Nathaniel R. Martin

Sermon Idea: God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

Introduction: A key characteristic that identifies true disciples of Jesus is their love for one another. After washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, Jesus goes on to say, By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:35)

Love for one another identifies faithful followers of Jesus because Jesus Christ is the embodiment of love who gave himself as a sacrifice for our salvation. We love one another because Christ first loved us. 

When love for believers is absent, especially those in your own community, then that indicates that the love of God does not abide in that person. Listen to how 1 John connects the love of Christ to the church’s love for one another. 

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:16–18)

The disciples in Acts 4:32-37 do not love one another with mere words, but in deed and in truth. They do so because they have been saved through faith in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. You can rest assured that where the love of Christ is present among his people, it is because of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit through them. 

It is not insignificant in my mind that when Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit, the first that he mentions is love, “…But the fruit of the Spirit is love (Ga 5:22)

Why is this important? What we see described in Acts 4:32-37 is not an account of self-made, morally upright people who live sacrificially together. It is an account of the community that God creates in Christ Jesus by the power of his Holy Spirit. It is the fulfillment of God’s new covenant promises in Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit that creates these people who are characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

This point is particularly brought home to us when we recall that Acts 4:32-37 is the second summary of the early life of the church. The first is Acts 2:42-47, which Aaron preached a few weeks ago. Both of these summaries come after a dramatic work of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 2:42-47 follows the great sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Acts 4:32-37 follows the disciples being filled with the Spirit in response to their prayer. 

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ac 4:31)

God’s new covenant people are a Spirit-filled community characterized by unity, love, and truth. 

All of this is crucial for understanding the story of Ananias and Sapphira wisely. We are given two accounts of community life. One created by the work of the Holy Spirit through followers of Jesus and the other by the work of Satan through greedy and deceitful people. 

This morning, we will take note of the characteristics that define a Spirit-filled community and a community influenced by Satan. As we do so, we’ll also see that God does not take lightly any attempt to tarnish the holiness and purity of his people. 

I.) The characteristics of a Spirit-filled community (Acts 4:32-37) 

The early church is first described as being characterized by unity. The language that is used highlights that the church is a body.

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. (Ac 4:32)

The Spirit creates a community in which each member treats the other member as they would their own body, because in Christ, they are all members of one another. In this community, there are no second-class members; everyone’s individual needs are considered to be the needs of the community. 

When God promised a new covenant, he promised that his new covenant people would be of one heart and soul. 

39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. (Je 32:39)

This oneness results in them having “everything in common.” 

As we think about passages like this, and several other passages in Acts, for that matter, it is essential to remember the difference between description and prescription. 

The Bible describes many activities, but not all of them are prescribed for us to obey today. It is often the case, however, that both are true in different ways, and that is the case here. 

Acts describes the early church in Jerusalem as living so closely that they mutually share money and possessions, so that “no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own.” (Acts 4:32)

This mutual sharing of money and possessions is what is described, and we don’t have to live in this particular way to be a unified community. That said, there is something prescribed here. We are to be a people transformed by the grace of God and our salvation, so that we generously and sacrificially care for each other. We are to live together for the love of God and the love of neighbor. 

God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity. It is also characterized by truth. 

33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ac 4:33)

As they are living together, they experience the grace of God through the ministry of the Word. The cross and resurrection of Jesus are at the center of this community’s life. It is God’s grace and the gospel that motivate these saints to live sacrificially and generously. 

If we want to be a people who love, sacrifice, and give our lives to one another, we must do more than focus on money, time, and possessions. We must adore more and more the great grace we’ve received in Christ Jesus and the rich gift of our salvation. 

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Co 8:9)

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Co 9:7)

God’s Spirit-filled community is characterized by unity and truth, but they are also characterized by love, which is evident in its support of the poor. 

34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Ac 4:34–35)

We know from the rest of Acts that private property and home ownership are the norm for many Christians. The church would have met in homes. There may have been people who sold all the property they had, but it’s also likely that some sold out of an abundance of resources. Either way, what we need to take away from this is that they are living as Jesus taught them to live. 

33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Lk 12:33–34) 

Barnabas serves as a specific godly example to contrast the sinful actions of Ananias and Sapphira. This is Barnabas, who would later become a traveling companion to Paul on his missionary journeys to the Gentiles.  

God’s new covenant community is characterized by unity, truth, and love. This type of community is what Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop refer to as a compelling community. There is an attractive power in a community that loves well. By loving one another well, we draw people to Jesus Christ, who is the example and the source of our love. 

There is an old saying in my ministry circles that I am sure could be qualified and nuanced, but is generally true. “What you win them with is what you win them to,” or similarly, “what you win them with is what you have to keep them with. 

I want to win people to Jesus Christ and the communion of the saints. We can and should strive to do all things with excellence, but I want the draw to be Christ and his people. If we adopt the ‘field of dreams’ philosophy of ministry, then we’ll have to keep people engaged in the programs, ministries, and opportunities that attracted them. 

If we win them to Christ and his people, they’ll stay through the changing circumstances that every church goes through.  

Unity, truth, and love. This is what we want to characterize the saints of Waldo Baptist Church. Let’s view our membership here as part of a larger body to which we belong. It should be meaningful, so that when one of us hurts, we all hurt, and when one of us rejoices, we all rejoice. Let’s love the truth, and not settle for superficial TED talks that sprinkle in a verse here and there. Lastly, let’s love well. Let us love one another as Christ has loved us. 

How about we get more specific? 

Do you view yourself as a member of the body?

Do you care about the people around you in such a way that their needs are your concern? 

Do you love the truth? Do you treasure the doctrine that unites us as a church? 

Do you give? Are you present and consuming ministry without contributing to the body’s ability to do ministry? 

The people of the new covenant are a Spirit-filled community. That doesn’t mean there won’t, from time to time, be unbelievers who try to make their way into the fold. This is what Satan attempts to do through the greed and deception of Ananias and Saphira. 

II.) The characteristics of a Satan-filled community (Acts 5:1-11) 

The contrast between Barnabas, Anania, and Sapphira is felt by the “but” in 5:1. 

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Ac 5:1–2)

Notice the distinct type of unity between Ananias and Sapphira. They are united in greed and deception. They want to be recognized as sacrificial members of this community as if they had given all they had. They think they are deceiving the church, but what Peter says is that they lied to the Holy Spirit. 

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God (Ac 5:3–4)

Ananias and Sapphira were under no obligation to sell their land. This is not coercion. They wanted to make money while appearing sacrificial. Scripture warns us of the great trap that greed and love for money is. 

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Ti 6:9–10)

They have lied to God and loved money more than their neighbor. The judgment for this is swift and fatal. 

5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. (Ac 5:5–6)

When Sapphira tells the same lie, her judgment is the same. 

10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things (Ac 5:10–11)

It is not uncommon for some to recoil at this judgment, and that is understandable to a degree. We recoil, though not because God has acted unjustly, but because we think too much of sinners, too little of God’s holiness, and not enough about the purity of Christ’s church. 

The text provides us with the necessary indicators to interpret this passage wisely. This is not a story about faithful Christians who stumbled and faced judgment before having the chance to repent. The text says they were filled with Satan. They sought to harm the unity of the church with greed and deception. These are not stumbling saints; they are servants of Satan’s war on the church. 

Brian Vickers explains this very well. 

“These are not believers punished for lying, but unbelievers filled with Satan and bringing wickedness into the covenant setting as a satanic attack. The contrast between the Spirit and Satan leads to the conclusion that Anania and Sapphira are not lapsed believers, nor do they lose their salvation. They are like Judas, deceived by Satan and in rebellion against God. And like Judas, they meet a decisive, fatal end.”

There are several vital truths to take away from the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira.  

1. God cannot be tricked, nor can we hide our sinful motives, thoughts, and actions from His righteous sight. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13)

2. God protects the purity and holiness of his church. In this case, he judges a threat attempting to get in. Other times God will judge ungodly members, spoiling the church’s purity from within. 

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pe 4:17)

3. God may not judge now, but he will in the future. All who want to escape God’s judgment should turn and place their faith in Christ, who is the Savior from the wrath to come. 

how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Th 1:9–10)

Sermon Idea: God’s people access God’s power through prayer. 

Introduction: I had an evangelism and missions professor in seminary named George Robinson. When he taught, he could make you feel the weight of the world’s lostness pressing on your shoulders. He was passionate and not afraid to challenge students about their apathy regarding our Lord’s commands to make disciples through evangelism and missions. 

One way that he would do this is by writing a formula on the board about a person’s beliefs and practices. This was certainly not original to him, but it was fruitful teaching because I have thought about it a great deal since then. 

The formula is quite simple: professed belief + actual practice = actual belief. 

It is not what we say that best reveals what we truly believe, but what we do. Take our beliefs about the Bible. We can say that the Bible is the Word of God. We can confess that it is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and authoritative. Of course, these confessions are essential, and we should articulate them with absolute clarity. That said, what we truly believe about the Bible will be revealed not in what we claim about it, but in whether we live in submission to it. 

In our text this morning, the apostles and their friends prove what they believe about God, Scripture, and prayer through their actions. Their response to their arrest and being commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus reveals their conviction that God’s power is accessed through prayer. They are not a people who say they believe in the power of prayer, but a people who prove their belief in that power by praying. 

The scene picks up after Peter and John are released from prison, so let’s review briefly how they got there. In Acts 3, Peter and John heal a man at the Temple gate who was cripple from birth. Peter then boldly preached that the man was healed through faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Central to Peter’s preaching is that Jesus Christ is the one who was rejected and put to death on the cross, but God raised him up from the dead. Now forgiveness of sin & restoration are available to all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ. 

Upon hearing of this incident, the Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John, confronting them about the healing of the lame man. After Peter and John bear witness again to the name of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead, the Jewish leaders demand that they no longer preach in the name of Jesus. 

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. (Ac 4:18–20)

Our text picks up right after this moment. The apostles are released, and they tell their friends what has happened. This morning, we want to learn from how these saints respond to their difficult circumstances and from their proven belief in the power of prayer. God’s people access God’s power through prayer. 

As we learn from their example of prayer, we should examine our own lives and the life of our church. Do our actions reflect faithfully a genuine belief that God’s people access God’s power through prayer? Do we demonstrate a genuine belief in the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, not in what we say, but in how we read, hear, and submit to it? 

I.) Prayer is the first response of God’s people (Acts 4:23-24) 

Peter and John are released and tell their friends what has happened. The immediate response to this difficulty is to lift their voices in prayer together. 

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said (Ac 4:23–24)

How important is it to have friends who not only share but also encourage a life given to following Jesus Christ? How important is it to have friends who aren’t afraid to discuss and do the deep spiritual things with you? 

This scene could look different without godly friends who want to faithfully follow Jesus, couldn’t it? I was imagining this week how this might work with three imaginary characters I’ve called grumbling Gary, vindictive Vikie, and apathetic Adam. 

Imagine the disciples returning, telling what happened, but instead of praying to God, they begin talking among themselves. 

Grumbling Gary complains, “How can Jesus be worth following like this? After all we did with him, and we’re now left with hardship and persecution. This is for the birds; we deserve better. Jesus can’t be worth our safety or our lives.”

Vindictive Vickie is filled with rage and says, “We can’t let this go. They must pay for what they’ve done. If we don’t do it, no one will. Let’s plan together and attack when they least expect it. Let’s give them exactly what they deserve.”

Apathetic Adam listens and takes the coward’s approach, “If they say don’t preach in the name of Jesus, do not preach in his name. What’s the big deal? Don’t make more of this than you need to. Let’s mind our business and keep to ourselves.”

The company you keep can enrich or erode your spiritual life. These friends together make prayer their first response. Together they lift their voices, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24)

No doubt, there was the temptation to be anxious about their lives and ministries. What would happen if they preached Jesus again? Would the persecution get worse? Will I lose friends over following Jesus? 

These saints don’t let temptation lead to sin; instead, they immediately pray about their situation. Long before Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, the apostles here in Acts 3 demonstrate exactly what he had in mind.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:4–7)

Prayer should be the first response of the people of God. It should be the default setting. Not to pray is to expose our belief in our own strength and self-sufficiency. Not to pray is to reveal a diminished view of God’s sovereignty, goodness, and power. 

II.) Prayer is informed by God’s Word (Acts 4:25-26) 

As they lift their voices in prayer, everything they say is informed by Scripture and doctrine. 

The first words of the prayer are words of adoration for God as creator, 

“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24) 

If God created the universe by the word of his power, then God can meet the needs of those who seek him. To begin this way is not only to confess, but also to adore that God is God, the one who made the heavens and the earth. Everything and everyone is beneath him, and no one or nothing can frustrate his sovereign will. This point is reinforced by quoting Psalm 2:1-2.

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— (Acts 4:25-26)

Psalm 2 is about how futile it is for the nations to stand against God’s anointed King becasue to do so is to stand against God Himself. David is a type of Christ, and as the rest of the New Testament shows, Psalm 2 is a Messianic Psalm (Heb. 1:5; 5:5; Rev. 2:26-27; 19:15). By rejecting and crucifying Jesus, the Gentiles and Jewish leaders have set themselves against God himself. And since the church is the body of Christ, the persecution of God’s people is also setting itself against God himself. 

The message of Psalm 2 is that all of this plotting and planning is in vain. 

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, say, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. (Ps 2:4–6)

Here is what I want you to reflect on. The Bible has shaped them so much that they understand their current circumstances in light of it and pray informed by it. 

Several months ago, I was on a hospital visit with Kevin McNichols. Jack Glass was very sick, and his family was at his side, including Matt, who flew back from Indonesia. We were there talking about the difficulty of the situation and all that Matt’s family had been through, and it had been a lot in a short amount of time. As he is talking about all this, he says casually and naturally, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” That comes directly from Acts 14:22.  

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Ac 14:22)

That is a more personal, individual example, but it illustrates what these disciples are doing. The Scriptures provide the lens through which to understand life, so it is the Scriptures that inform their understanding of what is happening and how to pray. 

Your prayer life will only ever be as deep as your knowledge and submission to Scripture. 

Beloved, be different. Do not be a person who merely says they believe the Bible is the Word of God. Be a person who is shaped and formed by it, who lives in reverent submission to it, and who learns how to pray by thinking God’s thoughts after him. 

 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Ps 1:1–3)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17)

There are people who give nod to Scripture at God’s Word, but who are not governed and controlled by it. Prayerfully become the kind of person who loves the Bible and thinks about life and the church in reference to it. 

It is not only the Bible that informs their prayer, but also doctrine. In this case, it is the doctrine of divine sovereignty that fuels their prayer. 

III.) Prayer is belief in God’s sovereignty (Acts 4:27-30) 

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, (Ac 4:27–29)

Inspired by Psalm 2 and the rest of the Old Testament, the disciples believe and confess that God accomplished all of it through his sovereign providence. He worked through the wicked intentions and actions of evil men to use them for a greater good, the salvation of sinners through Christ’s sacrificial work. 

Sound doctrine is not the end of the Christian life, but it is a crucial means of remaining faithful. Not only that, doctrine can serve as an anchor for the souls, as the winds of this fallen world blow.

One of the comments I have heard from time to time is that we have gotten too deep here. It is certainly not my wish that any person not be able to benefit from the preaching of the Word, and I make great strides to limit any unnecessary hindrances toward that end. 

We should note, though, how quickly the disciples plunge into the deep end of theological waters during a time of great hostility. 

Doctrine is not an extracurricular subject for a special few; it is the necessary truths that help us live in a fallen world in a way that honors God. At a tense and difficult time, they do not reach for cliches or cute truths appropriate for Facebook memes. No, they reach for the deep things of God—His sovereign providence over all things. 

With Scripture and doctrine informing their prayer, they ask God for the boldness to keep preaching the gospel. 

IV.) Prayer is the means to God’s response (Acts 4:31)

The response from God will come through our prayers. 

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Ac 4:31)

Sermon Idea: When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

Introduction: One of Jesus’ most confrontational parables is the parable of the wicked tenants (Matthew 21:33–46, Mark 12:1–12, and Luke 20:9–19). It is essentially an allegory that tells the story of Israel’s rejection of God’s prophets and ultimately the rejection of God’s Messiah, his very Son. As the parable goes, a man plants a vineyard and hires tenants to work it. Three different times, he sends servants to gather fruit from the vineyard, and each time the wicked tenants beat the servants and send them away empty-handed.

Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? (Lk 20:13–17)

When Jesus tells this parable, he always ends by quoting Psalm 118:22. Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected as he was put to death, but by raising him from the dead, God has made Jesus the cornerstone, the foundation on which everything else is built. 

Given the gravity of this parable, it no doubt would have been a topic of discussion as Jesus sat with his disciples. Israel was going to reject God’s Son just as they had rejected the prophets who came before him. Jesus taught his disciples how to read and interpret Scripture in light of who he was. We will come back to this later, but for now, I want to let that simmer a bit. The disciples were people who were shaped and formed by Jesus Christ himself in how they interpreted Scripture, and that made a world of difference when things got hard. 

Jesus also prepared the disciples for opposition and persecution. As his followers, they would experience suffering just as he had. The mere association with Jesus would attract those who wish to do them harm. 

For example, in Luke 21:1, Jesus tells the disciples that they will be imprisoned becasue of the name of Jesus. 

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. (Lk 21:12)

Our text this morning is the first unfolding of this hard promise. The healing of the lame beggar was a miracle, but what gets the disciples into trouble is their preaching that it was by faith in the name of Jesus that the man was healed. It was their preaching of Jesus as the resurrected Lord, in whose name salvation is found, that was the problem. 

This morning, we will see that Peter and John were arrested and commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus Christ. What does a man do when faced with such a threat? What would you do? If the name of Jesus actually cost you something, would you still find him worth following?

Peter and John remain faithful in the face of opposition, not becasue they were the smartest, strongest, and toughest. They stay faithful with the power of the Holy Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

We will not soon have our faith challenged to this degree, but we should prepare our hearts for it anyway. When our faith is opposed, we can remain faithful with the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord.

I want first to set the scene with verses 1-4, and then learn from Peter and John’s example about how to stand firm while being tempted to compromise their faith in Jesus. 

Chapter four opens mid-scene as Peter is preaching in Jerusalem.

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. (Ac 4:1–3)

This is precisely the type of opposition that Jesus prepared the disciples for. 

In Matthew 10:19-20, Jesus said, “But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time, you’ll be given what to say for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”  

Listen to Luke 21:14-15, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves, for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”  

Then in Mark 13:11, Jesus says, “Whenever you’re arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

Pastor Andy Davis, a former professor and one of my favorite preachers of God’s Word, highlighted something about these passages I hadn’t noticed before. When considered together, Jesus is promising the grace of the triune God. In Matthew 10, it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks and is promised to speak through the disciples. In Luke 21, it is the Son, Jesus, who promises to give words of wisdom. Finally, in Mark, it is the Holy Spirit who will speak through the disciples. 

Jesus promises the presence of God, the Holy Trinity, to those who face persecution. God never abandons his people even in the most difficult of times. He did not leave the apostles, and he will not abandon us. 

Jesus has promised, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20)

Even though the apostles have been arrested, the Sadducees cannot stop the spread of the gospel. Many who had heard Peter preach repented and believed in Jesus Christ. 

4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Ac 4:4)

Now let’s see how the disciples remain faithful. First, with the power of the Spirit in verses 5-12 and then in the fear of the Lord in verses 13-22.

I.) Remain faithful with the power of the Spirit (Acts 4:1-12)

The next day, Peter and John find themselves before several high-profile Jewish leaders.

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Ac 4:5–7)

At this moment, Peter does not stand alone. He doesn’t have to stall, allowing him to come up with the right words to get out of this situation. He is not alone, but he is filled with the Spirit. 

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Ac 4:8–12)

In the Old Testament, the filling of the Spirit was given to particular people for a specific purpose or task. 

The LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft (Ex 31:1–5)

In the New Testament, this is possible becasue of the New Covenant and the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit. Every born-again believer is indwelt by the Spirit and continually filled by the Spirit for godliness, holy living, and faithful ministry. 

It is important to note that we should not interpret this narrative as if Peter and John were spiritual superheroes. They are men empowered by the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that fills Peter, so that he preaches Jesus Christ with boldness and clarity, is the same Spirit that indwells us. 

This is why Paul can command us to be filled with the Spirit as we worship together. 

but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:18–21)

As Peter is filled with the Spirit, he answers the Jewish leaders’ questions by highlighting the centrality of Jesus in God’s plan and the exclusivity of Jesus for salvation. 

1. The Centrality of Jesus 

10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (Acts 4:10-11)

As Jesus taught him, Peter preaches Scriptures centered on Jesus Christ. In particular, he quotes Psalm 118:22 just as Jesus did in the parable of the wicked tenants. 

What the Jewish leaders stumble over is the stone that is Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord.  

8 and  “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. (1 Pe 2:8)

In our own ministry, we want to make so much of Jesus that if the lost stumble, they stumble over the gospel. We don’t want to put before them in other stumbling block with how we speak, act, or treat one another. If the lost stumble, let them stumble over Christ and Christ alone.

2. The Exclusivity of Jesus 

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

II.) Remain faithful in the fear of the Lord (Acts 4:13-22)

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” (Ac 4:13–17)

The boldness came from the empowering of the Spirit, and their reading of Scripture came from being with Jesus. What an observation! They recognized that they had been with Jesus. We should spend time in the Word and in prayer so that we become a people who resemble being with Jesus. 

The Jewish leaders are conflicted. They act here not out of conviction, but out of fear. They cannot deny that the man was healed by faith in Jesus’ name. So, they simply command the disciples to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. 

The disciples’ response is the exact opposite of fearing man. They respond in fear of the Lord. 

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. (Ac 4:19–20)

The fear of the Lord is a significant theme in Scripture. All true believers fear the Lord and long to deepen that fear. What is meant by “fear of the Lord” is not terror or dread. It is not the type of fear that Halloween movies try to incite. Listen to the Word. 

¹⁰  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the 

knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Pr 9:10)

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ec 12:13)

Ed Welch explains well what biblical fear of the Lord is. 

“Genuine fear of the Lord is reserved for those who know Jesus. This fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience, and it is interchangeable with worship of God, reliance on Him, trust in him, and hope in him. You will find it when you can come to the Lord and are a humble listener to his words.”

Remaining faithful in the face of opposition is by the power of the Spirit and in the fear of the Lord. 

Sermon Idea: Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, so that in the name of Jesus, there is forgiveness of sin, refreshment in the present, and the restoration of all things in the future. 

Introduction: As John the Baptist was in prison and approaching the end of his life, he sent messengers to Jesus to ask him a question. 

 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Lk 7:18–19)

This is an important question, but it strikes us as odd coming from John. After all, John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, identified him as such, and baptized him. But John is now in prison, and like many of the Jews in his day, did not yet have the complete picture as to the true nature of the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus answers by first performing more signs and miracles, but not just any signs and miracles. Jesus, as he does throughout the gospels, performs expected and anticipated signs characteristic of the age of the Messiah. 

In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Lk 7:21–23)

When Jesus performs these signs, and his apostles after him, they are not arbitrary displays of power. They are purposeful and particular. They are signs of the kingdom, miracles which bear witness that the Messiah has come. 

The Old Testament expectation for the age of the Messiah included the promise of the blind seeing and the lame walking. 

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6)

John the Baptist would not only have known these texts, but he would have cherished them. Before his death, these signs of the kingdom served as the final assurance that the kingdom was indeed coming on earth as it is in heaven. 

This story serves as a positive counterexample to the Jews who rejected Jesus and put him to death. They, too, should have known the Scriptures, cherished them, and seen the signs and wonders for what they were: evidence of the Messiah’s presence and the coming kingdom of God. 

When Jesus heals the lame beggar at the Temple gate through the Apostle Peter, it is not an arbitrary display of power, but a sign that affirms that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah in whose name is salvation.  

The signs are not an end in themselves, but signify something about Jesus of Nazareth. This is why Peter doesn’t just heal the man, but follows the miracle with a strong Christ-centered sermon. 

The content of that sermon is Christ and him crucified. Jesus is not presented as a mere miracle worker or a moral teacher. Jesus is the servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the Holy and Righteous, whom Peter called the Author of Life. This Jesus was the one whom they crucified, but God raised him from the dead. And the risen Lord Jesus was the one who healed the lame beggar. 

What Peter shows the Jews in Jerusalem is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises, so that in the name of Jesus, there is forgiveness of sin, refreshment in the present, and the restoration of all things in the future.

I.) The Work of Christ (Acts 3:1-10) 

The scene begins with the disciples going to the Temple. The significance of the location can be seen in the four references to the Temple in the first three verses. 

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. (Ac 3:1–3)

When something is repeated so often in such a short period, we should pay attention and reflect on what the Bible is teaching us. For example, the lame man is not inside the temple but outside the gate. This is noteworthy because the law not only prohibited a lame man from serving as a priest but also forbade offering blemished animals or lambs as sacrifices. It may have been culturally taboo for him even to enter the temple. 

Since birth, he has been an outsider, a beggar, unable to help himself and dependent on the money someone might give as they pass by. It would have been appropriate for the disciples to give money if they had any.

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (Jas 2:15–17)

But Peter knew he could offer a gift that far surpassed any amount of money he could have received. In the name of Jesus, Peter is going to heal the lame man and ultimately extend to him salvation. 

4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. (Ac 3:3–8)

The change is immediate. He stands, leaps, and walks into the temple praising God. How was he restored? Not by the power of Peter, nor the power of the man’s faith. He was restored by he power and work of the 

ascended Lord Jesus. 

It is an incredible scene, and it becomes even more meaningful when we remember the promises of the Old Testament.  

19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth (Zep 3:19)

In Scripture, God’s grace overcomes the boundaries that keep us from him. In Jesus, everything that separates us from God is done away with. That’s our story, isn’t it? We were Gentiles who were once far from God, but now we have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Don’t miss the significance of “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” The name of Jesus is going to be the predominant theme throughout Peter’s sermon. It is in the name of Jesus that the lame beggar was healed, and it is in the name of Jesus that lame sinners are saved. 

II.)  The Wonder of Men (Acts 3:11-16) 

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. (Ac 3:11–16)

1. Divine Soverignty and human responsibility. 
2. Wonder is not enough. They need true saving faith: Knowledge, assent, and trust. 
3. Ignorance is not an excuse for wickedness. 

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Ro 1:20)

3. An emphasis on the name of Jesus, again—faith in his name. 

III.) The Word of God (Acts 3:17-26)

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Ac 3:17–22.)

1.) That your sins may be blotted out. 

2.) Those times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

3.)  The restoration of all things. 

 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Ac 3:20–26)

*Preached at the Brookport Community Revival on September 23rd, 2025*

Sermon Idea: The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present. 

Introduction: The Bible describes God’s glorious nature as so holy, pure, and transcendent that no one with natural, sinful eyes can see his essence and live. In fact, the nature and essence of God is spirit and thus invisible to the natural eye. 

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Ti 1:17)

he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Ti 6:15–16)

To truly see God unmediated and unveiled is not possible for human eyes. This is why God tells Moses in Exodus 33:20, 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Ex 33:20)

When Deuteronomy describes Israel hearing God from the fire on Mount Sinai, it is said that they heard Him but did not see Him. 

12 Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice. (Dt 4:12)

Isaiah tells us that the prophet saw the Lord sitting on a throne, but he did so through a vision. 

It is impossible to see God, and if you could, the experience would kill you. 

How can we take hope in seeing a God who is impossible to see? 

In the greatest act of love, the most outstanding example of humility, God revealed himself in the sending of the Son. Everything we’ve said so far remains true because God never changes. But now God grants the ability to see his glory as never before in the person of his Son. 

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14)

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (Jn 1:18)

What is significant about Jesus Christ being the very image of the invisible God is that the Bible speaks of salvation as seeing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and our transformation as the beholding of the glory of the Lord. 

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Co 3:18)

We become what we behold, for better or for worse, and the Christian is to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

We do that now with the eyes of faith. We believe and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. By grace, we see who he truly is and trust him. The Christian hopes that one day we will see Christ no longer with eyes of faith, but with our very eyes. The hope of heaven is that we will see him, and we will see him as he is. 

This future promise is not given to us as some abstract idea, but as a hope that informs our lives now. The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present.

That is what I want to show you tonight from 1 John 3:2-3, and I want to do so with two supporting points. We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven, and we are being purified by the hope of seeing Christ in heaven. 

I.) We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven (1 John 3:2) 

There is a tension in the Christian life. On the one hand, we are not who we once were, and on the other hand, we are not yet who we will be. There is an already and a not yet. 

Now, we are beloved children of God. That’s the starting point for John in verse 2: Beloved, we are God’s children now (1 Jn 3:2). 

Don’t rush past being identified as beloved. As children of God, we are the beloved of God. We should be in awe of the fact that we could be loved in such a way. That’s what John communicates in vs. 1: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

God does not look at his church with a cold indifference. He does not merely put up with us. We are beloved in God the Father, who delights in us as he delights in his Son.

So, rather than just telling you God loves you without definition, let’s see if we can add some theological meat to the bone so that when we hear that we are beloved by God the Father, we can savor what it means. 

1. To be beloved by God is to receive the gracious benefits of Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.

To be beloved by God the Father is to have all the secured benefits of the cross poured on us by his grace: the forgiveness of sins, restoration to God, the hope of eternal life—all of these and more are truly ours as God’s beloved people. We don’t deserve this love, but it has graciously come to us in Christ. No one becomes beloved by God outside of God’s grace and outside of faith in the Lord Jesus, who died in our place. 

⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 Jn 4:9–10)

2. To be beloved by God the Father is to be adopted as sons and daughters through faith in Jesus Christ. 

The gospel’s good news is that we become what Christ is by nature through adoption. Jesus is the eternal Son of God from the Father. We are sons and daughters by adoption through faith in Jesus Christ! So now, in Christ, God looks at us, his beloved sons and daughters, and says, “…with you I am well pleased.” 

It was the love of God given on the cross that led my favorite hymn writer, Isaac Watts, to say: 

Love so amazing, so divine 

Demands my life, my soul, my all!

Being called a child of God is wonderful, amazing, life-changing news, but we do not now experience or reflect all that it means to be a child of God. There is a not-yet, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 Jn 3:2)

I can’t begin to fathom what this will be like. The mystery of it all is too grand to speculate or dive into details that God has not disclosed for us. It is more than enough to know that Christ will appear and when we see him we will be transformed into his likeness. 

Becoming like Jesus Christ is the true end of the Christian life. It is goal of all this. In the end, the peope of God who have been saved from the darkness of sin and death, will become radiantly bright as the reflection of the glory of Christ. Consider how prominent this theme is in the New Testament. 

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (Jn 17:24)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, (2 Co 4:16–17)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Ro 8:18)

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Php 3:20–21)

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:4)

Beloved saint, I do not know what troubles your soul. I may not know the weakness of your flesh or the anxiety of your heart. What I know is that the future glory that awaits us in heaven outweighs it all! 

How does all this happen? How are we transformed into glory? We are transformed into glory by seeing the glory of the Son as he is, with unveiled faces and resurrected eyes. 

What Moses saw in part in the cleft of the rock, what Isaiah saw in a mere vision, what the disciples glimpsed at in the Transfiguration, what blinded Paul on the road to Damascus, we will see in full, and we will be in joyful awe of Him. 

Johnathan Edwards said that the more we behold the glory of Christ, the more we will want to see him: “After they have had the pleasure of beholding the face of God millions of ages, it will not grow a dull story; the relish of this delight will be as exquisite as ever.”

There is a saying, “he is so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good.” I don’t know anyone like that. I’ve been a pastor for eight years now. I have been a Christian since 2007. In all that time, I’ve never met a person who thought about the glory of heaven too much. I have never met a person whose view of the eternal glory was too high. 

Friends, we do not long for the presence of Christ enough! Where are the saints who long for the presence of Christ, who can’t wait to see his glory, who long to be transformed into his likeness? 

This is the longing that will serve as a comfort to so much that wears on our souls.

Our people will not conquer sin by mustering the willpower to say, “no!” We need to put before their eyes and fill their ears with the beauty of the Son, the glory of seeing him as he is, and the hope of being transformed into his likeness. We need to stir the affections of their heart to have stronger desires—not the desires of the flesh— but for the glory of the presence of Christ. 

Brother pastors, preach sermons that leave the saints longing for the glory of heaven. Preach sermons that stoke a joyful expectation for the coming of Christ.

We will be perfected by seeing Christ in heaven, and that hope is the fuel for the Christian life in the present. Let’s look at verse 3. 

II.) We are being purified by the hope of seeing Christ in heaven (1 John 3:3) 

There is an important connection between the hope that Christians have and the way we are to live now, And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 Jn 3:3)

The way that we use the word hope in everyday language could lead to misunderstanding as to the meaning. We often use the word hope to refer to a mere wish. “I hope the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series.” That is a mere wish. It is not rooted in anything certain. When the Bible speaks of hope, it is much more than a mere wish. It is a confident assurance, a certain future reality that is so sure it has the power to fuel the present. 

The hope John is referring to is verses 2 and is threefold: 1. Christ will appear, 2. We will see him as he is and 3. We will be transformed and perfected by his presence. That is why John identifies our hope as, “in him.” True Christian hope is found in Christ. It does not pass or fade. It is not a vibe. It doesn’t have term limits. 

The hope that we will be perfected in the presence of Christ compels us to pursue that purity now, in the present. 

Jesus told us clearly in the Sermon on the Mount that is the pure in heart who will see God, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Mt 5:8)

For this reason, the New Testament teaches that the promise of our future purity is to lead us to pursure purity now in an eager expectation to prepare ourselves for the presence of Christ. 

There are too many examples to give but consider for example Colossians 3:4-6. 

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. (Col 3:4–6)

Friend, the born again believer does not presume on the grace of God, and think little of the pursuit of holiness. The born again believer, with the great hope of perfection in heaven, pursues all the more purity and holiness, that he might be like Christ.

Tonight I wonder if there are any of you burdened by the weight of ongoing sin. I wonder if there might be those who realize they care little about their pursuit of holiness. If that is you, friend, pay attention to the solution. 

Let me tell you what it’s not.

You will not condemn yourself into greater Christlikeness. You will not guilt yourself into godliness. No amount of scolding will serve to sanctify you. 

Set your hope on the one to come. Pray for the Lord to deepen your desires for the presence of Christ. Listen to Scriptures and believe your future hope is the fuel for the present. 

The future hope of seeing Christ as he is in heaven compels us to pursue Christlikeness in the present.

Sermon Idea: The Lord on whom we call for salvation is the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Jesus.

Introduction: At the very center of all the preaching in the New Testament is the person and work of Jesus Christ. The examples we are given are far from ambiguous. There are no general appeals to believe in “the man upstairs.” The apostles do not proclaim a mysterious higher power or offer vague wisdom about a life well-lived. 

The subject of apostolic preaching is Jesus Christ. 

Writing to the Colossians, Paul said, 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Col 1:28) 

Writing to the Corinthians, Paul said that in his preaching he knew nothing, except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Co 2:2)

When I say that Jesus is the central subject of apostolic preaching, I mean more than as a moral example, although we are to follow Jesus’ example. I mean more than as a source of wisdom, although it is in Christ where true wisdom and knowledge are found. 

In the preaching of the New Testament, Jesus is the subject of every sermon because he is the proper object of faith and worship. Salvation is found through faith in Jesus Christ, who becomes the center of true worship of God. 

The premier example of this type of preaching is the Apostle Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:14-36, and you have to understand how revolutionary it was. Peter is preaching to people who have recited and believed the Shema since childhood. 

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Dt 6:4–5)

He is preaching to a people who would have memorized the Ten Words, which begin, 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. (Ex 20:2–3)

Peter steps forward on the day of Pentecost, and he preaches boldly that the Lord by whom salvation comes is none other than Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was recently arrested, tried, and put to death. 

The way that he does it is truly beautiful. He begins with a quote from Joel 2:28-32. He does this partly to explain that God’s promise to pour out His Spirit has been fulfilled, but he does it also to riff off the word Lord in verse 21. 

And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Ac 2:21)

With that promise from Joel now stated, Peter seemingly switches gears. He brings up Jesus of Nazareth in verse 22, “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 (Ac 2:22)

Now pay attention to the details. How is Jesus identified? He is Jesus of Nazareth, a man. In the minds of many listening, this was the man from that lowly town from which nothing good comes, who got what he deserved by being executed on a cross. 

Peter then uses a refrain, “…this Jesus,” (2:23, 32, 36) to prove that this Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ who may have been crucified, but whom God raised from the dead and who has been exalted at the right hand of the Father. 

Peter’s conclusion then ties it all together, 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified (Ac 2:36)

The Lord on whom we call for salvation is the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Jesus. 

There are four major points that Peter makes to prove this: Jesus’ life was attested by God, Jesus’ death was according to God’s plan, Jesus’ resurrection was God’s affirmation of his Lordship, and Jesus’ ascension was his assumption as both Lord and Christ. 

I.) Jesus’ life was attested by God (Acts 2:22)

Jesus’ life was an ordinary one in one respect, but far from ordinary in another. He was from a small, lowly town called Nazareth, from an average family. His ministry, however, was marked by signs and wonders, works of God that attest that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah. Those listening to Peter would have known this, and so have no excuse for their rejection of him. That’s Peter’s point in verse 22. 

22 “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— (Ac 2:22)

The healings that Jesus did, the miracles he performed, the signs and wonders that came by his hand, were God’s attestation that he was the Son of God, and the Kingdom of God was coming with the presence of the king. 

Thomas Jefferson is known for creating The Life and Morals of Jesus Christ, which was essentially a copy-and-paste Bible minus anything miraculous or supernatural. The significant problem is, of course, that Jesus is not just a moral teacher and didn’t intend to be known as one. The signs are God’s attestation of Jesus’ divinity and lordship. To remove them isn’t to preserve the real, historical Jesus—it is to miss Jesus altogether. 

Unlike Peter’s original audience, we did not see with our eyes the signs and wonders that Jesus performed, but we should believe them. The healing of the sick, the feeding of thousands, water to wine, walking on water, and yes, even raising the dead. These come to us not as corrupted stories or as fanciful mythology, but they come to us from the reports of eyewitness testimony, recorded in the fourfold gospel accounts and preserved carefully over time. 

Jesus’ life was attested by God, but his death was also according to God’s plan. Look at verse 23. 

II.) Jesus’ death was according to God’s plan (Acts 2:23)

The death of Jesus was not a cosmic accident. It did not catch God by surprise or derail his plan. That is because the death of Jesus on the cross was the definite plan of God. 

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Ac 2:23)

With one verse, the New Testament teaches the glory of God’s sovereignty and the importance of human responsibility. 

Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” In the strongest possible terms, Peter asserts that the triune God foredained and predestined the death of Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus is not evidence that he is not the Messiah, because the death of Jesus was the very plan of God for the Messiah. Isaiah 53 is a clear example of the Old Testament anticipation of a suffering servant of the Lord. 

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:5)

10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief (Is 53:10)

On the cross, Jesus is not a helpless victim overtaken by the wickedness of the world. Death does not come to him as an unexpected blow. The death of Jesus on the cross is the very means by which Jesus defeated death itself.  

John Piper says it this way, “The glory of the Son of God is not that death broke in and snatched him and that he overcame the intruder. Death did not snatch him. It did not intrude his plans. He snatched death. Death served his plans. He destroyed death—not by escaping its intrusion upon his life, but by intruding himself into death’s life and killing it from inside and walking out victorious.”

God’s sovereignty does not excuse sinners of their moral responsibility, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Ac 2:23)

God’s sovereignty is compatible with human freedom and moral responsibility. We should affirm that joyfully, resting with the tension of Scripture affirming both truths. 

The life and death of Jesus are essential, but it is the resurrection and ascension that serve as the key points that prove Jesus of Nazareth is the Lord by whom salvation comes. 

III.) Jesus’ resurrection was God’s affirmation of his Lordship (Acts 2:24-32)

Jesus died by the sovereign plan of God, and he was raised by the sovereign hand of God. 

 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it (Ac 2:23–24)

The grave could not contain Jesus, becasue he was the Messiah who had no sin of his own. To support this, Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11, a Psalm of David that is fulfilled in Jesus. 

25 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; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ (Ac 2:25–28)

Peter’s explanation is straightforward, David is dead and his tomb can be found. So that means David, believing the promise God made in the Davidic covenant, was foreseeing the resurrection of Jesus, who would sit on David’s throne. 

29 “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. 30 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, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. (Ac 2:29–32)

I want to focus just for a moment on those final words in verse 32, “…we all were witnesses.” 

To explain the rise of Christianity, its spread, and its perseverance through persecution that included suffering for many and martyrdom for some, one must say these witnesses sincerely believed that Jesus rose from the dead and that they saw him.  

This is the admission that agnostic biblical scholars and historians make. Listen to these two quotes from two esteemed unbelieving scholars: Paula Fredricksen, who taught for many years at Boston University, and E.P. Sanders, who spent most of his teaching career at Duke University.

“I know in their own terms what they saw was the raised Jesus. That’s what they say, and then all the historic evidence we have afterwards attests to their conviction that that’s what they saw. I’m not saying that they really did see the raised Jesus. I wasn’t there. I don’t know what they saw. But I do know that as a historian that they must have seen something.” – Paula Fredricksen 

“That Jesus’ followers (and later Paul) had resurrection experiences is, in my, judgement, a fact. What the reality was that gave rise to the experiences I do not know.” – E.P. Sanders 

What these agnostic scholars don’t know, we confess to be true. We sing it with joy and thankfulness.  

Up from the grave he arose; 

with a mighty triumph o’er his foes; 

he arose a victor from the dark domain, 

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign. 

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of his exaltation, which culminates in his ascension and assumption of the throne in heaven. Look with me at verses 33-36. 

IV.) Jesus’ ascension was his assumption as both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:33-36) 

33 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. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, 

                  “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, 

                  “Sit at my right hand, 

            35       until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ 

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. (Ac 2:33–36)

Jesus’ ascension into heaven is what led to the outpouring of the Spirit. With the ascension of Christ and the coming of the Spirit, the new covenant community begins. 

The Lord on whom we call for salvation is the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Jesus.

This is how the early church preached the gospel: Jesus is Lord in fulfillment of the Scripture. This is the message of God’s power unto salvation. How will you respond? 

We will look at this passage in greater detail next week, but those listening to Peter understand that the message requires a response. 

37 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?” 38 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. (Ac 2:37–38)

Do not settle for a vague cultural Christianity. Give your allegiance to Jesus Christ, place all of your trust in him, and treasure him for the rest of your life. Expect Jesus to be the central subject of sermons. Demand it, in fact! 

Sermon Idea: Spiritual fruitfulness is marked by a faithful devotion to prayer and the Word of God. 

Introduction: The book of Acts contains a great deal about numerical growth. We have several texts that speak to the work of God in saving sinners, building the church, and increasing in number. 

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Ac 2:41–42)

And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Ac 2:47)

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith (Ac 6:7)

This emphasis on numerical growth makes sense, considering that this is an account of the earliest days of the church’s life. Growth is important, and church growth is important. It would be a superficial reading of Acts, however, to make numerical growth the sole metric to measure the success and fruitfulness of the early church. 

The growth that we see in Acts is both spiritual and numerical. It is the nature of this numeric growth that is truly good. In other words, numeric growth itself is a neutral category. A church having a lot of people is no more a sign of health any more than being small is necessarily a sign of faithfulness. What we see in Acts isn’t good simply becasue there is fast growth. It’s good becasue there is a work of God through the ordinary means of grace. It is the nature of the growth that is significant, not the number or size. 

How can we know if God is at work among us? What metrics can be used to measure the success of our ministry? Is it mere faithfulness? Is it the results? 

Jared Wilson, in his helpful book, The Gospel-Driven Church, notes that there has long been a debate about the nature of church growth. Two camps can generally be identified. On the one hand, some equate success with results. No results, no success. On the other hand, some equate success with faithfulness, no matter the results. 

And although the latter of these two groups is mostly correct, we need to say more. Faithfulness will be accompanied by fruitfulness. 

Wilson is right when he writes, “So how do we define church growth biblically? We must hold the two principles in tension, since they affirm a biblical truth. A ministry’s faithfulness to the mission of God is itself a success, regardless of the results. Yet at the same time, a faithful ministry will be a fruitful ministry.” 

The question now, of course, is how to define fruifulness appropriately? Borrowing from Jonathan Edwards, Wilson offers five metrics of grace, which he argues matter the most when thinking about church growth. 

1. A growing esteem for Jesus Christ 
2. A discernible spirit of repentance 

3. A dogged devotion to the Word of God 
4. An interest in theology and doctrine 
5. An evident love for God and neighbor

These metrics put the work of God’s grace at the center of your evaluation. More than numbers, they measure the spiritual fruitfulness of a congregation that necessarily follows the faithfulness of that congregation. 

In Acts 1:12-26, before the Spirit falls at Pentecost and before a large number of people are converted, we see the disciples exemplifying great spiritual fruitfulness. They are both faithful and spiritually fruitful. God is very much at work in them, and there is growth taking place. It’s just not a growth that can be measured with numbers. 

This morning, I want to pay attention to the faithfulness of the disciples and the spiritual fruit that it bears. Like Wilson’s metrics of grace, can we discern marks of spiritual fruitfulness in the life of our church? There are at least three worth mentioning. 

Spiritual fruitfulness is maked by faithful devotion to prayer, a faithful trust in God’s Word, and faithful actions formed by God’s Word.

I.) Spiritual fruitfulness is marked by faithful devotion to prayer (Acts 1:12-14)

Jesus has ascended into heaven, and the disciples have been reassured that he will come again. As the next scene opens up, the disciples have gathered in an upper room to obey the commands of Jesus to remain in Jerusalem until the sending of the Holy Spirit. 

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Ac 1:12–14)

This is a remarkable scene. Think about all these saints have endured in a relatively short period of time. Their master was arrested, tried, and sentenced to execution. He was severely beaten and then crucified on a Roman cross before a watching audience. As the grief finally sets in, they encounter the risen Lord Jesus and are taught about the kingdom of God, only to “lose” him again as he ascends into heaven. Oh, and they are down one disciple, having to face the harsh reality of a friend betraying their Lord and abandoning them. 

All of this draws them close to one another for the purpose of devoting themselves to prayer. The text says, “All these were in one accord…” Contrary to many Dad jokes, this doesn’t mean the disciples have crammed them into a Honda. It means they are in unity as who they are and what they are to do. Their unity is expressed in their devotion to prayer.

Why are they praying? Jesus has told them to wait, and he has told them he will send the Spirit. What are they praying for?

Here is a group of people so captivated by the will of their Master, so hopeful about all that he has said, that they devote themselves to prayer, believing that through it Jesus will accomplish all that he has promised. 

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is a faithful devotion to prayer. The true nature of our hope and our belief in the promises of God can be measured by our devotion to or neglect of prayer. The disciples are devoting themselves to prayer because they believe that Jesus is going to send the Spirit. That they will be witnesses beginning in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. It is this belief that drives them to prayer. This word devoted here suggests a continual practice. They persevered in prayer together. They were committed to it. 

Prayer is not a religious activity for special occasions; it is the primary language of the people of God. 

We know from experience what it looks like to be devoted to something. This morning, the NFL kicks off. I have been a Raiders fan since I was a little kid, becasue I enjoy damaging my mental and emotional health 17 weeks out of the year. 

In 2015, they were scheduled to play in Nashville, and I had never been to a game at that point. My dad got tickets, and we planned to take a trip together. He’s here in IL, and I’m in Wake Forest, North Carolina. So on a Saturday in the middle of a semester, I drive over eight hours to meet my Dad in Nashville. It’s November, and the forecast isn’t looking good. There I am on Sunday at the 40-yard line, and in the second half, the sky unloads. I pull my poncho over my head and stay put. It’s pouring down rain in the cold of November for nearly half the game, and it would have taken 2 or 3 grown men to remove me from my seat. Why? Because I love it, and my love produced an act of devotion. 

There are some of us who will sit on hard bleachers for hours for every sport in Massac County multiple days a week. Others of us will wake up early in the morning to sit for hours in frigid temperatures for a deer or a duck. These are not necessarily problems, and it’s not a sin to enjoy them, so what’s the point? It’s simply this: we know what devotion looks like, don’t we? 

Beloved, has Christ not loved us in such a way as to produce in us greater acts of devotion than these? Are our sins not forgiven as far as the east is from the west? Have we not been reconciled to God? Is eternal life not our glorious inheritance? Are we not indwelt by the Spirit? Has he not promised to build his church, so the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it? Will he not build us up into the very temple of his presence? Is the gospel not the power of God unto salvation? 

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is a faithful devotion to prayer. Prayer should be more primary in our corporate worship gatherings, and our prayer meetings should be more fully attended. Men, lead your family to gather for corporate prayer. Lead the way in attentiveness and affirmation during every prayer of corporate worship. Not becasue it is a religious activity for special occasions, but because it is the act through which God works to fulfill his promises. 

Charles Spurgeon, in his concluding address to the students of the pastors’ college, emphasizes corporate prayer in the church in a way worth hearing and recovering. 

“If a church is to be what it ought to be for the purposes of God, we must train it in the holy art of prayer. Churches without prayer-meeting are grievously common. Even if there were only one such, it would be one to weep over. In many churches the prayer-meeting is only the skeleton of a gathering: the form is kept up, but the people do not come. There is no interest, no power, in connection with the meeting. Oh, my brothers, let it not be so with you! Do train the people to continually meet together for prayer. Rouse them to incessant supplication. There is a holy art in it. Study to show yourselves approved by he prayerfulness of your people. If you pray yourself, you will want them to pray with you, and when they begin to pray with you, and for you, and for the work of the Lord, they will want more prayer themselves, and the appetite will grow. Believe me, if a church does not pray, it is dead. Instead of putting united prayer last, put it first. Everything will hinge upon the power of prayer in the church.”- Charles Haddon Spurgeon 

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is a faithful devotion to prayer. The second mark we can see is a faithful trust in God’s Word. Look with me at verses 15-20. 

II.) Spiritual fruitfulness is marked by faithful trust in God’s Word (Acts 1:15-20)

The disciples had to suffer the loss of Judas, and we can’t know for certain how they initially handled that loss. Based on a basic understanding of life, we can understand that it may have included anger, pain, grief, and discouragement. It could have induced confusion over God’s plan and the disciples’ role in it. 

Peter steps forward in this moment to tether God’s people to God’s Word, so that they understand why this has happened and what to do now. 

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Ac 1:15–17)

Peter appeals to two verses in the Psalms, which he then interprets through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Peter reads the Psalms of David and the suffering he endured as being fulfilled by Judas’ betrayal. Without that betrayal, Jesus cannot be arrested, tried, and crucified. 

The point is simple. Judas’ betrayal was not a surprise or a disruption to the plan of God; it was under the sovereign providence of God. What is crucial for us to note is that Peter is not trying to make sense of all this on his own, but he is depending on Holy Scripture and is reading it in a way taught to him by Jesus himself (Luke 24). The Word of God is in Peter’s blood and bones. He is so immersed in it that life is interpreted in light of the truth of Scripture. 

It is not unlikely that there will be people that you know, some of whom you follow, learn from, and love, who will disappoint you in the most tragic of ways. You will know people who sour and bitterly turn away from the Lord. You will know people who once loved sound doctrine who compromise the most precious of truths. 

If you do not have categories that are shaped and formed by the Word of God, it will be deeply unsettling. It will be hard no matter what, but being formed and shaped by the Word will strengthen you to be hurt like a Christian and not be vulnerable to the winds of every painful circumstance.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Ti 4:1–3)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Ti 3:1–5)

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went o)t, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 Jn 2:18–19)

Know the Word, immerse yourself in it, and learn to read and interpret it in a sound way, so that your faith is not at the mercy of every unexpected circumstance.  

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is the faithful trust in God’s Word. That trust not only includes what Scripture prepares us for, but also what it warns us of. 

The description of Judas’ death is a warning of all that awaits those who stand opposed to God. No one will withstand the wrath of God, the deliverance of his justice, and the execution of his righteousness. Your sin will either be judged sufficiently on the cross of Christ or eternally in the darkness of Hell. 

Listen to the warning, trust in Christ, who alone is the Savior of sinners. 

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is the faithful trust in God’s Word, and those who trust in it act faithfully as they are formed by God’s Word. 

III.) Spiritual fruitfulness is marked by faithful actions formed by God’s Word (Acts 1:21-26)

The disciples have unambiguous instructions from Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until the sending of the Spirit. As we’ve seen, they are devoted to prayer and trusting in God’s Word. Their prayer life and their knowledge of the Word lead them to act. They need someone to serve as a witness to Jesus’ resurrection. Let’s look at verses 21-26. 

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. (Ac 1:21–23)

Why do I say that their actions are formed by the Word? Becasue Jesus had taught about the roles of the 12 apostles. Consider Luke 22:28-29. 

28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Lk 22:28–30)

The disciples understand that the restoration of the twelve apostles is necessary before the Spirit comes, because the apostles are the foundation through which God fulfills all of his promises to Israel through the Church. So their action is formed by the Word of God, and executed with sincere belief that the Lord has already chosen the right replacement. 

23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Ac 1:23–26)

The way they go about determining who the Lord had chosen may seem odd to us, but we need to remember that this was done with a high view of  God’s sovereign providence. For example, we read in Proverbs:

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD (Pr 16:33)

After the giving of the Holy Spirit, we do not see the casting of lots practiced again. The Spirit leads the church in all its discerning of God’s will and in all its decision-making. 

The key point for us is simple. A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is acting in obedience to God’s Word. 

The true test for what we beleive about Scripture will not be found in our statements about it, but in our obedience to it. How much will it matter if the claim to love the authority of the Bible, its authority, clarity, and sufficiency, if we don’t do what it says?

A mark of spiritual fruitfulness is the will to act on what God has clearly taught in His Word.  

What we have here in Acts 1:12-26 is a small group of faithful, spiritually fruitful believers who are growing in the Lord. 

I don’t know if the Lord will bless us extraordinarily with conversions and explosive church growth while I’m here. What we can do in the meantime is be faithful every day, be devoted to prayer, trust God’s Word, and act in obedience to God’s Word. If we do that, we can be confident that we have the marks of a spiritually fruitful congregation, all to the glory of God. 

Sermon Idea: The ascension of Christ Jesus into heaven assures that the kingdom is coming and commissions us as witnesses until He comes. 

Introduction: What Old Testament passage does the New Testament quote the most? Does it come to your mind? Might it be Exodus 34, about God’s glory and goodness? Might it be the comforting words of Psalm 23?  Or perhaps it is Isaiah 53, and its great promise of the suffering servant who is crushed for our sins. All of these would be good guesses, but there is one text that is quoted, alluded to, and echoed more than all of these. That passage is Psalm 110. 

1The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” 2 The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way therefore he will lift up his head. (Ps 110:1–7)

It is one of the most central themes of the New Testament, the truth that fuels the church’s life and mission, the reality that anchors the hope of the entirety of the Christian life: Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Luke believes that the Ascension is so vital that he records it twice: first in the conclusion of the Gospel of Luke, and then here in Acts 1. 

The meditation on Psalm 110 and Christ’s fulfillment of it was not some theoretical concept for the early church. It was not irrelevant theology. It was the very reason to live every day in hope. It was the assurance of their access to God. It was the truth that fueled their obedience and zeal for the Great Commission. 

Jesus Christ lives, Jesus Christ reigns, and that makes all the difference for today. 

It is because Jesus has ascended into heaven that we can enter into God’s presence with confidence. The Bible tells us that mercy and grace await us in our time of need. The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus has passed through the heavens as a great high priest, and so we should draw near to God. 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:16)

The ascension of Jesus Christ is not some theoretical concept for us either. Jesus Christ lives, Jesus Christ reigns, and that makes all the difference for today. 

What difference does it make for the apostles in Acts 1:6-11? Their longing and desire is for the kingdom of God. Jesus has risen; for forty days, He has taught about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), and He has promised the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). Surely this is the time that God will restore Israel, the kingdom will be unified, their enemies will be defeated, and all of God’s promises will be fulfilled. It’s now, isn’t it? 

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (Ac 1:6)

What they desire is right, but there is confusion about the time of the kingdom. There is still more for them to learn about the nature of God’s kingdom, the manner in which it comes, and their particular role in it. 

When Jesus responds, he directs them away from the timing to the work of God and the work that God will do through them. The Father appoints the time of the kingdom. The Holy Spirit accomplished the coming of the kingdom. The Son’s ascension and promised return assure the hope of the kingdom. 

Jesus’s answer is not only relevant to the apostles, but to us. When will the kingdom of God come, how will it come, and what are we to do as the church until the kingdom of God is fully realized? 

The ascension of Christ Jesus into heaven assures that the kingdom is coming and commissions us as witnesses until He comes.

I.) The Father appoints the time of the kingdom (Acts 1:6-7)

The kingdom of God is good, and the apostles are right to long for it, but the timing is left to the providence of God. The secret things belong to the Lord and can be left to the Lord, because he is a God who is sovereign. According to Jesus, the times and seasons are determined by God’s authority. 

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. (Ac 1:7)

There are a lot of things about life that are left to God’s secret will. We are not meant to know when Jesus will return. We are not meant to know when we will die. These are things that are not known to us, but that ignorance should not lead to anxiety. Why? The Christian can rest in the sovereign providence of God. 

The Baptist Catechism provides a helpful definition of God’s providence, as it connects God’s providence to His character. 

Q: What are God’s works of providence?

A: God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Beloved, we need to believe that the works of God’s providence are holy and wise. We can leave the secret things to God’s will because of who he is and what he is like. In other words, we do not have to doubt that the kingdom will come in full. We can trust that there is a reason that Jesus tarries. 

We are not meant to give our attention to the secret will of God. We are to give our attention to the revealed will of God, and God has revealed his will for us in Holy Scripture. 

This principle can be applied widely. The disciples were right to long for the kingdom; they wanted it now, but Jesus encourages them to trust the time appointed by the Father, who is good and wise. 

We are blessed to have among us so many young adults, college students, or brothers and sisters in those early transitional years. There is a lot about your life that belongs to the secret will of God. Who will you marry and when? How many children will you have? What city will you live in?

These things are not for you to know in advance. What you are to do is not obsess over the secret will of God for your life, but on the revealed will of God in His Word. Spend every day bringing all of your life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Seek the Lord, repent of sin, grow in holiness and righteousness, and become as faithful a church member as possible. 

When Jesus appeals to the authority of God, which fixes the days and seasons, there is a loving, pastoral aim. If he is rebuking them, it’s gentle. The correction brings comfort. God is in control, and he is a good God, so don’t worry about the times or seasons. 

Believe that God is holy, wise, and powerful. Seek not the secret things. Trust God to be God, and seek with diligence the revealed things, what God commands of us in His Word. 

Jesus’s answer doesn’t stop with the time appointed by the Father. He does provide an answer to their question. The coming of the kingdom will be accompanied by the sending of the Holy Spirit, who empowers the apostles to become witnesses of the kingdom of God. Look with me at verse 8. 

II.) The Holy Spirit accomplishes through witnesses the coming of the kingdom (Acts 1:8-9)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Ac 1:8)

The way Jesus answered the disciples’ question was first with a “no.” The kingdom will not be fully realized now, but in verse 8, and this is important: he says that it is coming through the work of the Spirit and the birth of the church. The kingdom of God is now, and not yet. It is present and it is future. 

Jesus’ answer can be divided into three major points: how the kingdom will come, what the church does as the kingdom comes, and where the kingdom will advance.

The how question is answered in the sending and empowering of the Holy Spirit: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

Within Jesus’ answers are numerous allusions to Old Testament promises. So, for example, this is an allusion to Isaiah 32:15-18.

15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

We read that not to make a connection for the sake of making a connection. What I want us to see is that the sending and giving of the Spirit marks the beginning of God’s restoration of the kingdom of Israel. The promises will be realized through the Spirit and the church. 

What will the Spirit do? Empower the apostles to be witnesses. The church needs to remember that the power of God in building the kingdom comes by the Holy Spirit. In Acts, the Spirit’s power is connected to the preached Word of God and miraculous acts. 

33 And with great power, the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Ac 4:33) 

God does not build his kingdom with military might. It is not built with political pressure. The coming of the kingdom doesn’t come with a business plan or dependence on wealth. 

The kingdom comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, empowering witnesses to testify to the gospel of the kingdom. 

The promise that the apostles will be witnesses involved another important Old Testament allusion. 

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior (Is 43:10–11) 

As stated earlier, these connections confirm that the restoration of the kingdom of Israel will occur through the Holy Spirit and the church. 

The key truth that the apostles bear witness to is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, we live in a different period of redemptive history, and do not serve as witnesses in the same way. We have, however, received the great commission, which gives us the responsibility to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the purpose we are to pursue together as a church. The kingdom comes through Word and Spirit. 

I am grateful for every Christian civil servant, and for every effort to influence society with what is good, beautiful, and true. I praise the Lord for all of it. Please don’t hear me belittle those efforts at all. 

What most excites me, though, and what I think should be the singular focus of the church, is the proclamation of the gospel, the making of disciples, and the planting of churches. 

You see, the kingdom comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, but its presence on earth is quite humble. Our sinful hearts don’t like what is small and humble. We want the big and powerful. God confounds the wisdom of the world by saving and gathering unimpressive, sinful people who are baptized in water. The devils of Hell tremble not as his people take up arms, but the bread and the cup. 

This is how the Lord often works, as described in His Word. 

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God (1 Co 1:27–29)

The third and final part of Jesus’ answer concerns the advancement of the kingdom. The kingdom of God will know no boundary. It will reserve no corner of the world that can escape the Lordship of Christ, in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This again alludes to an important Old Testament passage, Isaiah 49:6.

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Is 49:6)

God is not only going to begin restoring the kingdom of Israel by the Holy Spirit and through the church, but the church will become a light to the nations as the gospel advances from Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The heart of God is for the nations, and he will give to his Son a people redeemed from every tribe, tongue, and nation. All of this will be accomplished by the work of God by the Holy Spirit and through the church. 

As we progress through Acts, you’ll see how God, by the Spirit, makes the apostles witnesses, starting in Jerusalem and advancing to Rome, ultimately reaching the ends of the earth.

The kingdom of God does not come by military strength. Its reach is not one location and one ethnic group. The kingdom of God comes by the power of the Holy Spirit, empowering witnesses to preach the gospel, starting in Jerusalem and extending to the ends of the earth. 

III.) The ascension of the Son and the promise of his return assure the hope of the kingdom  (Acts 1:10-11) 

After Jesus gives his final marching orders to the apostles, he ascends into heaven. 

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. (Ac 1:9–11)\

One of the reasons we began by discussing the ascension was to allow me to focus on how the narrative connects the ascension to the mission of the disciples. As much as I love the allusions to Psalm 2 and Daniel 7, and how the cloud serves as an image for the glory of God, I also want to emphasize the connection between the ascension and the mission of the disciples. 

The two men, possibly angels, give the disciples a gentle rebuke, “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” Christ’s ascension into heaven means that it is now time to work faithfully to do all that Christ had commanded. And they are to do so with the hope of Christ’s promised return. 

We seek to fulfill the mission Christ has given us with the unshaking conviction that his reign in heaven assures the success of our labors. 

It is the ascended Lord Jesus Christ who said before the cross, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mt 16:18)

We do so with the full assurance of hope that he will return the same way he came into heaven.

We live between these two great events, and they both are meant to fuel us to action, not apathy. Yes, the day is fixed by the Father. Yes, the Son rules and reigns in heaven, and the Holy Spirit is at work, but God does all of this through people who pray, preach, and serve, so that disciples are made and churches are planted. 

The thought that occurred to me in my study was that I’m not broken enough over the lostness in Massac County. The reality of an eternal Hell has not shaken me enough. Mission partnerships and unreached people don’t occupy my thoughts and prayers enough. 

The risen Lord Jesus Christ assures that the gospel will advance, disciples will be made, and the church will be built. Those are promises meant to propel us to act. 

So let’s look to heaven, but not stand and gaze. Let’s, with obedient hearts, be faithful to pray for the salvation of the lost, the making of disciples, the strengthening, and planting of churches. Let’s love our friends and family well, share the gospel with them, and pray for their conversion. Let us commit to the church and seek to bring every aspect of life under the Lordship of Christ. 

Jesus Christ lives, Jesus Christ reigns, and that makes all the difference for today.