THE PREEMINENCE OF PREACHING WITHIN THE CHURCH
Acts 2:14-47
INTRODUCTION:
A. In 1996 Thom Rainer published a book entitled Effective Evangelistic Churches
1. Surveys were sent out to 1400 Southern Baptist Churches which were considered “Evangelistic” this meant
a. They had at least 26 baptisms in the past year
b. And had at least a 20:1 Resident membership to baptism ratio.
c. Surveys were received back from 700 churches, of which 576 were usable.
2. The survey was 10 pages long and consisted of questions in 8 areas
a. Evangelistic methods
b. Evangelistic Attitude
c. Worship Style
d. Type of Congregation
e. Theological beliefs (God, Scripture, Sin and Salvation)
f. Preaching style
g. Other Helpful Information: things like church age, retention rate, pastor tenure, etc
h. A catch all, for anything not covered that a church thought was relevant to their evangelistic outreach.
3. Among the many surprises that arose out of the mix were
a. No particular music style predominated
b. Size of church was not a large factor (392 of the 576 were between 100 & 499 average attendance; 220 were in the 100-299 category)
- Churches in the 100-299 had the best baptism ratio
c. And according to the survey the top three items that were most influential to a good evangelistic effort were
1) Number 3 – A good Sunday School Ministry
2) Number 2 – A good Prayer Ministry
3) And Number 1 – the Preaching Ministry – and that being expositional
4. Even in the midst of all the “Worship” wars Preaching was the main focus in evangelistic churches within the walls!
B. The Preeminence of Preaching is seen from the very beginning
1. It began on the very day of Pentecost
2. Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter who had denied the Lord three times, stood up and preached the first Christian message
3. And in this message I picked 3 major aspects of good biblical preaching – good evangelistic preaching
a. Foundation – the Word of God
b. Focus – Jesus Christ
c. Fruition – Converts
C. And believe it or not these are the same aspects of good individual soul winning as well!
PRAY
As we think about the preeminence of Preaching within the church, as well as good individual proclamation, we should know the
I. FOUNDATION – THE WORD OF GOD, Acts 2:17-21, 25-28, & 34-35
A. A Prerequisite We Need To Understand
1. In order for good evangelistic preaching or witnessing to take place the individual who is speaking must be saved – having the Holy Spirit dwelling within.
2. This was seen last week as we looked at Acts 2:1-14
3. We must remember that it is the Holy Spirit that is going to give us the right words to speak and it is He who will work in the unbeliever’s heart.
4. The messenger must be filled with the Spirit, that is, he must be totally surrendered to God and His will and be led by the Spirit.
5. With that said, we need to know our foundation for the presentation of the gospel
B. The foundation for Proclaiming the Gospel is God’s Word!
1. Three times in this short message Peter quotes major parts of the Old Testament, first
a. Acts 2:17-21 is taken from Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: [18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: [19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: [20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
b. Followed by Acts 2:25-28 is taken from Psalm 16:8-11 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: [26] Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: [27] Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. [28] Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
c. And then Acts 2:34-35 is taken from Psalm 110:1 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, [35] Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
2. Remember the O.T. was the only written word of God he had and Peter used it extensively.
C. So what about The Word of God Today, well
1. Little did Peter know that God was using him on that very day to give us a more complete revelation of Himself and that his words would become part of God’s word today known as the New Testament.
2. Folks, both old and New Testaments are God’s most holy word.
3. They are inerrant and infallible and contain all that we need to have in order to present the plan of God redemption to mankind. They are the standard and rule of a life pleasing to God.
4. It contains the gospel, or good news, of Christ’s redemptive acts, and it alone has the words of life.
5. Let me make this clear, the Bible does not contain the Word of God – it is the Word of God.
D. Don’t Be Fooled
1. If anyone comes to you with another gospel, an extension of this gospel, or a new view on this gospel – don’t accept it.
2. Paul wrote a word of caution to the Galatians which stated, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8
3. This means the Mormons gospel, the Jehovah’s Witness gospel, the Seventh Day Adventist’s Gospel, and many more are false gospels!
4. The Word of the Living God contains the true gospel
a. Learn God’s Word
b. Memorize God’s word
c. Proclaim God’s word!
The word of God is the foundation to good evangelistic preaching or witnessing and it has one
II. FOCUS – JESUS CHRIST, Acts 2:22-24, 32, 36 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: [23] Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: [24] Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it…[32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses…[36 ] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. The focus is Jesus Christ!
A. Jesus Christ Crucified
1. This is not a popular subject in our society today and, sorry to say, its getting less popular in some of our Baptist churches as well.
2. You see when we speak about the crucifixion of our Lord it entails the mentioning of sin and blood
a. Peter let the crowd know that day that they had wicked hands, they were sinners
1) We have a problem in our churches when the men of God will not call sin – sin. How else can a sinner know he is a sinner if he does not know what he does, what he thinks is sin?
2) Every single one of us in this room is a sinner – we have transgressed God’s law and the penalty for that is DEATH. (Rom 3:23 & 6:23)
b. The only way to be freed from our sins is to be washed in the blood of Christ Listen to these words:
1) 1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
2) Rev. 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
3) Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
3. Folks there can be no salvation without the preaching of the cross: Christ’s crucifixion and his shed blood
4. Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18
5. The focus of Evangelistic preaching and witnessing is Jesus Christ Crucified and
B. Jesus Christ Buried
1. I mention this only because we must understand that Jesus was DEAD!
2. He did not faint, swoon, or become unconscious
3. He was buried because He was dead!
C. But then, Jesus Christ Risen!
1. 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 tells us that if Christ did not rise from the dead then the crucifixion was of no consequence
2. Since the Scriptures foretold of Christ’s resurrection it had to happen or the one who died was a false Christ!
3. Three days following Christ’s death on the cross, however, a group of ladies went to the tomb early on Sunday morning.
a. When they arrived they found the tomb open and the body of Jesus Christ not present
b. And lest they should leave with the wrong impression an angel spoke these wonderful words to them: Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. [6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:5-6
4. Hallelujah, Jesus is alive!
5. Peter said yes you killed the King of Glory, but he did not stay dead – the grave could not hold Him for He is the King of Life!
6. He arose from the dead and is alive for ever more! Glory!
When our foundation for presenting the gospel is the Word of God and the Focus is Jesus Christ them we can expect
III. FRUITION – CONVERSION, Acts 2:37-41 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. [40] And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. [41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
A. Salvation
1. Let me tell you up front, following Peter’s message 3000 people got saved!
2. That brought a lot of glory to the name of Christ!
B. The Path – with that said let me point out something very important: their path to salvation started with
1. The hearing of God’s Word - when they heard this - the gospel of Jesus Christ
2. Conviction - they were pricked in their heart, - They came to know their sinful and wicked condition
3. Repentance –
a. Repent Peter says in v. 38
b. And Save yourselves from this untoward generation, in v. 40.
Peter encouraged them to turn from the wicked generation they were a part of
4. Gladly receive salvation - Then they that gladly received his word…
a. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
b. 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
5. Then, only after salvation, are you to be baptized!
C. Praise God He is still in the saving business today!
1. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9)
2. Romans 10:9-13
3. You can be saved today!
CONCLUSION:
A. Glory 3000 saved – but even greater is the fact that you can be saved this morning!
B. This is why preaching should have preeminence within the church!
C. If you are here this morning and you still do not know Christ as Savior let me leave you with one last excerpt from God’s Word found in 2 Cor. 4:3-6 …if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
D. Please, do not let the god of this world (Satan) have the last word in your eternal destiny – Christ’s death on the cross bought your pardon and His resurrection assured the victory over sin, death and hell– would you except His free gift of eternal life from Him this morning?
