THE CHURCH

ACTS CHAPTER ONE

Sermon for May 4, 2008

The Book of Acts has twenty-eight chapters and over a thousand verses. It is the only inspired-of-God Church history that ever was written, or ever will be written. There is no other. The Book of Acts is the story of the greatest do-it-yourself movement the world has ever known. It is the story of how a rank bunch of amateurs took the gospel of Jesus and preached it all over the world in that generation. They did it in spite of the fact that with the exception of Paul, they had no degrees, no Bible College, no radio, no television, no Publishing House, no computer, no airplane, and no Church building.

The account starts with Luke telling us that he wrote the gospel record to tell us of what Jesus began both to do and to teach. The story of Jesus did not end when He disappeared in the clouds. It continued on with the story of what happens in the Book of Acts in the lives of the Apostles and the Church that was started on the Day of Pentecost.

Luke writes the story of Acts to the same person that he wrote the former Book of Luke. He wrote to somebody by the name of Theophilus. What an honor for one person to have. Luke writes Theophilus his own personal account of the life of Jesus and his own personal account of how the Church was started. Actually it can be said that the Holy Spirit wants us all to read the New Testament as though it is addressed to us personally.

Now in the first chapter of the Book of Acts the Church has not been established. Jesus had given them the Great Commission, to preach the gospel to every creature, but He said, “Wait till you receive the power from on high not many days hence.” In the meanwhile during that forty-day period between the resurrection and His ascension, He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them during that time, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. And although the Church would not start until several days after His ascension, there are characteristics of what the Church would be like in this, the first chapter of the Book of Acts. For one thing the Church of the New Testament would be A CHURCH GREAT IN PRAYER.

GREAT IN PRAYER

After the Ascension of Jesus, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. While they waited for the promised power they spent their time mainly in prayer. These all continued with one accord in prayer; this would turn out to be an open-end ten-day prayer meeting. They had no idea how long they had to wait. Jesus had said, “Not many days hence...” and they were prepared to pray for however long it took for the promised power to come. They were set to pray on when the second Sunday after His ascension came, and that is when it happened in Acts chapter two, “And when the Day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place, and there came from Heaven the sound of a mighty wind and there appeared unto them tongues like as of fire and sat upon each one of them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

And this reminds us of another time when the Holy Spirit descended from Heaven at the baptism of Jesus. When He came up out of the water He prayed, and while He was praying the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a bodily form as of a dove, and a voice came to Him out of Heaven, “This is my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.”

So the Holy Spirit made a special appearance after the Lord prayed at the beginning of His ministry, and again upon the Apostles after they prayed at the beginning of their ministry. Prayer appears to be a good practice for us when we attempt some great spiritual work.

Prayer is mentioned one hundred and sixty-one times in the New Testament. Prayer is mentioned more times in the Book of Acts than any other book in the New Testament. Prayer is not mentioned in Galatians or Titus. It is mentioned only six times in John, only three times in Revelation, nineteen times in Matthew, seventeen times in Mark and twenty-seven times in Luke. But Acts has twenty-nine times where prayers are directed to God.

Not only does it say in this first chapter that they continued steadfastly in prayer, but the next chapter says that they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  Prayer was one of the major activities of the day.

The royal feast was done; the king sought some new sport to banish care;

And to his jester cried, Sir Fool, kneel here and make for us a prayer.

The Jester doffed his cap and bells and stood the mocking court before

They did not see the bitter smile behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head and bent his knee upon his monarchs silken stool

His pleading voice arose, O Lord, be merciful to me a fool.

These clumsy feet still in the mire go crushing blossoms without end

These hard well-meaning hands we thrust into the heart strings of a friend.

Earth bears no balsam for mistakes, men crown the knave and scourge the tool;

That did his will, but Thou, O Lord, be merciful to me a fool.

The room was hushed in silence rose the king and sought his garden cool

And walked apart and murmured low, be merciful to me a fool.

GREAT IN PREACHING

According to Acts chapter one the Church would be great in prayer and also GREAT IN PREACHING. Jesus told the Apostles when they received the promised power, they would witness for Him in Jerusalem, and Judaea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Luke had said previously after the resurrection that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name unto all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. Let’s check up on the preaching of the Book of Acts and see what they preached. In the very first sermon Peter told them, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” They preached the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. And when they heard they had crucified the Lord they said, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Before we hear Peter’s answer, at this point it is well to remember what Jesus said to the Apostles in the upper room after the resurrection in John 20:21-22.  Jesus told the Apostles, “As the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you,” and He breathed on them, and saith unto them, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

So when the people asked what they must do, Peter, speaking on behalf of the other Apostles, told them to, “Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The sins of the multitude that day were either forgiven or retained depending on their decision.

Jesus said that the preaching would begin at Jerusalem and that was what began there on that day. I received a letter years ago from a preacher who said that I preached the Word faithfully. However he said that he held to the traditions of Rome, Geneva and Scotland. To this I replied that I held on to the traditions of the Apostles of Jesus Christ at Jerusalem, because that is where it all began.

They preached Jesus. If you had said to the preachers at that time, “What is your fall program?” They would have said, “Preaching Christ!” “What is your spring program?” “Preaching Christ!” “What is your Easter program?” “Preaching Christ!” “What is your Fourth of July program?” “Preaching Christ!” The Church as predicted in Acts chapter one was great in preaching.

GREAT IN POWER

The Church as revealed in Acts chapter one was great in prayer, great in preaching, and now we note that it was GREAT IN POWER. When the Apostles were putting two men forward regarding the selection of an Apostle to replace Judas, and by the way, the Apostle Judas who betrayed the Lord is the only Apostle who would have a successor.  Peter said, “The scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David.” No one objected to what David said, even though what David said was a thousand years before. The Word of God is still valid today, no matter how long ago it was given. The New Testament is always relevant to modern-day life. Peter underscored this when He said, “IT IS WRITTEN!” That was where they obtained the power. The power is in the Word of God. Paul said in Hebrews chapter four, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Luke tells us, “No Word of God shall return void of power.” There is power in the Word and that was the reason for the greatness of the New Testament Church. How much power is in the sword of the Spirit? You can take the sword of the Spirit and cut off the head of the serpent.

It took twenty-five verses to record the first gospel sermon that was preached. Half of the sermon is where Peter is quoting scripture. The power of the preaching was in the Word. Their sermons were great in power.

Paul said in Romans, “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” The word for power here is dunamis. We get our word dynamite from that word. This suggests to me that you can blow up things with the power of the Word of God. Preachers, remember this as you preach. Think of your mortgage. Think of your car payment. Think of your insurance. Then, consider if your sermon is true to the Book, it may very well blow you out of your pulpit. BOOM!

“Wonderful book called the Bible;Guide of my feet day by day.

Lamp on the pathway to Heaven, Guide book to show us the way.

First the Old Testament scripture tells how the prophets foretold

How Jesus would come as our Savior, that story never grows old.

Read then the gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tells us too;

How Jesus would come to redeem us and give us all life anew.

See how the Church then was started, Acts of Apostles will show

It is the book of conversions, we must all read it to know.

Twenty-one letters will follow telling us all how to live.

Adding to faith Christian virtues faithfulness then we can give.

Last of all comes Revelation telling of Heaven so fair;

There we will meet the dear Savior together His Heaven to share.

So open the Bible and read it, Ponder it’s message so true

You will find the great plan of salvation, Why Jesus died for you.”

GREAT IN PROMISE

The Church of the New Testament was great in prayer, great in preaching, great in power and it was also GREAT IN PROMISE. At the ascension of Jesus, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Elijah was taken up in a fiery chariot, but Jesus had a cloud chariot. Psalms 104:3 says, “He maketh the clouds His chariot.” The angels said, “This Jesus who is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him going into Heaven.” He will come again on the clouds. Matthew 24:30 says, “They shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory.” And then we remember 1st Thessalonians 4:17, “The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” For the Christian, there is no greater promise than that. We can be just as sure that Jesus will come again as we can be sure that He told us the truth.

As the Apostles were looking steadfastly into Heaven as He went, there appeared two men in white apparel who told them, “Why stand ye looking into Heaven, He will come again as He went away.”

The angels told the Apostles, “Why stand ye gazing into Heaven?” Many stand today gazing into Heaven. Every time a leader in the middle east scratches or bumps his head, preachers in America tell us this was promised in Ezekiel or some other place, and books are written on it, sermons are preached, predictions are made, and when they don’t come to pass they wait until another leader in the middle east who has not been assassinated scratches his head, or bumps his head and away we go again. Why stand ye looking into Heaven? When He comes, we will all find out about it at the same time.

Luke says that when the Lord ascended He lifted up His hands and blessed them. He ascended slowly with great dignity, and gradually with great majesty and as He did He blessed them. What was the blessing? We do not know, but it might have been what Moses told Aaron the High Priest to say, since Jesus is our High Priest. So as He ascended slowly with great dignity, and gradually with great majesty, He may have said as He lifted up His hands to bless them, “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face to shine upon thee: and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” And as they were mesmerized in the majesty of the moment the silence was shattered by the voice of angels saying, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into Heaven? This same Jesus who is received up from you into Heaven shall so come again as ye beheld Him going into Heaven.” His coming again is a promise.

Paul tells us that when He comes again He will come with a shout and the voice of the archangel. What will be the shout? Could it be what John said in Revelation when the seventh angel poured out his bowl of wrath? A voice from Heaven said, “IT IS DONE!” Perhaps it could be the voice that cried out in the story of the wise and foolish virgins, “BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM! COME YE FORTH TO MEET HIM.” Whatever the voice from Heaven will say, as for me I declare unto you:

“When Christ shall come with trumpet sound

 O, may I then in Him be found.

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless to stand before the throne.”

 The Church as predicted in Acts chapter one would be a great Church. It was great then, and it can be just as great today in Prayer, Preaching, Power and Promise. And always remember, Jesus said, “If I go, I come again.”