Prepared to Commit

OPEN - People today worship things and people

George Floyd verdict - elected leaders “thanking him for his sacrifice”

The same people have NEVER thanked Jesus for His sacrifice.

Vaccines - I will say this. A vaccine alone is little help. True physical protection also includes change of diet and lifestyle, so that your body can actually produce healthy immune system cells

Compare this spiritually - A truly “protected” believer is one who has changed what he/she intakes spiritually, and allowing the Holy Spirit to produce the life of a regenerated sinner

Statistics (paper)

Do we want to do anything about this HERE?

A Life in Christ - Peter in Acts 3-4

Key events in Acts 3-4

Healing the lame man

Preaching on Solomon’s Portico

Arrested for a stand taken for Jesus

We could look at the components of witnessing, sharing Christ; but today we focus on Peter’s character as he demonstrates a life lived for Christ

1) Centered on Christ

Acts 3: 1-21 - (hit key points)

All of Peter’s witnessing is based on the resurrection

The Sadducees don’t accept anything beyond the Torah (Law, first 5 books) - see 4:2

“In the name of…in the name of”

Every aspect of life, done in the name of Jesus

This is not about Peter, or the lame man healed

It’s about Jesus and that Name

EVERYTHING is to be about Jesus (Christ-centered)

Personal choices

Parenting

Employment

Sports

“Christian” stuff

Parents, wen your kids ask “why aren’t we going to church today, because of _______?” what is your answer?

When it’s Sunday and there’s a family event, or a sporting event, or ________, how do you answer “why aren’t we going to church?”

Parents, grandparents, when you are sitting watching that game, that concert, that family gathering, what are you talking about? Your kids and families are presenting you with opportunities to talk Christ!

ANYthing done, absent of Jesus’s name, is NOTHING

Matthew 7:23 NASB95

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

These are actual people, doing “good” things, who are actually not related to Christ. They feel “Christian” but really are not.

Jesus talks about sheep not His in John 10. Some have never heard Jesus’s voice.

People can go to church, and not do it in the name of Jesus or for Jesus

Peter showed a miracle, and only did so because of Jesus’ name

4:22 - miracle/sign (ASIDE: sign gifts) - this is not a command for a healing ministry, but this is an example of taking an opportunity to help someone and respond to the Spirit when He prompts you to action.

Us today. How do you know you are saved?

You know the work of the Holy Spirit in you - that is the defining aspect of a believer

People need to hear the written Word, from you!

God may heal today, but the sign of power in the name of Jesus is the walk of the believer!

2) Confident in Christ

Acts 4:1-13

The very best characteristic of Peter is that he outwardly wears his faith; he’s not always overly emotional, but there is no denying that he is a believer and that his faith is active!

Acts 4:12 NASB95

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Fuels boldness

Peter is not demeaning, he simply speaks truth

He pleads for them to trust - based on the HOPE he knows

Peter gives the chance for a response - now 5000 are saved!

Allows for response, a “new natural” when you are totally confident in your life in Christ

No other name, no other “WAY”

QUESTION: How do you build confidence? Where does it come from?

Someone will tell kids, I KNOW you can do it!

God says I KNOW you can do this.

Confidence comes from practice

Nervous? OK, it gets better

Gotta WANT to do this, to grow the church, to see people saved, to see people live for Christ - you need to lead the way

(ILLUST - water skiing, how I learned) - afraid, but wanted to do it

If we do not WANT to do this, then we won’t, and God will use someone else

3) Committed to Christ

Acts 4:13-20

Peter and John arrested- for obeying God, not man

They CAN’T believe or do anything else - they literally CANNOT!

Notice when the apostles are bold, the accusers are timid - because the name of Jesus is more powerful than ANY name, than ANY thing

Apostles, Peter, spoke what they had seen and heard what they KNOW

You, believer, KNOW what Jesus has done for you, how He leads you and works through YOU

How committed are you, how committed are we?

In face of opposition

When un-popular

When faced with distractions, other “options”

For you, what is “too much?” That is, at what point will you back down from defending Jesus?

For many, the majority, talking about Jesus is something we shouldn’t do - it’s personal, none of my business - WRONG!

It doesn’t seem too important to see people saved these days? Why is that?

CLOSE

Peter and John, and the apostles, changed the world with their witness

Think we can change Noble? Do we want to? Would our community accuse us of talking about Jesus too much?

STATS

The stats are bad - world is not getting worse, but the church is weaker, our nation is less impacted by Christians

But HOPE is good! HOPE is strong!

Peter is driven by the HOPE he knows, and he is compelled to share with others

I talked about “wanting” to do this, probably not entirely accurate

The believer is COMPELLED to do this, can’t help but talk of Christ

Peter is Christ-centered

Peter is Confident in Christ

Peter is Committed to Christ

Proclaiming Christ, Confident, Committed - CANNOT be effective if all of these are not present

“Men” here allow us to meet freely, so why don’t more come?

“Men” here allow us to share Christ, so why don’t we do it more?

THE WORLD CANNOT STOP OUR WITNESS - unless we let them

Cornerstone, we need to be:

Christ-centered, Confident in Christ, Committed to Christ