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they luncheon following the service this morning all are invited and encouraged to stick around for that so after the sermon I'll pray and then we'll thank the Lord for the food and then everybody's invited to go upstairs for some food and fellowship and then just a reminder there will be no Wednesday night Bible study this Wednesday evening June 27th God willing the following Wednesday we will repeat reconvene well for our call to worship this morning you can turn in your Bibles to Isaiah the prophet chapter 55 Isaiah chapter 55 I'll begin reading in verse 1 ho everyone who thirsts come to the waters and you who have no money come by and eat yes come buy wine and milk without money and without price why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance incline your ear and come to me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you the shore mercies of David indeed I have given him as a witness to the people a leader and commander for the people surely you shall call a nation you do not know and nations who do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel for he has glorified you seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon for my thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways my ways says the Lord for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Amen well a good way to begin the worship of our Great God on this Lord's Day Sabbath certainly our God is full of grace and mercy and kindness and we see that through this invitation made by the prophet Isaiah to come over and over again our Lord God calls us to come to him and that's a most blessed and a wonderful thing that he does well please take you our Trinity Salter the red Trinity Salter and turn to Psalm 103 Psalm 103 will sing the first 13 verses to a familiar tune please [Music] let us pray our God and our Father it's a glorious time for us to come into the presence of the great and the true and the Living God you are indeed God Most High the Scriptures tell us so many wonderful and glorious things about you - our Father Son and Holy Spirit that you are everlasting from everlasting to everlasting that you are infinite eternal and unchangeable you are the god who made the world the God who governs the world and the God who has redeemed his elect out of the world and in this we greatly rejoice certainly as the heavens declare your majesty in your righteousness in your glory that empty tomb displays for us the mercy and the Grace and the kindness that is in our God certainly as we've just sang you are God who pities his children a God who is merciful and kind a God who sent his son into this world to live in obedience to the law to die as a sacrifice and a substitute on the cross and to be raised the third day and how we praise you that you did this because you were saving your people from their sins we know we're not accepted with you because of our good deeds were not accepted because of art law keeping or because of our merit but we are accepted because of the great and glorious gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord that one who came and took on our humanity that one who lived in obedience to that law and that one who went to the cross on our behalf truly you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him and how we thank you and how we praise you for that forgiveness of sins how we praise you and thank you for giving us that righteousness that does avail with God and how we thank you and praise you for these Lord's Day Sabbath's where we can gather together we get to come out of the world and into the presence of God and where we as your people get to sing your praises to call upon you in prayer and to hear from word and we pray that as we gather for this glad our God would be all-in-all she would be enthroned upon the praises of your people here and that you would grant us the grace to come to you in fear and with great joy caused us to reflect upon what a holy and a glorious God you are and may that promote in us and produce in us that that fear of God may we as well appreciate that you are indeed glorious and wondrous and may it be the case that our hearts would swell with with joy because you have saved us you've not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded US according to our transgression you have cast our iniquities into the depths of the sea and in this we greatly rejoice and our father even now as we come before you as we consider your your holiness we see our own waywardness our own sin and transgression and we confess our sins to you now the psalmist said if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and in this we greatly rejoice so we confess our transgression of your law we confess our lack of conformity unto it not only the sins of commission but those sins of omission and we would pray for cleansing in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray for any and all who have come here this morning that are still dead in their trespasses and sins we don't appeal to them and their free will we don't appeal to them with moral moral Reformation but we appeal to the sovereign God of heaven and earth who makes men willing in the day of his power we pray that you would have mercy that you would bring the conviction for sin and set forth the glory in the excellency of our Lord Jesus Christ before sinners today we would pray that today would be the day of salvation this would be the day where sinners are called out of darkness in the marvelous light to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we pray that for our gathering together here we pray that for other churches here in Chilliwack and throughout this nation we pray that your word would run swiftly and be glorified we pray that throughout the earth that you would cause your face to shine upon the nation's we know that you have purposed to save from every drive and every tongue in every people in nation so we pray that you'd send forth your glorious word and we have the shore promise from the prophet Isaiah that that word does not return unto you void it always accomplishes the purpose for which you sent it and we pray that it would indeed accomplish salvation and the hearts of sinners we ask our Father that you would look with favor upon this congregation be with those who are unable to be with us this morning we pray for our brother dawn we rejoice that a brother Shane can be with us here this morning and we pray for our brother cam she would bless him as he preaches the word in Vernon we thank you for this work of believers that want to start a good church we pray God that you would be in this that your spirit would guide them that he would lead them that he would direct them and that you would bless pastor cam as he preaches to them this morning and evening may you do great and glorious things for your namesake in that part of the world and be with the Brethren and Surrey we thank you for that church we thank you for pastor Kirkpatrick and we would ask God that they would know the nearness of God as their good today and that you would be pleased to save sinners there and Lord we do pray for the persecuted church as we did in the last hour we're mindful and conscious of the fact that we enjoy a great deal of Liberty in this country we know that our brothers and sisters do not in various countries of the earth and so we pray that you would be merciful to your people you would grant grace for them to press on in the midst of trial and affliction grant them grace to not shrink back from declaring the whole counsel of God in the midst of persecution and may you grant them grace to grow and to thrive and to flourish and may you indeed save sinners in these countries by your grace and for your glory be merciful in the spread of the gospel do great and wondrous things for your name's sake and fill your churches with blood-bought children of God and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me again or not again but in the Trinity have know the larger hymnal - number 324 hymn number 324 will stand as we sing praise to God together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel according to Luke we're in Luke chapter 14 Luke chapter 14 I'll begin reading in verse 1 now it happened as he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath that they watched him closely and behold there was a certain man before him who had dropsy and Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees saying is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath but they kept silent and he took him and healed him and let him go then he answered them saying which of you having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day and they could not answer him regarding these things so he told a parable to those who were invited when he noted how they chose the best places saying to them when you are when you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast do not sit down in the best place lest one more honourable than you be invited by him and he who invited you and him and he who invited you and him come and say to you give place to this man and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place but when you are invited go and sit down in the lowest place so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you friend go up higher then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you for whoever exalts himself will be humbled and he'll umbels himself will be exalted then he also said to him who invited him when you give us a dinner or a supper do not ask your friends your brother's your relatives nor rich neighbors lest they also invite you back and you be repaid but when you give a feast invite the poor the maimed the lame the blind and you will be blessed because they cannot pay you for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just now when one of those who sat at the with him heard these things he said to him blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God and he said to him a certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent to servant at supper time to say to those who were invited come for all things are now ready they all with one Accord began to make excuses the first said to him I have bought a piece of ground and I must go and see it I ask you to have me excused and another sad I have bought five yoke of oxen and I'm going to test them I ask you to have me excused still another sad I have married a wife and therefore I cannot calm so that servant came and reported these things to his master and the master of the house being angry said to his servant go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind and the servant said master it is done as you commanded and there is still and still there is room and the master said to the servant go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to command that my house may be filled where I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper now great multitudes went with him and he turned and said to them if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother wife and children brothers and sisters yes and his own life also he cannot be my disciple and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple for which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it lest after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock in saying this man began to build and was not able to finish or what King going to make war against another king does not sit down first and consider whether is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand or else while the other is still a great way off he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace so likewise whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple salt is good but if the salt has lost its flavor how shall it be seasoned it is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill what man throw it out he who has ears to hear let him hear amen well our Lord Jesus essentially imitates what we read in the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 55 were God through the prophet del sinners to come to him and that is precisely the emphasis here in chapter 14 and verses 9:15 to 24 I think the redemptive thrust is essentially this the Messiah comes to the Jews and the Jews reject him and so the the father of the Messiah says or the father of the servant says go and bid the Gentiles tell all sinners everywhere to come unto the Lord Jesus Christ that is the emphasis that we see in verses 15 to 24 now that it doesn't mean to the exclusion of Jews we see Jews saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ but the promise to Abraham always included men from every tribe tongue people and nation and Jesus Christ is Messiah to Gentiles as well and then Christ sets forth the terms of discipleship now on the one hand we are told to come to Jesus as yoke as easy as burden is light on the other hand Jesus tells us not on the other hand in contrast but just another portion of data where Jesus tells us to take up our cross daily and follow him I think the emphasis is simple we come to Jesus Christ and he has our allegiance I don't think we need to you know read a whole lot more into it we need to go out we need to be persecuted we need know we need to be faithful ready to bear up under persecution should that come to us but bearing the cross as Jesus calls us to do in terms of discipleship some call it radical discipleship I simply see one type of discipleship in Scripture follow Jesus don't ask questions don't try to debate don't try to refute don't try to sort of redefine what the Word of God says but rather follow him this is indicative of the armies of the lamb in Revelation chapter 14 it says they follow the lamb wherever he goes that's discipleship and Christ sizes.that here and christ as well calls people to count the cost that'll words don't make sort of a rash decision to follow Jesus and I'm speaking in terms of the the man word responds to the grace of God but really consider what discipleship to Christ looks like and rather whether or not you're willing to take on that yoke and whether whether you're willing or not to follow him that's the emphasis here don't be like that man who starts to build a structure and he can't complete it you'll be a laughingstock to other structure builders don't be like that man who got gathers an army and is out gone the moment they see the enemy no rather you need to listen to what the scripture says you need to take to heart what it is to follow Jesus and may I just encourage you follow Jesus because whatever he calls us to in terms of discipleship we have him with us the psalmist said yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil why because I mean because I'm ready because I'm strong no because thou art with me and that's such a confession of faith though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death darkness he doesn't think that he's going to be sucked in he doesn't think that he's going to be finished he know he's he knows he's walking through that discipleship with reference to Jesus Christ is the best and most glorious thing that this world has to offer so yes count the cost and see that if you reject and you resist you'll always be the loser but to come to Christ by the grace of God means salvation it means forgiveness it means justification it means ultimately glorification the people of God are heaven bound because of what Christ has accomplished and I'd like to think that that thought would make us a little more smiley from time to time we are heading to glory world without end with the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit certainly whatever this world throws at us for 80 or 90 years is worth it isn't it sometimes you look at believers and I admit I'm one of them I don't walk around with a naturally big smile on my face and I think people probably think that guy is kind of weird that there's a hope in the heart of every God or blood-bought children of God we're going to be with Christ Jesus our Lord forever and ever and the Bible says we shall see him as he is if you are not a believer this morning may I encourage you not only listen to what Jesus says here in Luke 14 not only listen to what the prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 55 but what we're gonna look at this morning in Acts chapter two in terms of the response to Peters sermon on the day of Pentecost well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for your graciousness that comes out so conspicuously through your word we reject that notion that the Old Testament is filled with wrath and death and judgment and bloom we see it full of a God of mercy and kindness and compassion the same God as we see revealed in the New Testament Father Son and Holy Spirit one true and living God one true and living God that has revealed himself as gracious to save sinners by his son the Lord Jesus Christ and in this we greatly rejoice and we pray in his most blessed name amen well for our final hymn before we look at God's Word in more detail you may turn to 295 hymn number 295 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts we're in Acts chapter 2 we have over the last several weeks considered Peters sermon on the day of Pentecost remember the Spirit comes in a mighty way according to verses 1 to 4 in Acts chapter 2 the persons that were there in Jerusalem responded in various ways in verse 13 some mocked or others mocked said a mocking said they are full of new wine so Peter takes that particular occasion to stand up and say no they are not filled with new or sweet wine rather this is what the Prophet Joel had spoken Joel chapter 2 verses 28 to 32 Peter quotes that and shows that this is indeed the fulfillment of that on the heels of that or toward the end of that verse 21 it says and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved again that's from the Prophet Joel now Peter goes on to describe who that Lord is it is Jesus Christ and in verses 22 to 36 he preaches a sermon and then in verses 37 to 40 he calls them to repentance and then this morning will take up their response to Peter's sermon in verses 41 to 47 but I do want to begin reading at verse 29 just to set us in the larger context men and brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he's both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne he forced seeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see and hear for David did not ascend into the heavens but he says himself the Lord said to my lord sit at my right hand till they make your enemies your footstool therefore all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do and Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call and with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be saved from this perverse generation then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about three thousand souls were added to them and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need so continuing daily with one Accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved a man let us ask God's blessing as we look to his word father thank you for the written word thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ and his ministry as it's so clearly outlined in acts 2 and we thank you for the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and we acknowledge our need and our dependence upon him now our minds are darkened by sin and remaining sin our minds or hearts or oftentimes rebellious to you we pray that you would subdue us that you would forgive us and that you would grant us the Grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine minds and illumine hearts and encourage us as we consider this wonderful response to Peter's sermon and we ask this in the name and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ amen well in many ways this is a model not only a model sermon but in the response to the sermon this is the kind of stuff that preachers pray for what Peter preaches here and then he exhorts them in terms of that call to repentance and then the response on the part of the hearers remember last Sunday night we read the prophet Jonah and in Jonah chapter 4 Jonah's upset with God because God saved or spared the Ninevites Jonah was probably the only man in history that got upset with God who displayed his mercy and His grace and his kindness most preachers want the sorts of results that are seen here but it's not a result that man can manufacture we leave the results as it were up to God and we see God's hand all throughout this particular passage Peter preaches concerning the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ his true humanity according to verse 22 his predetermined death according to verse 23 his resurrection from the dead verses 24 to 32 his exaltation to the right hand of the Father is his current session in verses 33 to 36 and on the heels of that these men cry out men and brethren what shall we do and Peter points them to Christ repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and then he highlights the scope the glorious scope of God's grace when he says for the promises to you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call the beautiful presentation of gospel truth the beautiful presentation of a call to repentance and now we'll pick up to see this beautiful response on the part of the people here by the grace of God I want to notice two things first the power of the gospel in verse 41 and then secondly the practice of the church in verses 42 to 47 but no first with reference to the power of the gospel they gladly received the word verse 41 it says then those who gladly received his word how do we know they gladly received his word because they believed that word according to verse 44 because they repented according to verse 38 and because they obeyed according to verse 41 which we'll see that in just a moment notice their obedience here in verse 41 then those who gladly received his word were baptized now that is a demonstration of or a manifestation of obedience to Christ now it's not baptism in order to be saved rather a glad reception of the word those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ those who by the grace of God repent from their sins those are the ones who are saved and one of the first acts of having been saved is to obey Jesus and be baptized in fact this section follows very closely the great commission that we saw in Matthew chapter 28 remember Jesus in Matthew 28:18 2:20 he says all authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me he says go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always to the end of the age that's what's happening here they make disciples through the preaching of the gospel these men believe the gospel they repent from their sins their disciples they are then baptized by the apostles and added to the church and then they are taught all things that the Lord had commanded they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine we see closely followed in Acts chapter 2 what our Lord commanded the Apostles to do in Matthew chapter 28 this is what the church is supposed to be about and I think that when we come to this particular passage it is prescriptive now I'm jumping sort of back to the other side I've said many of the things that we see in the book of Acts are a description in other words when we see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit verses 1 to 4 and we see these people these disciples speaking in other languages that's a description of what took place it's not necessarily a priest of what believers ought to be seeking out now however when we come to this this is normative church conduct so what is described here in terms of the church in their life is prescription in other words it's what we ought to look like in terms of being God's people but notice very specifically what happens then those who gladly received his word were baptized the baptism was the external sign of the internal reality in other words they had been forgiven of their sins they had received the Holy Spirit and as a result they are now baptized now I just want to make a quick statement here about the beauty of what's called expository preaching expository preaching is when a preacher takes a book of the Bible and he goes through that book of the Bible it hopefully protects the people of God from his hobbyhorses or from his sort of pet peeves or from his sort of things that he's just out to try and you know change in the world the man takes a particular book of the Bible he preaches through that book of the Bible the chip sort of fall where they may I say all that to simply say this I want to highlight why this tax does not teach infant baptism if you hold the infant baptism I do not have a personal ax to grind against you if you go into my study I have a lot of books by man who held two infant baptism i esteem my paedo Baptist brethren very highly I love them and I respect them however here I think they're wrong and I think as a Baptist Church we need to understand this particular section because verse 39 functions as sort of a slogan tax for what's called infant or paedo baptism notice in verse 39 for the promises to you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call since the children are included here in terms of the promise when we get to verse 41 the logic goes then those who gladly received his word were baptized along with their children now I reject that particular interpretation for various reasons first baptism in the context is conditioned upon repentance and faith baptism in this particular context is conditioned upon repentance and faith notice in verse 38 repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins repent and then be baptized as well throughout the book of Acts baptism is conditioned upon faith notice in acts 812 acts 812 we read but then or when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ both men and women were baptized note the specific order they believed they were baptized even the interesting case well verse 13 then Simon himself was also believed and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and was a may sing the miracles and signs which were done and then notice this particular account this is a very intriguing one this Simon the sorcerer he ends up saying to Peter give me the gift of the Holy Spirit I want to dazzle I want to you know do the razzmatazz and Peter rebukes him of course now this simply highlights the reality that we baptize based on a credible profession of faith whatever Simon did he at least evidence to Peter that he had believed the gospel so on the basis of that Peter baptizes here sometimes Baptists are accused well you couldn't baptize anybody then because you don't know the hearts we don't know the hearts that's why we speak of a credible profession of faith we can't ever appear in infallibly to see who actually is saved and who is it but the Bible shows us in this particular case very seriously and interestingly that men profess and they are baptized and if they give evidence that they are not believers then church discipline is taken or enacted upon them and then note that famous passage with reference to the Ethiopian eunuch in acts 8:36 and now or now as they went down the road they came to some water and the eunuch said see here is water what hinders me from being baptized then Philip said if you believe with all your heart you may and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God so he commanded the chariot to stand still and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and he baptized him Acts 10 for seven acts 10:47 then Peter answered can anyone forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord then they asked him to stay a few days I would point out as well that these particular narrative portions in the book of Acts also follow closely the Great Commission make disciples baptize those disciples and then teach those disciples so with reference to acts 2:41 baptism is conditioned upon repentance and faith now I'm not suggesting that somebody has it in them to repent and believe in and of themselves we know that these were dead sinners we know that they were miserable like everybody else and we know that it's God who makes alive sinners by his powerful grace it is God who gives the graces the faith the gifts of faith and repentance so he gives the very gift that we bring to the table and then he justifies us freely by His grace so I'm not suggesting this is a work of man you repent you be you believe and then God will reward you with salvation of baptism no it's all of God from first to last but in terms of baptism it is condition here based on repentance and faith notice as well that baptism is an external sign of an internal change that's the emphasis in verse 38 repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins that the scripture does not teach baptismal regeneration its regeneration by the power of the Holy Spirit by the the effectual 'ti of God Most High it is something that we see is wrought out by Father Son and Holy Spirit the argument is is that when God saves a sinner that sinner now obeys God again not for his salvation but because he's been saved he obeys and goes into that water of baptism which is an external sign of the internal change wrought upon him and the same thing is true here as well when we come to this statement in verse 39 for the promises you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call I maintain that the purpose of verse 39 is to full one it's to highlight the scope of God's grace the promise is to you Jerusalem sinners crucifiers of the Lord of glory you say well you can't say that bastard Butler petered us in verses 23 and 36 he doesn't let them weasel out of the reality that they had murdered the man that was come to save them so these are Jerusalem sinners a particularly notorious lot and yet Peter says the promise is for you he goes on to say and for your children again I think it's clear from Matthew 27 25 when Pilate is trying to shift responsibility for the blood of Jesus Christ these Jerusalem centers say let his blood be upon us and our children it's intriguing that to this same audience about 40 plus days later Peter says it's not only for you but it's also for your children those you implicated in that particular plea before Pilate let me goes on to say and as many as are who are as afar off sin about Gentiles but the crucial modifying phrase comes at the end as many as the Lord our God will call now we don't just go and discriminately baptized Gentiles all who are afar off and neither should we just indiscriminately baptize infants I'm not saying they're Gentiles I'm not putting them down I'm simply saying this modifying phrase is crucial as many as the Lord our God will call who are those who God calls they are those who by the grace of God believe when they hear gospel preaching they repent when they are told to repent by the Apostle Peter they are those who gladly receive the word and they are those who baptized in obedience to that word as well I think the practice of paedo baptism ultimately rests on this unfortunate assumption that we asked Abraham who is to be baptized rather than asking Jesus I think that's a faulty of approach to covenant theology I'm not suggesting we reject Abraham but I am suggesting that later revelation subsequent to Abraham ought to inform our understanding of a new covenant ordinance especially when Jesus is the lord and mediator of that covenant in other words we come to Jesus and ask him who then should be baptized and we let an answer that's not a neglect of covenant theology particular Baptists hold to a robust covenant theology but it's to understand the contours of governor the ology in its redemptive historical outflow and then the argument that circumcision and baptism are seals of the same covenant you'll hear that baptism has replaced circumcision they both point to the same thing well then why in the world would these little ones need to be baptized if they already had the sign of the Covenant if they already had it in their circumcised nests why in the world what they need to be baptized our particular Baptist forefather Nehemiah Cox made this observation if circumcision in Baptism have the same use and our seals of the same covenant I can hardly imagine how the application of both to the same subjects should at any time be proper yet we find those that were circumcised in their infancy were also baptized on the profession of faith and repentance even before circumcision was abrogated in other words why why baptize them if they bear in their body already the sign of the covenant of grace what's going on the Abrahamic covenant is not strictly covenant of grace you had to be circumcised in order to stay in the land you had to fulfill external conditions in order to reap the benefits that's not the covenant of grace what's the covenant of grace God accepts us God brings us in God forgives God bestows on us a righteousness that avails with him only for the righteousness of Jesus Christ or it's a covenant of grace is not conditional for us in the sense that do and you will live rather it's conditional on the part of Christ the covenant of grace Brethren good news is a covenant of works kept for us by Jesus we are accepted in the beloved we are freely given these benefits in the beloved you cannot say that strictly about the Abrahamic covenant membership in the in the Commonwealth of Israel well it's defined by and large by your external attachment visa vie circumcision so it's not a strict covenant of grace and I don't think it ought to be treated that way and if you want to go out and blog about me now you'd go right ahead that guy's way off I know this is an old discussion but I do think as Baptists Reformed Baptist particular Baptist we ought to be aware of what's happening in this particular passage I think it's always good to ask the question - especially in attacks like first Corinthians 7:14 is baptism even in the purview of the Apostle in 1st Corinthians 7:14 I would argue no it is here so it's important for us to understand why and it's important for us to understand what's happening they are those who gladly receive his word and they're baptized I don't know what better indicates or illustrates new covenant membership or the the specific you know definition of New Covenant membership than a passage like this and again with the backdrop of Jeremiah 31 Jeremiah 31 is an Old Covenant prophet prophesying about new covenant inclusion and he says I will make a covenant with them that I not like the one I made before which they broke the one that I make with the house of Judah the house of Israel they can't break it and I'll write my law on their hearts I'll give them the forgiveness of sins they they shall all know the Lord and lo and behold we get to the book of Acts we ask the question is New Covenant membership legitimate or consistent rather with what we find in Jeremiah 31 and it is a beautiful thing it's a wonderful thing again I love you if you're paid o Baptist but I think that in this particular instance maybe this isn't the best proof text notice as well the growth of the church in 41b then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about three thousand souls were added to them again isn't that just an amazing thing any of you ever read Whitfield or you read about the the revivals in the eighteen hundred's men that went and preached Whitfield would go and he preached the coal miners and it says that they would come out of coal mines and they would have these white streaks down their blackened faces because they were weeping as as Whitfield was preaching to them concerning sin and righteousness and Jesus and and the salvation that God gives I mean you read those accounts and they're just amazing or Edwards and you know people basically flipping out and falling around because he's preaching sinners in the hands of an angry god and him exhorting people not to do that sort of thing no excess no charismatic acts no no fanaticism but you read these accounts of God of men that God have used in the past and it's glorious what happens on the day of Pentecost look what happens with Jerusalem sinners the very murderers of Jesus Christ and that verb is passive they were added they didn't add themselves they didn't put themselves in the sphere of God's Redemption they weren't the ones that took the initiative and said hey Peter we want to join the church they were added it points to the sovereignty of God's grace as does verse 39 as many as the Lord our God will call verse 47 and the Lord added to them daily the add to them daily those who were being saved what's the underlying emphasis and all of this it's not a revivalism it's not an attempt to manipulate man it's not an attempt to create an environment where the sinner feels sort of converged upon that he gives his heart to Jesus no we preach the truth and we trust that God will bless that's it I have a point of application I'll go ahead and give it to you now the key to church growth you don't hear it as much anymore but at least and you know a decade ago I'm sure it's just so part of the the warp and the woof of the church today we don't hear about it because it's in that the church growth movement how do we make our churches bigger how do we get more people how do we fill the pews how do we how do we how do we I got a zany response let's follow Peters lead preach Christ and him crucified and trust God to put people in the seats see that doesn't sell books acts - I mean it's so acts - it's just so old I mean come on Peter this is a social media age we have twitter we have Instagram we have Facebook certainly you can't think that a man can stand before other man and preach the gospel and the church will actually move forward yeah I can believe that who would have thought in this particular instance whom you crucified verses 23 and 36 Jerusalem sinners that that forty fifty days prior sent away with him away with him crucify him brethren this would be the last place you would ever go this to start your church growth program wouldn't it the very city that murdered Jesus Christ I mean isn't this intriguing they'd go to Jerusalem why because they were commanded to you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem Judea Samaria and to the ends of the earth I got to tell you if I was one of the early apostles and I hadn't had that command from the Lord Jesus I doubt I'd pick Jerusalem I mean they just crucified the very Lord that I'm going to preach why in the world would I think they're gonna do anything better to me when I preach that self same Lord but Jesus commanded go to Jerusalem and they did and Peter preaches notice there's no altar call there's no every head bowed every eye closed every hand raised there's no signing a card there's no coming forward there's none of that there is that dastardly word that we don't like anymore repent oh if you tell a man to repent he's gonna be offended because it almost sounds like he's done something wrong oh he's absolutely done everything wrong and that's why by the grace of God he needs to repent he needs to believe the gospel he needs to look and live he needs to come to Jesus if you're thinking here for a moment that that word repent is somehow offensive and it means a pastor Butler thinks you're a sinner rest assured pastor Butler does think you're a sinner and he knows that you need to repent and that he knows that you need to come to Jesus you need to stop looking at your works you need to quit looking at your moral accomplishments you need to quit trying to reform yourself well I'll just stop looking at porn for a week or I'll just stop doing this for a week or I'll try to fix up my act for for a week and and then everything will be fine no you need a radical revolution and that comes by the power of the Holy Spirit you need the grace of God to look and live at the Lord Jesus Christ that's what you need and that's what Peter emphasizes he doesn't play games he doesn't engage in any self-help there's no therapeutic moralistic deism taught by Peter the Apostle here's who Christ is and here's your response and what happens 3,000 Souls 3,000 persons 3,000 human beings are saved and in one sermon now Souls there means the whole body it's like we say today there were 260 souls on that Blaine that means humans and that's how Peters using it in this particular instance they weren't disembodied they weren't just sort of fluttering about they were human beings that were held bound and on this day God saved them they were human beings that had crucified the Lord of glory they were human beings that had set away with in a way with him crucify them if you think for a moment here this morning that I'm too sinful to be saved study Jerusalem sinners look at what happens to those who actually away with him away with him - concerning the Lord Jesus Christ he saves them it's the thing we have to understand about our God and this is something we need to reorient our minds with God is gracious he abounds in it you know I still meet with that that approach to say for instance the Old Testament you know it goes just so it's just so bad I think I've told you before when I go to the old folks home and I I mentioned okay we're gonna look at judges there was this old lady one of the older ladies is this old lady that sounds pretty unkind she's a dear old sow a dear old doll but when I mentioned judges for instance she kind of roller hi it's like come on there's nothing in judges that that would interest in a an older lady like me we're in the New Covenant this is about Jesus you know what judges is about Jesus Jesus saving so judges is all about who the prophet Micah is about it's about God's forgiveness you know what the prophets as a whole are about your wretched God's holy but there's grace and mercy to be had I think that's a great summary statement concerning all of the profits because they all follow that trajectory profit comes in the name of God serves as a prosecuting attorney and tells the people their problems I mean you read the first sections of most of the profits you go man these guys are messed up what typically happens toward the end of the particular prophecy nevertheless God will receive you God will be merciful God will heal you God will plant you in the land in fact in Jeremiah 32 that's a particular prophecy written when the people of Israel the the Judah heights are in captivity and what's God tell them I will rejoice over you to do you good I will plant you in the land with all my soul that prophetic word given in Isaiah the prophet 9 6 and 7 we typically only think about that text and in December especially around 25 it's that text concerning the king and his kingdom what's the end of verse 7 say for the zeal of Yahweh of hosts shall perform this you see our God doesn't just miserly or in a miserly way and begrudgingly just a portion out a little bit of grace here and there he says to the through the Prophet I say o everyone who thirsts come you don't have money come by and eat you don't have anything to bring that then come because God will give you what you need this is why the prophet Isaiah says and it goes along with that whole issue of discipleship in Luke 14 why do you spend your money on that which does not satisfy why is it that you're wasting your money and resources your energy your time your talents whatever it is on something that does not satisfy he says come to me and let your soul find abundance it's consistent with what Jesus said I came that they might have life and and they might have it abundantly you see if you have this conception of God that he's in ebenezer scrooge and he only apportions out just a little bit of grace to a certain fuel you've got a wrong view of God God is the father in the story of the prodigal son imagine if you and I live next comer to that father let's just imagine it you happen to hear the argument you happen to hear the son say father give me my share of the loot I want to go out and I want to live you know you're one of those nosy neighbors or maybe the you know houses were so small and you just happen to here and you see this son treat his father in that manner what's our first order of business well he's a terrible father we can't do that in this parable because the father's God you know be wary brethren of blaming brethren who have erring wandering children oh you know if they would have done this or if they had it's easy to Monday Morning Quarterback how about we pray for them and we pity them we encourage them and we love that we bring them a casserole we say hopefully God Almighty will bring your son back but this son takes his father's loot if you think about the prodigal or you think about the story what's he saying to the father you're better to be dead than you are alive because typically we receive our inheritance after the father dies don't we so the boy goes out and he does what boys do and he's not a he's not tan he's not a boy like that the young man goes out it wastes the money what are we doing now I can't believe it he's such an idiot with his dough he should have invested he should have worked hard point of the story is he went out and he took everything his father had given him and he wasted it to the point where he's slopping the Hogs and he says man that looks good what they're eating now my dear wife slop hogs one time and I think she would tell you what they ate didn't look like it was good to eat and then he says I know I'll go back and I'll cast myself upon the mercy of my father he's not converted here uh if you think that you know he came to himself in that hog pen and that's when he was was converting and he and he saw gospel light no he's thinking like a mercenary I'll cast myself upon my father and maybe he'll treat me like one of the hired men maybe instead of you know wishing for hog food I'll at least get the the satisfaction of our days weren't and some and some food at the end of the day that's in his head that's what he's thinking that's what he's operating by so what happens when he's a long way off the father runs to him again if that were you and I we might run to him ready to you know send him on his way how dare you come back here you wasted my Luke you good-for-nothing get out of here go back to the pig go back to the pigs that's not what the father does you know the story the point of I'm trying to illustrate is that this God who says repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins this God who says in verse 41 they gladly receive the word and they were baptized this God who who so simply adds 3,000 souls to them under one sermon preached this is the father of the prodigal he runs to the boy when he's a long way off he falls on the boy when he's a long way off he kisses the boy he puts a ring on the boy's finger he says put a robe on his back and this boy stunk this boy was wretched this boy was smelly I don't think being that you know in close proximity to pigs is a good smell for most people he comes reeking of Pig and the father falls on him and kisses him if you're a sinner here this morning I don't want to hear well he won't take me because I'm so sinful that's precisely who he takes that's the good news see gospel means good news because it's good news if it was do your best try a little bit harder that's terrible news isn't it because you know what it's like to do your best and try a little harder you typically fail you know 20 seconds in if you make it 22 is probably more accurate and in the ballpark gospel says Jesus did these things Jesus lived Jesus died Jesus was raised Jesus was lifted up the way that that serpent was lifted up in the wilderness and everyone who looked to that serpent in the wilderness was healed of their malady what's Christ's point in John 3 look in faith at me and you'll be healed from your malady what's the malady it's sin it's rebellion it's trans it's a lack of conformity unto God's holy law but if we look by the grace of God to our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ what is immediately ours justification justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accept us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone in other words when you look at that Christ when you look at that one that's you're a lot you're forgiven of your sins and you receive a righteousness that avails with God why will ye die God said to the people of Israel through the prophet Ezekiel huh look repent believe I just can't imagine anything more blessed more beautiful more glorious what's Paul tell us in Romans chapter 10 who he whoever believes on him will not be disappointed you'll never come to Jesus and say man I really miss my old life I mean you've got remaining sin and you're messed up still and you got issues and their struggles I grant that Galatians 5:17 is a reality Romans 7 is the truth but when you're thinking and you're pondering it you're saying yeah I love Jesus I want Jesus I want more Jesus and you start to say well you know even if I do die that means more Jesus you ever see Paul and his response in Philippians chapter 1 it says for it to me to live is Christ and to die is gain now as Paul says that he's in a prison cell imagine you're a guard and Paul's writing and he happens to be speaking so you know what he's saying you report back to the chief guard and say I don't know what we're gonna do with him I mean he lives he has Christ we feed him to the Lions he gets more Christ I just don't know how we can punish this man Paul is on punishable because whether he lives or he dies his life is about Christ see Christ isn't a little bit of an add-on to our lives Christ isn't just a Sunday morning sort of accouterment for our lives Christ is all Christ is most high Christ is blessed Christ is the one who is worthy of our allegiance we take up our cross daily and we follow him not grudgingly most of the people of God not most all will say yeah I want to take up my cross of course I want to follow Jesus I want to go where every bits me to go and if there is any sort of duplicity in their hearts they confess it they forsake it by the grace of God they march forward Lord forgive me that there was any resistance I want to follow you don't continue to reject Christ Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost is met with three thousand conversions now notice the practice of the church we're not going to get through all of this you're starting to worry about the time we are not going to get through 42 to 47 but I certainly want to get through 42 notice and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers now this particular word continued steadfastly means get this it means to continue steadfastly that's what they did they weren't inconsistent they weren't fickle they weren't flighty they weren't here for a time and gone for a time they persisted they held fast to they continued and they persevered see Christianity coming to Jesus is what Jesus describes in Luke 14 is not simply walking up an aisle it's not simply signing a card it's not simply shooting up your hand and it's not simply identifying publicly in the waters of baptism it is discipleship it is following the Son of God it is doing what our Lord commands as I said last time baptism we can overdo it on the one hand and put too much into it be what's called a sacramental list but on the other hand we can think that it's not a command it's a suggestion and just don't feel like complying if you're a believer in Jesus Christ and you have not been baptized you are disobeying Jesus Christ embrace that confess it forsake it find mercy and find water because we'll be happy to baptize you you see Christianity is commitment to Jesus and I love that choice Lord continued steadfastly so many times people make a chauffer you know well you know I've done the prayer meeting once I remember when my kids were in Christian school praying at the flagpole was a big deal praying at the flagpole why don't you just pray in your closet every morning for the rest of your lives rather than playing pray at the flagpole fine good yeah white bread the flag ball better to pray in your closet for the rest of your life then you can pray with your friends or you can pray with your brothers do you pray with your families is there a family altar at home you see it's not just a flash in the pan it's not just a a one time they continued steadfastly in for particulars that define for us the practice of the church and this is why I suggest this is a description that is prescriptive you and I are not supposed to go out and look for the gift of tongues but you and I are supposed to continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and notice in this context what did they seem what had they witnessed they saw the fiery cloven tongues they heard the sound of a mighty rushing wind they saw disciples speaking other languages communicating to those various nations represented in Jerusalem they saw all that and guess what it is they cook they continued steadfastly in teaching doctrine doctrines offensive today the doctrine divides funny because Paul defining love in 1st Corinthians 13 tells us that a very characteristic of love instead it rejoices in truth I submit that if you don't like doctrine which simply means teaching you've got problems with God because Jesus says this is eternal life that they may get this word Cosi the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent guess how you come to acquire this knowledge of God it's not mowing it on unless you're meditating on Scripture that's a good idea it's contact with apostolic doctrine it's taking in the Bible it's reading on your own it's reading with your family it's coming to church it's not missing Church it's a continuing steadfast in the Apostles doctrine they weren't seeking experience ecstasy or entertainment but they wanted the truth of God's Holy Word John Calvin said neither doth he name all manner of doctrine but the doctrine of the Apostles that is that which the Son of God had delivered by their hands therefore wheresoever the pure voice of the gospel death sound where men continue in the profession there of where they exercise themselves in hearing the same ordinarily that they may profit without all doubt there is the church I love that how do we find the church it's a bunch of people that love God's Word well no church has beautiful nursery care a church has vibrant music a church has a vibrant youth ministry a church may have all those things but you know what is centrality with reference to church is the Apostolic Doctrine you don't have that you don't have a church I think this is a great description that ought to be prescriptive I'd love to take our charismatic and Pentecostal brethren and say look I want you to come to acts 2 because I want us I want you to see how you're supposed to function as an individual believer and as churches acts 2 1 2 4 ah acts 2:42 your face in the scriptures listen to faithful preaching continued steadfastly in that doctrine but it doesn't stop there they continued steadfastly in fellowship as well now for us fellowship means Tim Hortons and a coffee and talking about the canucks that's not what's in view in this particular passage most likely the fellowship in view of verse 42 is that which we see expressed in verse 45 in other words charity alms giving generosity and benevolence toward one another certainly we can hang out and certainly we ought to talk about Jesus and certainly go to Tim Hortons and talk about the Canucks do you not have to call that fellowship fellowship was when the people of God joined together as the people of God and their topics of discussion typically are the God that they worship in the God that they serve the God that they praise but in this context fellowship or that that word that you've heard before Koinonia is probably charity almsgiving they coughed up to one another they dug deep and helped brethren in need that Calvin gives this definition or this explanation mutual Society and fellowship unto alms and unto other duties of Brotherly fellowship so it doesn't exclude the others but the specifics here are unto ohms that's what's going on in terms of their fellowship with one another now in the third thing they continued steadfastly in the breaking of breath I think there's a distinction made in our passage between the what's called the Lord's Supper and you know dinner notice in verse 42 they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers now it's close association there with preaching or apostolic doctrine with prayers the people of God praying to God and with this fellowship would indicate that it's not just a common ordinary meal but when we drop down to verse 46 notice of continuing stud daily with one Accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart that second clause sort of identifies for us that it's not the special meal they're doing this from house to house they eat together and they're happy they're glad and they have a simplicity of heart so probably the verse 46 is you having burritos at your brother's house and talking about Jesus and how wonderful he is but in verse 42 they continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread bread this is the supper this is the Lord's table this is that time when the people of God visa first Corinthians 11:23 226 remember in a special way our Lord's death we take this bread we drink this cup and we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes it's a way for us as creatures tangibly to remember our blessed Redeemer in his life and specifically his death in his resurrection for us now notice brethren they continued steadfastly in it you know again I'll just give you sort of a thing to think about later we're not going to get to it but verse 46 our continuing daily with one Accord in the temple you know sometimes people have said to me you know they had daily worship the early believers did it every single day and I have thought to say I don't think I've ever said it maybe I will now because I'm over 50 and well crotchety and I guess old guys just get away with a little bit more but I've always wanted to say when everybody in our church attends every meeting that the church has for a month we'll talk about adding we'll talk about throwing in another meaning did you see people don't typically even avail themselves of what is there so if you want everyday meetings praise God that's good I'm happy for you be it every time the doors open here we have a prayer meeting from 9:30 to 10:30 and you know interestingly enough these Saints continued steadfastly in prayers you see I'm not trying to bind anyone's conscience and I'm not trying to hurt anybody I'm not trying to make you feel bad or you know violate your conscience or whatever but these are ly Saints did what they did because they loved Christ they had the spirit and they showed it in this way specifically what's a good way no I don't think it demands I don't think that part is prescriptive you have to meet every single day brethren Lord's Day adherence would be a breath of fresh air in our day just just the one day that God's commanded us to me without this sort of I just come back to the evening service why why I mean there's providential hindrance I get it there's you know issues there's difficulties there's medical there's all that I I legitimately accept that I understand that because Jesus says that Medical Mercy necessity all that perfectly good reasons to not be in church but if you can be why not so you know the kinds of people say oh we just need to get back to the early church I don't know that we do or I don't know that we want to really and then you might even say what what early church do you want to go back to the early church at Corinth I mean just because the church was early in Corinth doesn't mean it was then sort of idealized form Corinth had issues you know the sooner we can go back or the farther we get or the closer that we can get to to Jesus and the apostles the better off we'll be not the Corinthians in fact they were messed up in a whole host of ways good God is mercy kindness grace had fall right to them and sort things out see brethren we ought to attend to the means of grace that's the point they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine fellowship the breaking of bread and they continued steadfastly in prayers I think CH Spurgeon was once asked what is the secret of your success I doubt it was put in that kind of language that would be a 21st century way to say it well and how come your preaching is successful how come you know good things happen he says cuz my brethren pray my brethren pray it's not magic you know he doesn't wear his lucky t-shirt under his outer garment you know he doesn't shave for you know two days and then he comes and he he just engages in the magic and gotta know there's people praying what's the secret of your people pray do you pray you pray for services like these do you pray that God will open the hearts of sinners yeah man I got mind holiday I've shared that before again here's repetition number 18 I keep saying 18 that's a that's a good sign I'm connecting with that number still but you know in my house we'd all get our food and mom would still be trying to get her food and we're raring to go and you know dive in come on let's pray let's pray and she'd say you got it's an IgM I got mine long as I got mine I want to go ahead and eat you know wait for your wife let her put her meal together and when she's collected and ready and come over then pray don't force her hand and rushers that when I got mine let's go ahead it's kind of the Christian Church can be I'm not saying you guys but sometimes I got mine I'm saying why would I need to come to prayer meeting why would I need to offer up supplications prayers intercessions giving the of thanks for all men I'm saved because there's other poor people that aren't and you should come and pray for that if you can't make the 9:30 hour to pray for them pray in your home spray in your closets pray before you come to the service that will have the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit because that's what we need that is precisely who we need that's what's happening in this passage well I think that's a good place to end and then God willing in two weeks time we'll take up the rest of that passage pastor Porter will be preaching next Sunday pray that God will bless his Ministry of the word but I do want to end with just a couple of thoughts first I think what we see in this description of their practice in verse 42 does serve as a great prescription as how churches ought to function and I think it jives with what the later church has called the marks of the church I think one of the best statements all sort of reformed confessions deal with the marks of the church I think Belgic confession number 29 highlights very very well the three marks of the church the church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them it practices church discipline for correcting faults the three marks of the church that is highlighted here are lighted there in the Belgic would be preaching the word sour mence and discipline you say well there's no discipline here they were submitting to the Word of God tried to show you before discipline doesn't mean excommunication in every instance we hear church discipline and we get this idea of robed ecclesiastical men throwing people out of the church discipline is being under God's word that's discipline we're being discipled we're being disciplined we're being corrected we're being reproved we're being kept in line by the Word of God you see those marks are present in this particular passage and it became determinative of what the church throughout the ages would indeed engage at the confession goes on to say in short it governs itself according to the pure Word of God rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only head by these marks one can be assured of recognizing the true church and I think that's an intriguing definition not only because on the one hand it tells us what the church should like should look like it tells us that a lot of things that churches try to do aren't marks of the church now let me just try to speak candidly and clearly here some pastors are getting raked over coals this past week because they don't preach on immigration you know what I think you've heard about immigration for six days of the week when you come into this place you should hear of Jesus Christ now I'm not suggesting the Bible doesn't speak to immigration and it doesn't have guidelines and principles that we ought to glean I'm not suggesting that there are you know sort of no borders an Old Covenant Israel no fences no wall I'm not suggesting that and I actually have some pretty you know robust ideas that way but brethren and again not to not make application to a particular subject we're in the book of Deuteronomy we're in Exodus certainly we we speak to those particular things when you come into the Church of Christ isn't it a good thing to hear of Christ if you want my views on immigration come see me we can talk bounce immigration in acts 2:41 2:42 not yes and some you know sort of exegetical gymnastics we could see race relations here you know the gentile inclusion among the jet jews that's not here yet you see the important thing is is that we identify the marks of the church and we let those dictate whether it's a church or not not well meaning you're not suggesting these guys aren't well-meaning but not well-meaning people that want to hold in bondage preachers to preach on the pet topics of the day that's just not godly it's not good it's not cool I thought I've you know having a blog that says things I learned on Twitter this week I shouldn't be in a pulpit I've prepared that a couple weeks ago a couple times this week because of not addressing current issues I think you all know me I do try to typically address current issues I try to speak to that stuff but it ought to be in the text before we try to extrapolate it out of it the marks of the church brethren are determinative with reference to how the church functions and we see it this fourfold grid they continued steadfastly in doctrine Fellowship Lord's Supper prayers as well we see that emphasis on the sacraments in two ways in this passage they gladly receive the word and they were baptized and they continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread sacraments are not unimportant the ordinances of the gospel aren't optional these are things that churches must do these are things that Christians must obey these are things calculated by our God to promote growth in his people both baptism and Supper are means of grace why in the world would we want to cut ourselves off of something that God gives us for our means of grace for our benefit for our health and for our increased faith and then finally I mentioned this earlier I just want to visit this thought and this is the NOTAM upon which will and the key to the growth of the church is found in the sovereignty of God verse 39 to all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call verse 41 and they were or that day were about three thousand souls were added and then in verse 47 the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved I want you to see something that we covered previously go back for just a moment to Acts chapter two at verse 30 Acts chapter two verse 30 remember this is the section where Peter is highlighting that Jesus was raised from the dead he shows that Psalm 16 wasn't about David it was about David's greater son it was about the Lord Jesus Christ and now Peter comes to interpret and in verse 30 he says therefore being a prophet that's David and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne he forced seeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God has raised up of which we're all witnesses so you see Peter here is invoking what was called or what is called the Davidic covenant behind Peter's words here are primarily Psalm 132 as well Psalm 89 but what drives Psalm 189 in Psalm 132 is 2nd Samuel chapter 7 where that's God's promise to David that of David seen from his line God would raise up one that would be a son to God and he would sit upon the throne and his kingdom would have no end now keeping that in mind a son of God that would build a house for God I've always found it very intriguing that in Matthew chapter 16 when Jesus says who do men say that I the Son of Man am they answer what everybody out there says and then Peter says who do you say that I am and Peter says you are the Christ the Son of the Living God remember God said according to the Davidic covenant that a son would come and that son would do what he built a house for God second Samuel 7 so in Matthew 16 on the heels of Peters confession concerning Jesus as being the son of a living what does Jesus declare I will build my church you have a Davidic son a son of God building a house for God he does it on the day of Pentecost with these 3,000 Souls added to them this is Christ the master builder taking hammer taking nail and putting that structure together this is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ doing what was prophesied in 2nd Samuel 7 and is realized by his life his death and his resurrection he is a Davidic Song the son of God who builds a house for God and the way he does so is by sending his spirit attending to the preaching of the word and saving sinners by his glorious grace it is a beautiful wonderful thing to see the Bible set that forth well let us close in a word of Prayer our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for this day we thank you for your demonstration of power and grace on the day of Pentecost we don't limit you father we pray that you would display this power throughout the world today through the preaching of the gospel if it was no difficulty for you add 3,000 souls on that day we know it's no difficulty for you to do it on this day we pray wherever this gospel is preached your word would triumph sinners would gladly receive that word and they would be baptized identifying publicly with our great and our glorious triune God we thank you for your grace shown to us in the salvation of our souls and we give you praise and glory and adoration and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please take your Trinity hem Knoll we're going to close by singing the doxology praise to our Great God Father Son and Holy Spirit for his great Redemption to us it's about page Roman numeral 16 in the Trinity hymnal or if you know it by heart [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen let us pray father we thank you for your graciousness we thank you for the love of Jesus Christ we thank you for the communion of the Holy Ghost and we pray that as we go now you would watch over us grant us help and strength and grace to bring honor and praise and glory unto you for you are worthy and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation and then I'll come back up and give thanks for the food