D. Gene Strother WebPastor, FirstNetChurch.com
Copyright Š 2007 by D. Gene Strother This eBook is the creative work of its author. It may be reproduced, shared, used in sermons, group bible studies, Sunday school ministries, and in any other manner that brings glory and honor to Jesus Christ. Express consent must be obtained from the author in order to include this work, either in whole or in part, in any other publication, whether electronic or traditional, online or offline. To seek permission for use, or to leave a question or comment, contact Gene.
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Preface ............................................................................................................................ 3
You Must Be Born Again ............................................................................................... 4
Live It Up! ...................................................................................................................... 9
Jesus Christ is Lord....................................................................................................... 13
Sins of the Fathers......................................................................................................... 15
One for All .................................................................................................................... 17
The Unknown God Revealed........................................................................................ 19
Not Crazy, Just Converted ............................................................................................ 21
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Preface This series of lessons was first developed and delivered to an adult Bible study group in 2005. The idea that had been rolling around in my head was to find sermons preached and recorded in the pages of the New Testament. Having given my life to Christ as a young boy and answering the call to preach the gospel when barely in my teens, preaching the Word of God has been my life’s passion. I love preachers. I love preaching. I love to hear good preaching. I love to read great sermons of today’s preachers, and preachers from days gone by. Then I began to wonder: if Jesus, or Peter, or Paul were occupying a pulpit today, what would they preach? What would be their passion? What would their message be? How would they deliver it? The only answer I could find was to search out the sermons they did preach. I found seven sermons that seemed to leap off the pages of the New Testament. Each one delivered in its own unique way, in its own unique circumstance, and to its own unique congregation. The result of my exploration is this series, which I have dubbed The Magnificent Seven. I believe these will work equally well in an interactive learning environment and as an expositional series of sermons or lessons. However you utilize it, it is my prayer that God will bless you and those with whom you share these seven magnificent New Testament sermons. D. Gene Strother
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament By D. Gene Strother
You Must Be Born Again John 3:1—21 Did you ever wonder what it would be like to hear Jesus preach? Or one of the apostles, like Peter or John or Paul. What would they choose for their topic? What subjects would they be passionate about? Thankfully, we have several of their sermons recorded for us in the New Testament. We cannot hear them preach, but we can read their sermons. We can see what they emphasized in their preaching. This first sermon is different from the rest because it was delivered to an audience of one. It starts off as a late-night conversation between Jesus and a curious Jewish leader, and ends up as perhaps the greatest salvation message ever delivered to anyone anywhere. Let’s read the text together… Consider with me, first of all… I.
THE SETTING [vv.1—4] A. The immediate context… 1. It was during the time of the Passover, when thousands of Jews journeyed to Jerusalem to participate in the hallowed proceedings. [2:13] 2. Jesus had chased the money-changers from the temple. [2:14—16] 3. He performed miracles and a good many people believed on Him during this time. [2:23] 4. Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus alone one night. The text notes several things about this man… B. Who He Was [v.1] 1. He was rich. The word “ruler” was used in that society to indicate a great man or a prince. Rabbinical tradition has him as one of the three richest men in Jerusalem at the time. 2. He was religious. He was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were strict legalists. They considered the oral law as binding and as important as the written law and taught that people should obey the laws and traditions of the elders to the minutest details. They were especially vocal about such concerns as keeping the Sabbath, circumcision,
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tithing, diet, and ceremonial cleanliness. Being a Pharisee, Nicodemus was a devout man with a well-developed religious conscience. 3. He was respected. He was a “ruler of the Jews,” which means he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the religious/political council that served as the Jewish authority under Roman rule. C. What He Knew [v.2] 1. He was restrained. He came to visit Jesus at night. He was certainly impressed with Christ. He was obviously curious about the Lord. But he was not prepared to be seen with Him. He knew Jesus was a lightning rod for controversy. 2. He was respectful. He called Jesus “Rabbi.” The Greek word, didaskalos, carried the idea of “doctor,” a man of letters, to be respected. Even though he knew Jesus had not been trained in the traditional Rabbinical schools, he used this term of respect to acknowledge Jesus as an authority on spiritual matters. a. “we know…” might indicate that Nicodemus represented more than just himself. He may have been referring to two or three others of the Sanhedrin besides himself. If by “we” he means the entire group, then that is an indictment against those who “knew” that Jesus was connected to God and opposed Him anyway. b. In Nicodemus’ mind, when he called Jesus “Rabbi,” he was honoring Him, c. But in reality he was demeaning the Lord, reducing Him to less than what He truly is. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He is more than “Dr. Jesus;” He is the Great Physician, the One sent from the Father, the Messiah. D. What He Needed [vv.3,4] 1. Imagine Nicodemus’ shock at Jesus’ answer! The Lord did not return the superficial pleasantries. He didn’t stroke the Jewish ruler’s ego. He cut straight to the chase. 2. In just one simple, straightforward sentence, Jesus informed Nicodemus that he was not even in position to “see” the kingdom of God. 3. The titles and honors and positions that meant so much to Nicodemus meant nothing to Christ. To Christ, Nicodemus was a man in need of spiritual rebirth. 4. Commentator John Phillips writes this about Nicodemus: “Nicodemus was the best kind of person that religion, education, and culture could produce. And his case was hopeless. Thus, the ground is cut, once and for all, from beneath those who think that birth and breeding, moral rectitude and religious training, knowledge of biblical truths and punctilious attendance to religious duties, can gain a person entrance into Heaven. What is needed is a new birth.”i 5. To his credit, when confronted with the foreign concept of new birth, Nicodemus did not ask “why,” but “how.”
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II.
THE SERMON A. You Gotta Be Born Again [vv.5—8] 1. The Essence of the New Birth. [vv.5,6] a. Sorting the phrase, “born of water and of the Spirit.” 1) First View: Christian Baptism. Several problems… i. Hadn’t been introduced yet. ii. Nicodemus would not have understood the reference, yet Jesus would have thrown it into the conversation with no explanation or follow-up. iii. Doesn’t fit the flow of the conversation. 2) Second View: That it referenced a cleansing—indicating the need for repentance, as John the Baptist had been preaching. i. Nicodemus would have been familiar with John the Baptist’s preaching. ii. Would show both the negative (repentance) aspect and the positive (faith) aspect of regeneration. 3) Third View: “water” birth refers to natural birth. A metaphor for the amniotic fluid that surrounds the unborn baby. i. Nicodemus would have understood the reference. ii. It fits the context. iii. Seems to be supported by Christ’s very next statement. [v.6] 2. The evidence of the New Birth. [vv.7,8] a. Jesus compares the Spirit of God to the wind. It should be noted that in both the Old Testament Hebrew and in the New Testament Greek, one word is used interchangeably for wind and spirit. b. How do you know the wind is blowing? You can’t see it, but you can see and hear and feel its effect. This is how it is with salvation. B. You Gotta Believe [vv.9-21] 1. Nicodemus’ confusion [vv.9,10]. Jesus, in a bit of irony, uses the same title didaskalos - to refer to Nicodemus that Nicodemus had used to address Him. Nicodemus seems to have been known for his ability as a teacher of the Law, yet he was baffled by Jesus’ teaching.
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2. Jesus draws a line in the sand [vv.11-13]. a. Note the words “we” and “you.” Here we are, teaching God’s truth, and there you are, in unbelief. b. Jesus also presents His true credentials. He is more than a “doctor” of theology; He is the great Physician. He is more than a teacher; He is the Messiah, the Son of Man, the One sent from God to save His people. Nicodemus knew exactly what Jesus was stating here! 3. Jesus uses a familiar OT reference as a metaphor for His own purpose in coming to the world [vv.14,15]. [Numbers 21:5-9] 4. The greatest Gospel verse in the NT [v.16]. a. Only God knows how many millions of believers have come to faith in Christ as a result of John 3:16. b. John Phillips points out that it is made up of ten essential words: God, loved, world, gave, Son, whoever, believes, perish, have, life. 1) The creative work of God is summed up in ten commands in Genesis 1. 2) The legislative work of God is summed up in ten commandments in Exodus 20. 3) The redemptive work of God is summed up in ten words in John 3:16. Note: Read it through ten times and put the emphasis on a different word each time. c. He further points out that they can be arranged into five pairs: 1) “God” and “Son” – the giver and the gift; the author and finisher of our faith. 2) “loved” and “gave” – the cause and effect of salvation. 3) “world” and “whosoever” – there is no distinction as far as race, gender, station in life…His salvation is offered to all people universally. 4) “believes” and “have” – here we have the hand of faith stretched out in confidence to the Giver and receiving the Gift. 5) “perish” and “life” – those who die in their sins are utterly lost and those who believe and are born again are forever saved. d. Henry Morehouse was a young preacher DL Moody reluctantly allowed to preach in his pulpit. It was supposed to have been a one-sermon thing. But Morehouse chose John 3:16 for his text and preached so powerfully and effectively, he was asked to preach a series of sermons instead. He did…and he preached from the same text every night. Revival broke out in the church, and Moody was deeply moved by the simplicity and power of Morehouse’s
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sermons. The young preacher became known as “the man who moved the man who moved millions.” 5. The Mission of Christ and the Consequences of Unbelief [vv.17-21] a. Christ came to save. [v.17] b. Condemnation comes to those who reject His salvation. It is the result of unbelief. [v.18] c. People choose to remain in spiritual darkness because they are comfortable in their sin. They reject truth because they prefer darkness. [vv.19-21] III.
THE OUTCOME
So what of Nicodemus? Was he saved that night? Did he accept Christ later in life? Or did he remain in darkness and unbelief after hearing the greatest salvation sermon ever preached by the Savior Himself? We can’t say for sure, but we can examine the evidence and see that he at least had a soft spot for the Lord… 1. He came to Christ [John 3] 2. He spoke up for Christ [John 7:45-52] 3. He honored Christ [John 19:39,40] He is always referred to as the man “who came to Jesus by night.” Why? Is it because he was a coward? Was he afraid of what his fellow members of the Sanhedrin would say? He doesn’t seem to have been cowardly. He seems to have been a thoughtful, fair-minded seeker of truth. Perhaps he took a somewhat cautious journey to faith in Christ, but we can hope he at last was saved. It is a good thing that he honored Christ at His death. It would have been far better if he, like Mary, who washed Jesus feet, would have honored the Lord in life.
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
Live It Up! Matthew 5—7 It is true that Jesus came to earth to die. But He also came to live…and to teach us how to live. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ longest recorded sermon. It is packed with powerful insights into what it really means to be a Christ-follower. Warren Wiersbeii says that 5:20 is the key verse to the whole sermon, and I am inclined to agree. This sermon seems to be “all over the road,” as Jesus bounces from topic to topic, but I think there is a thread of continuity throughout. And it is this: Christ expects His followers to live on a higher plane. I.
THE SETTING [Mt. 4:23 – 5:2] 1. Jesus’ “star” was on the rise. Large crowds were following Him and listening to His teachings. 2. He selected this mountainside to accommodate the crowd. 3. The most earnest disciples crowded around Him to hear Him teach.
II.
THE SERMON [Mt. 5:3 – 7:27] B. How to be Happy and Holy [Mt. 5] 1. Happiness is Optional. [5:1-16] a. Many equate “blessedness” and “happiness.” Some versions have the word “happy” in place of “blessed.” Strong’s Greek Dictionary offers “fortunate” and “well-off” as synonyms. 1) I think blessedness is more than happiness. 2) Happiness is circumstantial. Some things make us happy; others do not. It isn’t even appropriate to always be happy…at a funeral, for instance. 3) But you can be blessed even when circumstances don’t call for happiness. 4) All blessed people can be happy, but not all happy people are necessarily blessed. b. “Poor in spirit” – Until you recognize your own spiritual poverty, you will never know the riches of His grace. c. “mourn” – If we never knew sadness, we would never know the blessing of comfort. d. “meek” – Meekness is not weakness; it is selflessness. It is strength under control.
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e. “spiritual hunger and thirst” – Most of the people in this world hunger and thirst for temporal things. They long for fame or fortune or fun. Those things are never able to satisfy in the long-term. f.
“merciful” – How easy it is to exact justice when we are wronged. It is always easy to spot those who have needed more mercy in their lives, because they are freer with it themselves.
g. “pure in heart” – Not just a painted façade. Man judges appearances; God knows the content of the heart. h. “Peacemakers” – They are called the children of God because it is so Christlike to bring peace to a tumultuous situation. i.
“persecuted” – A famous missionary quote: He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
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Those abused for their faith – We are going to be so overpaid! It will be worth it all.
k. Usefulness is fulfillment! [vv.13-16] Rather than focusing on whether you are happy or not, try doing what you were made to do – be a blessing to those around you. Invest yourself in others. Add a little spice to someone’s life. Be a friend. Share your light with someone in darkness. Make a difference. Then tell me how you feel! 2. Holiness is Essential [vv.17 – 48] a. Jesus did not destroy the Law! He fulfilled it. This is something none of us could ever do. b. So many today want to harp on grace to the point that they impugn the Law of God. But God’s moral standards for conduct did not disappear with the advent of Christ. c. If anything, Jesus raised the bar! Where the Law only looked at conduct; Christ judges character. 1) Murder [vv.21-26] 2) Adultery [vv.27-30] 3) Marriage [vv.31,32] d. Spiritual liberty is not license! [Gal. 5:1,13-15] e. Your word is your bond [vv.33-37]. As a Christ-follower, you should be “as good as your word.” f.
Go the second mile. [vv.38-42] Here again, the expectations of Christ are greater than those of the Law. The Law would not have bound a person to give something up that wasn’t owed. The Law never demanded vulnerability. Christ says, “DO more than is expected, not less.”
g. Love your enemies. [vv.43-48] 1) Bless those who curse you. 2) Do good to those who hate you. When someone rewards your act of love with hatred, your faith will put to the test.
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3) Pray for those who abuse you. And that doesn’t mean to pray God’s judgment down on them. How did Jesus pray while on the Cross? “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Hatred is always a sign of ignorance. C. How To Get The Most Out of Life [Mt. 6—7:12] 1. Do Good For Goodness’ Sake! [6:1—4] a. Example: Oprah Winfrey recently gave away dozens of brand new cars. Everyone in the audience got one. The show was arranged so that all the people there were supposed to really need a car for one reason or the other. But she did this on her show, with lots of fanfare…and TV ratings. It was a great gesture, but is God obligated to bless it? Not if it was done for the sake of notoriety. That is its own reward. b. The same principle applies to the things you and I do for the work of the Lord. c. Remember, God judges the heart. You cannot fool Him. 2. Pray with Power. [6:5—15] a. Cultivate a personal, private prayer life. b. This is a model for prayer, not a script. Let’s break it down… 1) Begins with praise. 2) Seeks God’s purpose. “Prayer is not designed to get our will done in Heaven, but His will done on earth.” 3) Includes a petition for the provision of daily needs. 4) Seeks the pardon of sin. We need to confess and forsake the sins that beset us daily. 5) Implores God’s protection. “Father, don’t allow any temptation to come my way that I am not prepared to handle. Give me the wisdom to avoid situations that will compromise my integrity.” 6) Ends with praise. 3. Get your Priorities Straight. [6:16—24] a. Jesus reveals again the thing he detests most about the Pharisees—their desire to get glory to themselves. They were spiritually bankrupt, but portrayed themselves as the “standard.’ b. Jesus wants us to elevate our game (to borrow a sports term.) Most of the world is satisfied to pursue fame and fortune. We need to set our sights a lot higher. Keep Heaven in view. 4. Have a Little Faith! [6:25—34] a. Worry is evidence of a lack of faith. b. Faith is the antidote for worry. c. Faith and worry cannot coexist. One always cancels out the other. 5. Lower Your Nose [7:1—6] a. Focus less on the faults of others. First, recognize and deal with your own.
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b. Judgmental people are short-sighted and self-ignorant. They clearly see what is wrong with everyone but themselves. c. Verse 6 warns us to use discernment in our personal interactions. Sometimes, the best thing to say is nothing at all. 6. Go Ahead and Ask…Again…and Again… [7:7—12] a. In the Greek, the language indicates repetitive asking, seeking and knocking. b. It is ok with God for you to be persistent in your prayer life. c. Trust God to do the right thing by you. d. Live “the Golden rule.” D. How To Know You Are On The Right Track 7:13—27] 1. Jesus uses three contrasts to illustrate this for us: a. The Two Paths—the more popular one is wrong. The path of faith is the one less traveled, but the only one that ends at the Pearly Gates. b. The Two Trees—they may each look like healthy, wholesome, productive trees, but one is good and the other bad. Judge the tree by its fruits. (Remember the Fruits of the Spirit—Galatians 5:22—26.) c. The Two Houses—each one built with care. But one is built on the firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. The other is built on the shifting sands of humanistic reasoning. 2. Remember WWJD—“what would Jesus do?” My pastor was right when he said, “We can ask ‘WDJD—what DID Jesus do?’” What did He teach? Follow Him and you cannot go wrong. III.
THE RESULTS [7:28—29] E. Astonishment 1. It is clear that Jesus did not just give a “new twist” to old ideas. He presented a totally different way to view life. 2. This was no “easy believism” alternative religion; it was revolutionary. F. Authority 1. All the other teachers had derivative authority. They quoted their own mentors and the Prophets and tradition. 2. Jesus presented His blueprint for life without invoking any authority but Himself. As the author of life, He didn’t need any other authority to base His teachings on. Even when He quoted Old Testament writers, He made it clear that they wrote those things as His messengers. [Jn. 5:37—47]
Live the Jesus way! It is a life like no other: a busy life…a blessed life…a beautiful life.
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
Jesus Christ is Lord Acts2 The setting for this sermon is one of the most important events in the history of the Christian church—the day of Pentecost. In the earliest days of the church, Peter is the central figure. He asserts himself as the spiritual and vocal leader of the apostles. It is no surprise that the Holy Spirit used him to preach one of the most effective sermons (in terms of the number of converts) recorded in Scripture. I.
II.
THE SETTING [vv.1—13] A. The Miracle of Tongues 1. This was not some heavenly language no one understood. 2. The apostles preached in the language they understood, but the mixed crowd heard and understood their words each in his own native language. B. The Reaction was Mixed 1. Some were amazed. 2. Some mocked. 3. All were confused and at a loss to properly explain the phenomenon, THE SERMON [vv.14—39] A. Putting Pentecost into Perspective [vv.14—21] 1. Peter informed them – and us – that this was the fulfillment of prophecy [Joel 2:28—32] 2. It is clear that Pentecost began the fulfillment of that prophecy, but did not complete it. That will take place at the time of the Second Coming. 3. Peter was letting them know that they were living in exciting times. They were literally seeing the fulfillment of prophecy right before their very eyes. 4. The Holy Spirit had moved in miraculous ways in the past in the lives of men like Moses, Elijah, and David. But never had there been this type of Holy Spirit outpouring on so many at once. And never had it spilled over into the world of the Gentiles. B. It Is All About Jesus! [vv.22—36] 1. Jesus’ miraculous life and ministry could not be denied. [v.22] 2. His Crucifixion played out on two levels. [vv.23] i. First and foremost, His death was pre-ordained by God Himself. i) Revelation 13:8 (KJV) And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
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III.
ii) Galatians 4:4,5 (NKJV) 4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. iii) John 10:18 No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down… ii. But that does not alleviate the guilt of those who conspired to murder Christ. There was divine appointment, but there was also human culpability. 3. Jesus’ Resurrection was Prophesied and Verified [vv.24—32] i. David Prophesied it—Psalm 16:8-11 ii. The Apostles were witnesses to it. 4. Jesus is the One Behind Pentecost [vv.33—36] i. It is the Resurrected, Glorified, Enthroned Lord Jesus Christ Who sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. ii. Those people just thought they had heard the last of Jesus Christ. Now they had to reckon with the One they had rejected and Crucified. iii. NOTE: Any true Holy Spirit activity will always be to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. THE RESULTS [vv.37—47] A. Conviction [v.37] B. Conversion [v.41] C. Commitment [v.42] D. Community [vv.43—47] 1. Remember what a diverse group this was. 2. In their newfound faith they found common ground they had not known before.
What a great day for the church! What a grand beginning. But Pentecost was never meant to be the coup de grace. It was not the final gun; it was just the kickoff. God is still saving and adding to the church daily. Jesus Christ still reigns. The Holy Spirit still moves. God still honors His Word. Let’s proclaim it!
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
Sins of the Fathers Acts 6,7 Of the seven significant sermons we have chosen to highlight in this study, this one was preached by the man least known. The other six were preached by Jesus, Peter, and Paul—the three most important characters of the New Testament. The man who preached the sermon before us today was not even an apostle, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t important. Nor does it mean his sermon was less powerful. Steven’s message and ministry are actually pivotal in the development and growth of the early church. So, let’s take a look at… I.
THE MAN [6:1—6] 1. Good reputation 2. Spirit-filled 3. Wise 4. A man “full” of faith II. THE MINISTRY [6:7—15] 1. He had the heart of a servant. 2. His ministry had an impact on the church’s growth [v.7] 3. He had the power of God on his life. [v.8] 4. He was a gifted communicator of the Gospel. [vv.9—10] 5. He was falsely accused and taken before the Council. [vv.11—15] III. THE MESSAGE [7:1—53] A. Recounting the Failures of the Past [7:1—43] 1. Rejection [v.9] 2. Rebellion [vv.37—40] 3. Religious Corruption [vv.41—43] B. Revealing the Faithlessness of the Present [7:44—53] 1. Religious Corruption [vv.44—51] i. Remember the accusation they brought against Stephen [6:14] ii. They were guilty of replacing God with their customs, traditions, and edifices. 2. Rejection [v.52] i. Their forefathers had rejected God’s prophets. ii. These men rejected God’s Son. 3. Rebellion [v.53] i. Their sin was not a sin of ignorance; they knew the Scriptures.
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IV.
V.
ii. They refused to honestly examine the evidence. They closed their hearts and their eyes to God. THE MOB [7:54—60] 1. This incredible scene plays out before us on two levels—the grisly murder on earth is seen against the backdrop of the glorious figure of Jesus Christ in Heaven. 2. We see contrasted the hysteria of the unbelievers and the calm resignation of Stephen. 3. We see the mob making themselves judge, jury and executioner while Stephen graciously intercedes for them. THE MIRACLE [7:58; 8:1—4] 1. This ought to have been, one might think, a devastating blow to the fledgling Christian church. Stephen, one of their brightest stars becomes the church’s first martyr. 2. But look at what resulted from this tragedy… i. Saul received his first real exposure to the gospel [7:58] ii. Stephen was duly honored by his fellow believers [8:2] iii. The persecution of the Jerusalem church intensified [8:3] iv. For the first time – and out of necessity – the church began to fulfill the Great Commission [8:4; 1:8]…they scattered!
Some lessons learned… 1. It is not the preacher’s job to make the message of God’s Word “acceptable,” but to make it available. 2. God can do extraordinary things with ordinary people. 3. You cannot always judge the effectiveness of your witness by immediate results. 4. There is always more to what goes on than meets the eye.
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
One for All Acts 10 [Read the Sermon: Acts 10:34—43] I.
THE SERMON AND THE SETTING A. An Equal Opportunity God [vv.34,35] 1. How Peter reached this conclusion [10:1—23] i. Notice how God was working on both ends of the situation—the soulwinner and the sinner. ii. Notice also how God communicated with Peter by starting with the very thing that was foremost on the preacher’s mind at the time—food. 2. How we can apply Peter’s lesson today. i. There is no room in the church of Jesus Christ for “racial profiling.” [Romans 10:12—15] ii. There is no room in the church for social elitism. [Galatians 3:26—29] a. There is an influence on the church today that says a congregation needs to identify the type of person they are best equipped to reach – professional or blue collar, etc. – and tailor their ministry specifically to that segment of society. b. While it is common for individual congregations to develop a particular personality, dictated by such things as location, style of worship, personality of the pastor, etc… the fact remains that we are to preach the gospel to every person, regardless of age, sex, color, or economic status. B. It Is All About Jesus. [vv.36—43] 1. Have you noticed a trend here? i. On Pentecost…Peter preached JESUS ii. Stephen preached JESUS iii. And now before the members of Cornelius’ household, Peter preaches JESUS. 2. The ministry of both the Old Testament prophets AND the New Testament apostles were all about Jesus [vv.41—43]… i. The Prophets anticipated Him. ii. The Apostles witnessed His life, death and resurrection. II. THE RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS [vv.44—48] A. God Interrupts Peter’s Sermon 1. Peter was still preaching when God made His move. What an awesome thing! To have God stop down a sermon in order to save souls.
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2. The Jewish believers were astonished by the outcome…but they were not angry. They did not allow their prejudices to stand in the way of what God wanted to do in their church. B. Theological implications of this event: 1. Peter had been given the “keys” to open the gospel by none other than Jesus Christ Himself. [Mt.16:13—19] This is the third and final time Peter uses the “keys.” i. He used it to open the gospel to the Jews in Acts 2. ii. He used it to open the gospel to the Samaritans in Acts 8. iii. Now he opens the gospel to the Gentiles. 2. Remember, this is a transitional time. The church and her ministry is still being established and formed. 3. The people spoke with tongues upon receiving the Spirit. This was proof positive to the apostles that they had indeed received the gift of the Holy Spirit. 4. This is not a proof-text. It does not “prove” that speaking in tongues is the one clear of indicator of Holy Spirit filling. The things that were happening in the early chapters of Acts, like many of the things that happened in the gospels, would never be repeated. 5. There are some indicators of a Spirit-filled life, however… i. Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” ii. Galatians 5:22-24 (NKJV) 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Lessons we should learn… 1. There is no room for favoritism, racism, sexism, or elitism in the church of Jesus Christ. 2. It is all about Jesus Christ—“to Him be glory in the church.” 3. We should never be so caught up in our singing, preaching, praying, etc that God couldn’t interrupt us if He wanted to. (See lesson 2.) 4. When the Holy Spirit invades a life, He makes His presence felt…and known…and Christ is glorified. (See lesson 2.)
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
The Unknown God Revealed Acts 17:15—34 [Read the Sermon: Acts 10:34—43] I.
THE SETTING [vv.15—21] C. The City of Athens 1. Had at one time been the “center” of the civilized world. 2. Though it was in decline by this time, it was still considered the world’s most important center for culture and education. 3. Wiersbeiii calls their form of religion a “cultured paganism.” i. “The Greek religion was a mere deification of human attributes and the powers of nature.” –Conybeare and Howson, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul ii. Greek myths had gods and goddesses that had rivalries, ambitions, and behavior that were more like humans than gods. iii. Paul recognized this as nothing more than idolatry, which is demonic [1 Corinthians 10:14—23] 4. The Athenians were devoted to philosophy. This was the world affected by Socrates and Aristotle and many other thinkers, whose works are still studied in every university in the world today. Paul had to oppose two philosophies: the Epicureans and the Stoics: i. Epicureanism – “A philosophy advanced by Epicurus that considered happiness, or the avoidance of pain and emotional disturbance, to be the highest good and that advocated the pursuit of pleasures that can be enjoyed in moderation.” Epicureans pursued pleasure and loved fine living. Think that philosophy is found in America today? ii. Stoicism – Stoics were Pantheists, they believed “God is everything and everything is God.” They also sought to maintain indifference to pain or pleasure, contending that pleasure was not necessarily good and pain was not inherently evil, that ultimately both were nothing. iii. Epicureans said, “Enjoy life!” Stoics said, “Endure life.” D. Paul Preached to Jews and Gentiles… 1. To the Jews in the Synagogue. 2. He was taken by the Greeks to Areopagus, the highest seat of legislative and judicial authority in Athens. II. THE SERMON E. God is the Creator, not the Created [vv.22—29] 1. The Greeks had created their own deities. They were made of stone, silver, gold, etc. But just in case they missed one, they had a monument to “The Unknown God.” 2. Paul attacked both Pantheism and the idea of many deities. 19
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3. Wiersbeiv points out that every person struggles with three questions. i. Where did I come from? ii. Why am I here? iii. Where am I going? iv. Science tries to answer the first; philosophy wrestles with the second; religion takes a stab at the third. Only Christianity adequately answers all three. 4. Paul pointed out the self-sufficiency of God [v.25]. We talk about “serving God,” but it is really God Who serves us. We are the needy ones. We need Him, not vice versa. When I serve God I do a service to myself, because I fulfill my purpose in this world, I find true meaning in my life. If God is Creator and Sustainer of everything, it follows that we are all accountable to Him [vv.30, 31] 1. God is patient and longsuffering [v.30] 2. Repentance and faith are the only antidotes for unrighteousness [v.31] 3. It is the Risen Christ Who will judge all people. THE RESPONSE [vv.32—34] Some mocked. There will always be those who mock the gospel and those who preach it. Some needed to hear more. For many, the seed has to be planted and the soil cultivated before faith will spring up in the heart. Some believed.
Athens would have been an intimidating place to preach the gospel. The people there were thinkers. They were educated, intelligent, accustomed to debate, not to mention, deeply indoctrinated. 1 Corinthians 1:26- 31 (NKJV) 26For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
How can we confidently share the gospel in intimidating circumstances? 1. CONTEXT: Be informed. Understand your audience and where they are coming from. 2. CONTENT: Be prepared. Know what you believe and why. Become a Bible student. 3. CONFIDENCE: Be established in your own faith and then trust God to guide and empower you.
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The Magnificent Seven Seven Great Sermons Recorded in the New Testament
Not Crazy, Just Converted Acts 26 I. J.
K. L. M.
N. O. II. P.
THE SETTING –How Paul got to this place He Was warned not to go to Jerusalem [21:10—13] 1. Some see the trouble Paul got into, trouble that ultimately cost him his life, as the direct result of disobedience to the Holy Spirit. 2. But I view Agabus’ prophetic statement more as a warning than a prohibition. 3. Paul felt it important to go to Jerusalem regardless of the consequences. 4. We need to resist the notion that the way to tell if a thing is God’s will or not is by how well it goes or how easy the road taken proves to be. Doing the Lord’s will and work is often perilous. He was seized in the temple by the Jews and rescued by the Romans [21:27—33] Paul defends himself before the Sanhedrin and is saved from a conspiracy to kill him[23:1—22] Paul testifies before Felix several times and is kept imprisoned in Caesarea for two years [24:24—27] 1. Felix resisted the conviction of his own heart, waiting for a “more convenient season.” 2. Felix’ thirst for money was greater than his desire to know the truth or the one, true God. Festus replaces Felix and tries to appease the Jews, but Paul appeals to Caesar [25:9—12] Festus’ quandary: what to say to Caesar about why Paul was being sent in the first place. So, Festus seeks Agrippa’s help. [25:24—27] THE SERMON [Acts 26] Paul’s Personal testimony 1. His Credentials [vv.1—5] i. His history was well-known to his contemporaries – and even to his accusers. ii. He was a deeply committed Pharisee. 2. His Crimes [vv.6—11] i. He confessed that he, too, had once been vehemently opposed to Christ and Christianity. ii. He personally sought out and imprisoned Christians and consented to their being murdered in some cases. 3. His Conversion [vv.12—15] i. This was Paul’s first person-to-person encounter with Jesus Christ. ii. He was ready to make Him Lord of his own life right then and there. [v.15] 4. His Calling [vv.16—20] 21
i. Paul would become the messenger of the very One he had opposed. ii. He would preach the gospel and be instrumental in turning men and women from darkness to light, from Satan to God. 5. His Capture [v.21] 6. His Commitment [vv.22,23] i. He did not use the fact that he had been spared thus far as a convenient sign to just keep quiet. ii. He used even his incarceration and imprisonment as platforms to preach Christ. 7. His Conclusion [vv.24—32] i. Debate wasn’t Paul’s passion. ii. His passion was souls. Some questions to ponder… 1. Would I go where I felt God was leading me even if I knew it meant I would face terrible hardship? 2. Would I hold my ground and still confess my faith even if it could cost me everything? 3. What is my passion? i
Exploring the Gospel of John, John Phillips Commentary Series, by John Phillips, 2001, Kregel Publishers ii Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament, by Warren Wiersbe, Victor Publishers, 1992 iii Ibid. iv Ibid.
©2007 by D. Gene Strother
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