The Gospel for the Church

Intro

- Illustration- brands- identifying marks- is it real?

o If it is not present, it is not genuine. It’s not the real deal

o The Gospel is the identifying mark of the church

§ Sadly, many churches lack this identifying mark

§ They can even slap the right logo on the front, but like a knockoff iPhone, the difference is quickly discovered in the experience- the gospel is not proclaimed, it is not clear, it is not central

- The Gospel is everything

o It changes people- it’s not the programs we run, the band that plays, whether or not we have an elaborate kid’s ministry, or even the pastor that stands up here an preaches

o The Gospel is the identifying mark of the church- without it the church has no backbone, no purpose, no power, no mission

o So how important is it that we understand what the Gospel truly is? Critical, life and death important,

- The beginning of Acts 2 is exciting, a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire resting on the disciples’ heads, speaking in different languages

o And the end is often preached- repent and be baptized, 3,000 people added to the church

o but it all hinges on Peter’s sermon that we are going to look at this morning- it explains how we get from the Spirit coming to the church thriving!

o And the content of this message is the same thing that is going to make the church thrive today

- Peter steps up to make sense of the situation- describes what is happening and why- clarity

o Listen carefully, I'm going to explain what is happening

o Spirit inspired

o Defensive- Peter defending those speaking in tongues

§ It's 9 in the morning!

§ They aren't drunk. What you see happening is what Joel prophesied would happen

- The good news of the Gospel reveals God’s sovereign plan through the person and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and forces us to come face to face with our desperate need of him alone as our Savior.

The Gospel was God’s plan from the beginning

A. Prophecy fulfilled

1. The end is near! The coming of the Spirit is a sign of the Day of the Lord

a. Verses 17-20 are eschatological-

(1) the Spirit has come (17-18), but this is just the beginning (19-20)

(2) Pentecost (coming of the Spirit) to the Day of the Lord (second coming)

b. because the end is in motion, there is a sense of urgency for people to be saved (21)

2. What you are seeing here is God's fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy/promise

a. Not just in the Old Testament, but also by John the Baptist and Jesus himself

b. Moses wished that all God's people could have the Spirit of God on them

(1) Moses appointing the 70 elders to help him govern the people

(2) 2 of these men began to prophesy because the Spirit rested on them, but Joshua didn’t understand and asked Moses to stop them

(3) Num. 11:29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets, and the Lordwould place his Spirit on them!”

3. Dreams, visions, and prophets

a. Dreams and visions- revealing the knowledge of God

(1) I believe this is happening today

b. Prophesying- not just future telling

(1) It’s proclaiming the wonderous works of God

(2) The prophets of the OT would deliver God’s message to the people

(3) This knowledge is found in Christ and made known through the preaching of the Gospel

c. So, in this sense, we are all prophets, or at least we out to be!

(1) Sharing the good news of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit

d. "Because we know him, we must make him known"- Stott

B. The gift of the Spirit to all people (17)

1. The Spirit in the OT

2. “Pour out”

a. illustration of the difference between a low-pressure shower head and a rainstorm

b. Overabundance- it is not limited- God is generous

3. The Spirit to all those who believe- no outward qualifications, only inward belief

a. "My servants"- the Spirit is given for service

b. In the church there is no distinction, as in the Old Testament, of those who have God's Spirit and those who don't

4. But somehow, we often live as though we have no access to this power- controlled by sin, overwhelmed by the world around us, we live defeated and depressed as if God has abandoned us

a. When the reality is that he has filled us to the brim, poured out, his power in our lives

b. It’s time we start living like it!

C. The Gospel demands urgency

1. There will be a final judgment

a. Day of the Lord (20)

2. Because the end is in motion, there is a sense of urgency for people to be saved

3. (21) Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

- So, this has been God’s sovereign plan from the beginning to save his people, the glorious gospel was set in motion long ago, and is evidenced by the coming of the Spirit on all those who call on the name of the Lord

- But who is this Lord?

The Center of the Gospel is Jesus

A. Jesus is Lord

1. There is a shift from Yahweh as Lord to Jesus as Lord

2. Jesus was not just a prophet or a wise teacher

a. Everything that we believe depends on Jesus being the Messiah- but how can we know this to be true?

b. Illustration- $100 bill

B. Evidence from his life, death, and resurrection

1. "Attested to you by God" (22) - Accredited, authorized, to make clearly known

a. Miracles, signs, and wonders- the power of God

b. You saw these things happen before your very eyes! Vv. 22, 32

(1) His resurrection- not a defense, simply a proclamation- this was so recent that it could not be refuted

(2) The facts were not contested, but some attributed these signs and wonders to the works of the Devil

C. Evidence from his Ascension

1. Not only is Jesus alive today, but he is ruling in heaven (34b-36)

a. Quoting Psalm 110- claiming that Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy

b. Jesus already claimed this about himself (Luke 20:41-44) as would Paul and the writer of Hebrews later in the New Testament

c. Luke 24:44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

2. This was all necessary in order for Jesus to pour out the Spirit (33)

- You see, in order for the Spirit to come, in was necessary for Jesus to die, be raised to life, and to ascend back into Heaven to rule as Lord

- Without Jesus as Messiah and Lord, there is no Gospel

The Gospel holds us accountable

A. Our sin nailed Jesus to the Cross

1. Peter places the blame on the Jews- (23b)

a. Yes, this was God's sovereign plan, but they still bore responsibility for their rebellion

b. We could say the same for ourselves. Our sin nailed Jesus to that cross

2. The Gospel is offensive

a. This would have been hard for the audience to hear, but it's necessary

b. Don't sugarcoat it!

3. Their greatest efforts to destroy and kill Jesus would have been useless if God would not have allowed it to happen

B. How can something be both God's sovereign plan AND the wickedness of man?

1. Through Jesus's death, God brought salvation

2. Foreknowledge- not just predicting the future

a. God knows what will happen because he determined it in advance

Conclusion

- The good news of the Gospel reveals God’s sovereign plan through the person and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and forces us to come face to face with our desperate need of him alone as our Savior.

So What?

Are you living in the Spirit’s power?

Jesus is Lord, but is he the Lord of your life?

Do you feel the urgency of the Gospel?