Obedient Witnesses (Acts 1:1-11)
Notes
Transcript
Baptism of Phyllis
Baptism of Phyllis
The Church of the Nazarene Baptizes in 1 of 3 ways
Emerson, where someone is laid under the water and brought back out
This is a reminder of being united with Christ in His death and resurrection
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Sprinkling - where water is sprinkled on the person being baptized
This is a reminder of the blood that sprinkled the altar making someone clean...
14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.
It is also a reminder of the Holy Spirit sprinkling us with pure water to make us clean
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Pouring - This is a reminder of Christ’s blood that was poured out purifying us of all sinfulness. And, it is a reminder of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the day of Pentecost.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Yet no matter HOW one is baptized, the point is that baptism is a response to God’s grace active in our lives. It does NOT matter HOW someone is baptized, it matters that we are obedient to Jesus Christ. In ANY of these 3 methods of baptism (immersion, sprinkling, or pouring) the one being baptized is declaring the Gospel that it is ONLY by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are saved and baptism is a public confession of that faith.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Sermon
Sermon
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Story
Story
Mom scolding me for daydreaming and messing around while Dad and I were working at the church on Saturday....
We have our Task - our marching orders - and if we do not know what they are, we can be reminded of them by reading Acts 1:1-11 or by asking the Father...
1 Don’t stress over what you do not know
1 Don’t stress over what you do not know
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
Do not stress over what is NONE of your business to know the answers to.
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Stressing over things that are God’s business alone is NOT our task
Figuring out end times stuff is NOT OUR TASK! PERIOD! We waste time when we stress over this stuff
It is all Non-ya = non ya business
Is is all nachos - nacho business
It is all Narnia - Narnia business
Do you get it? We spend a copious amount of time, reading, preaching, teaching, studying, listening, to people talk about dates and times. They don’t KNOW! So why waste that time?!
I am going to tell you a secret… If someone says he knows the day or time frame when Christ will return … S/HE is WRONG and should be COMPLETELY ignored!
We are not to spend our time worrying about things we do not know the answer to, and things we have NO CONTROL over… But, we do have a task to do - worrying about God’s business is NOT our task.
2 Be Obedient Witnesses
2 Be Obedient Witnesses
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We are to be witnesses throughout the WORLD
This is greater than JUST Israel
Jesus gives us our marching orders to go through our communities and the world!
Power = dunamis (dynamic, dynamite, etc…)
Witness = Martyr
What does a witness do? If someone is brought into court as a witness what do they do?
Witnesses tell THEIR story
What they saw, heard, did, etc...
The disciples were instructed to be obedient witnesses. To go to the world and tell people what Jesus has done in them, for them, through them, and even in spite of them. What they heard, saw, experienced. And, these are our marching orders too!
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We are to be OBEDIENT WITNESSES - not meddling in God’s business but being obedient to the task we are given.
What is obedience?
In the Bible, the word in Hebrew AND Greek that is translated “Obedient” means to HEAR
It carries with it the idea that someone LISTENED (truly heard) and that is seen in their action based upon what was said.
How many times have you had to ask children, “Are you listening to me?” Why? Because you know you are speaking, and they are nodding in agreement, but their actions/response does not change based upon what you just told them. “Hey, boy, did you hear me?”
Jamie and I coach a baseball team of 6-8 year olds...
We tell them this is how you bat, this is how you throw the ball, etc… And they say, “ I know… my mom told me, or brother, or dad...” To which I respond, well I am glad you know, now SHOW ME!
This is obedience - to HEAR and PUT INTO ACTION that which you claim to have heard!
3 Don’t look to the sky. Don’t waste time
3 Don’t look to the sky. Don’t waste time
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
The angels tell the disciples NOT to be like a young baseball team...
The baseball players daydream...
Coaches yell, “Get the BALL!!!!”
They throw their mit, and hat, shoes, shirt and pants...
They DAYDREAM.
The angels REMIND the disciples of the immediacy of their mission… Christ WILL return - that you know. Don’t stare into the sky trying to figure out when. Don’t get distracted by Narnia things - again, things that are Narnia business… You MUST be faithful witnesses.
You know ENOUGH to keep you busy.
Christ WILL return. This impresses upon the immediacy of our task.
We DO NOT have an infinite amount of time. There is a time limit to our task that Christ will return, the Kingdom will be restored, the End will come.
So, DON’T WASTE TODAY DAYDREAMING! DON’T WASTE TODAY PONDERING ABOUT GOD’S BUSINESS AND GOD’S PLANS AND GOD’S TIMELINE...
You ONLY have today. Yesterday is gone - tomorrow is not promised. So, don’t waste your time.
Don’t be idle
Don’t be lazy
Don’t daydream
Don’t worry about the things that are God’s concern
Be faithful to your task!!
Wrap it UP!
Wrap it UP!
This is our task - to be faithful witnesses.
IF EVER we forget this task, if ever we find ourselves NOT sure what to do until Christ returns - reread Acts 1 and ask the Father, he will direct back to the task he has given you and equipped you for.
Be a faithful witness! Tell YOUR story! Don’t waste time, don’t daydream, don’t ask questions you need not know the answers to.
Instead - GO! To your neighborhood, your community, your work, your school, your world and tell YOUR encounter with Jesus.
GO!
Benediction
Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.