Sunday, August 05, 2007

ACTS 3-16, 22-23: Listen to Him!

SERIES: #4 Acts of the Apostles – Witnessing to Jerusalem

TOPIC: Faith; Error, Good News, Proclamation, Unsaved, Witness
TITLE: TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED – Living Faith Comes From Hearing Him! [Romans 10:17]

TEXT: Acts 3:16 [& 22-23 (12-26); cf. Deuteronomy 18:15ff]
[Peter said to them, “You miserable seekers after signs] – on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

[And] Moses said, ["You stubborn and stiff-necked people, who grumble at anything] THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM [amongst] YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.”
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we learn from Peter’s reaction to the people running to John and him?

CONCISE OUTLINE

I. WE MUST … [12-15]
A. KNOW THE TRUTH
B. IF WE ARE TO SEE THE LIE
II. WE MUST … [16-21]
A. BOLDLY CORRECT THE LIE
1. WITHOUT FEAR
2. WITHOUT HESITATION
B. WITHOUT CONDEMNATION
III. WE MUST … [22-26]
A. KNOW SCRIPTURE WELL
B. IF WE ARE TO SEIZE
1. THE MOMENT
2. AND OPPORTUNITY TO PROCLAIM
TRUTHCLAIM/CONTEXT: All of this is supported “by the faith given by way of the Name.”
Let’s rehearse our context briefly –

OBEDIENCE TO THE GREAT COMMISSION CONTINUES …
• Three sections in this book …
  1. “In Jerusalem” (1-7)
  2. “In Judea & Samaria” (8-12)
  3. “In the remotest part” (13-28)
• Three conspicuous themes … [message #1]
  1. PREEMINENCE of Christ Jesus (Living Lord)
  2. PROMINENCE of the Holy Spirit prominence
  3. POWER of the Authentic (True) Church
• Three things God did with Jesus to inaugurate the Church … [message #2]
  1. He LIFTED UP the Son
  2. He DELIVERED UP the Son
  3. He RAISED UP the Son
• Three things we must face concerning our possessions … [message #3]
  1. We don’t have everything
  2. What we do have we must share with those who don’t
  3. We must be willing to be involved in this process
• Three key factors about role models …
  1. We are known by the company we keep [“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’” 1 Corinthians 15:33]
  2. Inappropriate role models beget inappropriate behavior
  3. Appropriate role models beget appropriate behavior
• Christ Jesus must be our Role Model!
• We have also agreed that three things seem to happen when a person REALLY “hears” the Good News …
  1. they come under GREAT CONVICTION [“they were pierced to the heart”; 2:37a]
  2. they ask a GREAT QUESTION [“what shall we do?”; 37b]
  3. they received a GREAT RESPONSE [“repent” of your sins & “re-ceive” the Lord Jesus Christ; 3,39]
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we learn from Peter’s reaction to the people running to John and him?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

PETER KNEW THE TRUTH; therefore ...
I. WE MUST … [12-15]
A. KNOW THE TRUTH
  1. Jesus is “the Truth” know Him
  2. Jesus is “the Word” know Him
  3. God gets all the glory
  4. Only God has piety and power
  5. Jews are seekers of signs [John 4:48, 12:37; 1 Corinthians 1:22]
B. TO SEE THE LIE
[FALSE] How are we to discern the counterfeit unless we know the authentic; a crooked wall screams for attention adjacent to a true wall
  1. Man receiving glory is wrong
  2. Man has no piety or power
  3. These people were seeking after signs
  • Peter saw their behavior and understood their amazement was at man the instrument not at the doctor, the Healer
  • He knew the staring was at man not God; he knew they thought Peter and John had some divine powers
  • Peter wants them to know the truth
  •  by what power the man was healed
  •  and by what righteousness the lameness left his body
  • When they had the chance the chose the lie and disowned the truth [v. 14, 15]
  • The power of God allows him to speak bluntly; accusing them of murder and crimes against God … “you did this” and “you did that”!
  • He understood their culpability in the context of ignorance … avoiding a condemning message.
  • He proudly and boldly proclaims the resurrection! [v.15]
  • We must live like this!
II. WE MUST … [16-21]
A. BOLDLY CORRECT THE LIE
  1. Without intimidation
  2. Without hesitation
  3. Without condemnation
  • He glorifies the Father by directing the people’s praise away from the instrument to the POWER!
a) through the name of Jesus,
b) through faith in the name!
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name!”
John 1:12
  • Peter took popular scriptures and individuals, well known to his audience, and turned them to his advantage.
  • He preaches of Abraham & uses him to point to “Abraham’s seed.” [13, 25]
  • He preaches Moses and the prophets in order to direct their attention to a greater prophet. [18-24]
  • Here is the message of the Baptizer and Jesus … “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
  • We must live like this!
III. WE MUST … [22-26]
A. KNOW SCRIPTURE SKILLFULLY
  1. If we are to ...
a. Seize moment
b. and opportunity
B. USE SCRIPTURE EXTENSIVELY
  1. To address this present age
  2. and to proclaim the one to come
APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Peter prevented the excited people from slipping into the error of false worship … worshiping the creature rather than the Creator … turning their eyes toward Jesus Christ.

He remembered that it was not their piety or power but God’s that wrought the miracle of healing in the lame man.

He challenged them to remember they’d seen others rise from the dead.

He asked them why they were amazed that a lame man was healed.

Note in all of this – the preeminence of Christ Jesus, the prominence of the Holy Spirit, and the power demonstrated bt the authentic church!

We must ask, “What happens to those who do not hear?” Who do not “listen”? It’s unspeakable to reject the Gospel [read v.23] … you reject God Himself.

WHAT CAN MAN DO TO KNOW THEY’VE HEARD?
1. Ask themselves if they believe that …
a. Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham.
b. Jesus is the promised prophet of Moses
c. it is Jesus who will bring in the time of refreshing, the time of restoration of Israel

[REFRESH] My browser … it needs refreshing once in awhile
2. Ask themselves if they have …
a. repented of their sins [v.19]
b. been converted [turning from their “wicked ways,” v.26]
c. given heed to Him [v.22].
3. Ask themselves if they sense …
a. the forgiveness of their sins [v.19]

[BLACK BEAN STAIN] my first effort at black beans and ham

b. the hope in Christ’s coming again [v.19]
c. the promise of everlasting life [v.21]
Political, ecclesiastical and familial ties will not benefit a single soul

A man may have Abraham or Bill Graham as his father according to the flesh yet have the devil according to the Spirit

A man may be a member in good standing of the First Missionary Lighthouse of the Baptized in the New Blood in Christ Pentecostal Church of the Latter Day Redeemed in God and still not have a single letter of His name recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life

A man may be the son of a third generation deacon, a son of the founding pas-tor of the church he attends, and have an aunt and uncle who are missionaries to Zimbabwe but not be related to the Son of David

If a man is not turned from his wicked ways he will not be found on the Way of Jesus of Nazareth

Clearly the intent of God (in recording the book of Acts) was more than establish-ing an historical record.

Clearly His purpose was to …
  1. show the POWER of His people in a.) the spread of the Good News and b.) the growth of the church, the Body of Christ
  2. reveal the hardships frequently encountered in absolute obedience;
  3. demonstrate the greater need for such hardship;
  4. glorify Himself!
Today’ message was titled “TO HIM YOU SHALL LISTEN!” This is a cornerstone of our Good News.

On the Mount of transfiguration:
“Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’”
Mark 9:7
We’re not to listen to the voices of men, but the voice of God! And Jesus is God!


 
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