – Pastor Matthew Johnson

He ended in prayer for everyone in Lancaster, Logan, and online. He thanked the Holy Spirit for filling the gap between our capabilities and His calling. He prayed that people would commit in their hearts to say yes and take steps of obedience. He also prayed that as they see God move, their faith would grow and lead them to even greater steps of faith.

If you are looking for a church in Lancaster or a church in Logan, The Tree Church would love to welcome you this Sunday. We are one church with two campuses in Ohio. Both gather for services at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM every Sunday.

Lancaster Campus
 721 N Memorial Dr, Lancaster, OH 43130

Logan Campus
36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138

Come as you are. We would love to meet you and grow together as we follow Jesus.