The Early Church: Forgiven
Acts 2: 37-41
INTRO:
NEW SERIES - THE EARLY CHURCH
CHURCHES TODAY:
WRONG FOCUS
LAKEWOOD / OSTEEN: "YOUR BEST LIFE NOW: 7 STEPS TO LIVING AT YOUR
FULL POTENTIAL 1. ENLARGE VISION 2. HEALTHY SELF-IMAGE 3. POWER OF
THOUGHTS AND WORDS 4. LET GO OF PAST 5. STRENGTH THROUGH
ADVERSITY 6. LIVE TO GIVE 7. CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY
WRONG EMPHASIS
INTERVIEW WITH "FAITHFUL READER"
30 QUESTIONS MENTIONS GOD IN 8 ANSWERS - NO JESUS
CORE MESSAGE - BETTER LIFE NOW
"NOT NECESSARILY EVANGELISTIC"
WRONG MESSAGE
FEEL GOOD THEOLOGY AT ITS PINNACLE
"18,000 WALKED AISLE" - SO WHAT, WHAT DID THEY COMMIT TO, HAPPINESS?
THIS IS A BETTER LIFE(CHRIST), BUT THATS NOT WHAT ITS ABOUT
NEW LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!
CYCLE THROUGHOUT HISTORY
DRIFTING AWAY FROM BIBLICAL MODEL
AWAY FROM EXAMPLE SET
AWAY FROM DOCTRINAL SOUNDNESS
LOOK LESS LIKE CHURCH OF ACTS
ACTS EXCELLENT EXAMPLE
RETURN TO AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
RETURN TO BIBLE AS OUR MODEL
SCRIPTURE FINAL COURT OF ARBITRATION
AN INWARD LOOK - NOT FINGER POINTING
REFORMATION - GREAT AWAKENING
TODAY - BEGINNING OF CHURCH
PRIMARY TEXT ACTS 2 - DAY OF PENTECOST
DISCIPLES SPEAKING IN TOUNGES,
PETER POWERFUL SERMON - AUDIENCE
THERE IN JERUSALEM FOR PASSOVER FROM ALL OVER KNOWN WORLD
TEXT
Ac 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "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 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
THIS TEXT IS THE CLIMAX TO THE DAY OF PENTECOST
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS DAY
HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS IN HEARTS AND
MINDS OF DISCIPLES AND THE AUDIENCE
DISCIPLES WITH JESUS FOR WHOLE MINISTRY, SOME 3 YEARS
LEFT THEIR FAMILIES AND LIVES, TRAVELED W/ HIM
ATE TOGETHER, SLEPT TOGETHER, STUDIED UNDER JESUS,
LISTENED TO HIM EVERY DAY
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, JESUS EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT HE WOULD SOON LEAVE
THEY DIDN’T GET IT
JESUS EVEN TOLD THEM THAT HE WOULD BE CAPTURED BEATEN AND KILLED
THEY STILL DIDN’T GET IT (LUKE 18:31-34)
DISCIPLES STILL OPERATING FROM PRE-CONCEIVED
NOTION OF EARTHLY REIGN OF MESSIAH
(JEWS STILL WAITING)
IT HAPPENS JUST AS JESUS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS DESCRIBED
JESUS - HANDED OVER TO GENTILES
MOCKED, SPIT ON, BEATEN AND KILLED
HE WAS INNOCENT, BUT CONDEMNED TO DIE AS A CRIMINAL
HE WAS SCOURGED, HIS FLESH RIPPED FROM HIS BONES
NAILED TO THE CROSS TO SUFFER IN AGONY AND DIE A SHAMEFUL DEATH
PURPOSE -
ISAIAH
ISA 53: 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all
HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
ON OUR MERITS WE ALL COME UP SHORT BEFORE A HOLY GOD
JESUS TOOK OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS TO PAY THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS
HE MADE A WAY FOR US TO BE RECONCILED TO OUR CREATOR
DISCIPLES WERE CRUSHED
WHEN JESUS ARRESTED, PETER DENIED HIM 3 TIMES TO HIS SHAME
WHEN JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD AND BURIED,
THE DISCIPLES WENT BACK TO THEIR OLD LIVES
BUT DEATH COULD NOT HOLD JESUS, FOR HE IS GOD,
HE IS THE MESSIAH AND HE AROSE FROM THE GRAVE
HE APPEARED TO THE DISCIPLES AND TO MANY OTHERS-40 DAYS
THIS IS RECORDED FOR US IN ACTS CHAPTER ONE
HE TELLS THEM THAT HE IS SENDING THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT
STILL DON’T GET IT (V6)
HE GIVES THEM THEIR ASSIGNMENT (V8)
RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN
AT BEGINNING OF ACTS 2 :ARRIVAL OF PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT
ABOUT 120 BELIEVERS GATHERED IN ONE PLACE
HOLY SPIRIT COMES LIKE TONGUES OF FIRE -
ALL OF THEM ARE FILLED WITH HIS HOLY PRESENCE
THEY BEGIN TO SPEAK IN LANGUAGES THEY DO NOT THEMSELVES KNOW
PEOPLE GATHERED FOR PASSOVER HEAR THEM SPEAKING,
EACH ONE IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
THEY ARE AMAZED, BUT SOME LAUGH AND ACCUSE THEM OF BEING DRUNK
BRINGS US TO PETER’S ADDRESS
PETER HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM
THE SAME PETER WHO DENIED JESUS 3 TIMES IN FEAR
NOW SPEAKS BOLDLY FOR HIS SAVIOR (ACTS 2:14-41)
AUDIENCE INCLUDES PEOPLE FROM CROWD AT JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
IMPORTANT QUESTION
SHOWS THEY ARE UNDER CONVICTION
THEY HAVE COME TO THAT MOMENT OF REALIZATION
HOPELESS SINNERS
ANSWER
CONVICTION NOT ENOUGH
FEAR OF PUNISHMENT, ACKNOWLEDGE MESSIAH NOT ENOUGH
MUST HATE SIN ITSELF, REPENT TO CHANGE COURSE, TURN AROUND CONFESS
TURN FROM SIN, TURN TOWARD JESUS
SURRENDER
FORGIVENESS OF SINS
BE BAPTIZED
NOT FOR REMISSION, THAT IS TIED TO REPENTANCE, NOT BAPTISM
BAPTISM NATURALLY AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWS SALVATION
OUTWARD PROFESSION OF WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED INSIDE
TRUE BELIEVER SHOULD HAVE NO RESERVATIONS IN DOING SO
BAPTIZED IN HIS NAME, ID’S US W/ HIM
DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION
NEW LIFE, OLD GONE, NEW HAS COME
YOU WILL RECEIVE GIFT OF HOLY SPIRIT
HIS PRESENCE IN YOU, IN YOUR LIFE
NOT MIRACLE POWERS OR TONGUES
EARLY CHURCH RECEIVED ITS POWER FROM H.S.
NOT FROM PEOPLE, PROGRAMS OR BUILDINGS,
CHURCH TODAY IF ANY POWER, SAME
PROMISE IS FOR EVERYONE
WITH MANY OTHER WORDS HE WARNED / PLEADED
SAVE YOURSELVES FROM CORRUPT GENERATION - TODAY?
CONCLUSION
THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A SAVED CHURCH
THEIR FOCUS WAS NOT ON THEMSELVES, AND NOT ON THE CHURCH ITSELF
FOCUS ON THE SAVIOR
HIS GRACE, HIS MAJESTY, HIS GLORY
MESSAGE THAT BEGAN THE CHURCH WAS ONE OF CONVICTION, REPENTANCE, GOD’S
FORGIVENESS AND TOTAL COMMITMENT OF THE BELIEVERS TO THEIR LORD
THE EARLY CHURCH RECEIVED ITS POWER FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE ONLY SOURCE OF POWER FOR OUR CHURCH TODAY
