Who, How, Why and results
Discipleship its for me and for you • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:05:26
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See and speak
See and speak
Did you see that, did you hear that, do you believe that? Some good questions, and it was a time of miracles that lead to discipleship of Jesus Christ in Spirit and Truth.
Pentecost had come (Act2:1)
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
The people heard and saw (Act2:24)
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Peoples response to what they heard and saw (Act2:12-13)
12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”
Have you ever had someone or a group say something that got your goat, or that you knew you had to respond to? Peter did. He heard this.
Peter could not contain himself, nor the others, the comment, they are full of sweet wine could not sit right, what does this mean had to be answered.
So an off the cuff response led to the first sermon of the Good News. Look how it started
Peter and the others response (ACt2:14-15)
14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
You may be wondering what does this have to do with discipleship and being devoted, you need to stay with me on this.
First I want us to understand what brought about their devotion, and then what did their devotion look like.
Peter speaks that what they see, what they hear is what was proclaimed in prophesy before (Act2:15-21)
He tells them this is that
16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
Then having qualified that this was that, in a way they would know and understand, scripture fulfilled then he leads into the sermon
Peter speaks the purpose of God (Act2:22-24)
22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—
23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Hey men of Israel, you have seen the miracles, wonders and signs
This was Gods plan to have Jesus who did these signs and wonders to be handed over by a predetermined plan and by foreknowledge that you nailed to the cross to put Him to death
But God raised him up again!
Peter uses a historical, biblical illustration to paint the picture (Act2:25-28)
This sermon was only 569 words and it pointed that life in Christ was God’s will for man. Peter and the other preached with passion because of conviction of who Jesus was and God’s scheme of redemption was found in Christ and Him alone.
What Peter was proclaiming (preaching) to the crowd was God’s atonement, eternal atonement was through Jesus Christ and only though Him could man be reconciled to God.
Peter had put the resurrection into perspective, something David could not do for them, and Christ did for them.
Peter preached the prophesy of David was fulfilled in Christ foretelling what the Christ would go through (Act2:29-31; Ps16 and Ps110)
31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.
In Ps16 referenced it is about the victory and hope are found in the Messiah and Jesus is Him.
Ps110 about God’s atonement sacrifice that was to be through the Messiah and Jesus is Him.
He could not be quiet, this is eternity changing stuff right now. No way could he let them mock the people, think they are drunk with sweet wine. He then
Peter offers up eyewitness account (Act2:32-33)
32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
This what they both see and hear.
Peter proclaims who God made both Lord and Christ (Act2:36)
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
No wonder there was amazement, no wonder there as conviction, no wonder they were cut to the heart (v.37) and asked what to do.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
Why did they ask? Because they believed and knew they were guilty sinners who needed atonement for their sin.
Peter told them what to do, how to do it, why do it and the results if they did it.(Act2:38-39).
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
When you have the truth you are responsible for the truth had been delivered and a call for action was made. So a decision was to be made by the people, repent and be baptized.
Peter had told them, you missed the mark, don’t miss the salvation of the Lord that is being offered here. You were separated from God, but Jesus wants to reconcile you to Him.
Repent, confess and be baptized into the possession of Jesus Christ in the name of Jesus Christ in the authority of Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit as promised by Christ (Jn14:16, 26) It is through that Holy Spirit we are washed and regenerated (born again) (see Tit3:3-7).
So, it should not be surprising that 3000 souls were added to those they thought were drunk with sweet wine (the 120) (see Act1:15). Now all this leads us to our next point and the rest of our focus tonight.
Be Steadfast
Be Steadfast
Bible uses the word steadfast 16 times in the NASB version. It is an adjective that works with a noun to describe a verb (an action to take) -resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.
We are called to be steadfast in our discipleship and our passage before us shows what it looked like.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
After the many other words (v.40) and direction to be saved (v.40) they were baptized (v.41) I guess I should not leave that information out. We are now turning to look at the results.
Instructions given, be saved (Act2:40)
Instructions gladly received and obeyed (Act2:41)
Quality of the new church was they had sure knowledge of the salvation
They had due to the death, burial, resurrection of Christ and life with His Spirit within now.
They continued steadfastly (Act2:42)
Quality of the new church was objective basis for subjective experience of being together
They had seen, they had heard, they had experienced what the scripture had said was going to happen, so they saw the fulfillment and they were convicted and converted.
So a quality we need to have is to be scripture based as well as the assurance of our salvation and empowering in Christ by His Spirit.
They continued in study, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers
They have all things in common (Act2:44)
Quality of the new church was they had all things in common.
We are to commune together, which means to fellowship together and our common bond is the Spirit that dwells within and our faith in Christ Jesus who died for our sins. For He draws us into oneness with one another so we can accomplish more than just one of us can.
Jesus said this to his apostles
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
Question: Greater things, what greater things (works) can we do than Jesus did (Jn14:12)?
(stop; discuss) - take the message out by multiplication; Take out the full counsel of God; Take out the gospel, the good news.
They help one another so as anyone had need (Act2:45)
The natural outflow when we know what we have in Christ and together is to look out, to love on another and make sure each other is taken care of.
In the newly born church there was lots of issues like
Being thrown out of the synagogue
Being thrown in prison, hunted down, ostracized, etc.
Quality of the new church was they shared all things as anyone had need.
(Illustration) I read a story about a preacher who was going to give a message on stewardship in years gone by. It was a small church in a small town and he went to the local banker and asked a general question about the net worth of all the members. He announced that figure and what just a tithe of that amount would be. People we amazed and people were disturbed. The illustration was given to show how far the church had drifted from the early church that had all things in common, that took care of one another as anyone in need had.
They continued day by day with one mind, breaking bread together (Act2:46)
Next quality of the newborn church was fellowship in gladness and sincerity of heart.
For life as the church filled and empowered by the Spirit because of the blood of Christ that unites it to grow it has to spend time together not just in the assembly here, but in the assembly together as Tavi spoke of a couple of weeks ago, in each others homes, sharing meals having the same mind together.
For a church to be united together, to be to be one, we need to take the time to be together and listen and care for one another.
They were praising God with gladness and sincerity of heart (Act2:46-47)
46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Quality seen here in the newborn church was praise with gladness and sincerity of heart
Praise has always been an outpouring of love, devotion, dedication to God for all that He has done for us, personally and as a body of believers.
They had favor with all the people (Act2:47)
Quality of the newborn church, they had favor with all the people.
the nature outcome of that is people wanted to know what this was they heard, what they were seeing, it was more than just Pentecost that was just the launching paid to greater works (things) than Jesus did.
People when they see we live with hope when things around us look hopeless they want to know what is the source of that hope.
The results were people being added to those being saved!
(Summarize)
To be the church we need to
Know Christ and what He did for us
Receive Christ and the Holy Spirit
Then be steadfast in our devotion to Christ
When we have the qualities we have touched on tonight as the early church did we will be true disciples and the Lord will add to the numbers daily those being saved .
(Invitation slide- devoted, 1, or 2) (Song) (Prayer)