The Amazing First Century Church | Part 1

There's never been a better time you follow Jesus Christ listen to Adrian Rogers feeling that God is giving the church one last mighty urge for revival of all revivals before the night of all nights comes. I have a feeling also have a feeling that the world is looking at us one more time they have tried everything and they found nothing satisfies the wondering one more time do we have the answer and the answer is yes welcome to the pastor, teacher and author Adrian Rogers said New Testament church spirit filled Bible believing Christ honoring church is a mighty weapon in the hands of a holy God is the body and bride of Christ. The church is the world's first idea of Jesus do we exhibit the same power as the amazing first century church turn the world upside down with the gospel.

If you have your Bible turn to acts chapter 2 is Adrian Rogers, tells us more about the amazing first century church feeling that God is giving the church one last mighty urge for the revival of all revivals before the night of all nights comes.

I have a feeling also have a feeling that the world is looking at us one more time they have tried everything, every form of government every kind of leader.

Every excess of pleasure every thing that money can buy that heart's desire that mind can conceive and they found nothing satisfies the wondering one more time do we have the answer and the answer is yes, but when they look at us. I wonder what they're going to say Nietzsche was a cynic, an atheist and ungodly lascivious man. He looked at the church. He considered Christianity. He said he said if you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you going to have to look a little more remain anything about this world guess the idea of Jesus Christ not from the word of God because they don't read they get that from us. Now I'm going to give you now, a description of the church triumphant and where you ask God to make our church that come to church right here in the second chapter the book of acts you know we talked about the principles of power, and the Holy Spirit of God, but now once we have that anointing that power.

What do we do what is our purpose. When number one we are to exalt the Savior now begin now in verse 22 of this chapter of the day Pentecost is come all of the signs and wonders have been done.

The Holy Spirit has common baptize that motley crew into the body of Christ, and Peter stands up to preach the gospel, and here's what he says in verses 22 through 26 unanimous real hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding up for David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved therefore did my heart rejoice in my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope that Peter preached the message and it is simply to say that it was a plane Christ centered gospel message. The church grew because they lifted up Jesus. Jesus said, and I've I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me. No church in my estimation is going to be a growing, vibrant church that does not exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. Some churches reserve Sunday morning for God the father, son, and I forgot the sign in Winston, I forgot the spirit. No not really but you know the sort of an emphasis like that on Sunday morning.

They just want to speak of God and and there's nothing wrong with that. Of course we should magnify God the father, but every service, every service must exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.

You believe that I do because he is detracting from the church.

I have I be lifted up, will draw all men I meet now noticed the message that Peter preached concerning Jesus. First of all, he preached about the manner of his life.

Like in verse 22. He says there that he was a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him. Somebody wrote this about the manner of Jesus life and I love it is that I'm far within the mark. When I say that all of the armies that ever marched in all the maybes that ever were built and all the parliaments that ever have sat all the kings that ever have rain together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as the one solitary life. Jesus of Nazareth.

Think about that here was a man born 2000 years ago and tonight this building is filled with people say I love him with all of my heart, including man was preaching Jesus Christ is real to me and so first of all, Peter preached about the amount of his life. And then he preached about the meaning of his death look in verse 23 Tim being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Had he taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain now.

What's he saying here he saying that Jesus Christ there was not an accident. It was not an incident it was planned before the foundation of their the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, nothing went wrong. God was not up there have been wringing his hands and say hello. How terrible that this has come to pass, and the purpose of the cross as we learn from this message is substitution, but just for the unjust, Christ died for us. He took our place and we must not only speak of his sin was spotless life but is vicarious death that he died upon that cross to pay the send it. Take that message out and forget the rest. And yet there are many who want to take the message of the cross of Jesus Christ out what that's like taking water out of the well blowout the sky notes out of music and members out of mathematics you have anything left. If you take the death of Jesus Christ sends out but not only as exalted. The Savior did he speak of the manner of his life and the meaning of his death, but he also spoke of the miracle of his resurrection. Continue. Verse 24 whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding the desk cannot keep this spring, there's no way possible that death could keep Jesus in the grading I read years ago about a spider who saw a great massive line with a great main going to a cave to sleep the spider fault. I will imprison that lion in that cave and so I said I will spin a web to keep the lion in the cave and so he crisscrossed the mouth of a cave with his web and he spun and he spun and he spun and he spun almost spun himself away and there was the spider's web.

Then came the time when the old-line awoke from his nap all because the mountains to Trimble shook the dust off his old main walked out of that cave never knew the web was there. I thought of the resurrection of our Savior hold. This is all keep a man we are putting there and he will not arise but up from the grave.

He rose the mighty trial for his clothes and what Peter preached on this day, Pentecost anointed with the Holy Spirit was Jesus the matter of his life, signs, wonders, miracles, the meaning of his death by the predetermined counsel of God. The miracle of his resurrection and then the magnificence of his reign, look at what in verse 33. Now therefore being on the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost which he had shed forth this, which ye do now see and hear what David is not ascended into the heavens. But he said himself Lord said in my Lord, sit thou on my right hand on to. I may got close outputs to not if women maybe, but until thank God for the unto where is Jesus right now he has ascended the high hills of glory. Where is he.

He is seated on the right hand of the Majesty on high and he is waiting to let time when God gives the signals an initial step from his throne back down to this earth.

The rule and reign, but Peter preached on that day that Jesus is exalted that he is Lord of lords and King of Kings and I will take something you may not be a believer but I can tell you with all of the authority of the word of God and unction in function and emotion my soul one day you will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father cancel what we do as a church, what is our duty. What is our privilege. What is our joy.

What is our mandate is first of all, to exalt the Savior down to we do that we've not done anything.

But secondly, not only must we exalt the Savior. Secondly, we must evangelize the center that continue to read now and look at the will in verse 37 through 41. In this passage of Scripture. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and set on the Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what must we do, what shall we do, let me tell you what true evangelism is. Let me tell you what true salvation is. Let me give you the marks ever there right here.

One of the steps in the true conversion. First of all people must be convicted by the spirit. Verse 3070 here this DCF when they heard this, they were pricked in the hearts I've preached enough to know that their services where there is no conviction. My Hargreaves. I wonder Lord has it. Is it me in my the one that has failed to pray and seek your face is their coldness have you been in the service. We just couldn't explain it, but people begin to we are Trimble, there's the moving of the spirit of God. Don't just saunter in here and sit down chatter a little bit without praying a single godsend you're convicting power seat. First of all, they must be convicted by the Lord and then they converted to the Lord. Look now in verse 38, they said, what shall we do, they said that because they were pricked in the heart now verse 38 Peter said in them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. To repent means to change your mind. I told you the Greek word meta Noya, which means a change of mind to change her mind about what changed her mind about sin in my estimation, you've never been saying if you might change your mind about sin.

Jesus said in Luke 13, three except your panties all likewise pair but not as a change of mind about sin is a change of mind about self, you say I don't have what it takes to overcome the sin and you have completely no more confidence in the flesh and not only is it a change of mind about sin in a change of mind about self. It is a change of mind about Jesus Christ about God himself is saying he is my only hope I put my faith where God is put my sins upon the Lord Jesus Christ and that is a conversion is a pastor Rogers. This verse doesn't say anything about faith know doesn't. But faith is there repentance and faith are the heads and tails of the saying: are you cannot turn to God without turning from sin, you cannot turn from sin.

Truly without turning to God. One time I was preaching and one of these seminary students came up to me. He administered a very long, but he wanted to rebuke me a little bit and he said that you were telling people how to be saved.

But he said you never mentioned repentance sit on a centrist. I said you know what look in the Bible. The whole book tells us how they say what book is that these things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, and believing you might have life in his name. You invite your settlement, the gospel of John as NSN go home and read the Gospel of John, all the way through and seek and find the word repent.

One time is not the but how to be saved to say you cannot turn to God in faith without repent, you cannot repent without trying to God in faith, but it is a conversion. It is a turning coming to God you must be convicted by the Lord, you must be converted to the Lord. And thirdly, you must make a confession of the Lord like everyone in verse 38 says repent and be baptized, but some of you every one of you that is baptism save you know. But if you repent and you truly say you want to be baptized. Baptism is the outer expression of what takes place in your heart. I am not convinced that anybody is truly saved who says I know I'll be baptized but I'm not going to Jesus asking the question, he said, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the thing that I say how can you say the Christ as your Lord when he is commanded baptism and your nonchalant oblivious to his great commission says, go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And low.

I'm with you always, even unto the end of the age dear what New Testament confession Jesus Christ was. Not coming down a carpeted island shaking hands with preacher nothing wrong with that. I will ask you to do that tonight but that is the precursor to the real confession of Christ, which is baptism. That is the confession of Christ that open public baptism is the way that you acknowledge and you confess the Lord Jesus Christ to identify with Christ in the water of believers baptism by what right you claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you've not had believers baptism.

I didn't say sprinkling I said baptism sprinkling is not baptism and I said believers baptism that happens after you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord. If you were baptized before you say there's like having a funeral before you die you got a backward Bible never says be baptized in believers always believe and be baptized, there is a confession of the Lord is says I belong to him. I read somewhere years ago about a little boy who got saved in the children's church, not the big worship service, but in the children's church service. The pastor of the children's church service said the little fellow.

Now you need to go over and tell them over and big church that you been saved and you need to get baptized but he didn't quite understand what we understand say when told the past I've been saved and I need to get advertised is very true. Once he is saved to get advertised is saying here.

I belong to Jesus Christ. I want everybody who sees me to know that I've been buried with him by baptism into death, and raised to walk in newness of life. I am identify myself with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What is the conversion, the evangelization of the Senate. Number one listen to him again. It is the conviction by the Lord is conversion to the Lord is a confession of the Lord and it is control by the Lord. Look again in verse 38 if you will hear and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost that is he comes into you to control you. The Holy Spirit takes possession out of the person been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Real salvation is not just to believe something or to achieve something, but the receive someone the Holy Spirit of God comes in to you real salvation is not just going to heaven when you die. That's a byproduct.

Salvation is not getting man out of breath into heaven.

It is getting God out of heaven and demand. First of all there's conviction, then this conversion then this confession. And then there is control and finally there is continuance like you will in verse 41 and 42 of the same chapter. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized in the same day there were added under them about 3000 souls, and they continue steadfastly. Jesus did not call us to make decisions occultist to make disciples. They continue steadfastly.

A continuance with the Lord. Now that's what we're about and evangelizing. That's why we preach. That's why we teach that people might be convicted that they might be converted, that they might make a confession of Jesus that they might be controlled by the Holy Spirit and that they might go on and on with God in continuance and continue steadfastly. Now here's the third thing that we want to do not only exalt the Savior not only evangelize the center but we want to enlist the saints. Once we get them say what we do will begin now in verse 42 again and look and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine little boy didn't understand what the word doctrine meant somebody asking what his doctor and he said that's what folks need when they're sick because he came in. We need a lot of great churches are Bible centered, they continued in the apostles doctrine.

That's just another way of saying they continued in the word of God because the word of God came through these apostles. How do we enlist the saints will first of all we get them. In Bible study you say will pastor Rogers. I just don't need it.

Yes you do. That's how they know you by name. That's how they miss you when you're sick, that's all they pray for you when you're sick and and with you go to hospital come over and cut your grass and administer you that we have fellowship ask for prayer care share there in that class and so we going to list people in Bible study, but also we going to enlist them in fellowship.

Notice if you will, in verse 42 again they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. What's this and fellowship out of some people think of fellowship as incident no fellowship is absolutely fundamental. The Bible does not teach a Lone Ranger Christianity I need you. You need me. I was reading an interesting passage of Scripture concerning the apostle Paul, do you think the mighty apostle Paul had such a walk with Jesus. Did he need fellowship.

Listen to this verse is asked 28 verse 15, Paul is been through a shipwreck. He'd been trying to get to Rome.

Finally he lands on the shores of Italy and this is what it says and from thinness when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as the appy forum and the three taverns whom when Paul saw when he saw these brethren whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage. I love that there's the mighty apostle Paul.

These brothers go out and meet him. Now he's tired and worn bedraggled, and when he saw him explode like God and he took courage. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 and 25 says let us consider one another to provoke him to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a matter of some is but exhorting one another, and so much the more we need fellowship coming up tomorrow will be the conclusion of this vital message. In the meantime, do you have a prayer request that you'd like to share love refining.

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