The Resurrection of Christ and Its Impact on Missions
Number one.
As most of, you know, this is our missions emphasis month. and last Sunday, we so how the death of Christ obviously impacts missions. How the impact of the Cross goes far beyond our personal salvation.
How about the cross is a message of Hope. For people, regardless of their background, regardless of the circumstances. That their sin debt has been paid in full by the sinless Lamb of God. Centers. No longer have to die in their sins because Jesus has died for our sins. Christ death on the cross, is not the whole gospel. Not the entire gospel. The gospel is a good news of Salvation, and it talks about the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the foundations of Christianity is built upon. So this morning, I want to speak on this subject. The resurrection of Christ and its impact on Mission. Jesus Christ Resurrection on the third day evidenced by the father's acceptance of the son. Sacrifice the the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 4 and verse 25 that he was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification. I listened a dead savior cannot save. A dead savior is no savior at all but we have a living savior. Amen. Who justifies us and makes intercession for us, Hebrews 7:25. And so cries, work a Redemption, his death and burial and Resurrection, his work of redemption is finished. But the work of his Proclamation, the proclamation of his Redemption is continuing on today through his church and that is what I want us to focus on this morning as we think about and look at Acts chapter, number 1, beginning of verse number 1. It says the former account I made do the awfulest of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taking up after he threw the Holy Spirit had given Commandments to the Apostle to the apostles whom he had chosen to whom he also presented himself. Alive after his suffering by many infallible Cruz being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, And being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me for, for John, truly baptize with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not many days from now. And therefore, when they had come together, they asked him saying, Lord, will you will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, it is not for you to know times or Seasons with the father has put in his own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the Earth. Now, when he had spoken these things while they watched, he was taking up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they look steadfastly toward Heaven, as he went up, behold two men, stood by the m and white apparel who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same. Jesus, who is taking up from you into heaven? Will so come in, like manner as you saw him go into heaven. Let's pray, Our Father, we thank you Lord, for this day. This special Resurrection Sunday and we know father that every Sunday is really a Sunday which we commemorate the resurrection of your son Jesus Christ. The father, we are thankful for this first Sunday. After Passover, the way we recognize this past week not only the death of Christ and his burial but also his resurrection. and now we're able to be here this morning in this hour because of the power of your son's Resurrection house that you raised him on the third day and Through this, give us justification to all those who believe upon your son and father, I praise. We look at this passage of scripture. Father, I pray that you would speak to them. Speak to the hearts of those that are here that are lost. I pray God that you would draw them to your son Jesus. and every believer, I pray God that you would motivate us through your word. To be more mindful of missions. To be more Mission minded for the glory and the furtherance of your kingdom. We asked all these things in Christ name and all of God's people said, amen and amen. so, the book of Acts is really a primary book that reveals the mission of the church were not only the mission of the church that reveals the power of the church. Now, what is the mission of the church? Well, different from the purpose of the church. Kevin DeYoung. Gives this. Definition of the mission of the church. He said the mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the spirit and Gathering these disciples into churches, so that they might Worship the Lord and obey his commands now, and in eternity to the glory of God, the father, that is the mission of the church. And when the church begins to be distracted by its primary Mission and then begins to grow self-focused. It is very helpful then for the church to spend some time in the book of Acts to be reminded what the mission of the church is because listen to book of Acts shows us how to obey the command of Jesus given to us and Matthew chapter 28. Where Jesus said, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that. I have commanded you and lo I'm with, you always even to the end of the age that beloved is the Great Commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Until we see it acts chapter 1, verses 3 through 11, the writers of Acts. Luke tells us what these first Disciples of Jesus were given to prepare to equip into a courage them to move out in obedience to carry out, the Great Commission then needed for things by way of introduction. They needed the insurance at Christ. Was alive the needed assurance. That Christ was alive, they needed. They knew how much they needed him, because they knew that a dead savior. I offered, no hope a dead. Savior gave them, no enabling power to carry out this Great Commission. They also needed Supernatural power to accomplish this impossible, impossible task, the power that they needed was not going to come from them. It was not going to come something by by another preacher, or an apostle. They need it, also the mission to be made clear. Where do they start this mission? What was their strategy? And they also they needed the motivation that Christ himself was going to one day return. That was a motivation of what they needed to know. Do I submit to you this morning that these are the same for needs? We have to continue the command to make disciples from every tongue tribe and Nation. Notice, first of all, The manifestation of the resurrected Christ. The manifestation of the resurrected Christ and how that impacts missions. Again, verse 3, k, To whom he also presented himself. Alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during 40 days. In speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, And so far, his disciples. To have the confidence needed to proclaim the gospel of Christ and a very hostile World. They needed undeniable infallible. True. That Jesus was a lot. Listen, they knew that the message that they were to Proclaim to a lost world would in the very least, bring unto them persecution but at the worst martyrdom. I mean after all Jesus himself their leader, they killed they crucify and so they needed assurance that Jesus was alive. And that is what verse three is. All about verse three tells us that Jesus gave them that assurance that he lives. This is why the Ascension back into heaven. Kids, Jesus Ascension back in the heaven was not immediate after his resurrection. No, it was 40 days after he rose from the dead before. He ascended. Back to the father. I think about this. Why didn't Jesus just a send back to the father? 14 minutes. 14 hours or 14 days. After he rose from the dead, he could have showed himself in that short of time, but no, Jesus. For 40 days, gave it to his disciples infallible and very convincing truths about proof that he was resurrected from the dead in. The reason why he did that is because this is been very easy. If it was a very short time for from his resurrection to his attention, back to the back to the father, it could have been very easy for his disciples to think, you know what? Maybe we were just seeing things. Maybe this was just an hallucination, maybe we're seeing ghosts, maybe we wanted Jesus to be alive. So badly that we were seeing things,
So, 40 days. During that 40 day. Jesus presented himself Alive by many infallible. Unmistakable proofs, you said brother waiting, what were these convincing proofs? Well, John tells us in John 20, that he appeared in a room where the doors were locked without without ever opening the door. John 21, verse 19 tells us so when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week and when the doors were shut,
Where the disciples were for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them peace, be with you. Now, from Lux account, we see that Jesus did more than just make a brief appearance and Luke chapter 24. and burst 39 Jesus said, see my hands and my feet that it is, I myself Touch me and see for a spirit does not have Flesh and Bones. As you see that I have I didn't later in chapter number 24. We see that Jesus ate with his disciples, it's always see that every minute and every hour. And every day for 40 days, there were able to see Jesus with her eyes. There were able to touch Jesus, they were even able to eat with Jesus. Now, listen is pretty hard to touch and hallucination, right? It is pretty hard to see and hallucination eat. And yet, they see Jesus for these forty days, and they hear him speak and they see him eat. Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians, 15:4 and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day, according to the scriptures, I'm not, he appeared to cephas, been to the 12 and after that he appear to more than 500 Brethren. At one time most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. So again, for 40 days, Jesus appear to them. He ate with them, he spoke with them and even invited them to touch the wounds that he receive on the cross of calvary. And this is so important because one of the key elements of preaching, in the book of Acts was, the message that Jesus Christ is alive. Jesus Christ is alive. They not only had proof that he was alive. They had infallible unmask unmistakable, convincing proof. That Jesus is Alive. Now, what was the topic of Jesus conversation? With his disciples? When he appeared unto them? For those 40 days, one verse three towels us That Jesus spoke to them concerning. What the kingdom of God? He spoke to them concerning the kingdom of God. Now, broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule
Oven an of an eternal Sovereign, God over all the universe, but more narrowly speaking. The king of God is a spiritual rule over hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to Christ Authority. It's all those who defy Christ with or is he and those who refuse to submit to Christ. Authority are not a part of the kingdom of God in contrast, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ. And those who gladly surrender to Christ rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God. So this is again very important because the Lord wanted his disciples to know that the crucifixion that his death on the cross did not nullify Christ lordship. It did not notify the kingship of Christ. So therefore his disciples must proclaim the message of the king. He must, they must proclaim the message of the Gospel that the King has sent them to all who will hear And because these early disciples were absolutely convinced of the resurrection of Christ. They fearlessly, they fearlessly, proclaim the gospel.
and we know from scripture, And we even know from history itself.
That every one of his Apostles, save the Apostle John were martyred for their faith. Every one of them, save the Apostle. John
An account that we have of their martyrdom. Show that they went to their death triumphantly. Not begrudgingly. They were willingly and triumphantly gave up their life for the cause of Christ because they knew that Jesus Christ had conquered death. By being raised from the dead. now today,
Jesus is not does not manifest himself to us as Believers physically. It is not manifest himself to us today, visibly, But he still manifest himself to us as a matter. Fact, Jesus said this to Thomas o doubting Thomas he said because you have seen me Have you believed? Is it blessed are they who do not see me and yet believe? I'll listen his manifestations. Are no less real to us, he may not. We may not be able to see Jesus with our physical lies, but we can see him through the eyes of Faith. Amen. Christ in us, we are able to day to have personal communion with Christ. Because he is risen. We can face tomorrow. I'll listen doctor Owen. Strand posted something earlier. I'll read just a portion of it, but it was so good.
To the to the weary Christian. He is risen.
To the widow or widower missing their spouse, he is risen. To the single mother fighting for Faith. He is risen To the couple trying to figure out how to hold the family together. He is risen To the believer was fighting fear in a hostile world. He is risen. To the weary be discouraged, the low, the needy, the anxious he is risen. He is risen. And we see the manifestation of the Risen Christ and how that that really motivates and compels us to missions notice. Secondly the mites Of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit verse 4 and 5, tells us.
And being assembled together with him. Take command of them, not to depart from Jerusalem. But you wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me for John, truly baptize with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not many days from now. And in the first part of our state tells us, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And so now they are armed with truth of the resurrection of Christ. These disciples were no doubt Ready To Boldly proclaim, the gospel to the world. They had to see the Great Commission from the resurrected Savior and now they needed to go, right. Yes, but not yet. I mean you was like having all the, all of these infallible proof of Christ's Resurrection would be enough for them to go. And having all the knowledge and all the excitement that they had would be enough for them to go to carry out this commission. But it was not they needed something else they needed Supernatural might they need a supernatural power at that was beyond themselves power that was needed to accompany this true. Listen we declare a truth but we also declare a truth that is filled with power. And listen, it's easy as mm. As great as it is, is not enough to accomplish the commands of God. If you're just enthusiastic that you're going to be a proclaimer, you're not going to last very long because the first person that hurt your feelings feelings, you're going to be down and out. Some things he has a great but it only can really be fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. There needs to be the power of the Holy Spirit. And so again, these two cycles were so filled with enthusiasm, they could have, they were ready to charge hell with a with a water gun, right? But Jesus said to them, wait, He said don't even leave Jerusalem until you receive what the father has promised that what was it that the father has promised, or we know that this promise was given several times in the gospels and in different words, for instance, and Luke 24 and verse 49 and says. And behold, Jesus is speaking here, I'm sending forth the promise of my father upon you, but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. And then we see this promise and John, Chapter 14, verse 17, That is the spirit of Truth in the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him, but, you know, him because he abides with you and I will be in you. So listen to the Old Testament Saints, had the Holy Spirit, come upon them to equip them for the task. Had for them, but Jesus spoke of a Time hear that when the Holy Spirit would be in his disciples, in verse five Loop, refers to Matthew 3:11, where John, the Baptist said there was coming a day when Jesus disciples would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. I know that phrase being baptized by the. Holy spirit is one phrase that gets badly misinterpreted and misunderstood There are seven references to the baptism with with the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The first five are given from John the Baptist and Jesus saying that there is coming a time when the Disciples of Jesus would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. These 6 reference to the baptism with the Holy Spirit is historical there, an accept your number 11, Peter interprets, what happened? When the gospel went to the Gentiles and then the final reference to the baptism of the holy spirit is doctrinal. We see this and 1st Corinthians 12:13. It says, for by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews are Greeks, whether slaves are free, we were all made to drink of one spirit. So let me just quickly save today, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, happens at the moment of salvation. For every believer, it is when we are united with Christ and are thus in Christ and the Holy Spirit is in us, the Lord tells us in the last part of us ate that what the disciples were to wait for was receiving of the Holy Spirit. Who would come at Pentecost? It would be the holy spirit in them. Who would give them the power that they must have to take the gospel to the world. And listen, blow, we need to be consumed with a truth. We need to be consumed with a true that Jesus Christ is alive. We need to know this
But that in itself is not enough. We must also be filled with power which come from the Holy Spirit, who dwells in US.
He fills us with his power to proclaim the truth of the resurrection of Christ. But listen God's gift to the church is not a program. It is a supernatural power. That is ours when the indwelling spirit fills us and empowers us to fulfill the command to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
That is, we must be controlled by the spirit. We must be filled, and led by the spirit. Know how we need this today? Oh, how our churches in America need this today?
We tend to focus on. We tend to rely on normally man's develop methodology of how the church ought to run.
Masala. That is often time. Foreign to Holy Scripture. However, the methodology of the book of Acts is quite simple. Very simple. It is primarily the Holy Spirit doing the work. I'm just just think of all the things that the early church did not have that. We think we must have to have a flourishing Church.
And then consider how weak the American church is? Why holding on to the very things that we believe every Church must have for the church to be strong.
Listen, you got to go home and you ought to write down on a sheet of paper, everything that you think that the modern-day Church must have to be flourishing. I've been take that list that you wrote on that piece of paper and compare that to what the scripture says.
We need. The Holy Spirit to do the work. We need the spirit. Empowering us to do the work. and the early church fully surrender themselves to the Holy Spirit empowering them and God moved greatly very interesting that the Greek word translator power and Acts 1:8 is where we get our English word Dynamite from Power. Preaching the word and allowing the word to do. Its work and allowing the Holy Spirit to empower it. All is we who have Christ? Have no excuse. We have it through that Christ is alive. He has defeated death. Praise the Lord. Just provided salvation for all, who will believe the gospel? All, but we have more than the truth, we have the power, the spiritual Dynamite of the spirit of Christ who dwells in us as to enable us to obey our Lord in every area, especially in the area of proclaiming the Gospel. Notice thirdly. The mission. Made clear the mission verse fix tells us there for when they had come together. They asked him saying, Lord, will you at this time? Restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, it is not for you to know times or Seasons. With the father has put in his own authority. To Jesus tells them here. They need to focus on is the imminent, coming of the spirit to unite them with fries and a whale them to give them power, the spiritual Dynamite to take the gospel to every creature. In the last part of our state, we see how the mission is spelled out. The last part of verse 8 says, you shall be Witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth, that is our mission. We're to be Witnesses. And listen to a witness is one. Who tells what he has seen a witness is one who tells what he has heard and experienced. We're not called to be God's lawyer. Recalled to be Witnesses. We're not called to be a spreaders of Lies called, to be Witnesses of Truth. We're not called to be high pressure, recruiters are salesmen nowhere, call to be his Witnesses and the witness is simply expected to tell the truth. Just like a witness in a court who takes the stand, he is, he swears that he is to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. We are to tell the truth beloved about Jesus. Hard to tell the truth about Jesus. You know, this. Or in the least, you're starting to understand this at our culture. You seemingly growing more hostile to the gospel. But nevertheless, we're just speak the truth about Jesus. We are to speak the truth about Jesus. If persecution comes. The Greek word, very interesting. The Greek word for witness is a word that we get the word martyr from And why is that? Well against because so many, who were Witnesses for Christ were killed for their faith, that to be a witness bus to be an asset to Martyr.
So listen to me, our culture is not the first culture that has ever been hostile. The true Christianity. And the more we get more Pagan in our society, the more Society is going to hate us. Because Society hates truth.
And Jesus said this, if they hate me. They're going to hate you.
Haha. I think we're going to be living in a America. Where's no longer just cool to be a Christian.
It's going to start costing us. Something to be Christian. I believe in that is going to separate. The sheep from the goats. Weber State. He gives us the location of where we are to witness, where this commission is be carried out. Notice this that it is an all you did. First Jerusalem and then in all Judea and Samaria and even to the end of the Earth.
Honestly, you can go buy the book of Acts on that basis. That this is a more or less a table of contents for the book because the first seven chapters of Acts focus on on being a witness to Christ in Jerusalem, was a problem with the early church is that they did not want to leave Jerusalem and so God brought in Persecution in chapter 8. And drove them out of Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. And then beginning with chapter 13 you had the missionary call a Paul and Barnabas to go to the Gentile World on what is called the first missionary journey. So that begins the story of taking the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth lesson. Blow that is God's program for the geographical carrying, out of the gospel and noticed. Lastly, the motivation of his return, the motivation of his return, verse 9 tells us that when you had spoken these things while they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of sight, and why they look steadfastly toward Heaven, as he went up, behold, two men, stood by them and white apparel who also said men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same. Jesus, who is Taking up from you into heaven. Will also come in like manner, as you saw him go into heaven. So this is what we call the Ascension of the Lord. He's going back to Heaven, going back to sit on the right hand of the father and the, you can just imagine the excitement that must have been on that day. Sing Jesus ascends into heaven. But why was it so important that Jesus did a sin back to the father? Well, if he had not returned to the father, This Holy Spirit would not have come listen to what he says. In John. 16:7 Jesus said by tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away forever. I do not go away. The helper will not come to you, but if I go I will send him to you this and so much more is ours because Jesus ascended back to the father and I noticed in Acts chapter 1 verse 9 that a cloud enveloped him and took him to heaven. And listen, I do not think that this is some type of a normal humilis Cloud that Jesus rides back to Heaven. It is, I believe something more likely to be that cloud that still the temple. When Solomon dedicated the temple, That this Cloud was called by the Jews. The Shekinah Glory Cloud. The ascended back to glory and would receive in heaven and glory. And Lee read those verses, those really prosthetic verses from Psalm 24 as to the Ascension back to heaven. But we just imagine how the disciples were just totally mesmerized by seeing Jesus who made a love deeply ascending back at the heaven. But we notice that the It seems like they receive a mild rebuke from two angels and verse 11.
Says men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? The same. Jesus, who was taking up for you, from you into heaven? Will so come in like manner, As you saw him go in to heaven. So this is an Angelic promise concerning the second coming of Our Lord. This same. Jesus is one day coming again? We praise the Lord for that. Jesus himself said, in Revelation chapter 22, behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he has done. But until he comes We have work that needs to be done. That must be done. We are to finish the work or continue the work that Jesus be gone and to enable us.
He has given us his spirit. We're to go to our Jerusalem. Jesus said, that is our neighbors. Our town. Accounting. AR state. I think.
The most part, it seems that we as the American church have failed. Dispersed Park. I understand that there are other countries that announces sending missionaries to America because of the paganism. That is so rampant here.
Go to Judea Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth to carry out his Commission. Bloodless. We have no excuse. We know that Christ has risen from the dead and he has enabled us to carry out this recognition to the power of His holy spirit. Let's pray together. Our Father, we are thankful Lord for your word. logger thankful for
this day in which we commemorate in a special way. You're at your son's Resurrection from the dead.
father, I pray that the as we think about this month, that's we think about having an emphasis on missions, how about the death of Christ as well as the resurrection of Christ. Empowers us and impacts our missions. Father, not all of us are called to be a missionary.
Not all of us are called to go to the uttermost parts of this world. My father, you have called us to support those that do. and you have in your word, the principles laid out and 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 and 9 of how we're to give to those who are going forth and proclaiming the Glorious gospel, and father, as we think about and pray about The amount of money that we would give over and above our ties. Let me go to missions. Lord, I pray that you would lead and God each and every member here.
Or to know that every dollar that they give goes 100% to missionaries.
Father, I pray that you would just enlarge our heart. I feel our hearts with your grace and may they be vessels Lord that we can pour out Grace to others. The blessings that you've given us monetarily. if all we pray for every person here, that is lost. It's never been say, father, I pray that the holy spirit will speak to them. Reveal unto them, their lost condition. That they may see.
clearly with their spiritual eyes, their need of a savior and her need to place their faith and trust in Christ alone for the Salvation.
Father, I pray again that every believer here. Be encouraged. And motivated. To serve our King. We ask all these things in Christ name. Amen, and ask everyone to stand at this time when I asked Miss Becky to come, it's Becky skiing to come Ford.