Witnesses To Christ

Introduction

This past week we had quite a bit of flooding in the area. Flooding is interesting to watch especially when it is gradual. Over last week or two as we have taken Joseph to school we have seen the water in the river and in the vineyards, and orchards slowly get higher and higher and spread further and further. As it kept raining, the flooding spread. Eventually the water flooded roads and fields forcing people to acknowledge and address the rising water. In the early church described for us in the book of Acts we see something similar with the gospel. It keeps spreading, growing, and rising until it forces people to acknowledge and address it. As more and more people are saved the gospel spread like rising water. I believe it is Christ's intention that the gospel keep spreading today. And so we want to study the book of Acts and see how they did it. How did the gospel spread from Jerusalem, to the surrounding cities, and ultimately to the world? If you look at the top of your handout today, under the message title you will see...

Acts: The Foundation Of The Church

This is what I believe to be the title of the book of Acts. Under that you will see...

The Spread of the Gospel Message to a World of Unbelievers

This is what I would call the theme of the book of Acts.

There are two ways to divide the book. The first is using the outline found in Acts 1:8.

Acts 1:8 NKJV

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This is the division that we actually see very clearly in the book, and it is the division I have chosen. But we also want to note that there is a second way to divide it.

The second way is to divide it by the primary individual that is featured in the section. Peter – Chs. 1-12. Paul Chs. 13-28. This way is a little bit arbitrary in that there are two chapters dedicated to Stephen's martyrdom, a chapter dedicated to Philip's preaching activity, and a chapter dealing with the Jerusalem council. But this gives you a good idea of the book as well.

With the other books we have gone through I have preached through the entire thing at the end. With Acts I want to preach through it at both the beginning and the end.

The book of Acts covers the events of the early church beginning with Jesus' ascension in 33AD and ending with Paul's first imprisonment anywhere from 60-64AD. The book was likely completed around 63AD. There are a lot of different variations in timelines for Acts but here is one that I particularly like (S). The only thing I disagree with here is the date for Galatians. I agree with those who put it about the same time as James. All but three of Paul's epistles are written during the events of Acts.

This morning we will teach through the book while noting some important timeline points along the way.

The goal is to gain a working knowledge of Acts and see how God used various means to carry out the spread of the Gospel to the world.

As we understand that God can use any circumstance to spread the gospel we will be challenge to see the events of our lives as opportunities to present Christ to others.

The first thing we see in Acts is...

1. The Spread Of The Gospel In Jerusalem Chs. 1-8:3

a. The Preparation Of The Disciples To Preach Ch. 1

i. Spiritual Preparation 1:1-11

They are first prepared to preach the gospel through the ministry of Christ. This is seen in the first three verses. Then they are prepared through Christ's promise of the Holy Spirit in verses 4-8. They will not preach in their own power, but in the power of God! Finally they are prepared to preach through the expectation of Christ's return.

ii. Physical Preparation 1:12-26

After being spiritually prepared the disciples prepare themselves for the coming of the Holy Spirit through prayer and through placing Matthias into the ranks of the disciples. It is important to realize that all of this is done in obedience to the command in v. 4 to wait for the Holy Spirit.

b. The Enabling Of The Disciples To Preach Ch. 2

i. Enabled By The Holy Spirit 2:1-13

This enabling is manifested in two ways. First is the supernatural ability to speak languages they had not previously known. Secondly is the powerful message given in these languages by the Holy Spirit. Everyone present head them speaking the wonderful works of God!

ii. Enabled By The Word Of God 2:14-39

Peter's message is fascinating because it is built from the prophecy of the Old Testament. We have Joel's prophecy expounded in vv. 14-21 and David's in vv. 22-35. These are both connected to the person of Christ in vv. 36-39.

iii. Enabled By The Body Of Christ 2:40-47

In these verses we are given the formation, function and fellowship of the body of Christ. As the body of Christ in the early church grew, so did the spread of the gospel message.

c. The Opportunity For And Opposition Against The Disciples To Preach Chs. 3-4:31

i. Opportunity Presented Through Healing 3:1-26

After they heal this man people gather and are amazed at what has happened. Peter see's all the people present and immediately seizes the opportunity to preach! This is how we need to be! Take advantage of every opportunity! But when we do we will face what Peter does here.

ii. Opposition Promoted By Unbelief 4:1-31

I find it interesting that the persecution of the early church is begun by the Sadducee's over the issue of the resurrection. These men didn't believe in the resurrection and so they arrest and interrogate the disciples. V. 8 says that Peter is filled with the Spirit and so he preaches Christ to the Sanhedrin! The rulers can't ignore the miracle, so they threaten the disciples and release them. The response of the early church is that of rejoicing, prayer, and and an increase in bold preaching!

d. The Problems That Burden The Disciples To Preach Chs. 4:32-6:7

i. The Problem Of Lying To The Holy Spirit 4:32-5:11

The end of ch. 4 sets up the problem at the beginning of ch. 5. Barnabas gives and a couple wants the acclaim of giving without the sacrifice. The Holy Spirit supernaturally takes their lives and the faith of the church is strengthened.

ii. The Problem Of Arrest And Imprisonment 5:12-42

The cause of the disciples arrest here is almost amusing. They were healing people and this angered the high priest and Sadducees! They arrest them, an angel promptly releases them, and they preach in the temple! They are rearrested and confronted with the fact that they had been commanded not to preach. Peter responds by preaching the gospel again. Gamaliel councils the leaders not to fight against God and after threatening, beating, and again commanding the disciples not to preach Christ, they let the disciples go. They immediately preach again!

iii. The Problem Of Neglected Widows 6:1-7

This problem serves to establish the need for deacons and elders so that the needs of the church can be better and more efficiently met. The result of this reorganization is that the gospel spreads further.

e. The Persecution That Motivates The Disciples To Preach Chs. 6:8-8:3

i. Stephen’s Miracles Inspire The Persecution 6:8-15

Stephen is so eloquent and reasoning in his preaching that they cannot resist his wisdom, so they get false witnesses so they can arrest him.

ii. Stephen’s Message Incites The Persecution 7:1-53

Stephen preaches a powerful message based on the history of Israel. His passionate, direct, and unwavering message cuts them to the heart and they grab him.

iii. Stephen’s Martyrdom Intensifies The Persecution 7:54-8:3

Saul of Tarsus who later becomes Paul is present when Stephen is stoned. Stephen calls out to God to forgive his murders. After his death Saul further persecutes the church. The amazing thing about Saul's persecution is that God uses it to move believers out of Jerusalem. God used arrest, problems, imprisonment, and persecution to spread the gospel throughout Jerusalem. It is because of persecution that we have...

2. The Spread Of The Gospel In Judea And Samaria Chs. 8:4-11:18

a. The “Everywhere” Preaching Ministry Of Philip Ch. 8:4-40

i. Preaching Christ In Samaria vv. 4-25

These are people who were hated by the Jews! So Philip preaches there. He does miracles, leads people to Christ, and then Peter and John come and the Holy Spirit is given.

ii. Preaching Christ In A Chariot vv. 26-39

Philip is woken out of sleep and runs to catch a chariot without knowing why until he is in it! God lays the groundwork and Philip leads the man to Christ and baptizes him.

iii. Preaching Christ In Azotus v. 40

The Holy Spirit catches Philip away and he just appears in Azotus, so he preaches Christ! This should be us! We should preach Christ everywhere! To people we don't like, on the bus, in strange towns. It doesn't matter where we are, we should be preaching Christ!

b. The Miraculous Conversion Of Saul The Persecutor Ch. 9:1-31

i. Encountering Christ On The Road To Damascus vv. 1-9

Saul starts this journey so he can persecute Christians. He is traveling to damascus when he meets the Lord and is reprimanded. He spends three days fasting and reflecting on this in Damascus before God sends Ananias.

ii. Encouraged By Ananias In The City Of Damascus vv. 10-19

Christ has to change Ananias' mind about Saul, but once it is changed he ministers to Saul. Through this Saul is...

iii. Empowered By Christ To Preach The Gospel vv. 20-31

This is the incredible power of the gospel of Jesus Christ! The one who God used to scatter the church through persecution, has now become part of it! Saul preaches Christ so powerfully that there is immediate persecution. He spends some time with the fellowship in Jerusalem after he is introduced to the disciples by Barnabas. After his conversion the church has some peace. God used Saul both before and after his conversion to spread the gospel.

c. The Evangelistic Healing Ministry Of Peter Ch. 9:32-43

i. Healing Aeneas In Lydda vv. 32-35

This man had been paralyzed 8yrs. God heals him in a moment! As a result, the population of two cities comes to Christ!

ii. Healing Dorcas In Joppa vv. 36-43

This was a woman who was very active in the church who has died. Peter prays for her and she is restored to life! Many believe on the Lord as a result.

d. The God Directed Conversion Of Gentiles Ch. 10-11:18

i. God Readies The Hearts For Conversion 10:1-16

God readies the hearts of both Cornelius and Peter. This is necessary because of the opposition that existed between the two people groups. God is still in the business of preparing hearts to come to Christ!

ii. God Removes The Barriers To Conversion 10:17-33

The Spirit tells Peter to go with the gentiles "doubting nothing". He has to remove the mental barriers Peter had in place as well as the cultural barriers. This is accomplished as Peter applies the lesson from the sheet of animals.

iii. God Rescues The Lost Through Conversion 10:34-48

As the gentiles hear the gospel, they believe and the Holy Spirit immediately indwells them! God doesn't care who you are, what your background is, or how big your pile of sins; He is in the business of saving lost souls! So if you are one, come to Him. If you know one, lead them to Him!

iv. God Restores The Focus Of Conversion 11:1-18

When Peter and company arrive back in Jerusalem there is opposition to what they have done until it becomes clear that God is behind this thing! God isn't just about the salvation of one people group, He wants them all! When we understand this we glorify God as the disciples do in v. 18. God uses a host of circumstances and people to bring the gospel outside of Jersusalem to Judea and Samaria. But He is not finished yet! The final section of the book gives us...

3. The Spread Of The Gospel To The End Of The Earth Chs. 11:19-28:31

a. God Uses Circumstances To Spread The Gospel Chs. 11:19-12:24

i. Spread Through Persecution And Famine 11:19-30

I love how when someone needed encouragement, it is Barnabas who they thought to send. He seeks Saul out and the two of them head up the relief effort to Antioch during a famine.

ii. Spread Through The Violence Of King Herod 12:1-24

Herod kills James and arrests Peter. This leads the whole church to pray constantly for Peter. He is miraculously released and Herod is miraculously killed. The result according to 12:24 is that "the Word of God grew and multiplied." God can even use death to spread the gospel!

b. Paul And Barnabas Are Called And Sent (1st Journey) Chs. 12:25-14:28

i. Preaching The Gospel Through The Calling Of The Holy Spirit 12:25-13:3

These are not the men the church wanted to get rid of. These are faithful men who are serving in the church and the Holy Spirit calls them into missions. The call comes when they are ministering, fasting, and praying. If you want God to call you into service, start faithfully serving!

ii. Preaching The Gospel In Cyprus And Pisidia 13:4-51a

In this section we learn that Saul is also called Paul and he is never referred to as Saul again. The missionary ministry of Paul and Barnabas immediately faces the confrontation of false teachers and teaching. They face opposition as well but through it all God brings souls to Himself. The gospel of Jesus Christ is to be our goal and we are not to be overly concerned with our own comfort!

iii. Preaching The Gospel In Pisidia And Strengthening The Disciples 13:51b-14:28

The more people are led to Christ by Paul and Barnabas the more opposition they face by the Jewish leaders. Yet they are unswayed by opposition and they strengthen the disciples warning them to expect persecution. After the journey Paul and Barnabas report back to the church in Antioch.

c. The Jerusalem Council Defines The Gospel Chs. 15:1-35

i. The Demand To Define The Gospel vv. 1-5

False teachers come in and teach circumcision as necessary to salvation. This is also enforced by some believing priests. This matter is deemed of very high importance and the first church council is convened.

ii. The Decision To Define The Gospel vv. 6-21

Peter's eloquent and passionate speech, the testimony of Paul and Barnabas, and the teaching of James all serve to decide the issue. Circumcision is not necessary for salvation!

iii. The Decree To Define The Gospel vv. 22-29

Everyone agrees that salvation is by grace through faith, not circumcision. So they determine to send a letter and let the gentile beleivers know. The letter is sent with some men to give a personal feel. They also included some practical instruction in the letter.

iv. The Delivery To Define The Gospel vv. 30-35

There is rejoicing and encouragement and a restoration of fellowship when the letter is delivered. Silas, Paul, and Barnabas stay in Antioch to strengthen and teach the believers there. This is a huge deal in the development of the church! There is transition being made from Law to grace! Works are not necessary for salvation!

d. Paul And Silas Commended To Spread The Gospel (2nd Journey) Chs. 15:36-18:22

i. Preaching The Gospel In Macedonia 15:36-17:15

Paul and Barnabas have a falling out and so Silas accompanies Paul on his second missionary journey. They Holy Spirit directs them to preach in Macedonia. They do and immediately face persecution. But they remain committed and continually lead people to the Lord, even their own jailer! We continue to see that God uses anything and everything to bring people to Himself!

ii. Preaching The Gospel In Achaia 17:16-18:22

Paul is so provoked by the idolatry in Athens that he cannot be silent. He preaches in the market daily until he is invited to the Areopagus. This is the center of their pagan worship. So Paul preaches Christ! Some mock, some are curious, some believe! Paul preaches in Corinth for over a year before he is arrested. God delivers him from danger and Paul reports back to Antioch.

e. Paul Strengthens The Churches (3rd Journey) Chs. 18:23-21:25

i. Strengthening The Churches Through Proper Instruction 18:23-19:41

The third journey of Paul is more about strengthening the churches than evangelism. On this journey, Apollos is instructed, some believers in Ephesus are given the Holy Spirit, people witness the authority of God and give up their old ways of magic. As people turn to Christ the Word of the Lord grows and prevails! Persecution again breaks out and Paul is prevented from being included in it teaching us that there are times to escape persecution.

ii. Strengthening The Churches Through Practical Teaching 20:1-38

As Paul continues to travel and strengthen the church he gives practical instruction about service, endurance, and even a proper perspective on tradition. His teaching brings great encouragement and exhortation to the churches. He exhorts them based on the witness of his own life, warning them of the trials that lie ahead and reminding them of how he worked among them and expects them to work as well.

iii. Strengthening The Churches Through Perfect Commitment 21:1-25

As Paul journey's home he is repeatedly told that arrest and imprisonment await him in Jerusalem. Paul is commited to follow Christ no matter what stating that he is ready to die for Christ if need be. When they arrive in Jerusalem Paul reports on what Christ did through them and then is encouraged to take a vow and purify himself to show that the accusations against him are false. He does still keep the Law. In the final section of the book we learn that...

f. Paul Is Called To Preach The Gospel In Rome Chs. 21:26-28:31

i. The Arrest That Will Lead Paul To Rome 21:26-23:22

Paul's arrest is under curious circumstances because it all stems from a false assumption that he brought Greeks into the temple. He uses this opportunity to preach Christ. He also uses his Roman citizenship to escape worse treatment. There is conflict over his arrest when he states before the Sanhedrin that his arrest is because of the resurrection of the dead. From this conflict emerges a plot to have Paul killed. This plot is thwarted by Paul's nephew. In this section we have a very important verse. Acts 23:11

Acts 23:11 NKJV

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

ii. The Accusations That Will Lead Paul To Rome 23:23-24:27

Paul is transported to Caesarea where he appears before Felix and is accused with a bunch of lies. Paul points out the falsehoods and later testifies to Felix and his wife the gospel of Jesus Christ. Felix leaves Paul in prison when his post is taken by Festus.

iii. The Audiences That Will Lead Paul To Rome 25:1-26:32

Paul appears before Festus and is again accused by the Jewish leaders. Once again Paul demonstrates that what they say is false. The Jews again plot to kill Paul and so he appeals to Caesar. Festus doesn't want to send Paul without some sort of accusation so he has Paul take part in a second audience before King Agrippa. Paul uses this opportunity to powerfully preach the gospel using his own testimony. Paul almost persuades Agrippa to be saved and is grieved over their unbelief. The book closes with...

iv. The Adventure That Will Lead Paul To Rome 27:1-28:31

Paul embarks on a voyage to Rome and is told there will be disaster. No one listens and they end up in a terrible storm. The storm ends up shipwrecking them on an island where Paul ministers to the natives. They arrive in Rome and Paul is given his own place to live. He is able to meet with the Jewish leaders in Rome and preach Christ to them from the Law and Prophets from morning till evening! Some believe, some don't, and there is a great dispute among them. The book closes by telling us that Paul spends two years in prison preaching Christ to all who come and no one opposed his preaching.

We clearly see the hand of God guiding and leading in the book of Acts to facilitate the spreading of the gospel.

Conclusion

God can use whatever means He desires to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The trials and difficulties, the joys and blessings, every circumstance of our lives are designed by God as an opportunity for us to proclaim Christ! There will be hard times. There will be suffering. There will be persecution. But we have the promise of God that it will be worth it! The question each of us have to as is...

Will we intentionally bring God glory in our lives as we faithfully spread the gospel of Jesus Christ?