Commanded Apostles whom He had Chosen vs. 2
Acts 1:1-2, Matthew 25:14-30 I: What was His Command? Matthew 28:19-20 1. “If you love me keep my Commandments.” John 14:15 2. “Go ye” His own, his church, every child of God. 3. “Teach all.” Not always in a class room. Where they were when opportunity was presented. 4. “Teach them to observe all things I have commanded you!” 5. “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love another.” Very little work is done where active love for one another is absent. a. “By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples.” John 13:34-35 b. “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I will command you.” John 15:14 II: Who was the Command Given to? 1. His own (Everyone is a Stewart)....
“But Who Are You?”
Acts 19:8, Cor. 2 11: “A great door and effectual is open unto me.” The difficulties of the situation created the Greatness of the Opportunity. I: The City of Ephesus was A Challenge: 1. A great trade center. 2. A religious city of immoral religious practices. 3. The practice of Magic cast its dark shadows. 4. Here was the Center of Worship of Dian. 5. Wealthy, Profoundly Religious, and Rotten to its core. II: “We Wrestle not against Flesh and Blood…” 1. Here Paul came up against Satan in his Strong Hold. 2. Paul dared not take Financial Aid from the Christians. (No Seller of Magic). Financial gain was the inspiration of all religions of Ephasus. 3. He taught for 2 yrs. in the School of Tyrannies. 4. “God wrought Special...
A More Convenient Time
Acts 24:22-27, James 4:13-14 Felix the Govenor was curious about Paul. I: Felix Disturbed: 1. Felix wanted to hear more about Faith in Jesus Christ. 2. Paul was reasoning from Scripture. 3. Goodness — (Felix cruel and heartless). 4. Self-control (Felix and his lust). 5. Judgment (Felix knew judgment). 6. Felix trembled — fear came upon him as conscience awoke. II: Felix Sought A Better Time – Procrastinated. 1. Felix was counting on tomorrow. 2. Tomorrow unlocked a dungeon of despair for Felix. 3. Felix failed to realize that now was important. 4. For Felix the convenient time never came. III: Felix Had A Secret Hope of Gain and Favor. 1. The possibility of money meant more than a living Christ. 2. The favor of the Jews was more important...
Ye Shall Be Witnesses
Acts 1:1-11, 2:22-33, John 20:30-31, and 21:25 If you were being tried for being a Christian. I: What is A Witness? 1. “One who gives his Testimony to the truth at the expense of his life.” 2. Witness comes from “Mart Us!” Myrter. 3. Jewish Law condemned false witness as well as one that held back part of the truth. 4. One that was there when it happened. “Ye are witnesses of these things.” II: They Witnessed to: 1. Immortality of the soul, Resurrection. 2. Vanity of material things. 3. The satisfying nature of Christianity. 4. Guilt and danger of sinners. 5. Love of Christ. 6. Necessity of the New Birth. III: Every Christian is A Witness. “My business.” 1. We are witnesses for good or bad. 2. If the Courts...
What is Repentance?
Acts 17:30, Luke 13:3, Matt. 3:8, and Heb. 6:1-3 No matter how much one may desire to repent, nor how often he may resolve to repent, unless he actually repents. He is lost because God has made repentance of Prerequisite to Eternal Life. I: Repentance is the Foundation. Heb. 6:1 1. Paul complained at having to preach again the foundation of Repentance. 2. A large house cannot be built on a small weak foundation. 3. Men may repent of many things toward others, but true repentance is toward God. II: Repentance Brings Conviction into Focus. 1. Without Repentance, it is “Pioneers Promise. She is a Drunkards promise to quit next time.” 2. A sick man must know he is sick before he feels his need for a Doctor. 3. Repentance is as Universal as Sin....
“What doth Hinder Me”
Acts 8:26- I: “The Angel of the Lord.” 1. Right in the midst of a revival. 2. When his success might have ruined him. 3. He was asked to leave for a desert place. 4. The eagerness of Philip in preaching to the Eunuch was in contrast to the reluctance of Peter to preach to Cornelius. 5. Philip was not discouraged when Preaching or studying with one! II: “A Man of Ethiopia.” 1. May have been a Jew, a Greek, or Black. 2. Was a man of great power. 3. Was searching for the truth in the word of God. 4. Had failed to find salvation in Jerusalem. a. Where was the teachers of the word of God? b. Where were the Christians? 5. He was willing to be taught! III: “Then the Spirit Said unto Phillip.” 1. The ear must be tuned to the Spirit of...
“Wait for the Promise”
Acts 1:4-8, Romans 8:14-16, and Simon 2 1:7 2 ways to test a religion: One is to investigate it’s views, the other is to examine the power. I: Why Wait? 1. Didn’t 3 years with Jesus as their teacher qualify them to preach and witness? 2. Were they not prepared by past blessings? 3. With all they had experienced, there was still something they needed. 4. In their present condition they would not be able to do what he had commanded. II: “Not by Might, nor by Power, but by My Spirit Saith the Lord of Host.” 1. The task was too much for them for it was too much for them, since it was divine work. Diametrically to Pagan. 2. The weak must be made strong. 3. The discouraged given hope. 4. The Backslider turned to a powerful witness. 5....
This is Eternal Life
John 17:1-21 I: “Father the Hour is come.” vs. 1 1. The hour of the completion of His work on Earth. 2. “I have finished my course.” Paul 3. The hour to go to the Cross. 4. The hour to leave the Disciples. 5. The hour to launch to Church on it World-wide task. “Glorify, Honor, Distinction, Justify, Splendor, Radiant, and Beauty!!” II: “This is Eternal Life.” vs. 3 1. Power over all flesh. 2. Give eternal life. 3. This is eternal life. “That they might know thee, and Jesus Christ.” “No man cometh to the Father, but me.” 4. Out of this eternal life comes some results. III: When Eternal Life is Ours. 1. “I pray for them.” vs. 9 Here is a promise from one that knows his prayers are...
The Talk of the Town
John 7:1-13, Matthew 10:32-38 Jesus still is one of the liveliest subject discusses by man! More has been said about him in the past 2,000 yrs. than any other person that has lived on this Earth. Men are still busy trying to degrade Him or even declare Him dead. Why do others rest in peace in graves long forgotten? I: The Feast of Tabernacles – Recall the Past Poverty and Bondage. 1. In memory of a time when all they had was God. 2. When they were delivered from a life of bondage. 3. The time when they had no fixed place to live. 4. In the midst of abundance they were to remember Gods goodness. 5. For one week they all lived in booths. 6. All wealth and distinction of rank were laid aside for one week. II: The Talk of the Town: Jesus the Divider. 1....
The Christian Conscience
Acts 23:1-5, Rom. 7:7, and 10:1-3 Paul was arrested by Romans at the Temple and had to state his birth to avoid severe punishment. I: Paul before the Supreme Court: 1. “I have lived in all good conscience.” 2. The high Priests brutality. 3. Paul’s reply. 4. The Court divided. II: The Conscience Not Enough: 1. Paul’s Jewish Conscience let him persecute the Church. 2. “My conscience is clear.” b. “My conscience is as good as new.” c. “Let you conscience be your guide.” 3. “The approval or disapproval of other people is merely the stuff out of which conscience is made.” Hudson 4. Like Boston Christians when they handed the Quakers. 10/27/1659: Like Tobacco and Whiskey among Baptists 100 yrs....
“My Fathers Business”
Acts 1:1-2, John 14:8-21, and 20:19-23 “The Ancients frequently marked the graves of their dead with the symbol of a broken pillar.” They expressed their sense of the incompleteness of this life. Such a symbol would not apply to the life and death of Jesus. “It is finished.” When a Biography ends at a tomb, we may write finished and erect our broken Pillar, but when it ends with “He was received up into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God.” We are reading just the 1st chapter! Mr. Winston Churchill speaking in the British House of Commons on the North African victory said, “This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. It may be the end of the beginning.” I: The Cross and Resurrection Were but...
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
John 16:5-15, Acts 1:4-8, and 2: I: The Promise of the Holy Spirit. 1. “Through O.T. Types: The Church filling the Tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34-38 “The cloud filling the Temple of Solomon.” Kings 8:10-11 2. New Testament promises: “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Matthew 3:11-12, John 14:, 16:, 1:33, and Acts 1:8. 3. Pentecost was when God came to dwell in the Church Temple. II: The Coming of the Holy Spirit. 1. At Pentecost: Acts 8, Samaritans: Acts 9, Paul Acts 10. Romans at Caesarea: Acts 19, Ephesus. 2. To empower, to approve, to enlighten. 3. He gave power to witness and to preach. 4. He gave conviction to a lost world. III: The Continual Work of the Holy Spirit. 1. The Christian commanded to be...
