← ArchiveActsSunday, April 28, 2019DateApril 28, 2019Speaker—TextActs 1Passages in this sermonActs 1:15:32Acts 19:37Acts 618:431 Corinthians 1224:45Mark 1432:29Romans 832:35Revelation 1936:35John 342:57TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00Music. Music. Music. Music. Good morning.0:28Good morning. My name is Josh Burnham, Lead Pastor here. It's great to see you. Some of you are wondering why I was wearing that beautiful shirt on the screen there. And I can honestly tell you this. That was the only shirt I had in my closet that day. So I can honestly tell you that in this moment. I'm excited to see what the Lord is doing in our church. We had several people this morning that met and want to become covenant members of this church. And part of what they do is share their testimony.0:56We had Zach Ware, for instance, was baptized earlier this year. And Zach, I looked at him and said, "As a young man, I never shared my faith like you have just done." I said, "You've done more as a young man than I had." And so praise God for those that the Lord is moving in and working towards kingdom purposes in our church. We begin a new series today in the book of Acts called The Model Church. And so if you have your Bibles with you, please join me in the book of Acts.1:24And it's appropriate to start in chapter one of verse one. Mark your Bibles. We'll be there for another two and a half months-ish, give or take. Maybe you're like me and you've wondered what purpose or what part of God's plan that you play. Have you ever thought about that? Lord, you have this. You're sovereign. You're eternal.1:52You, from the foundations of the world, have created the heavens and the earth. But Lord, who am I? And what part do I play in your kingdom purposes? Father, what part do I play of changing the world that they might know Christ and to make him known? Am I the only one? Anyone else wonder that? Hey, what part do you play? Maybe you're thinking, well, I don't even know if I play a part in the purposes of God.2:17That's not true as we see today in the book of Acts. Many, unfortunately, believe this and think this way. They've accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and they think that's it. I've heard many a story, many a testimony that sounds like this. When I was seven years old, I placed my hope and trust in Jesus Christ at Vacation Bible School,2:41and I know I'm going to heaven. That was 40 years ago. Now what? Well, I placed my hope and trust in Jesus Christ at Vacation Bible School when I was seven. Okay. Now what? Because God wants to do so much in our lives, so much in your lives. And so if our story is, hey, when I was a baby, this happened,3:09the word of God is screaming at us. God is continuing to work in the world, continuing to work in your life. And so don't stop your growth. And I would lovingly challenge you, if your story begins and ends when you were seven, and nothing has changed in your life, you might not know Jesus. Because the Holy Spirit that I know radically changes a person.3:34The Jesus that I know looked into my grave, as we sang, and called me forth never to be the same again. So do you truly know Jesus Christ? Maybe you believe that Jesus died according to the scriptures. Maybe you believe that he is the Messiah. Maybe you believe that he died and he rose again. But do you believe that Jesus is continuing to work? Do you believe that God wants to use you for his purpose right now?4:03And you're probably uncomfortable thinking, okay, here we go. What's the pastor going to ask us to do? Nothing. But the Holy Spirit is going to ask you a lot. So with that, let's look at the word of God as we begin to unfold this thought of, is there more? How do I fit into God's redemptive plan? This is the book of Acts. In my scriptures, it simply says Acts.4:31But you might know it if you have the King James Version or another version. Your scriptures might say the Acts of the Apostles, which would be a very appropriate title because we're going to see God working through his people, through the disciples, through the apostles in this book. But I think it has another personal and more appropriate title. And it could be this: Acts of the Holy Spirit through his people, the church.4:56Let me say it again, another way that might get your attention. I believe that this could be retitled Acts of the Holy Spirit through you. Because if you know Jesus Christ, that's what's happening. This is the word of God through his Spirit working through his people, you.5:20With that, let's see what God wants us to do. Acts 1:1. I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus. Now, Luke is the author of Acts. And Luke is reminding the church and reminding this person for sure that, hey, don't forget the first book I wrote.5:46Don't forget part one, and part one was the Gospel of Luke. And he says this in verse one, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up. After he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs.6:13Now, let me stop here and just say, if someone looks at you and says there's no proof that God existed, bring them to Acts. You have every scientific proof that you need to believe. That's why you don't believe by proof, it's already there. You believe in Christ by faith. Appearing to them over a period of 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.6:41Verse 4. While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promise. Which, he said, you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water. Now, let me stop here. I know you're Baptist. And I know this phrase is about to make you really uncomfortable. Just hang with me for another 30 minutes. Because this is scriptural and you need to hear that.7:09Okay. Let me continue reading. But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days. Hang with me. We'll work through that. So, when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?" And he said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has sent by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.7:38And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Judea and all of Samaria and to the uttermost ends of the earth." After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching. And a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going, they were gazing into heaven. And suddenly, two men in white clothes stood by them. And they said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?8:07This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going up into heaven." This is the acts of the Holy Spirit through his people. Let's pray. Father, we know that we can understand nothing of a holy, infinite God apart from the Holy Spirit.8:31We ask that you would illuminate our minds to behold your truth. We ask that you would open our hearts to receive your word. We ask that you would strengthen our hands to serve you, Lord.8:58And do that in a way that lives would be touched. Hearts would be changed because of the power of the resurrection. Because of the truth of the ascension. And Lord, that we would not stand idly by, but that we would desire to be a people who boldly live for you. Knowing that you are not finished, but that your kingdom continues to reign. Lord, we pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.9:23Let's look at the word of God, the acts of the epistles. So first we see this, the continuance of the mission. The continuance of the mission right here in Acts 1. He says, "I wrote you the first narrative, Theophilus." Now, anyone venture a guess at who Theophilus is? Well, I'll tell you who we think he might be. So Theophilus means very simply Theo, God, and Philo, which is Philadelphia, right?9:51The city of brotherly love. So this very simply, this is the God lover or the one who is dear to God. Now, some have suggested that this is a generic title. This is for all people. This is for all who might be called people of Christ, people of God. And if that's the case, then that's me, right? That's you.10:18These are people who desire Christ and desire God. Well, some would say that this is actually a famous Christian in the area. Maybe it's a famous Christian in Rome at the time. Maybe it's someone who is not undercover, but that Luke is writing it to them and encouraging them, and he's doing it in a way that would be semi-ambiguous. And some have even suggested that it would be Titus Flavius Clemens,10:43who would have been near the emperor. Some would suggest that this Theophilus is a man who was the patron or the one who funded the writing of Luke and Acts. We don't know who this is, but no matter who he is, it's really neat that you have your name in the Word of God. What a powerful testimony and legacy that is.11:09But the reminder is not the name, but the reminder is what? I am writing you, Theophilus, about who? About what? I'm writing you about Jesus Christ, what he did, but what he began to do. And that's a unique verb tense. It's saying to the church that don't forget what God did through his son, Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of Luke. Now what happened there? Virgin birth, shepherds, Mary, sinless life, crucifixion, death on the cross, buried.11:38He rose again and he proved himself faithful and he proved himself resurrected, not only in spirit, but also in body to numerous people. But Luke is reminding the church, don't forget that is what Jesus began to do. But he doesn't say that's what Jesus did, it's what he began to do.12:06So what's the implication for us? What's the implication for those who are reading this scripture? The implication that Jesus began to do that in Luke, but now what? He's continuing. Yes, on the cross, Jesus proclaimed that it is finished, but God is not finished working in the world. That's what Luke is warming us up to. He's continuing his mission.12:35Don't act like Jesus ascended and it's done. You have work to do. Don't gaze into heaven. We're going to get to that, right? But serve well, love Christ, love his mission. It is not finished. This is why the community of faith is a vibrant faith. Because Jesus is living. His word is active. This is why the word of God challenges you and I that the world should look at us.13:02The world would look at the early church and the early apostles and they cannot explain the early church apart from the resurrection. How do you explain? I remember Chuck Colson once saying this is why he believed in the resurrection. He said because he went through Watergate and you couldn't keep seven influential men from keeping a lie. He said how would you keep 12 men from keeping the greatest lie the world has ever known?13:30The early church you look at them and you can't explain what God was doing apart from the resurrection, apart from what Christ is continuing to do. And I believe that God is asking the world to look at this early church here and say, wow, only God could do that. That God is birthing in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit.13:59He wants to say, man, look at Raymond. Only God could do that in his life. Or look at Chris. How does that happen? Look at Josh. Wow, that has to be God because we know it's not Josh. Is that not the way we should live? To look at the continuance of the Holy Spirit. I want to live a life where the world would one day look at me and say, how did that happen? We don't even believe this Jesus, but we know that this could not happen by human means.14:27This is God working out in his community. Wow, what a savior. When others look at you, do they see the continuance of Jesus Christ in your life? Do others see Christ working out in your life when they look? Hey, Theophilus, the one who's dear to God.14:53Do others see that in your world? You see, the church is not God's plan B. The church from the very beginning was God's plan A of changing the world. And unfortunately in the West, unfortunately in America, many people have divorced God and the community of faith. Many of us have divorced God and our personal faith in Jesus Christ.15:21And I think a lot of it has to do with American individualism. We are who we are. I have my own house with the front door that I can lock. That way, if you come in my house, you have to ring the doorbell. And I have the choice of whether I unlock it or not. And most of us don't sit out on our front porch, even though we have a front porch. But most of us have a fenced in backyard and that's where we spend time. What are we saying to others?15:50Hey, just so you know, this is my kingdom, right? My fence, my house, it's my life. And that bleeds into our spiritual relationships. And so what do we tell people? Well, Jesus died for me. That's true. And I made a decision to follow Christ. And look what God is doing through me. But what do we see in Scripture over and over and over again? Scripture says, look at what God is doing through we.16:17Through us. The church is God's plan A. And so are you a part of the covenant people of God? Are you serving and are you living and breathing with the people of God? That's his desire for your life. That's what God wants from the very beginning. That's what Acts is about. Look at what God's doing through his community. A community that were willing to die for their faith.16:45A community that said we're in this together through hell or high water. And if we have to go through hell, our Savior has promised us that the gates of hell will not prevail against us. So with a Savior like that, what do we worry about? We are plan A to show the world that the kingdom of God is reigning, that the kingdom of God is ruling.17:09Are you involved? Are you part of that kingdom? Wow, what a savior. Now you might be thinking, what a huge responsibility this is. Well, pastor, I'm on board, I'm in. Let's go. Let's win the world for Jesus Christ. Let's go to the nations that are dark and the unreached people groups. But I don't know if I can bear this responsibility.17:36There's hope, you can't. That's not hopeful. But here's the hope in verse one and two. Look at what God promises to his people. I have written you these things in Theophilus, what all Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up. After he gave these instructions. Now, Francis Chan has written a book about this forgotten God, the Holy Spirit. And if we're honest,18:05most established churches, mainline churches, are the reason that this part of the Trinity has been forgotten. We just neglect this triune God. We talk about God the Father. We talk about Jesus Christ. And then we stop. But look at verse two. What is our hope? After I've given you the Holy Spirit. And then he says later on in verse five, John baptized you with water,18:35but I will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And we see that the choosing the apostles in Acts chapter six, a requirement for serving the church in the early church was being spirit-filled. So if you hear anything today, it's not you who are doing the work, it's the Holy Spirit. God will not leave you. He will not forsake you. He will equip you. And he'll equip you to do work, to grind for the Lord,19:04to serve him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, what does this look like? Because effective ministry requires God's direction and enablement. We can do nothing. None of this is even effective. None of this matters if the Holy Spirit's not in it. We should pack our bags and go home. Because no word of man can save anyone. No word can change lives. Only the Holy Spirit who convicts sin.19:33Now, over and over again in Acts, we see these three things for every single convert to Christianity. We see first, we see a recognition of sins. It's almost the old vacation Bible school, A, B, C, right? A is what? Some of you were there. You had the same Bible school. Admit. Admit what? Admit that you're a sinner, that I'm a sinner. So we see this paradigm in Acts. For every convert, first, there's repentance.20:04If you have never truly repented of your sins, you do not know Jesus Christ. You cannot be saved without repentance of sins. Second in Acts, we see this happening. There's repentance of sins, and then there's baptism. Every person who repents of their sins and follows Christ wants to obey, and they obey through baptism. That's a public demonstration of your faith. So what is the biblical response to conversion?20:31Baptism. It's not, sorry Brad, it's not a green card. It's not walking an aisle. It's not talking to a pastor. It's not church membership. Biblical conversion and response is obedience in baptism. Because what do you see in baptism? You see someone going under the water.21:00They have died to their self. And by the grace of God, we are what? We are raised in newness of life. There's a third part. And we Baptists want to ignore the third part. We're good with the conversion, repentance part. We nail that. We're really good with the baptism thing. That's, hey, we're Baptists, right? That's what we do. We baptize people. But we forget the third part in Acts.21:29Repentance. And you can read the book tonight. Repentance, Baptism, and Filling of the Holy Spirit. Why do we miss the power of Christ through His Spirit? And so what is that? When Jesus promises in chapter 1 of verse 5 that we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days, what is going on? Now, if you want to go online, I've put my notes.21:57You can go back and look at this more in depth. If you were with us on Wednesday, I gave you a primer. I gave you a 30-minute explanation of this baptism in the Holy Spirit. Let me just tell you what I believe. I believe in the traditional evangelical interpretation of this, that baptism in the Holy Spirit, outside of this moment in Acts, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come, baptism of the Holy Spirit coincides with conversion. So this is what happens.22:28When you put your faith in Christ and you are baptized with obedience, the Holy Spirit comes into your life. So if you are in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit. So he's not waiting for you saying, Josh, when you get your act together, then I'll give you the Spirit, or I'll give you a taste of the Holy Spirit now, and when you really start working, then I will pour out my Spirit. I will really baptize. I'm going to sprinkle you a baptism now,22:57but I'm going to dunk you in the Holy Spirit later. That's not what happens. And church, this is what we need to understand. Because sometimes we'll even tell people, well, youth, you're not ready to serve in the church yet. And this is what I want to tell you guys, and I know they're kind of sprinkled throughout. The same Holy Spirit that lives in me is the same Holy Spirit in them. They don't have a baby spirit. They don't have an adolescent Holy Spirit. Now, some of us might, but they don't.23:27And so for you guys, we are doing them a disservice if we do not challenge them and say, God wants to change the world through you. God wants you to serve and make a difference in this community. And so shame on us if we're not fostering that. If we tell them, well, hold on now. You're not ready to serve. You know what? You take that up with the Holy Spirit and let me know how that works out for you. Because I don't want to be in the way of anyone serving the community and loving this world23:56because of Jesus Christ. So, Christian conversion in Acts, repentance of sins, baptism, Holy Spirit, complete, go. That's what we see over and over and over again. So, whatever we might call it, one commentator says, or however one may enter it, all Christians must experience the fullness of God's Spirit and power in witness.24:22If you say, well, I don't know if the Holy Spirit lives in me, I would say, I don't think you know Jesus and repent of your sins and know Jesus and He will fill you with His presence. He will fill you with His Spirit and praise God that we are all baptized into Christ, into one body and into one Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 12. Church, the mission continues. The mission continues.24:52Secondly, we see the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven. Look in verse 6. So, when they had come together, they asked Jesus, Lord, are you restoring the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of Israel at this time? So, amazingly, the disciples get it. Now, there are many examples where they blow it, but they get it. They say, Lord, aren't you, you're establishing the kingdom right now, and they should have stopped. But what do they continue?25:23Lord, are you restoring the kingdom of Israel? Stop right there. But they don't. At this time. So, Jesus rebukes them, even though it is a soft rebuke. Jesus says this in verse 7. It is not for you to know what? Times or periods. Now, let me say this to all of our prophecy experts. If you have anyone that comes up to you and says,25:54hey, I know the time when Jesus is going to return, you point them to Acts 1, verse 7. If they say, well, hey, the end is near, and I can prove it. Here is the period. Bring them back lovingly to Acts 1, verse 7. What does Jesus say? It is not for you to know the times or the periods. That is by the authority of the Father. So lovingly point them back to that.26:21So don't, Jesus does not give us a time or a calendar invitation, but he points them to what? The task. So it's not about time, it's about the task. It's about the kingdom of God. So Jesus rejects our crazy speculation. I graduated high school in the year 2000. I guess I'm the only one. And I remember that the world was going to end in 2000.26:51December 31st, 1999, at 11.59 p.m., that was it. And I remember telling my parents, look, this is my senior year. I don't have to finish school because the world is going to end halfway through my senior year. That didn't work for them or for everyone else. But we look back on that and think,27:21how foolish were we to speculate? Some of us were legitimately scared that this was it. How foolish was it for us to think? Because Jesus has already prepared us. It's not about time. It's not about period. And even if it was, you don't know that. It's about the task at hand, the kingdom of God. And the kingdom of heaven is unlike any earthly kingdom or political empire you have ever seen. So quit putting your hopes in political kingdoms.27:49Quit putting your hopes in donkeys and elephants and sports teams where it just means more. It might, but it doesn't mean as much as the kingdom of God. So quit following the things that will never satisfy. Put our hope in the promised kingdom of heaven.28:15And then Jesus really asked us this. Are we part of that kingdom? This is why Christians are peculiar people. Because we are to live as people who don't belong to this world. We belong to a distant land, a far off place. People should look at us and say, what's going on with you? You act as if you're not a citizen of the world.28:43And we say, that's right, we're not. Because we have places that our father's going to prepare for us that, hey, termites aren't going to destroy. And you know that whole rust thing? Man, we don't have to worry about that one day. And you know when you feel pain? And there's going to be a day where that's not going to happen. And you know those tears you cry when you get sad? Hey, one day God's going to wipe those from our eyes. And how does that happen?29:14It doesn't happen unless you believe in Christ. Really believe in Christ. And have this mindset that we live in a different kingdom. And how do we end this? What does this mean for our lives then? If we continue the mission and we belong to the kingdom of heaven, now what? Now what? My third point is this.29:42And I can use my best preacher voice. The cloud of glory. Look at verse 9. After he has said this, he was taken up as they were watching and a cloud took him out of their sight. A cloud took him out of their sight. So Jesus was teaching about this new kingdom.30:10This kingdom that anyone who's in Christ is a part of. And they're listening and they're envisioning this new kingdom. And as Jesus is speaking, it's like, whoop! What is going on here? And this is an often neglected part of the ministry of Christ, isn't it? We talk a lot about his miracles and we talk a lot about his death. We talk a lot about his resurrection. But how often do we speak of the ascension? And he's taken up in this cloud.30:40And in my millennial mind, I just think of the cloud in Super Mario 3. Or like Yoshi's World. You know, the one you can jump on and you can direct. I can just think Jesus jumping in the cloud and there he goes. And the disciples are trying to figure out what is going on. But this cloud in Acts is not like the Mario cloud. It's not this quite cute little fluffy thing31:09with this video music going on in the background. This is the same cloud that descended on the Mosaic tabernacle. This is the same cloud that enveloped Solomon's temple. This is the same cloud that the fire would lead Israel by night, that the cloud, the pillar, would come down in day and direct the people of God. This is the cloud that says, hey, behold, this is the glory of the Lord.31:37Wake up. Pay attention. This is the power of the triune God. This is the cloud. So what happens here? I believe in Acts without the ascension, the picture of Christ, our picture of Christ would be incomplete. You see, most of us picture Jesus with a crown of what?32:06A crown of thorns. But the ascension reminds us that he's not crowned with thorns anymore. He's crowned with a crown or crowns that only his heavenly father can give him. Because when Jesus ascended, as we're going to see shortly, he's now sitting where? He's sitting at the right hand of the Father. That which was promised in Mark chapter 14, he says, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power. In Romans 8, 34,32:35we see this about Jesus. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, he has been raised. And listen, he is at the right hand of God and he intercedes for us. Wow. Think about that. Jesus has ascended into heaven and he's sitting at the right hand, which would be this side for you guys, the right hand of the Father. And he's doing what? He's interceding. And some of you are thinking,33:05well, what does that word mean? In Greek, intercede on behalf of someone means a specific emphasis on the fact that you're doing something for the sake of someone else. Jesus is sitting at the right hand if you belong to him. And he's going to the Father and he's saying, Father, don't forget Josh. I know he's struggling right now, but Father, don't forget him. Don't forget I died to redeem him. Don't forget we love him. Hey, Father, I know Josh is sinning,33:35but don't forget I died. I took his wrath. And God, use your spirit and direct him in righteousness. God, don't forget Josh. I know this is your plan for him and I know he's not where you want him to be, but by the grace that you have offered him, he will be there one day. So Lord, sustain him by your spirit. That's what Jesus is doing right now at the right hand of the Father for you. Think about that. As we're worshiping the Father34:05through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son is interceding for you. And he's saying, hey, for people who are gathered right now, God, love them. God, strengthen them. God, empower them to serve. God, continue the mission. God, I know they're messed up, but they're plan A. and we don't have a backup plan. God, use them for your glory. Use them for their good. This is the power of the ascension.34:34What a beautiful picture of Christ's ascension sitting by the right hand of the Father, but he will not stay there forever. He will not stay there forever. Two angels. Two is the minimum number for an assured witness. Look at the people in verse 10. And we don't know35:04if these are the same witnesses at the tomb or not. Very likely. And they say to the church people, what? I love this. This is a great, I could just preach a whole sermon on verse 11, but I can't right now. They said, hey, people of Bethel, why do you stand there looking into heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up in front of you by a cloud will come back in the similar way,35:33in the same way. You know, this is a really flowery way of saying, I guess a heavenly way of saying because they're angels, of, hey, church people, why are you looking into heaven? Get to work. Right? Put your head down for the kingdom. Do something here because Jesus is coming back. And don't be found resting. Don't be found lazy. Don't be found wanting. Do something great. And at the end of the day,36:03God is not going to look at us and say, what a beautiful building you built for me. Wow. Look at all the people you fed. Look at all the orphans in the foster community that you served. God is going to say, have you made my name great among the world? Because I have tasked you to live on mission. And so what is this Jesus doing36:32who will one day come back? I want us to quickly read Revelation 19. I want this imagery to stick in your head before we depart. Because yes, he's coming back in the same way, but it will not be the same way. It will not be in the fluffy cloud that you're picturing. This is Jesus Christ. Revelation 19, verse 11. This is John the elder37:00reading these words, writing these words. He says in verse 11, then I saw heaven opens. Now it's most likely that this John, the author of Revelation, was the same John that was watching as the heavens opened and Jesus ascended. Don't forget that. And this John is now writing37:28and saying, look, I saw again the heavens opened and there was a white horse. Different, isn't it? There was no horse that Jesus jumped on to go into heaven. Its rider is called faithful and true because there will never be anyone more faithful or true than Jesus Christ. And he judges37:59and he makes war with justice. Now this obliterates our idea of this little nice Jesus who just wants to embrace you and hug you and love you because he cares for you. And don't worry about our sins. Don't worry about how you live your life. At the end of the day, the nice fluffy Jesus is going to welcome you into his arms in a white robe. That's not the picture we have in Revelation, is it? His eyes38:30His eyes were like fiery flame and many crowns were on his head. Not crowns of thorns. He had a name written that no one else except himself knows. He wore a robe dipped in blood and his name is called the Word of God. the armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from his mouth so that he might strike the nations38:59with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God Almighty. And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh. King of kings and Lord of lords. And at the return of Jesus Christ, Satan will be thrown into hell once and for all. And the gates will be locked. Sin will have39:28no more dominion and that those that are dead and living, small and great, will be judged and the rule of God will be consummated once and for all. this is the Savior who will return. And I don't know about you, but I read this and said, Lord, who could survive? Who of us can survive the wrath of God that we deserve?39:58Look at what John sees. In chapter 20 of Revelation in verse 15, at this great white throne judgment. He says, anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.40:28of fire. There are books and then there is the book. there are books of everything that we have done and then there is the book of life. Some of you might know it as the what? The Lamb's book of life. And we call it the Lamb's book of life because there is only one worthy to write in that book and it's not with pen or even permanent marker. The book is written in blood by the blood40:57of the Lamb. And on that day it's not going to matter what you do and we have all of these images in our head. Some of us believe that we climb to heaven in a ladder and so if I do enough good things eventually I will climb to the top of the ladder and I will be accepted. Some of your pictures of heaven is that when you get to the pearly gates Peter's going to be there and he's going to have this scroll and he's going to open it up and he's going to say alphabetically hopefully, some of us believe41:26that God will judge us based on a set of weights and all the good we have will hopefully one day outweigh all the bad that we have done and the Bible says that none of that is true. The only thing that matters when you see God face to face is whose book is your name in. And you say41:56well how can I get into that book? How can I get into the Lamb's book of life? It is by faith in the one who took your place. It is by faith in the one who died on the cross who was buried and who rose again. But it doesn't end there. It is by faith in the one who is ascended into heaven who sits at the right hand of the Lord and one day he will be returning.42:26And we don't know when that day is but it could be today. And if that day is today where is your name? Is your name written in the book of life? Or is your name written in the books of works? Have you put your faith in the one who loves you and it came so that you might not be judged but that you would have everlasting life?42:56John 3, 17 says. If you don't know Jesus Christ if you don't know the one who can save your soul I just simply ask right now that you would repent of your sins as access. That you would say God I know that I'm a sinner. I know that I've done wrong and I know that I do not deserve to be in your presence but I believe that Jesus came and took my place and I believe that he died on the cross for my sins and I stand on the promised God that if I believe in my heart and confess43:25and confess in my mouth that Jesus is the one true God if he is my Lord that I will be saved. If you have never done that why not now? Why not right now? Why not have assurance that your name will be written in the life in the book of life by the one who can write it? Why not put your hope and trust in Jesus Christ? Maybe you're here today and you're not living on mission for Christ but maybe your testimony43:55ends when you came to faith. That's not true. That's Satan trying to stunt you and saying don't worry. Listen to the Apostles' Creed as we close. Apostles' Creed says that we believe that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried. He descended into the dead and on the third day he rose again. He also ascended44:24into heaven and he is seated at the right hand of the Father and he will come to judge the living and the dead. Why do I mention the Apostles' Creed? Because it says we also believe in the Holy Spirit and we believe in the Holy Universal Church and we believe in the communion of the saints. Are you living for mission? That might look different for you than it does me but I was convicted44:53today even when I was praying again. Lord, how can I respond to your message? The Holy Spirit just worked in my life and said, Josh, why aren't you kneeling and praying for those nine soccer players that you coach? Those six and seven year old boys. Josh, why aren't you praying for them? Why aren't you living on mission? Josh, why aren't you showing them the power of the Holy Spirit is working through you? Why aren't you showing them constantly? Why aren't you coming before my throne45:23showing them that there's new life in Jesus? And maybe for you that's not a soccer team. Maybe that's where you work or maybe that's your family or your neighbors but who is God stirring you up to today to serve? That way they might know you're different from the kingdom. All that Jesus began to do in Luke continues through the Holy Spirit and it continues through you. May we respond to the message the power of the word45:52of the Lord. Let's pray.Next in Acts →Sunday, May 5, 2019More sermons on Acts →
