Acts 1:1-5 What Will It Take For Us To Live Like We Believe In Jesus?
Notes
Transcript
Acts 1:1-5 What Will It Take For Us To Live Like We Believe In Jesus?
Acts 1:1-5 What Will It Take For Us To Live Like We Believe In Jesus?
1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Who is someone you have heard of that lived a long time ago that you absolutely believe lived and there is no doubt in your mind that they were real? What about George Washington who was a leader in our nations early days. He lead the army that defeated the British and won independence for our country. We have seen countless paintings showing him crossing the Delaware in the depth of winter. We heard story after story of the battles that were fought in that war. We have book after book about all that was done to secure our nations freedom and there is nothing that will be said or done that will change our minds.
I did not see George Washington when he was alive but I still believe it by the overwhelming amount of evidence that is present. If someone ever tried to convince me otherwise I would say they are crazy and just making something up to change my mind and get me on their side. He commanded men and they went and carried out the orders they were given. The battle was won and our country was born.
This morning we find in this passage of Scripture we find the story of another man who not only lived and died but rose again on the third day. He too lead men. There are countless books that have been written about his life but one that is considered very special. It is absolutely true and is more accurate than any other book ever written. This book was written by over 40 different authors…over a period of 1500-2000 years…it contains 66 books….it was written in three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek….The authors for the most part did not talk about what they were to write….yet there were some 300 or so prophesies that were recorded in this book about a Messiah who would come to set people free (I say 300 or so because there are some that we could discuss to see if they are prophesies or actually commands from God for Israel at a certain time in their history)…..the Messiah came and fulfilled all the prophesies that were made about Him…the book does not contradict itself and was put together seamlessly..The book I speak of is called the Word of God..or the Holy Bible.
What will it take for us to live like we believe in Jesus? We often reference George Washington and what he did for our nation in the early days…..especially around election time or when certain laws are being discussed in the news. I wonder what will it take for me to live like that for Jesus? To mention His name to others or remind them of what was done on that cross for our sake. What will it take for us to read the Bible like we read other books with a thirst to understand what we are reading? What would it take for us to live like we believe in Jesus?
Jesus was not just talking to the disciples..everything He did every step He made was a teaching opportunity…he was preparing them throughout His ministry. He was not just visiting for the forty days after he was resurrected…He was getting them ready for the next step….Jesus was preparing them to take the church to the world. The Gospel was about to take off and they were the launching pad. They were being prepared for the mission they were about to be given. Jesus was saying you are going to have to live out what I have taught you so that others will believe. You are going to have to live like you believe everything I have shown you. You are not gonna just be able to tell them you’re gonna have to set the example. I’m gonna help you but you have to live it. That is what we are being called to today. We are being called to live like we believe what we say about Jesus.
Church we have been called just like the disciples. What will it take for us to live like we believe what we have been told in Scripture? What will it take for me to surrender to God and follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit? We would argue someone down that George Washington lived and died but when it comes to Jesus we act as though we have no proof. We can’t say for certain or we lack the conviction necessary to stand our ground and live out our faith…we have been given all that is needed to live what we say we believe, however, we still have to make that choice.
There are three things that we find in this passage that enables us to live out our faith in Christ and these are three things that Jesus gave the disciples as well. Yes we are in a different situation than they were….but we are called to live out our faith day to day just like them. The first thing that Jesus gave them was a commission. Look with me at verses 1 & 2 Acts 1:1-2
In my first book* I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.
He gave them instructions as to what they were gonna be doing. Matthew 28 is where we find the great commission this is what Luke is speaking of the commission that we have all been given. Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,* baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We were told to go and make disciples. We are to go to the lost and lead them to the truth that sets them free. We are to live like Jesus lived and we are to be the example to the world that this Salvation is true and it really works. In short live like you believe in Jesus. How many times in our lives do we truly live out our faith? How many times do we tell someone we meet about Jesus? How often are we confident in our faith and say this is what I believe and this is why I believe it. The reason this world is in the shape it’s in right now is because we are not fulfilling this commission. We are not living like we believe in Jesus. The disciples made a choice to live out their faith in Christ. The church grew and thousands were saved. We want that awakening today everyone I talk to says the same thing…”I want to see God move like that again…” the difference is that no one today is willing to make the sacrifices and live life like they believe in Jesus.
We say we believe but we are shy when it comes to telling someone about Jesus…we are hesitant we look for a reason…. any reason to keep from sharing the Gospel. If we truly believe the Bible and what it says we should be living that out every single day….I got news for you..it is real..it is true…Jesus did live and die for our sins…and He is coming back one day. What is it gonna take for us to start living like we believe it?
The second thing the disciples received is verification that Jesus was alive and triumphant over death. Did we see Jesus after He was resurrected? That is a hard no for all of us. So how do we receive this verification? Through the witness of the disciples. “Wait what… that is no different than those books about George Washington Bro Steve.” Just like those books about George Washington being verified by evidence of actual witnesses that saw and then recorded what they saw……we have the same evidence with the account of Jesus. Now there are more accurate accounts of what they saw and believed, in my humble opinion, because they were willing to die for it. All the disciples with the exception of John died a horrible death….
To name just a few James was killed by King Herod Agrippa around 44 AD….Peter was crucified upside down in Rome around 66 AD…Paul was beheaded in Rome in 67 AD by Nero…Bartholomew was flayed alive and then crucified in 70 AD….Simon the Zealot was sawed in half….Mattahias the one that replaced Judas…he was stoned and then beheaded..John was boiled in oil and when that didn’t kill him he was exiled to Patmos where he eventually died. How many people do you know would die a horrible death for a lie? Nobody died for a modern work of literature to be moved forward as truth…yet we are more likely to live out a self help book than the Holy Bible the unadulterated Word of God.
We have the verification that Jesus not only lived and died but that he was resurrected. He rose from the dead and that is what gave the disciples the courage to live out their faith no matter the cost. They shared the Gospel till the day they died telling everyone they could about Jesus…they knew the cost and yet they still refused to change the story. They saw the proof that death is not the end for someone who believes in Jesus and repents. They knew that Salvation is real because they saw the evidence. They were empowered to live out their faith in the Lord. Are we empowered by Scripture…by the revelation in our lives…by the grace that saved us…
The last thing they needed was instruction…In verses 3-5 we see where they received instructions…Acts 1:3-5
During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with* water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus came and proved to them that He was not dead He had risen from the grave just as He said He would. He was not some spirit floating around He was.. and still is….as real as you and me and one day He is coming back just like He said He will. He was teaching them about what it meant to be His disciples and how they were to live out their faith through the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
That 40 days that Jesus was among them after being resurrected was not just time for them to hang out before He had to ascend…we are absolutely not in the same place as the disciples were. We are not face to face with Jesus day in and day out…we have not seen the resurrected Lord and we are not likely to until He returns to take us home….however..I do have what they had in the Holy Spirit. I have been given what they were given by Jesus..On the day I gave my life to Christ I received the Holy Spirit just like they received on the day of Pentecost. I also have something they did not have..a Bible. I have the Word of God in my hand and if you are like everyone else and you carry your phone every step you take you really have no excuse. The reason we lack instruction is because we don’t seek it out.
We, for whatever reason, think it is different for us…we can’t seem to believe that we have the power of God living inside of us…that the Holy Spirit is real and guides us. We want to be able to see the power of God manifested in our lives before we step out and do the work. Before we are willing to completely give our hearts to Jesus and live out the faith that we say we have. It’s ironic really…in order for the Holy Spirit to be manifested in our lives we have to have faith but if we really saw the power of God in our lives everyday at every turn then we have no faith becuase we can then see the proof of His existence..and faith is not needed.
Folks we live by faith not by sight. If you are waiting for God to do some miraculous thing in your life before you start living for Jesus….you will be waiting a long time. God is not gonna do some magic trick to gain your trust. God is not gonna jump through hoops for you to believe because you have to have faith in order to be saved. Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith is knowing that Jesus is real and that He loves me and that by believing in Him and repenting I am saved. Then I am going to start living for Him not because I can see Him…not because He saved me…because I love Him. I am gonna live for Him whether or not I am rich or poor..healthy or sick…happy or sad…I am tired weak and worn…Jesus is still my Salvation and my life is gonna prove that to the world around me. No matter what I am gonna live like I believe in Jesus. I have received all the instruction that I need to do what I have been called to do….I have no excuse left for not living for Jesus.
Invitation….
