Setting Goals for 2024!

Acts 1:7-8

This past Wednesday we began a new study in the book of Acts at church. In order for a church to continue it must grow. Growth is not all about numbers, but numbers are part of growth. There are other types of growth as well. Ultimately, our goal is souls. We want to reach people with the gospel of Jesus and then we want to grow them in maturity in their relationship with Jesus. As they grow, they begin reaching others with the gospel. It is a model that has worked for about 2,000 years.

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And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:7–8

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I taught the whole chapter of Acts 1, and I had four points that I want to share here as we begin 2024. First, the disciples were listening to Jesus. As Christians, it is important for us to be in a Bible believing and Bible teaching church. That is because we need to hear from Jesus just like the disciples in the Gospels and Acts. The Bible is God's Word and there is a lot that we need to learn. I do not mean just facts but rather to dig into it and learn who God is. The more you know Him, the more you know His love for you, and the more you will love Him.

Second, they were looking for Jesus. In verse 9-11, Jesus ascends up to Heaven, and the disciples are staring up into the clouds. Two men, probably angels, ask them why they are standing there staring. They tell the disciples that He is coming back, but they were told to go to Jerusalem and wait. Even though they followed their instructions, they kept looking for the return of Jesus. The disciples expected Him to return in their lifetime. Just as they were looking for Jesus to return, so we should be looking for His return.

Third, the disciples spent time in prayer. We read about this in verses 12-14. The purpose of prayer is to align our hearts with God. This is a mistake we make today. Yes, we are told to bring our requests to God, but the purpose of prayer is not about getting what we want, but rather about seeking the will of God in our lives. That is why Jesus taught us to pray "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). God was preparing the disciples for what He was about to do, and prayer was vital to this next step.

The fourth and final point is that the disciples continued in obedience. In the context of Acts 1, this meant that they waited until they received the Holy Spirit (chapter 2). That is the only time the church has been told to sit and wait. The point is though, they obeyed God's instructions. During that time, and after praying, they elected someone to fill Judas Iscariot's position. This was done to fulfill prophecy that God had to reveal to Peter for him to make the connection. The disciples were continuing in obedience to God.

What I presented to the church is that if we want to see growth in 2024, we must do these same things. We need to listen to God's Word. We need to look for Christ's return. We need to pray for growth through people being saved and maturing in their relationship with God. Finally, we need to be obedient to the proclaiming of the gospel to those we come into contact with. As God opens doors for us to share the gospel, we need to be obedient to Him. We are looking forward to a great year and I cannot wait to see what God is going to do both in us and through us!

Father, we believe that the return of Jesus will be soon. I pray that You would increase our longing for that return, but also increase our burden for the lost. I pray that we would not let this year pass by living carelessly for ourselves. Align our hearts with Yours!