He Is Risen… What Next? RISE UP
Acts 2:1-21, 41
The resurrection was not the end of the story—it was the beginning of a revolution. Jesus rose from the dead, and in the wake of that victory came something even more explosive: the birth of the Church.
In Acts 2, we read about one of the most unbelievable moments in history. The Holy Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire rested on each believer, and thousands were added to the Church in one day. This wasn’t a well-crafted plan or a carefully organized event—it was a divine, supernatural suddenly. A moment when heaven touched earth and nothing was the same again.
1. Rise Up: Spirit-Filled
The early church was born in power. Not in human strength or strategy, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was the driving force behind everything: planting churches, spreading the gospel, transforming lives.
“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven…” (Acts 2:2). Have you ever experienced a suddenly moment? That moment when God shows up without warning and everything changes? We believe in a God of suddenlies. A God who shows up in our lives, in our churches, and in our broken places with power and purpose.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t discriminate. Acts 2 tells us that everyone was filled. Not just the elite, not just the educated, not just the leaders—everyone. That same Spirit is for us today. Not a first-century relic, not a museum piece of revival history—the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us now.
We pray, “Shake this place.” Not because we like noise, but because we believe in a God who moves when His people cry out. The Church has been quiet for too long. We’ve let culture set the tone, while we’ve been passive. But this is a time to rise up, to be Spirit-filled, to make a holy noise that shakes things in the spiritual and the natural.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “Without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing.” He was right. We can build great programs and craft brilliant sermons, but without the Holy Spirit, it’s powerless. Are we counterfeits or conquerors? The difference is the Spirit.
2. Rise Up: Stepping Forward
In the midst of that Spirit-filled chaos, Peter steps forward.
This is the same Peter who once denied Jesus. The one who ran from a servant girl. The loud-mouthed fisherman from Galilee. Uneducated, impulsive, insecure—and now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he steps forward and boldly preaches the gospel.
That’s the power of the Spirit. It doesn’t just fill us—it transforms us. It empowers the timid to become bold. It takes our greatest failures and uses them for kingdom impact.
Peter didn’t step forward because he was perfect. He stepped forward because he was filled. And the same invitation stands today: rise up and step forward. Not because you have it all together, but because God has called you, filled you, and positioned you.
We are not a retreating church—we are a stepping forward church. Like Paul said in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal…” We strain forward. We take ground. We move. We step into places others can’t. We lead from the front.
Sometimes the greatest act of faith is simply taking the next step. Christine Caine says, “Sometimes the most powerful act of faith is taking the next step forward.” So what’s your next step? Into leadership? Into mission? Into forgiveness? Into obedience?
3. Rise Up: Mission Over Method
When Peter stood and preached, he didn’t worry about the method. He wasn’t concerned with how polished his message was or how it would be received. He was focused on the mission. And the result? Radical growth—thousands came to faith in one moment.
The early church was laser-focused on the mission. Are we?
Too often we get distracted by the method—style, format, preferences, aesthetics—when the mission is what truly matters. The message of Jesus must go out. The gospel must be heard. The Church must be mobilized.
If the lost were saved, would we really care how it looked? Are we willing to be uncomfortable, flexible, even unconventional, if it means people encounter Jesus?
We must be a people who care more about eternity than comfort. How desperate are we to see the lost around us step into the light of Christ? How much does it move us to think about the eternity of our neighbours, our co-workers, our friends?
Rise Up: Radical Growth Is on the Way
We are on the edge of something significant. Radical growth is not a far-off dream—it’s on the horizon. But it begins with a Spirit-filled, stepping-forward, mission-minded Church.
The question isn’t if God will move. It’s when. The real question is: will we be ready?
So—who are you bringing to church? Who are you praying for? Who are you stepping forward for? This is not just about gathering crowds, it’s about changing eternities.
It’s time to rise up. He is risen—so we rise.
Jon Baldwin, Associate Leader Home Church
Reflection Questions
- Have you experienced a “suddenly” moment with God? Are you actively expecting Him to move like that again in your life or your church?
- What’s stopping you from stepping forward like Peter? What would it look like for you to take your next step of bold faith?
- Are you more focused on the method or the mission? What distractions could you lay down to sharpen your focus on the gospel?
- Who in your world needs to hear the message of Jesus? What can you do this week to reach out to them?
- Do you believe radical growth is possible in your church or community? What would change if you lived like it was?