What if the reason you’re exhausted in your Christian life is simple: you’re trying to run on power you don’t have? In Acts 2:1–21, Pentecost shows us the church was never meant to operate on human effort, personality, or grit—we were meant to be connected to the Holy Spirit.

In this message, we walk through three keys to living empowered for Christ’s mission:

1. Live Spirit-Filled — stop “rowing” and learn to “set your sails” to the Spirit’s power.
2. Love Across Barriers — the Spirit creates a gospel community where outsiders become family and everyone can hear “the mighty works of God.”
3. Lead with the Word — the Spirit creates the moment, but Scripture explains the meaning and makes the gospel clear.

And we close with a reminder from Acts 2:21: you can’t push your way into new life—you call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

What do you do when God makes you wait? In Acts 1:6–26, the disciples show us that waiting isn't passive—it's intentional. In this episode, we examine the "delay at the gate" between Jesus’ departure and the Spirit’s arrival. Learn why the posture of your heart in the waiting room determines your effectiveness on the mission field.

Key takeaway: The church doesn’t need more spectators; it needs Spirit-filled witnesses.

In this message from Acts 1:1–8, Jesus reminds His disciples—and us—that the mission doesn’t move forward on human strength. It moves forward when we’re rooted in the risen Christ, prepared by the Holy Spirit, and locked in on the mission of being His witnesses—right where we live and all the way to the ends of the earth.

If you’ve ever felt distracted, spiritually unprepared, or unsure how to reach “one more” person for Jesus, this sermon is for you.

🎧 Listen to “Before You Go” (Acts 1:1–8) now—and ask God who your “one more” is.

It was preached on January 7, 2026, at First Baptist Church, Georgetown, SC.