Israel: The Test Of Our Time - Will You Pass It? (Acts 1:6, 8, 2:43, 9:31) | Greg Denham

Main message: The church must recover the “ground floor” pattern of the early Jesus movement—being baptized in the Holy Spirit so that a sober, God-centered fear shapes our thinking, holiness, witness and multiplication—and recognize that support for Israel is a critical test of our times. Failure to do so allows destructive ideas (replacement theology, rising antisemitism, hostile currents) to gain ground.

Key points:

• The Holy Spirit’s coming on the early church produced a healthy “fear of God” (not terror) — an overwhelming awe of God that rightly manages thinking, interrupts destructive patterns, and leads to holiness.
• “Fear of God” plus the Holy Spirit’s power and gifting enabled effective witness and multiplication (Acts examples; contrast with Ananias and Sapphira).
• Different kinds of fear exist (threat-based, future-worry, paralyzing timidity); the biblical fear is being present in God’s presence and having an ear to hear Him.
• Israel and Zion are central to God’s purposes; rejecting Israel or embracing replacement theology is dangerous and is portrayed as the defining test of our time, with rising antisemitism and hostile currents (e.g., Iran, delegitimization campaigns) as evidence.
• Practical application: remain “dripping” in the Spirit (don’t “dry off”), stand with and bless Israel, walk in fear of the Lord, and respond personally to Christ (the sermon concluded with an invitation to repent and receive Jesus).

Scriptures mentioned: Acts 1, Acts 3, Acts 5, Acts 9:31, Zechariah 14:4, Romans 3, Romans 11, Ezekiel 37, Psalm 1, Genesis 3, Revelation 12