STUDY THEME: TELLING THE LOST ABOUT JESUS 11-04-01

“ESSENTIALS OF THE GOOD NEWS.” ACTS 1: 1-41.

Acts 2: 14, 22-24, 32-36, 37-38, 39,41.

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO ACTS 2.

In the book of Acts Luke continues to write of the doing and teaching of the living Christ by the Holy Spirit through His body the Church.

Just prior to His ascension back to heaven Jesus commissioned His apostles to evangelize. He said in Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter-most part of the earth.” When the Holy Spirit fills believers, He gives them power to take the good news to those in need of salvation.

Have you ever asked, “Why should I be concerned about witnessing about Jesus? Isn’t that the job of the pastor or other church ministers?” Such questions may not be spoken aloud, but they probably echo the attitudes of some of us. Too often we want to see the harvest on Sunday morning without sowing any seeds on Monday through Saturday.

If someone you loved made a death bed request of you, you probably would do everything possible to do what was asked of you. The Lord Jesus had some final words for us. These words were spoken after He had been raised from the dead: and they were a command not a request. He said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This clear call to be personal witnesses, and to be witnesses to the whole world, combines the two closely related topics in this unit: personal witnessing and global missions.

Today we are living in a time when the population of the lost people in our community and also the world is growing in alarming numbers. Yet only a very small percentage of us verbally share the gospel with unbelievers. God would have all to be saved for Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-15, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in who they have not believed/ and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things!”

This four lesson study theme which we begin today is designed to help us be committed to personal evangelism and global missions as a lifestyle. Based on selected passages from the Book of Acts, the four lessons will lead us to understand the importance of telling others—including those who are culturally different from us—the good news of God’s salvation. All Christians have a duty to tell the good news about Jesus in all situations so that people will come to know and love Him.

These four lessons will cover, WHAT TO TELL in today’s lesson. (The essentials of the good news about Jesus.) Next Sunday’s lesson will cover WHO TO TELL (including those who are culturally different from us). Lesson three will cover WHERE TO TELL (that is to go to other places to tell the peoples of the world the Good News about Jesus), and lesson four will cover WHY TO TELL. (Because people who do not know Jesus are lost in sin and without a Savior).

The biblical events for these lessons are taken from (l) Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, (2) Philip’s testimony to the Ethiopian, (3) Paul’s first missionary journey, and (4) Paul’s work in Athens.

Today we are looking at the first Christian sermon ever preached. It is a model sermon, tender, scriptural, and full of Christ.

In today’s lesson we will identify and explore the essentials of the good news we need to tell. Based on selected verses from Simon Peter’s address to a crowd in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, this lesson emphasizes the truths that are vital for an understanding of the gospel.

I have prayed that the Lord of the harvest may use us, and these lessons, to call forth workers into the harvest field. You may remember in Matt. 9: 37, after viewing the multitude with compassion, Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

What are the essentials of the good news about Jesus that I need to tell people? Let’s look at acts 2:14 for the answer.

1. PLEASE READ ACTS 2: 14

The time was the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover; sometimes called the “Feast of Harvest”, or “The First Fruits of our Labor.” The persons assembled, described as “they” were those named in the previous chapter---the eleven apostles, also Matthias, certain women, the Virgin Mother, and the brothers of Jesus. The actual place of their assembly is not named. Undoubtedly it was in the Temple at 9 A.M. The believers had previously obeyed Jesus by waiting in Jerusalem in the upper room for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Three signs marked the coming of the Spirit; the sound of wind, flames of fire, and the speaking in other languages. These were but symbols, of no value save as signs for the moment. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” There had never been anything like this before. This was the beginning of a new departure in the economy of God, rendered necessary by the accomplishments of the past.

Jews from all over the ancient world, from all the different countries to which the Jews had been dispersed during the centuries, were in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. This was the Jews’ favorite feast day. Vs. 10 refers to “proselytes.” These were Gentiles who had converted to Judaism. They along with the Jews in Judea, heard the testimonies in their own languages. Then some tried to explain away what was happening by accusing the disciples of being drunk.

At that point, Peter stood up and spoke to the crowd. He was not alone. We are impressed with the change in Simon Peter as he took the initiative to speak. Only a few weeks earlier he had denied the Lord three times. What had happened to make the difference? For one thing, Peter had seen the Lord after His resurrection and had been forgiven and recommissioned. Second, He had been filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s listeners are described in Vs. 9-11. On the special feasts of the Jews it was the custom for male Jews to gather in Jerusalem. Since many Jews lived outside of Judea, there were Jews and proselytes from all over the world.

Peter seized the opportunity presented by the coming of the Spirit, the testimony of individual believers, and the accusation of being drunk. He used words designed to challenge them to listen carefully, to what he was gong to say. Notice the simplicity of the sermon.

Peter began by denying that the believers were drunk. He explained the supernatural signs they had seen as fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2: 28-32. The prophecy told how the Lord would pour out His Spirit and would save whoever called on the name of the Lord. Peter declared that Pentecost inaugurated the age of the spirit.

This lesson is on personal witnessing. Peter was preaching to many people, but he did some things that also apply to one-on-one witnessing. He was sensitive to opportunities given by the Lord. He relied on the Holy Spirit. He took the initiative. He began where his listeners were, and he spoke of things of interest to them. The sermon was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s look now at the main body of Peter’s sermon in which he presented and defended Jesus Christ as Israel’s Messiah. PLEASE MOVE DOWN TO VS. 22.

2. PLEASE READ ACTS 2: 22-24

These verses are the heart of Peter’s sermon and also the heart of the good news. They point to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. After calling on his listeners to pay attention, Peter spoke of the incarnate ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. His message was to the very people who had rejected Christ—the nation Israel. Let’s name the points of his sermon.

Jesus was a man—all man, all God—the perfect God man; approved of God by His mighty works and wonders and signs. The one whom the prophets had proclaimed and of whom the Psalmists had sung.

He was crucified---The atoning death of Jesus Christ was part of God’s plan from the beginning. Jesus accepted the cross as the will of His Father. In this sense, Jesus was the Lamb of God whose death was “foreordained before the foundation of he world.” Looking at the cross from the human perspective, it was humanity’s worst sin. Although God delivered Jesus, and Jesus offered Himself, Peter said to His hearers, “Him—ye have taken, and

by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” That the crucifixion was predetermined by God does not absolve the guilt of those who caused it.

The first part of Vs. 23 shows that the cross was central to the eternal plan of God to provide salvation for sinners. Jesus was not a martyr who was seized and crucified without His willingness or without God being in control. Although it was God’s plan, those who crucified Him were guilty of their sin. “Peter carefully balanced the elements of God’s divine purposes and the human responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus. In the paradox of divine sovereignty and human freedom, Jesus died as the result of deliberate human decision made in the exercise of their God-given freedom of choice.”

The crucifixion of Jesus reveals God’s eternal love. It shows that there is a cross in the heart of God. At the same time, it shows human sin at its worst. Who was responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus? In this sermon, Peter accused the Jews of Jerusalem. The Jewish religious leaders were directly responsible. But Pilate and the Roman soldiers also were involved. By wicked hands probably means “with the help of wicked men”. In a larger sense, all sinful humanity crucified the Lord. He died for the sins of al of us. Rome had the best system of justice in the ancient world. The Jews had the best religion. Yet the best justice system and the best religious system conspired to crucify the Son of God. The love of God and the sins of people were on a collision course; the cross was the point in history where they collided.

In Vs. 24 Peter proclaimed the good news of the resurrection of Jesus. God…raised up Jesus. Two things are said about this supreme biblical miracle. For one thing, God loosed the pains of death. The agony of the cross was the sin of a world coming to rest on the sinless Savior. The second thing is that “it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.” The finality of death fled in the face of the incredible power of God who raised Jesus from the grave.

The hymn writer pictured the great triumph:

Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus, my Savior!

He tore the bars away, Jesus, my Lord!

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!

Let’s proceed with the declaring of the things of Christ:

.

3. PLEASE READ ACTS 2: 32-36

Peter supported the truth of the resurrection in two ways. First, he quoted O.T. predictions of it. Vs. 25-28 are a quotation of Ps. 16:8-11, a psalm of David in which he spoke of escaping death. Since David was dead and his body decayed in a grave, Peter concluded that David in Vs. 29-31 was speaking of Jesus. The second way of supporting the truth of the resurrection was to

emphasize that “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.” The apostles were eyewitnesses of the risen Lord. Their testimony is the N.T. Acts 1:8 applied especially to them, but it also is the Lord’s command to every believer in every generation. Witnesses tell what they know from personal experience. Believers’ witness is based on the inspired Scriptures and verified by our own experience with the Spirit of the crucified-risen Lord Jesus.

In Vs. 33-35 Peter spoke of the exaltation of the Lord to the right hand of God, a promise fulfilled from Ps. 110:1 This set the stage for the climatic Vs. 36. Peter wanted to let all the house of Israel know assuredly, “that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ”. Once again there is an emphasis of the exaltation of Jesus and the guilt of the people for crucifying the Son of God. When the forces of darkness condemned and executed Jesus, they condemned Him to the death on the cross. But God reversed their condemnation and turned it back on them. The word made does not mean that Jesus did not become Lord and Christ until that time. Jesus was the Son of God from before the foundation of the world. But His death and resurrection declared His glory to all who believed. God exalted Jesus as the Lord and Messiah. Someday, according to Phil. 2:9-11, God will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Him as Lord.

The heart of the sermon by Peter stressed two events as the heart of the good news: the death of Jesus and His resurrection from the dead. Peter also emphasized two witnesses to the truth of these events: the O.T. prophets and the witness of the apostles. Peter and Paul consistently pointed to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus as the content of the Christian good news These two events go together. They are mentioned in most of the major sermons to the lost in the Book of Acts. As we bear witness to the good news, our words ought to major on the atoning death and victorious resurrection of Jesus as the basis for forgiveness of sins and new life in the Spirit.

The results of Peter’s sermon were immediate and continuous.

4, PLEASE READ ACTS 2: 37-41.

We have followed the course of Peter’s sermon. Now we consider the results of the preaching of that sermon. The immediate results are chronicled in Vs. 37-41; and the continuous results in Vs. 42-47. Being confronted with their guilt in crucifying the One whom God made Lord and Christ convicted the people of their sins—they were cut to their heart. The Holy Spirit was at work. Witnessing which is to produce conviction in the minds of men concerning their need must be that which presents the Lordship of Christ.

They addressed a question unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles. The question reminds us of the questions that the people asked John the Baptist. “What shall we do?” This question is broader in scope than the question of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:30: “What must I do to be saved.” That may explain why Peter’s answer was broader in scope than Paul’s was to the jailer.

The convicting work of the Spirit in their hearts was great. Their question had a desperation about it. If the Jews had crucified their Messiah and He was now exalted, what was left for them to do.? What must they do? Peter’s answer was forthright; first they must repent.

Repent means to turn away from sin, have a change of heart, reverse the direction of life; it assumes faith in the sense of turning to the Lord. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. Sometimes one or the other is used as the response that leads to salvation; sometime both appear together. But both are involved.

The most controversial part of this passage concerns the relationship of baptism to forgiveness of sins. Some people believe that Peter was saying that repentance and baptism result in the remission of sins. If this were the only Vs. on the subject, a case could be made for this position. However, other passages do not make baptism a condition for forgiveness and salvation. Most of the other references to forgiveness and salvation in the Book of Acts show that baptism is conditioned on repentance and faith. All those who believed were baptized, but the baptism came after they had repented of their sin and trusted in Jesus. Vs.38 may be translated “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for/on the basis of the forgiveness of your sins.

If someone should ask me the broad question that Peter was asked, I probably would say something like this: “First, you need to be saved by repenting of sin and trusting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Then you need to be baptized and to become active in the church.” If I was asked the jailer’s question, I would talk about repenting and believing.

This does not mean that baptism is not important---because it is. The N.T. knows virtually nothing of an unbaptized believer. Baptism is the way N.T. believers publicly declared their faith and commitment to Jesus. It was the way they entered into fellowship of the church. It signified death and resurrection: Jesus death and resurrection, their own spiritual death to sin and resurrection to new life, and the future resurrection.

Paul wrote in Romans 6:3-5 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” He resurrection of the Lord is a basic doctrine in Acts.

What is remission or forgiveness of sins? This is one of the N.T. words to describe coming into a right relationship with God. Forgiveness means to remove a barrier to fellowship that results from one person hurting another. Just as in human relations, the forgiving person must absorb the hurt and offer reconciliation. The cross is the ultimate expression of the cost of forgiveness of sins against God.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is not the same as the gift of the spirit that are mentioned in Romans, 1 Cor., and Ephesians. In vs. 38 the Spirit Himself is the gift. When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit comes into the person’s life. The Spirit is active in convicting of sin, in regeneration, and in transforming our lives.

In my brother’s church the people believe that Pentecost is a formula for what happens in the lives of dedicated Christians. That is, if a believer prays earnestly enough and waits for the Spirit, the Spirit comes as a second blessing and shows His presence by enabling the person to speak in tongues. Dr. Dowdell described this as gibberish. We believe that Pentecost was a once-for-all event with unique signs that signified its importance as the beginning of the age of the Spirit and of the church.

5. PLEASE READ ACTS 2: 39-41

The words YOUR CHILDREN did not mean their faith would automatically become that of their children. It meant the same good news would be available for their children and for future generations, but each person must make a personal decision. All that are afar off probably refers to the Gentiles, who were to receive the same good news.

Peter testified with many other words. This shows that his entire sermon was not recorded in Vs. 14-39. The gist of what he said is seen in the word, save yourselves from this corrupt generation. This kind of description is used in the Bible for a generation that is evil and unfaithful to God. This has been true to some degree for each generation.

They that gladly receive his word were baptized. All who believed were baptized, but only those who believed were baptized. We believe in baptism for believers only. This rules out infant baptism and baptism designed to secure forgiveness of sin. By being baptized the people showed they were repenting and believing. They were publicly declaring they were followers of Jesus. They were identifying themselves with other believers in the church. About 3000 souls were added to the Lord and the church that day. So Pentecost fulfilled what the Prophet Joel had spoken in Joel 2.

John Stott gave a summary of the gospel for today based on Acts 2. He identified the gospel events as the death and resurrection of Jesus, the gospel witnesses as the O.T. and the apostles (whose testimony became the N.T.), the gospel promises as forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit, the gospel conditions as repentance and faith, followed by baptism. Another might be the gospel results as baptism and the church. At Pentecost, an offering of firstfruits was made. The Holy Spirit came on this day as the firstfruits of the believer’s inheritance. Those gathered into the church then were also the firstfruits of the full harvest of believers to come afterwards.

This is the first lesson in a study of missions. It has dealt with the basic expression of a missionary spirit—personal witnessing. One does not have to cross the ocean to do this; in fact, if a believer does not witness to those who are near, it is doubtful the person will witness to people anywhere. We are to tell the good news where we are each day.

NEXT SUNDAY IN ACTS 8: 26-40 WE WILL STUDY THE FAMILIAR STORY OF PHILIP’S WITNESSING TO THE Ethopian official. A.V. DAUGHERTY 11-4-01

In 1 Thess. Paul gave an excellent formula for witnessing. In 1 Thess 1: 5 he wrote “For we brought the Good News to you, not with words only, but with power and the Holy Spirit, and with complete conviction of its truth.”

REVIEW: This lesson helps us see the biblical pattern for telling the Good News and what we are to tell. The pattern includes the following: relying on the Spirit, beginning where people are, focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus, sharing our own testimony based on the Bible, calling for repentance and faith, promising forgiveness and the presence of the Spirit for those who believe, and leading people to baptism and church membership. While the H.S. is dependent upon the witness of man, to attempt to produce conviction by witnessing of

Christ in one’s own strength, would be to utterly fail.

And so our prayer of commitment is “Lord empower me by Your Spirit to be a more effective witness for You.” Amen.

1

Page 1

SS11-04-01SS11-04-01.doc