3.7.28 6.4.2017 (Pentecost) Clear Mandate Acts 2.14-41

Isn’t it great to be part of a healthy Church?

Start:

Wouldn’t you love to see it bigger?

1 Entice: Our church is healthy. Wouldn’t you love to see it bigger? There are some ways we could expand our size at the expense of health and purpose.

There are some ways we could expand our size at the expense of health and purpose.

There are some ways we could expand our size at the expense of health and purpose.

For example...

1.1 Find unhappy Christians at other Churches and court them. (Sheep stealing AKA poaching)

Find unhappy Christians at other Churches and court them.

(Sheep stealing AKA poaching)

1.2 Change the requirements! Make it easier to confess Christ. Do away with requirements that make people uncomfortable.

Change the requirements!

Make it easier to confess Christ. Do away with requirements that make people uncomfortable.

Make it easier to confess Christ.

Do away with requirements that make people uncomfortable.

1.3 Don’t ever-ever-ever talk about sin. (People don’t want to be told a) What to do, b) That they are wrong.)

Don’t ever-ever-ever talk about sin.

(People don’t want to be told a) What to do, b) That they are wrong.)

2 Engage: All of those things seem far easier than telling others the story of Jesus. They really are not. The clear mandate of the Church is to make disciples. TEACH-BAPTIZE-TEACH. Jesus saves when people respond to the Gospel of Jesus. A healthy Church as opposed to one that is merely big; is composed of maturing disciples who have responded to Jesus in faithful obedience.

2 Engage: All of those things seem far easier than telling others the story of Jesus. They really are not. The clear mandate of the Church is to make disciples. TEACH-BAPTIZE-TEACH. Jesus saves when people respond to the Gospel of Jesus. A healthy Church as opposed to one that is merely big; is composed of maturing disciples who have responded to Jesus in faithful obedience.

All of those things seem far easier than telling others the story of Jesus.

They really are not.

3 Expand: You and I can tell this story. We can lead people to Christ. It begins with our own committed lifestyle and then blossoms when we come to know God’s way and God’s will more intimately.

The clear mandate of the Church is to make disciples.

TEACH-BAPTIZE-TEACH.

Jesus saves when people respond to the Gospel of Jesus.

A healthy Church as opposed to one that is merely big...

...is composed of maturing disciples who have responded to Jesus in faithful obedience.

You and I can tell this story.

4 Excite: It is not our job to reorganize the saints appeal to the aggravated or become a temporary holding pen for the perpetually perturbed. In fact reshuffling the deck generally results in unhealthy churches filled with people who think that the churches job is to keep them happy.

We can lead people to Christ.

It begins with our own committed lifestyle and then blossoms when we come to know God’s way and God’s will more intimately.

It is not our job to reorganize the saints appeal to the aggravated or become a temporary holding pen for the perpetually perturbed. In fact reshuffling the deck generally results in unhealthy churches filled with people who think that the churches job is to keep them happy.

Explore: When we faithfully share the Gospel the Holy Spirit inhabits, blesses, and empowers the process.

When we faithfully share the Gospel the Holy Spirit inhabits, blesses, and empowers the process.

Explain: Here is a simple plan you can use to share the gospel with someone you know.

Explain: Here are some simple steps you can use to share the gospel with someone you know.

1 Exalt the Lord Jesus. vv. 14-35

1 Exalt the Lord Jesus.

Acts 2:14–35 ESV

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

Acts 2:14–35 ESV

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

1.1 The Purpose of the Son

1.1 The Purpose of the Son

1.1 The Purpose of the Son (His Life & Ministry.)

1.1 The Purpose of the Son

His Life & Ministry.

1.2 The Plot of the Story. (His completion of the Biblical Salvation Story.)

1.2 The Plot of the Story.

His continuation of the OT Story.

His completion of the Biblical Salvation Story.

1.3 The Promise of the Spirit.

1.3 The Promise of the Spirit.

2 Explain the Need. vv. 36-37

2 Explain the Need.

Acts 2:36–37 ESV

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

2.1 The Fact of Guilt. 36

2.1 The Fact of Guilt. 36

2.2 The Feeling of Guilt. 37

2.2 The Feeling of Guilt. 37

3 Extend The Invitation

Acts 2:38–40 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

3.1 Obey the Gospel.

3.1 Obey the Gospel.

3.2 Respond to God.

3.2 Respond to God.

3.3 Save yourselves from this Generation.

3.3 Save yourselves from Generation Corrupt.

4 Expand the Kingdom.

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

4.1 Received the Word+baptized=Added.

4.1 Received the Word+baptized=Added.

4.2 A healthy, growing church is the result of Kingdom growth.

4.2 A healthy, growing church is the result of Kingdom growth.

Time to Choose

Jesus is Lord.

Sin needs forgiven.

If you have not responded to Jesus,

if your sin is still unforgiven

you need to respond.

You. Need. To. Respond.

When that happens, when saved sinners come into the Kingdom we as a church will experience healthy, long-term growth.

But today. Right now. Every Christian is praying. Every believer is hoping that if you need to respond to the Master, If you need to take care of your sin. If you need to be dipped beneath the watery grave of baptism.

Choose today