We
are now studying through the book of Acts.
As
you seek to understand the New Testament, you will find that it is a
progression of 3 stages:
The first stage is the Investigation
of Jesus Christ. Here, the writers give evidence and proof
that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lord of
life and the savior of all mankind. This is the first 4 books in the New
Testament, Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John.
The second stage is Induction. Men
and women, who hear and study what Jesus did,
have a decision to make: Will they become sold-out followers of this
Jesus? The book of Acts tells story after story, of the
announcement of the risen Lord and the choice people made to put their faith
and life in his hands. You will notice the story is always the same: they
heard, then they responded, either for Christ or rejecting him.
The third stage of the progression of the New
Testament is Instruction. Not instruction about how to become a
disciple or follower of Jesus, but
instructions about living for Jesus once you
made the decision that he is going to be your Lord. The books from Romans to
Revelation, are not written to convince unbelievers but to train Christians
in the responsibilities they have as followers of Jesus Christ
and the privileges they can expect from their Father in heaven.
You will notice that this progressive nature of
the New Testament is observed in the very order of the books you have in
your Bible. It is also described in the last command of Jesus
in Matthew 28:18-20. “Jesus’ mission is for
the church to go into the world and make disciples of everyone. Then
Jesus explains the basics of how that should be done, by
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and by
teaching them to obey His commands.” (Darren
Walter in the
People-Magnet Church)
The book of Acts does the first, the letters to Christians (Romans to
Revelation) accomplish the second part.
April 6th
Acts
1.1-11
Jesus is alive and still doing
miraculous work through his responsible people.
“When
we read Acts, we are reading the never-ending story of
Jesus. We see how
Jesus worked through the church in the 1st
century and we are invited to see how our lives can be an ongoing part of
the never-ending story.” Dan Bouchelle
You
will find in Acts:
1.
People who gave the Holy Spirit permission to
transform them.
2.
People who tapped the power of prayer in every
venture they undertook.
3.
People who studied the Word of God so it would
perfect them.
4.
People who developed a partnership and
fellowship with their new family in God.
5.
People who for the 1st time, realized that
God made them for a purpose.
Transform,
convert mean to change one thing into another. Convert
suggests so changing the characteristics as to change the use or purpose:
to
convert a barn into a house.
Acts
is the next stage in the program of Jesus Christ.
1.
The spirit of
Jesus is transforming one person after another.
He created a community. They made room for new people. They soon had a place
of influence. (welcome center at LSCC, ignoring
Kelly)
2.
Jesus is creating an
army. To take the battle wherever the forces of evil and wickedness have
strongholds and eradicate godless ignorance.
3.
People are inducted into the family of God, the
Kingdom of
God and granted a future with God.
Webster (in
dictionary.com) defines Induction:
The act or process of inducting or bringing in;
introduction; entrance; beginning; commencement. The act of inducing,
bringing about, or causing; the act of inducting; introduction; initiation.
A ceremony or formal act by which a person is inducted, as into office or
military service.
Realize that:
1.
Jesus began a
good work…
He came to seek, and to save, the lost. The
lost are living without the benefit of God.
His saving is not just the forgiveness of sin,
but the grip of sin.
Jesus can cancel the penalty of sin and the power
of sin.
2.
Jesus is not finished
with you.
3.
His work is to transform your character, and
then through you to transform entire cultures.
