You can tell certain things about a person from what you see. One thing that we do to identify that we are married is to put a ring on the second last finger of a left hand. For a woman an engagement ring is given during an engagement period and on the wedding day, couples exchange rings during the ceremony. I don’t need to get a new ring everyday from my wife to know that I am married. She gave me one, and like the vow we made on our wedding day, the one time event solidifies our marriage.
• My wedding ring doesn’t make me married. The wedding ring is a once given sign that I am married.
• Likewise baptism doesn’t make someone a Christian. It is a once given ordinance that someone professes to be a Christ.
Sometimes, like when I am training for Martial Arts, like some people do when they are baking or using particular machinery, people remove their rings. It can be for cleaning, at night or to avoid injury to a hand during certain activities.
• This does not mean that they become married and unmarried in the removal of the ring. For me, every day when I put my ring back on, it reminds me of my vows and responsibilities as a husband.
• Likewise, Communion, AKA, the Lord’s table or breaking of bread, is an ordinance that should be performed frequently, to remember what it means to be in Christ.
When Christ died why did Christianity not die with Him? Is the Church an invention of a few disillusioned followers to keep a group going? Why are you here today? Is it habit? Is there any real purpose for gathering? Why do we do things the way we do? Is it human tradition or something else?
When I last spoke two weeks ago, we studied how Christ promised to build His church (Mt. 16:18-20). He taught before His death what His plan was and how He would provide in every way.
In Acts 2 we see the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in that He would be with the saints of God in the presence of the Holy Spirit. This Pentecost, or fifty days after the Sabbath of the Passover Week (Lev. 23:4-7). resurrection of Christ, happens just a Christ said how He must go so the Holy Spirit would come. This new era in redemptive history sees the Holy Spirit permanently indwell the saints of God, and lead them. For this new period, Christ introduces in the new covenant, new covenant practices in Baptism and Communion.
In addressing the inhabitants of Judea and those who dwelled in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14) Peter showed how prophecy was fulfilled and how Christ is building His church. In this sermon we see 1) The Conviction, 2) The Commands, 3) The Challenge, 4) The Conversions, and 5) The Communion.
1) THE CONVICTION ACTS 2:37–40
Acts 2:37-40 [37]Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter’s conclusion to the main body of his sermon was devastating. He charged his listeners with rejecting and executing their Messiah—the very One whom God had made both Lord and Christ (v. 36). When they heard this—Peter’s statement in verse 36—they were cut/pierced to the heart. Katanussō (Cut/pierced) appears only here in the New Testament. It depicts something sudden and unexpected. Stunned by their inability to evade the indictment that they were guilty of heinous behavior before God, they were overcome by grief and remorse.
Please turn to Psalm 51
There were several reasons for their anguish. First, was the realization that they had executed their Messiah. The One for whom they had longed for centuries, the One who was the hope of all their personal and national promises, had finally come. Instead of welcoming Him, however, they rejected Him and handed Him over to their bitter and hated enemies, the Romans, for execution.
• We do the meaning of this text a disservice if we blame just an ethnic group for the death of Christ. Sin is cosmic treason. We are all to blame.
Psalm 51:1-4[51:1]Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. [2]Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! [3]For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. [4]Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. (ESV)
• One of the most dangerous things that I see infecting the people of God is a lack of personal responsibility. In an age where everyone else is to blame I see it rubbing off on the Church. We live in an age where we blame our parents, expect warning signs on everything and when something goes wrong, it is always someone else’s fault.
• In coming to faith what should be a central characteristic of a child of God is an acknowledgement of personal responsibility. David in Psalm 51 acknowledged to God that he was responsible for his sin and that he offended God with it. Without these two elements, there is no genuine remorse over sin and there cannot be genuine repentance and subsequently no forgiveness.
In Acts 2, there was anguish from the crowd because they realized that they themselves had killed the Messiah. It would have been bad enough to learn that Messiah had been killed. Far worse was the knowledge of their own complicity in the crime. That no doubt produced in them a deep sense of guilt. They could not imagine a greater sin than killing their Messiah.
Please turn to Romans 5
A third cause for their anguish was fear of Messiah’s wrath. Peter had announced to them in no uncertain terms that the same Jesus they had crucified was now alive (vv. 24, 31, 32). Worse still, he had quoted to them a passage from Psalm 110 that spoke of the vanquishing of Messiah’s enemies. What greater enemies of God existed than those who killed His Messiah?
Romans 5:6-14 [6]For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7]For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- [8]but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. [9]Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. [10]For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. [11]More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. [12]Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--[13]for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. [14]Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. (ESV)
• We must all come to the reality that Adam was our Federal Head (v.12), representing all of humanity before God. Our inherited guilt from the sin of Adam, deserves God’s wrath. But we see here the reality of God’s love (v.8) and salvation from that wrath (v.9).
Finally, they were devastated by the understanding that what they had done could not be undone.
The only way evangelism makes sense is telling the bad news before the Good. Because Peter did this, the Holy Spirit used God’s words and impacted the hearts of his hearers. Therefore, the response in Acts 2:37. Overwhelmed with anguish, despair, remorse, and guilt, they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
• They were pierced to the heart (emotional impact) and it resulted in action (what shall we do?)
• They sought desperately for a way to make right what they had done, and avoid Messiah’s wrath. They had a deep sense of their own guilt, and a panicky fear of God’s wrath. They had a strong desire to be saved from that wrath, and a willingness to submit to God’s will. Such conviction of sin is a part of every genuine conversion.
We have seen 1) THE CONVICTION (2:37): and now:
2) THE COMMANDS (2:38–39):
Acts 2: 38[38]And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39]For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
The Holy Spirit, through Peter’s powerful preaching, had brought them to the point of desperation. Peter now answers their question with the only correct answer: repent. Metanoeō (repent) is a rich New Testament term. It speaks of a change of purpose, of turning from sin to God (1 Thess. 1:9).
• This is not just sorrow or even sorrow for sin but an actual change in the way a person thinks. It is a basic and wholehearted change of mind that results in a change of purpose, direction, and values.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 [9]For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, (ESV)
Quote: C.S. Lewis said:
“Christianity tells people to repent and promises forgiveness. It therefore has nothing to say to people who do not know they have done anything to repent of, and who do not feel that they need any forgiveness. It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law, and a Power behind the law, and that you have broken that law and put yourself wrong with that Power—it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk. When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor”. (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). Acts. Life application Bible commentary (36). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.)
Although Peter’s hearers feared God’s judgment, true repentance involves more than fear of consequences.
Quote: Commentator Albert Barnes rightly notes that “false repentance dreads the consequences of sin; true repentance dreads sin itself” (Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament: Acts-Romans [1884–85; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, n.d.], 52. Emphasis in original).
Quote: As another commentator put it: “True repentance hates sin for what it is—an affront to God. Knowing that sin is evil and that God hates it motivates the truly repentant person to forsake it. Genuine repentance thus forsakes sin and turns in total commitment to Jesus Christ” (MacArthur, J. (1994, c1996). Acts (67). Chicago: Moody Press.).
• Peter was calling every one of them and by implication everyone of all time. We cannot be saved from the wrath of God by the goodness of a parent or spouse or our buddies.
• Since everyone must turn from sin, there must be someone we turn to. It does no good to turn from sin without turning then to the one who can solve the sin problem.
o We will either have to personally atone for our sins, which will mean eternal punishment, or have someone stand in our place that perfectly met the Holy requirements of God, who is Jesus Christ.
In verse [38] By calling on each of them to be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins Peter does not allow for any “secret disciples”
We will look at what baptism is in regard to verse 41, but let’s now look at what it isn’t.
The meaning of Peter’s statement that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins has been much disputed. Those who teach the heresy of ritualism in baptismal regeneration—the false teaching that baptism is necessary for salvation—see this verse as a primary proof text for their view. While the preposition eis (for) can mean “for the purpose of,” it can also mean “because of,” or “on the occasion of” (A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Baker, reprint of the 1930 edition], 3:35–36; H. E. Dana and J. R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament [Toronto: Macmillan, 1957], 104).
Quote: F. F. Bruce remarks, “It is against the whole genius of Biblical religion to suppose that the outward rite [of baptism] had any value except in so far as it was accompanied by true repentance within” (The Book of the Acts [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], 77).
The forgiveness listed here is linked to repentance, not baptism (cf. 3:19; 5:31; 26:20).
The order is clear. Repentance is for forgiveness. Baptism follows that forgiveness; it does not cause it (cf. 8:12, 34–39; 10:34–48; 16:31–33). It is the public sign or symbol of what has taken place on the inside. It is an important step of obedience for all believers, and should closely follow conversion. In fact, in the early church it was inseparable from salvation, so that Paul referred to salvation as being related to “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5).
Salvation would not only bring them forgiveness, but they would also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For this they had been waiting; the gift of the Spirit, according to Joel 2:28–29, would mark the beginning of messianic times.
• Dōrea (gift) refers to that which is free and unmerited. Contrary to much contemporary teaching, Peter attached no condition to receiving the Spirit except repentance. Nor did he promise that any supernatural phenomena would accompany their reception of the Spirit. The gift is the singular person of the Holy Spirit Himself.
o There is no “second blessing” of the Holy Spirit sometime after regeneration.
• It should be noted as well that the gift of the Spirit does not come through water baptism (Acts 10:47).
Acts 10:47 [47]"Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" (ESV)
• Baptism is shown to be an outward ordinance of something that has already happened inwardly. Notice in Acts 10:47 that the baptism was for those who already received the Holy Spirit.
In verse [39]For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
• The very people who had said in the crucifixion of Christ: “His blood be on us and on our children,” are now assured of grace for themselves and their children if they will trust the Lord (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ac 2:39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
Please turn to Eph. 2
The marvelous gift of the Holy Spirit was not merely for those in Peter’s audience that day. The promise of the Holy Spirit, Peter informs them, is for you and your children, and for all who are far off. They and their children, the nation of Israel, would receive the Spirit, as the Old Testament promised (Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:27; 37:14; Joel 2:28– 29). This is an echo of God’s promise to Abraham to be a God to him and his descendants for generations to come (Gen. 17:7). They would share that blessing, however, with those who are far off—the Gentiles
In understanding why Baptism does not save and how this is a picture of the promise here:
Ephesians 2:8-13 [8]For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9]not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10]For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [11]Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-- [12]remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. [13]But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (ESV)
The term far off includes both time and place. God’s promise extends throughout the generations (time) until the end of the world. It also reaches people (place) from every nation, tribe, race, and language, wherever they dwell on the face of this earth, which we will see in a few weeks in our look at Mt. 28.
Peter’s description of those who would receive the Spirit as those whom the Lord our God shall call to Himself describes God’s sovereignty at work in salvation.
• A biblical view of salvation does not exclude either human responsibility or divine sovereignty, but allows them to remain in tension. We must resist the attempt to harmonize what Scripture does not, content in the knowledge that there is no ultimate contradiction in God’s mind.
We have seen 1) THE CONVICTION (2:37), 2 THE COMMANDS (2:38–39): and now:
3) THE CHALLENGE (2:40):
Acts 2:40 [40]And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." (ESV)
Luke adds that with many other words Peter bore witness/solemnly testified and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves/Be saved from this crooked/perverse generation!” Luke has given us only a synopsis of Peter’s sermon, which obviously lasted far longer than the few minutes it takes to read this passage as the statement that he continued to exhort/kept on exhorting indicates. The gist of his exhortation was that they should be saved from this crooked/perverse generation (Gal. 1:4) through repentance and faith in Christ. Crooked/Perverse translates skolios, which means “bent,” or “crooked,” and hence evil and unrighteous.
• Many thousands from that generation were to perish during the Jewish revolt, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Peter’s appeal for immediate response was timely.
• We must never delay the need to call for immediate response in repentance. The day that we put off either repenting or calling another for repentance, may be the very day that someone stands before God to account for their life.
Peter’s condemnation echoed that of our Lord. In Matthew 12:39 and 16:4, He described them as an “evil and adulterous generation.” In Matthew 12:45 He referred to them as “this evil generation,” while in Luke 11:29 He commented that “this generation is a wicked generation.” In Mark 9:19 He condemned them as an “unbelieving generation,” while Matthew 17:17 and Luke 9:41 add the word “perverted” to “unbelieving.” Finally, in Mark 8:38, Jesus denounced them as an “adulterous and sinful generation.”
• Christians are required to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. This shall the focus of our discussion next week.
Quote: “Christ is building His people. He is gathering His flock. He is fulfilling His promise to be with the Christians to the end of the age. He is teaching by the Spirit and through His world. He is marking the Church off from the world through the sign of baptism and by making himself remembered and known and enjoyed in the Lord’s Supper. “Do this” is a demand of the Lord that calls us today to be not just individual followers but a flock, a gathered, a community and a church. (John Piper: What Jesus Demands from the World. Crossway Books. 2006. p.349).
The hope of this section is the rejection of the thought that people are doomed because of their families or situations. Through a new life in Christ, we can realize:
Psalm 78:8 [8]and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
We have seen 1) THE CONVICTION (2:37), 2 THE COMMANDS (2:38–39): 3) THE CHALLENGE (2:40) : and now:
4) THE CONVERSIONS (2:41):
Acts 2:41 [41]So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (ESV)
Please turn to Romans 6
Baptized here translates the Greek word for “dipped or immersed” in water. Peter was obeying Christ’s command from Mt 28:19 and urging the people who repented (those who received his word) and turned to the Lord Christ for salvation to identify, through the waters of baptism, with His death, burial, and resurrection (cf. 19:5; Ro 6:3, 4; 1Co 12:13; Gal 3:27; see notes on Mt 3:2).
• “BAPTIZO”=cover wholly or make whelmed
• “They went down into the water” Acts 8:38
• “Buried in baptism” Col. 2:12
Romans 6:3-4 [3]Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4]We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (ESV)
• As John the Baptist specified in Mark 1:8, Jesus Himself baptizes us with the Holy Spirit at the point of regeneration. Water baptism is the outward visible ordinance of what has already happened inwardly.
The baptism in Acts is the first time the apostles publicly enjoined people to obey that ceremony. Prior to this, many Jews had experienced the baptism of John the Baptist, (Mt 3:1–3) and were also familiar with the baptism of Gentile converts to Judaism (proselytes)
• Archeological work on the South side of the temple mount has uncovered numerous Jewish mikvahs, large baptistry-like facilities where Jewish worshipers would immerse themselves in ritual purification before entering the temple. Therefore, more than enough existed to facilitate the large number of baptisms in a short amount of time (MacArthur, J. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible : New American Standard Bible. (Ac 2:38). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Those who had received his word accepted the conditions and were baptized. Further, they amounted to more than an insignificant handful; there were added to the church that day about three thousand souls. That a precise number was recorded suggests that they kept track of those who were saved and baptized.
• Free agent spirituality is not the concept that God intends for those who trust in Him. That they were added to the church, has the obvious indication of membership. They came under the authority of the Scriptures, the guidance and direction of the leadership and the accountability and encouragement of the congregation.
o The clear pattern and picture from all of scripture is that God intends that people be baptized and members of a local assembly.
If you are not, then you need to be: both for you own spiritual health and that you would be used of God for His kingdom.
We have seen 1) THE CONVICTION (2:37), 2 THE COMMANDS (2:38–39): 3) THE CHALLENGE (2:40) : 4) THE CONVERSIONS (2:41) : and finally:
5) THE COMMUNION (2:42):
Acts 2:42 [42]And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (ESV)
From Acts 2:42-47, The newly formed church now involves itself in several activities.
A. Bible study (2:42a)
B. Prayer and worship (2:42d, 45–46a, 47a)
C. Fellowship (2:42b)
D. Sharing and caring (2:44, 46c, 47b)
E. The Lord’s Supper (2:42c
The concept that they devoted themselves can be a bit of a misnomer. These are not to be burdensome chores, but activities that God intends for us to delight in and be encouraged by. The phrase can be rendered “they gave themselves to,” “they were eager for,” or “they were very desirous of” these activities. (Newman, B. M., & Nida, E. A. (993], c1972). A handbook on the Acts of the Apostles. Originally published: A translator’s handbook on the Acts of the Apostles, 1972. UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (63). New York: United Bible Societies.).
This morning I will only focus on the element in this section on the breaking of bread or Communion.
God has ordained two specific ordinances for those who are a part of His church: 1) Baptism, which we have just seen and 2) Communion/AKA: the Lord’s Table
In Acts 2:42 the expression of the breaking of bread refers to communion services that were celebrated in remembrance of Jesus and patterned after the Last Supper, which Jesus had eaten with his disciples before his death (Matthew 26:26–29). It likely included a regular meal (known as a “love feast”) shared together (Acts 2:46; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23–25; Jude 1:12) (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). Acts. Life application Bible commentary (38). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.NT New Testament).
This was the normal practice of the early church:
Acts 20:7 [7]On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. (ESV)
• The practice of the early Christians was to break bread on the first day of the week. During the early days of the church, a love feast was held in connection with the Lord’s Supper as an expression of the love of the saints for one another. (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ac 2:42). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.)
• The early church did more than make converts; they also made disciples(Matt. 28:19–20).
How are the cup and bread the blood and body of Jesus? The issue of what exactly is the “presence” of Christ at the table has been a very contentious issue.
Quote: A clear example of what Christ meant is given in a great analogy by John Piper:
“It was natural then, and it is natural today, to point to a representation of something and say that the representation is the thing. For example, I look at a photograph of our house and say, “This is our house.” It would not enter anyone’s mind to think I mean that the photograph was transformed into my house. If Jesus stooped down and drew a camel, in the sand, He would say, “This is a camel” The drawing doesn’t become a camel. It represents a camel”. (John Piper: What Jesus Demands from the World. Crossway Books. 2006. p.347).
The problem becomes when the observance of the ordinance becomes sacramental, meaning that we get some particular merit in God’s eyes in meeting together. From what we have seen in the presentation of the Gospel in Acts two and how the church gathered, it is only because of the work of Christ that we have any merit in God’s eyes. Therefore, we gather together to celebrate, and remember Him in Worship. In Communion, we commune with God through the work of Christ. Without Him, we would have no mediator between us and the father no a sufficient atonement for sin that we could enter into the Father’s presence. Baptism represents the one time new birth that we died to self and are raised up to new life because of what Christ has done. Communion is the frequent celebration and remembrance together as we continually require the intercession and atonement for sin that only Christ provides.
This is an ordinance that Christ has instituted for His followers. If you have not repented of your sin and trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, then I invite you at this very moment to bow your heart and head, acknowledge that you have sinned against God, and seek His forgiveness. If you genuinely do this, He has promised to forgive you of your sin and right here and now change you, make you a new person and give you eternal life. If you will not repent, then I invite you to just observe today, for Christ has warned of serious consequences for those who participate in communion who are not Christians.
If you are a follower of Christ, we need to confess our sins to God, seek His forgiveness, and be reconciled with God and our fellow man. Let us now take a moment and silently do so.
Communion:
We will now distribute the Bread, please hold on to it until everyone is served, so we may all partake together
• Perfection of life (Body) represented in Bread.
• Prayer
Likewise, with the juice please hold on to it until everyone is served, so we may all partake together
• Atonement for sin (Blood), represented in Juice.
• Prayer
(Format note: some content from MacArthur, J. (1989). Acts. Chicago: Moody Press)
