The Hand of God

Sermon from CCM Gorton

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LISTEN

 This sermon was preached by Liam Thatcher at the CCM Gorton site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 26th September 2021.

BIBLE VERSES

 

This sermon was based on Acts 4:23-31 

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
 
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
 
27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

KEY POINTS

Peter and John (Acts4:4)

  • 3,000 people started following Jesus, now an extra 2,000 have been added.

  • The authorities are unhappy with this.

  • Response to the collective prayer of the church, God pours out His Spirit

Our Work

  • Believers face opposition.

  • They don’t pray against their enemies, they pray for themselves and for boldness.

  • Opposition is an opportunity to turn an enemy into a brother, through the life-changing power of Jesus.

  • Every believer is a servant of God. Called and equipped to share the gospel.

God’s Work

  • Believers are asking for God to intervene. 

  • The language of the hand of God runs right through the Old Testament and speaks of moments when God dramatically intervened in miraculous ways. 

  • When God does stretch out his hand, what does it look like? 

  • Moses raised his hand and the plagues fell and the waters parted, because the hand of God worked through the hand of His servant.   

  • The hand of God works through the hands of His servants.

  • God has called us to go out on mission

 

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