THE STORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: THE PROGRESSIVE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PROMISES

LECTURE #3 – ACTS

February 15, 2015

I. Worship & Prayer

Play Christ is Risen by Matt Maher.

II. Class Objectives

-slide #2

As we dive into the large amount of text that we are seeking to cover each week, it will be helpful to briefly reflect upon our five (5) course objectives. These objectives set forth the themes that we are going to trace throughout the 27 books of the New Testament.

These objectives or themes will help us stay on the observation deck of the Empire State Building rather than aimlessly roaming the streets of New York. Or, if you were not here last week and that illustration is lost on you, these objectives or themes will help us view these huge chunks of Scripture from a broad perspective, seeking to glean the big-picture story or message told by the 27 books of the New Testament.

Again, we are seeking to encounter the greatness of Christ, the greatness and nature of the promised kingdom, the implications for our lives as subjects of Christ and the Promised Kingdom, properly understand our hope found in the ultimate victory of Christ and the promised kingdom, and to ultimately be transformed because of these encounters and proper understandings.

III. The General Flow of the NT Books

-slide #3

This morning we are going to finish up on the Gospels by examining the gospel of John. That means we ware finishing up on the first division of the NT Books – the gospels.

Then we will start on the second division, the book of Acts. The book of Acts tells the story of the church’s expansion from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth after Christ’s ascension through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

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The next three weeks we will look at Paul’s letters, the third division. Then we will look at the General letters, the fourth division. Then we will talk about Revelation, the last division.

IV. John

a. General Introduction

--slide #4

The gospel of John is quite different from the other three gospels. The gospel of John omits Jesus’ genealogy, birth narrative, baptism narrative, temptation narrative, the institution of the Lord’s supper, the suffering and prayers of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and the ascension of Jesus.1 In fact, 93% of what is contained in the gospel of John is unique to the gospel of John!2 Remember, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic gospels because they present the story of Jesus in a similar manner. John beats to his own drum and treads upon his own path as he tells the story of Jesus.

--Slide #5

John makes the purpose for the writing of his gospel very plain in John 20:30-31: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The purpose of the gospel is to birth believe in the reader so that that belief will bring the reader from death to life. Let’s keep that purpose as our purpose as we discuss the gospel over the next several minutes.

--Slide #6

The general structure of John can be traced through 4 major divisions:3

John 1:1-18 – Prologue John 1:19-12:11 – Jesus’ Ministry Leading Up To Final Week in

Jerusalem John 12:12-20:31 – Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem John 21 – Epilogue

1 Sonic Light, Constable, John.2 Constable, Sonic Light, John. 3 Mark Dever, The Message of the New Testament, __.

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b. Theme #1 – The Greatness of Jesus Christ

i. All Things Were Made Through Jesus

--Slide #7

John’s gospel begins with some of the most beautiful words in all of the Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)

This takes us back to Genesis 1:1 where we read: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Reading these two passages together, we clearly see the divinity of Jesus Christ. He was with the Father in the beginning and everything that was made was made through him.

Just think about that for a minute. I’m not an expert in astronomy, but here are some basic facts about the expanse of the creation that was spoken into existence by our God (complements of NASA):

Our solar system is composed of our sun, eight planets, and their “natural satellites” (like earth’s moon) and other things like asteroids and comets.

The sun is about a million times the size of earth. And, the sun is an average size star. The biggest known start in our galaxy is estimated to be 100 times greater than our sun and 4 million times as bright.

Our solar system is located in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. And this is an exact quote from the NASA site: “There are most likely billions of other solar systems in our galaxy. And there are billions of galaxies in the Universe.”

ii. Jesus is the Lamb of God

--Slide #8

In John 1:29 we hear John the Baptist referring to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” There are many different interpretations that have been offered for this profound statement by the Baptist. But, one of the more compelling options is a reference to Isaiah 53:6-7.

In Isaiah 53:6-7 we read of the one who would take away the sin of the world: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”

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Jesus is the provision that satisfies the sin debt of the world. He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. The debt is limitless, and so the payment must be limitless as well. Jesus, as God, is the only limitless one. Thus, he is the only one who could satisfy the debt arising from the rebellion of humanity.

iii. Jesus is the New Temple

--Slide #9

In John 2, we see Jesus entering the temple and driving out the money changers and their animals out of the temple, pouring out their money, and overturning their tables. Understandably, the people asked him how he had the authority to do these things. He replied by saying: “‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking about the temple of his body.” (John 2:19-21)

In the Old Testament, the temple was the place where the Lord dwelt with his people. But as D. A. Carson puts it, “the temple itself pointed forward to a better and final meeting-point between God and human beings. Jesus cleansed the temple [and] he also replaced it, fulfilling its purposes.”4

iv. Jesus is Presented as The Promised Messiah (the Christ) Through “Seven Signs” and Seven “I Am” Statements

-Slide #10

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus is strategically presented as the promised messiah, or Christ, through Seven Signs and Seven “I Am” Statements.

The seven signs are as follows:

water to wine (2:1-11) healing of the official’s son in Capernaum (4:46-54) healing of the invalid at the pool by the Sheep Gate (5:1-18); feeding of the 5,000 (6:5-14) walking on water (6:16-24) healing of man born blind (9:1-7) raising Lazarus from the grave (11:1-45)

Again, the signs show that Jesus is the promised messiah because they show that the promised kingdom has come. The promised restoration is coming about through the promised messiah in the promised kingdom!

4 D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 182.

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--Slide #11

The seven “I Am” statements are as follows:

I am the bread of life (6:35, 48-51) I am the light of the world (8:12) I am the gate (10:7) I am the good shepherd (10:11) I am the resurrection and the life (11:25) I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6) I am the true vine (15:1, 5)

While not typically included in the count of seven, Jesus “I Am” statement in John 8:58 is striking: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

As the bread of life, Jesus alone can satisfy the hunger of the one who comes to him. As Carson notes: “This does not mean there is no need for continued dependence upon him, for continued feeding upon him; it does mean there is no longer that core emptiness that the initial counter with Jesus has met.”5 As the light of the world, he is the source and revelation of truth and life. As the gate or door, Jesus is the way through which life is found. As the promised good shepherd, Jesus is the promised one who will finally fulfill the role of a shepherd and lead, feed, and protect the people of the Lord. As the resurrection and the life, Jesus shifts our focus “from an abstract belief in what takes place on the last day, to a personalized belief in him who alone can provide it . . . . [For t]here is neither resurrection nor eternal life outside of him.”6 As the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus is the only way to the Father. As the true vine, Jesus is the one to whom Israel pointed and the one who “brings forth good fruit.”7

c. Theme #2 – The Greatness and Nature of the Kingdom

i. The Kingdom is Separate From & Hated By the World

--Slide #12

John’s describes the reality brought about by the person and work of Jesus Christ as “eternal life” as we will discuss under our Fourth theme. Thus, his emphasis is not strictly on the “kingdom.” However, we do get a significant insight into the nature of the kingdom in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love

5 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 288. 6 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 412.7 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 513.

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you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

The world naturally rejects Jesus and that rejection is expressed in terms of hatred. As our king, it makes sense that if the world hates Jesus, they will also naturally hate those who are of his kingdom. Jesus is making a clear division here – the kingdom over which he reigns is separate from and hated by the world.

--Slide #13

Jesus continues this theme in his conversation with Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36)

Jesus is telling Pilate that there is more going on than what Pilate is aware of. While it looks like Jesus is being defeated, in reality, Jesus is about to inaugurate the kingdom that has been promised all throughout the Old Testament through his death and resurrection!

d. Theme #3 – Implications

i. Subjects Are Children of God

--Slide #14

In the first portion of his gospel, John describes the subject of the kingdom as the “children of God”: “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:11-13)

To be a child of God is to become part of the covenant people of God. This is done by believing in the name of Jesus – that is to believe in who Jesus is and what he has accomplished. And the birth as a child of God through the gift of faith is “nothing other than an act of God.”8

ii. Subjects Are to Abide in Christ’s Words

--Slide #15

Subjects are not to lightly reflect upon the words spoken by Jesus. Rather, we are to “abide” in them: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

8 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 126.

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To abide is to persevere in Jesus’ teaching, to obey it, to seek to understand it better over a lifetime, to increasingly find it more and more valuable and central to one’s life and understanding, etc.9

iii. Subjects Are to Serve One Another

As subjects of the kingdom, we are to serve other subjects rather than seek to rule or lord over them. Jesus beautifully painted a portrait of this reality by washing the disciples feet: “If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)

iv. Subjects Are to Love One Another

--Slide #16

We are not just to serve one another, we are to love one another. Jesus clearly sets forth this command in John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As Carson notes: “The new command is simple enough for a toddler to memorize and appreciate, profound enough that the most mature believers are repeatedly embarrassed at how poorly they comprehend it and put it into practice: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”10

The command to love one another is not new in and of itself. If fact, all of the Old Testament is summarized by Jesus in the commands to love the Lord with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength and one’s neighbor as oneself. However, there is a new standard of love introduced here. We are now to love one another as Christ as loved us. The degree of this love is of an entirely new degree. We are to willingly lay down our lives for one another as Christ willingly laid down his life for us.

e. Theme #4 – Hope

i. The Hope of Eternal Life

9 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 348. 10 D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 484.

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--Slide #17

As noted above, John’s primary description of the reality left in the wake of the person and work of Jesus Christ is “eternal life.” We are going to trace this theme through the book together as the hope set forth by John:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)

--Slide #18

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

ii. The Hope of An Eternal Room in Our Father’s House

--Slide #19

John also describes our ultimate hope founded in Christ’s victory as a room in our Father’s house: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3)

Our hope is not an abstract reality. It is described as dwelling in a room that has been prepared for us. This is a personal illustration for me. We took a room that was a storage room in our home and converted it to a bedroom so that we could provide a home for foster children. We put insulation in the room, we put a window in the room, we created a closet for the room. We, with significant expense, prepared the room for a child that, Lord willing, will one day dwell with us. So it is with us and our Father in heaven.

--Slide #20

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As we noted at the beginning of our examination of the gospels, the gospel accounts are not exhaustive. John captures this reality in a vivid and poetic manner in the last verse of the gospel that bears his name: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

II. Acts

a. General Introduction

--Slide #21

Luke wrote the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. The gospel of Luke, as we examined, captures the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The book of Acts records the ascension of Jesus and the initial growth of Church through the power of the Spirit.

Both Luke and Acts are addressed to Theophilus: “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up . . . .” (Acts 1:1-2a)

--Slide #22

The structure can be generally seen by dividing the book into two parts: (1) Acts 1-12 which recounts the spread of the Church in Jerusalem and its surrounding areas and (2) Acts 13-28 which recounts Paul’s three missionary journeys and, through those journeys, the beginning of the spread of the Church to the end of the earth.11 As we mentioned in our broad overview of the NT, this process continues to this day. We are, in a sense, living in Acts 29!

--Slide #23

Acts covers a period of approximately 30 years. This period begins with Jesus’ ascension in about 33 A.D. and ends with Paul’s house arrest in Rome in about 62 A.D. These are 30 years of incredible significance in the life of the Church!

b. Theme #1 – The Greatness of Jesus Christ

11 Mark Dever, The Message of the New Testament, __.

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i. Salvation is in Jesus’ Name

--Slide #24

Throughout the book of Acts, it is made clear that salvation is in found in Jesus’ name. Two examples of this are found in Acts 2:21 and 4:12: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21); “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)

That is, it is only the person and work of Jesus Christ that can bring about salvation. There is not a multitude of options on the path of salvation, there is only one name that can place a person upon the path of salvation and that name is Jesus the Christ.

ii. Jesus is Lord and Christ

After the coming of Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter delivers a powerful sermon whereby he clearly presents Jesus as the promised messiah. One of the clearest statements in this great sermon is found in Acts 2:36: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Such boldness is clearly evidence of the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter leaves no uncertainty as to the fact that the one that the Jewish people had just put to death was the one that was set apart from the beginning of time to save them – the Lord of all creation and the promised son of David who would reign forever over an eternal kingdom in which all the promised restoration would come about.

iii. Jesus’ Greatness Seen Through the Resurrection, Ascension & Promised Return

--Slide #25

Jesus’ greatness is powerfully seen through his resurrection, ascension, and promised return. Through his resurrection he conquered death and made a way for us to raised at our resurrection from the dead: “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:24)

After the resurrection Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples and then ascended to the right hand of the Father where he know reigns in glory: “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.” (Acts 1:9)

As the disciples stood their staring up at the clouds after Christ’s ascension, angels appeared to them and promised Christ’s return: “Men of Galilee, why do you

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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.” (Acts 1:11) Jesus is coming back for us and if we have died, we will be raised from the dead to live eternally with him!

iv. Key Figures of the OT Anticipated Jesus’ Life & Ministry

--Slide #26

The theme of Christ’s fulfillment of the OT expectations continues all through out the book of Acts. This fulfillment is first seen by several key figures of the OT anticipating the life and ministry of Jesus; namely, David, Moses, and general references to all of the prophets.

In Acts 2:30-31, we read: “Being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.”

--Slide #27

In Acts 3:22-23, we read: “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. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’”

--Slide #28

In Acts 3:24, we read: “And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, proclaimed these days.”

In Acts 10:43, we read: “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

v. The Promises to the Fathers Find Fulfillment in Christ

--Slide #29

All of the promises to the fathers find their fulfillment in Christ. We see this in several passages throughout the book of Acts. For example:

in Acts 13:23 we read: “Of this man’s offspring [David] God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.”

in Acts 13:32-33 we read: “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, the he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus . . . .”

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--Slide #30

in Acts 13:38-39: “Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”

in Acts 26:22-23 we read: “I stand here . . . saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the gentiles.”

c. Theme #2 – The Greatness and Nature of the Kingdom

i. Jesus’ Last Words to the Disciples Centered Upon the Kingdom

--Slide #31

The centrality of the promised kingdom of restoration is seen in the fact that Jesus’ last words to his disciples were centered upon the kingdom: “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)

ii. Paul’s Ministry Described as Proclaiming the Kingdom

--Slide #32

The centrality of the promised kingdom is also seen in the recurring description of Paul’s ministry as a proclamation of the kingdom. We see this in:

Acts 19:8: “And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.”

And in Acts 28:23: “From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.”

--Slide #33

And in Acts 28:30-31: “He lived there [Rome] two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”

But to avoid any doubt, the proclamation of the kingdom is nothing different than the proclamation of the gospel. Schreiner describes it this way: “[P]roclaiming

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Jesus as the Christ in his death and resurrection constitutes the preaching of the kingdom in Acts.”12

iii. The Kingdom Advances Through the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit

--Slide #34

The book of Acts begins with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit in the advancement of the kingdom is clearly set forth as central. Jesus promises the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:5: “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Jesus identifies the central role of the Holy Spirit in the advancement of the kingdom in Acts 1:8: “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.” (Acts 1:8)

--Slide #35

The coming of the Holy Spirit is graphically recorded in Acts 2:1-4: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

--Slide #36

The importance of the pouring out of the Spirit in Acts 2:1-4 cannot be overstated and is what was prophesied by the prophet Joel in Joel 2:28-32. Acts 2:17 quotes Joel 2:28 which clearly sets forth this promise: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh . . . .”

The pouring out of the Spirit is tied to the “last days.” We are living in the last days in that the promised of the kingdom of restoration has been inaugurated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and will be consummated by the second coming of Jesus Christ.

--Slide #37

The pouring out of the Spirit was not only promised by Jesus but it was also accomplished by Jesus. We see this reality in Acts 2:33: “Being therefore exalted at

12 Schreiner, The King in His Beauty, ___.

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the right hand of God, and having received form the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”

iv. The Healing Ministry of the Apostles Demonstrates the Presence of the Kingdom

--Slide #38

The healing ministry of the apostles, like the healing ministry of Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry, demonstrates the presence of the kingdom:

Lame beggar healed (Acts 3:1-10) Many who were sick and afflicted with unclean spirits were

healed (Acts 5:12-16) Lame and those with unclean spirits healed (Acts 8:7) Healing of Aeneas who was paralyzed (Acts 9:32-35) Dorcas raised from the dead by Peter (Acts 9:36-42)

--Slide #39

Man who could not use his feet was healed by Paul (Acts 14:8) Paul healed so many people that “even handkerchiefs or

aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:12)

--Slide #40

Paul raised to life the boy who fell asleep and fell from a third story window during his sermon (Acts 20:7-12)

Paul survived unharmed from a viper bite (Acts 28:3-6) Paul heals a man with fever and dysentery (Acts 28:7-8) Paul healed the sick people of Malta (Acts 28:9)

v. The Kingdom Advances

--Slide #41

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The power and presence of the Holy Spirit is clearly the means through which the kingdom advances. This advancement is traced throughout the book of Acts and is the emphasis of the book:

The kingdom reaches Samaria (Acts 8:4-25) The kingdom reaches an Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39) The kingdom reaches its great opponent, Saul, who is turned

into its greatest proponent (Acts 9:1-19) “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my

name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)

--Slide #42

The kingdom reaches Cornelius & Other Gentiles (Acts 10:1-48)

“Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35)

“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.” (Acts 10:44-45)

--Slide #43

The kingdom reaches Antioch (Acts 11:19-26) Jews & Gentiles Approved by Barnabas Paul spent a year teaching there Disciples first called Christians at Antioch

vi. The Kingdom is For Jews & Gentiles

--Slide #44

The implications of this reality were hard for the early church to work through. This difficulty is seen several key points throughout the book. For example, in Acts 11:1-18 Peter was criticized for mixing with Gentiles. In Acts 10, a centurion named Cornelius had a vision whereby he was instructed to call Peter to his house. Peter likewise had a vision of several types of unclean food coming down on a sheet and then being commanded to eat of it. Peter refused because of his desire not to eat anything that is “common or unclean.” To this seemingly law abiding response, a voice from heaven replied, “What God has made clean, do not

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call common.” Right when Peter was trying to figure out what this meant, he was instructed by the Spirit to go with the men that Cornelius had sent for him. When Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, he preached the gospel and the Holy Spirit fell on all who “heard the word” and they were baptized.

News of what happened at Cornelius’ house reached the “mother church” in Jerusalem and some of the church criticized Peter saying: “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” (Acts 11:3) Peter recounted what had happened and then concluded by saying: “If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way? When they heard these things they feel silent. And they glorified God, saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.’” (Acts 11:17-18)

--Slide #45

The struggle in the early church in dealing with the fact that the kingdom was for both the Jewish and Gentile people reached a head once again in Acts 15, in what is called the Jerusalem council. There was a group within the church that taught that “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1) After a significant debate, this line of thought was defeated and the gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone was preserved!

--Slide #46

Peter sided with Paul and Barnabas against the line of thinking that circumcision was required for salvation and made this powerful appeal in defense of the gospel: “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor you have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:8-11)

d. Theme #3 – Implications

i. Subjects Participate in Christian Community

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--Slide #47/48

Acts sets forth some clear and costly implications of being subjects of Christ and the promised kingdom. The first is that subjects participate in Christian community. The community set forth in the book of Acts is all-encompassing. Perhaps on of the most familiar and profound pictures of this new and radical community is set forth in Acts 2:42-47: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

There a several key components of the community of the early church:

Devoted to the apostles’ teaching (gospel); Devoted to fellowship; Devoted to the breaking of bread Devoted to prayer Had all things in common and met the needs in the body.

This is the goal at NFCC. That is why we do community groups as well as church on Sunday mornings.

ii. Subjects Willingly Suffer for the Advancement of the Kingdom

--Slide #49-51

The second implication of being subjects of Christ and the promised kingdom that consistently rises up from the pages of the book of Acts is that subjects willingly suffer for the advancement of the kingdom. There are numerous examples of this throughout the book:

“Then they [Peter & John] left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” (Acts 5:41) This was when Peter and John were arrested by the high priest and the Sadducees arrested them out of jealously and were beat and ordered to no longer speak in the name of Jesus.

Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60) James was put to death (Acts 12:2) Peter was imprisoned and miraculously set free (Acts 12:3-19) Paul was stoned at Lystra (Acts 14:19)

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Paul & Silas were imprisoned at Philippi (Acts 16:16-40) Paul evidenced his amazing resolved in Acts 20:24 by saying: “But I do not

account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Paul was arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27-36) and the book of Acts ends with Paul still in custody in house arrest in Rome

This type of boldness and self-abandon is refreshing. It requires a type of single mindedness that is not very common in today’s church – if we are honest. May the Lord stir our hearts to do this within us. That we will be men and women of the faith that are so captivated by our calling to bring the gospel to the end of the earth that everything else pales in importance that that we could with Paul not count our lives as any value nor as precious to ourselves, if only we may finish the ministry that the Lord has given to us, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

iii. Subjects Encourage Other Subjects in the Faith

--Slide #52

The third implication of being subjects of Christ and the kingdom that rises from the pages of Acts is that subjects encourage other subjects in the faith. This sort of encouragement is seen in Acts 14:21-22: “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 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.” This was when Paul and Barnabas returned to the places that they had planted churches for the purpose of encouraging and strengthening them.

iv. Subjects Repent of Sinful Practices

--Slide #53

Another implication of being subjects of Christ and the promised kingdom is that subjects repent of sinful practices. One story of such radical repentance is recorded in Acts 19:18-20: “Also many of those who were now believers came, confession and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”

v. Subjects Are Delivered From Darkness & Demonic Power

--Slide #54

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Another implication is that subjects are delivered from darkness and demonic power. We see this a description of Jesus’ commissioning of Paul in Acts 26:16-18 when Paul is making is defense before King Agrippa: “I have appeared to you . . . to appoint you as a servant and witness . . . to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

e. Theme #4 – Hope

i. He Has Fixed a Day of Judgment

--Slide #55

In Paul’s address to the Athenians, we get a picture of the hope that we have in the ultimate victory of Christ and the promised kingdom: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

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