Introduction to Acts – The First Christians (Part C)

Kingdoms laws to which citizens in its final state. King's judgments are binding on goals he judges were not left hereto and rich. The world system reputable plain truth to people in the world.

We here to build each other up so that we can continue to preach truth to world. We have a responsibility to uphold the church, the body of Christ. The church that upholds the truth of Christ.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of acts.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick with his continuing introduction to our study of the book of acts. The Opelousas was likely an individual who had a high position in government was a man of some means and he knew perhaps it was this position we could have a lot of conjecture.

The other point is, he writes him now and he uses that personal pronoun I where he says the former account I made all Theophilus. This is indicating a warmer relationship because he's dropped the titled most excellent and he just says all Theophilus is a term of endearment in that all Theophilus is a nearness is a warmness there's a friendship. What has changed all Theophilus got the book of Luke, what was we know it. That's what was addressed to. That's why I just read again, Luke one, verse three, where he says I put an orderly account together for you, most excellent Theophilus, and now he writes a second account.

The former account I made Luke's gospel all Theophilus. Theophilus is become a believer is not caught up on. I am most excellent. He's humble. Now we don't know what transactions occur between the two. In between the writing of Luke and writing of this book of acts, but there must've been some because there is a change in the tone. Why doesn't he still call him most excellent Theophilus again. That would account for his of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach the blue put a lot of work into the gospel of Luke and he put a lot of work into the book of acts, and is getting this word out is getting it to this man because it is what Jesus began to do acts is the story of beginnings everything and acts as the beginning of for the church and the continuation of two.

Nothing is finished. It's an ongoing story for us.

Leviticus chapter 6 verse 12 when I mentioned about the fire in the heart of the believer.

This was the rule for the tabernacle of the Jews in the wilderness. The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not be put out, and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt offerings in order on it fires not to go out. It is paralleled by the heart of the believer, the fire now Hartford truth for God for serving him. It's not supposed to go out with supposed to chop the wood and haul it.

We are supposed to maintain the fire. He'll do his part, God will we have our part to there is this unfinished work of proclaiming the finished work of Jesus Christ.

The finished work of salvation it's finished, it's done of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.

We are to continue proclaiming these things. Matthew 28.

Again, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

We notice in verse one that the doing comes before teaching. There are some that are just so eager to teach the dam, but they're not doing and one of the things and are doing is waiting for the Lord to put them in the position of teaching that is the divine prerogative. What did Jesus began. Of course, was teaching us about God, about love about grace.true about judgment doctrine sums up what he begun is more there are the details in their very very important details are not insignificant at all. He practiced Jesus did what he preached. The best preacher the best pastor preaches better than the practice know of no no pastor can live up to the standard of Scripture. No Christian can, but it's the pursuit of that standard that not tell down is just chasing righteousness that makes the difference it makes all the difference. Go to a place where it's not practice go to a place with Christianity is not allowed. You don't see the pursuit of Christianity and North Korea. Do you many other places. And so it doesn't matter. Don't be discouraged because you can't see. Don't no soldier on the battlefield sees the whole battle.

That's for the generals. He sees what's right in front of him and his risk position can be totally wiped out and they still win.

Don't be knocked out of the fight because it seems like you not getting anywhere.

Keep moving forward. That alone will just beckons the strength of the Holy Spirit in your life, Christ practicing what he taught and what Jesus did and taught did not end with the departure of Christ to his father when he ascends to heaven is not that set you guys on your own. I gave you some rules now go do them. That's exactly what did not happen next is telling the story.

Acts chapter 1 verse eight you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me. Now the thought is okay.

I'm going to receive this power so I can get a new car psyche and of car that's the prosperity teaches, which is very prosperous at all is quite the opposite. This power is not to show off a look at me. I can speak in tongues you can't.

Some will like to do this is power to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. That's the power I want. Would you rather lead 10 people to have a show 10 PM.

You can speak in tongues is a very simple thing. Rather, Debbie, this is you know there's too much joy in heaven when one center repents and converts. Not when one Christian starts.

You know demonstrating he's got some power power that I want this power over my flesh. The power that I want us to be like Christ. The power I want is that the Holy Spirit will be comfortable with using me. We read of God coming to visit Abraham. We don't read of him coming to visit lot rescuing lot. Yes, dining with lot.

No I want the Lord to be comfortable in my heart and so some verse two now look at that.

We made really getting up the verse three he says, until the day in which he was taken up, after he through the Holy Spirit and given commandment to the apostles whom he had chosen that phrase taken up there at the beginning until the day in which he was taken up. It occurs four times in this chapter. Three of them of the identical Greek word, all forming the same thing.

The emphasis is on the miraculous that Jesus was alive and that he was miraculously taken to heaven as though he was God because he is.

That's why it was a demonstration further demonstration of his deity.

Thus does the many infallible proofs that mean they were just getting one demonstration after another into their heads were spinning the direct teaching of Christ ended with his ascension from the Mount of olives to heaven visibly before his apostles with the Holy Spirit would soon be available to continue what Jesus began to do this was his plan so that when Jesus went to the father.

The work continue John's Gospel chapter 16 verse eight and when he noticed the personal pronoun. The Holy Spirit is not a it is a person when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment house.

He can't do that through the church through the believers don't don't get though don't do that well. The churches anywhere. Yeah, there's the universal church.

And it is a wonderful thing, but there is the local church and it is just as wonderful and just as powerful and it is exactly what Paul had in mind in acts chapter 20 when he talks about savage wolves coming into the church, not sparing the flock. The church that God bought with his blood. So when they start that backpedaling on the assembly there actually helping the devil because Christ ordained both the universal church so that I can go guard to take a flight sit next to somebody from another country was a born-again believer and is like we've always known each other when we start talking about Jesus Christ we've never met before. Never been in the same church will probably never see each other. Here again, and then there is the local assembly that's with the blood and guts are see when I get off the plane with that believe the put up with him anymore near that point I would me only go back to the church. Now we have people have meltdowns about this problem got that probably still love the Lord, giving you a chance to exercise grace chance that I don't really look forward to. Sometimes I rather show kindness to the unbeliever, then show to my fellow blue which are no better. That's nonaggressive anyway, the Holy Spirit, he said would convict the world of sin, of sin, because they do not believe in me. That's where we come in to tell point this out to the world, your sins are on you.

You're guilty before Christ because you don't believe him. Many on the other hand, I believe him. I may be just as goofy as you sometimes well at least unforgiven because I know who the Lord is who the king is who my maker is is is a righteousness, because I go to my father and you see me no more. The Holy Spirit is picking up the work of Christ because Christ is going to be with the father.

The Holy Spirit is been given of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Revelation details. Much of this not only the book of Revelation.

He says here in verse two after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles near there's a double truth here he gave commandments to the apostles during his earthly ministry until he ascended, he continued to give commandments to his apostles in their earthly ministry through the Holy Spirit. And that's how we got the New Testament if Christ weren't ministering to his apostles, we wouldn't have a New Testament. How could they write inspired words, if they weren't inspired who was doing the inspiring impulses. All Scripture is God breathed.

That's because Christ gave the Holy Spirit. And so what Jesus began the Holy Spirit continued through his servants. This was God's plan is still in effect and the first Christians knew it, it was their foundation. This is how we receive the New Testament to the apostles is how we receive the Old Testament through the prophets, Ephesians, chapter 2, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, that would be an old and new, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

You you can't get the Old Testament prophets out of the New Testament is that income to destroy the Lord with the below but to fulfill it in the fulfillment requires that we recognize that God spoke through men before the coming of the Holy Spirit.

But this is all different now.

Now men need the power not of the spirit to come upon them, and in special at special times, like with Elijah on Mount Carmel, but we need Christ all the time to would be able to witness that he is the one that the prophets spoke of this is a whole another level of interaction as Jesus promised it would happen after he ascended.

John 14 verse 18 I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you. Verse 26 of John 14, the helper that is the Paraclete in the Greek the one who comes alongside to comfort and to help the help of the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Otherwise, how do we have the gospel and there. The Holy Spirit is the substitute presence on earth for the bodily presence of Jesus Christ. This is what is this distinction that we must never give up. We speak of the Holy Spirit was speaking of God. God the Holy Spirit sent God is at the Holy Spirit, an angel, he is equal in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is not to be an optional at extra okay you know I like the doctrine I want to talk all about, you know you knows salvation and the end time story, but I really don't need to Holy Spirit I mean I'm good you not understand the Holy Spirit if that's your responses, action, spooky again another quote, this one from a W toes are if God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world. Much of what the church is doing would go right on and nobody would know the difference because the lesson I have a good idea yet what is it God's idea, it's a good idea. We don't pray about this. It's a good idea what that's what toes are talking about. That's what Christ is talking about as many as are the children of God, these are led by the spirit of God I don't I haven't one of you know in this church would we feel led to do something we we we go about it to see if the Lord is in it. Sometimes we have to start to find out he's not in that we stop it right away. Sometimes we find that he was in that good job good job got one. John 16 verse 16.

A little while, and you will not see me and again a little while, and you will see me because I go to the father is something it doesn't make any sense. You will see me. Then you won't see me but you will see me because I go to the father while in the first part of that verse. Jesus talked about literally seeing him in the second part he talks about seeing him spiritualize and that is that relationship with the Holy Spirit and the two of the three we should say are inseparable. Almost done.

He says here in verse two, whom he has, whom he had chosen that is the 11 apostles. Of course Matthias. We will get to that an indirect choice apostles ended up putting God in a spot it had a good idea. Even had Scripture not getting ahead of it but I like to do this sometimes.

And this is one of them big. A lot of commentators believe you know of Matthias was an apostle of Jesus Christ.

My current position as he was an apostle of the apostles was Christ going to do bad mouth Matthias is a good man certainly worthy just wasn't the choice, but they put him the Lord, you know hey Jude, we gotta find a replacement for Judas because the Bible says let another take his office. Let's vote on it and they cast lots.

Well, that was the beginning of an old clue that know this is not New Testament and wait for Pentecost. You know Peter taking the lead was good things and bad things about at the bottom line is God, then said okay. Paul is my 13th choice of an apostle. You had the 12 Judas, of course, forfeited his position and God picked Paul Sununu, you know, just fun will get to that.

One of these before 2022.

I'm sure verse three to whom he had presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Jesus showed himself to his apostles after, of course, the crucifixion and just a reminder we need no we do not need to sensationalize our faith.

It's like painting gold.

It's you ruin it. Just let it be the faith that it is it is sensational enough it will what is the role. What is my it is to save souls to reach the loss and to be fit to be used to reach the lost. I don't we sing a song past me. Not all gentle Savior while on others that want calling. Do not pass me by. Why would he pass us by. Well maybe because he doing a work in us, or maybe because we mess things up so much you can use us and this is going to take you thinking it through a little bit. Don't be afraid to think as a Christian you don't leave you leaning leading what your feelings are leading with your jaw know that means boxing like stick your jaw out, letting her hand. José what happens to you.

Anyway you be a lullaby song.

These whom he presented himself alive after his sufferings throughout the apostles ministry, they never lost sight of his sufferings they made sure that we understand that the cross speaks of his sufferings, the suffering is not always a come directly from one sin, all sin produces suffering we gather before living Christ and he is not 2000 years ago. He's here right now and if Jesus were not here today, there would be no Christian faith.

This is not the case with Buddhism is not the case with Islam and all the other religions. You don't have to have a personal relationship with Bhutto to be a Buddhist. You don't have to have a personal relationship with Mohammed to be a Muslim. They have their belief system and hours. We have hours and hours says you've got to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You must be born again and those others they're dead.

They're gone and they are judged. Jesus is alive and he is the judge and these are distinctives that we must again never cave to if people don't like it that's them. I don't need. I don't need to ask you, do I like vanilla ice cream. I know what I like and I know what I believe. I don't need someone to say yes you like vanilla ice cream to like it.

I have a list of you who like okra. Incidentally, just the same. So funny. What few people food fight and very quickly anyway, but many infallible proofs demonstrated by acts of bravery throughout the book of acts, just you know those apostles they could walk away from danger, on almost every one of them was moderate to death to be a modern unit you can survive being a martyr. You can just suffer the tortured or you can perish and what we understand, mostly from church history, and some from Scripture is that they were all murdered the exception of of John it seems that all of them could have simply said I did not see the risen Christ, people may die for a lie, but they don't believe it's a lie.

They die for a cause system of beliefs. The world can die for a cause or a country or for their comrades. Many troops have died for their comrades, not believing the war they're fighting but they they've this, rivalry they have. Will these disciples.

They didn't die saying, well, we didn't see him rise over than a stick to our point that they would've been offended at Christ for putting them in a situation where their life was on the line worked or torture was they were presented with torture unless he did rise one of the greatest proofs for our faith is the foundation of the apostles suffering for a Messiah that they had witnessed alive again.

Peter talked about it. We did not follow cunningly devised fables in second Peter chapter 1 John that we handle and we saw him. We were with him and John first John chapter 1 second Peter one in first John one and being seen by them during 40 days no less than 10 maybe more appearances of Christ. There was only one nonbeliever that saw the risen Lord that we know about and that was Paul opposer nonbeliever when he first met Christ. And speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God not speaking of things can concerning Caesar social ills or other things kingdom of God.

It exist independent of man's surrender, the kingdom of God will be there will no matter what people do it needs no atheist or agnostic or activists or courts or scientists to approve it. It is there and they all will find out hopefully they'll be saved before they do is kingdom is the only government that will ever succeed in the kingdom's laws are beautiful to its citizens and its final state.

The king's judgments are binding on those whom he judges were not left hereto and rich. The world system. We are here to proclaim truth to people in the world were here to build each other up so that we can continue to preach the truth to the world. We have a responsibility to uphold the church, the body of Christ.

The church that upholds the truth of Christ, our father, it is remarkable not only that these events took place, but that you preserve and we are very grateful that you have made it possible for anyone to come to just come by phase move you've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

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