Acts message 9

How to Proclaim the Gospel

Acts 3:11–26 NKJV

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Intro: For the most part, there is not a lot of church growth today. Elab. For a child to grow properly they need to be in good health. For a church to grow properly it need to be in good heath. Elab on church health. Growing properly doesn’t mean going out and getting people from other churches. (Elab If it is God will for someone) Growing a church properly means reaching he lost Elab. How do we do that? We must proclaim the gospel. But that is something that is not happening today, a least not like it should.

We have all had the opportunities to proclaim the gospel and have blown it. For me I know there have been times that I have had the opportunity, but could not think of what to say. Then about an hour later.

This means we have to be prayed up, always ready. Because God will always give us the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. So how do we proclaim the gospel? By telling people the truth. “The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” This is what peter does here. The lame man has just been healed, he is praising God. People see this great miracle, they are all amazed, and Peter uses this opportunity to proclaim the gospel. To proclaim the gospel. 1. Always look for opportunities. 2.To proclaim the gospel we must proclaim the name of Jesus. 3.We must confront sinners with their guilt of sin, and the impending judgment. 4. Offer them God’s grace to those who repent.

I. Always look for opportunities. VS. 11

Acts 3:11 NKJV

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.

1. The lame man had been healed, he ran into the Temple praising God. All the people were amazed. Elab.

But he healed onto Peter and John.

a. Peter sees all these people gathered together on Solomon’s porch. Peter sees an opportunity to do what God has called him to do. Be a witness. To take the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. b. We are to be witnesses, take every opportunity that God give us top proclaim the gospel. You will get the opportunity. Opportunities: 1. You need to be ready. Prayer life. Know the word. Have yourself prepared. Elab . a. Someone may ask you how was your weekend? b. Someone may say something about the lottery. Elab c. You just have to look for the door to be open.

II. To proclaim the gospel you must proclaim Jesus as Lord. VS. 12

Acts 3:12 NKJV

12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

1. Peter’s message was full of Jesus and so should be our witnessing. a. For a lot of people, who is Jesus? 1. A man with some good moral values. (Prophet) Jews and Muslims. b. If you choose to accept him as Lord, you must accept all his teachings. c. To proclaim him as Lord means it all about him. Last part of Vs. 12 2. We must give Jesus all the glory. a. The people were looking to Peter and John for what they had done, Peter does not take the credit.

When you lead someone to faith in Jesus. it’s not about what you have done, but what Jesus did.

III To proclaim Jesus, you tell people of their sin and the judgement to come.13-18 Acts 3:13-18

Acts 3:13–18 NKJV

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.

1. The Jews had been waiting on their Messiah. He had come but they rejected him. Peter has no problem telling them what they had done. If he was making up for the denial he was doing a good job. He just plan out tells them what they did. Elab.

1. Unlike a lot of preachers today peter didn’t tiptoe around the matter of sin and guilt. They don’t want to offend people.

a. Peter tells them about their sin., but he will also tell them about God’s love to try and encourage them.

b. I believe in preaching to encourage people. But I also believe in telling people the truth about sin,

c. When we share Jesus with someone. We have to tell them about sin. Make them realize that they are sinners.

d. Jesus didn’t die cross for pretty good people so they could feel better about themselves. He died for them because they are sinners, and to die without His forgiveness will face God’s wrath and judgment. Ealb

e. To proclaim the gospel we must tell people that they are sinners.

f. We can not present the good news of Jesus unless we confront them with the bad that they are guilty of sin.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

VI. To proclaim the gospel, we must offer God’s grace and the opportunity to repent. VS.19-26

Acts 3:19–26 NKJV

19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Focus in vs 19 1. Peter had seen the opportunity to share the gospel. He has their attention. lab 2. He tell them the truth, he preaches the word. Elab. 3. He doesn’t leave them hanging, he tells them the good news. A. First we can’t expect people to receive the we have to share the gospel. Elab 1. Peter could have said. You are the ones that crucified Jesus you ‘re going to burn in hell for your sins, and then just walked away. a. If we don’t share the gospel with the lost that is what we are doing. Elab 2. Peter now gives them the change to receive salvation. VS. 19 Repent: Turn away form your sinful ways. a. Not be a better person, not do better things, turn from your sin. b. People must turn from their sin. c. When we proclaim the gospel that is what we must tell them. What is repentance? It means a sinner turns to God and from sin. 1. When someone repents they are converted. a. When they are converted, it is a change of life style. c. We need to let people know that they be a different person. Elab. VS. 19 “that your sins may be blotted out:” 2. This was the second crowd that Peter had preached to. He preached the same thing. He told then who Jesus was, and that they were sinners, and they had to believe on Jesus accept as their Lord and repent, and their sins would be forgiving. 3. They felt the guilt of what had happened to Jesus. Elab 4. As we proclaim Jesus, and they feel the guilt of their sin, it will be their chose to repent. Elab. 5. Are you ready to proclaim the gospel? Ealb. 6. Have you accepted Jesus?