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e e e e e e e e e good morning everyone welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church on this beautiful day a glorious day for a baptismal service Shannon malar is being baptized this morning and then this evening we're going to be celebrating the Lord's supper together our Wednesday night bible study will be as usual at 7:30 p.m. and then the only other announcement we have is that two of our members are moving on so this will be the last that Philip Hall and Clemens Hall will be with us so you can say your goodbyes today as well we're going to turn now to our call to worship Psalm 45 Psalm 45 we'll read verses 1-9 Psalm 45 to the chief musician set to the lies a contemplation of the sons of Kora a song of love my heart is overflowing with a good theme I recite my composition concerning the king my tongue is the pen of a ready writer you are fairer than the sons of men Grace is poured upon your lips therefore God has blessed you forever gird your sword upon your thigh oh mighty one with your glory and your majesty and in your Majesty ride prosperously because of Truth humility and righteousness and your right hand shall teach you awesome things your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies the peoples fall under you your throne oh God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom you love righteousness and hate wickedness therefore God your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions all your garments are scented with myrr and alows and CIA out of the ivory palaces by which they have made you glad King's Daughters are among your honorable women at your right hand stands the queen in gold from oir amen we're going to sing Psalm 122a 122a as in Alpha I was filled with joy and gladness please stand with me as we [Music] singy to the house of God in we are standing in your together where all the the in [Applause] price [Music] roice of who love you well be your forever your jus for the S of my for my brother will sing PR for the Lord for the will [Music] ior you may be seated let's turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious and Heavenly Father we thank you for this beautiful day thank you that we have this privilege of gathering together as your people on this glorious day thank you with the that we have the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Shannon malar today Lord we pray it would be a glorious day for her and for this congregation Lord we pray that from this day forward you would bless her in a special way cause her to continue to be a blessing to the church and us to her we pray oh God that we would see many many many good days together we thank you for the good that you are doing in our congregation thank you that you continue to add new members we thank you that you continue to raise up young people people in our church that are under the sound of the Gospel thank you for the little ones even those in the womb right now and we pray oh God that our children and our grandchildren and The Offspring yet to come will hear the gospel and embrace the gospel and be brought by your Sovereign Grace into your kingdom Lord we thank you for each and everyone that is gathered here for those who are visiting we pray that this would be a day of encouragement to your people and a day of of calling of setting forth the gospel to those who have not yet embraced the truth and not yet tasted and seen that the Lord is good Lord we pray that your presence would not only be with us but wherever the gospel is preached this day we think of our sister churches and church plants bless the congregation out in Sur we pray you would encourage them bless Pastor Kirkpatrick as he leads and teaches there we pray you'd bless the congregation in Armstrong pray you'd encourage them bless pastors Mal jars and cruel and we Lord we pray that you'd continue to add to their number continue to cause them to mature in Faith Lord we pray for the congregation out in Dron Ontario be be kind and gracious to them pray that you would continue to add to their numbers and prepare them for formal Constitution Lord we thank you for all of the other churches that we are in close connection with both here in chillak and elsewhere in western Canada we pray oh God that you would continue to build your church we pray oh Lord that this day wherever the gospel is preached people would be called from Darkness into marvelous light that your Holy Spirit would do that work that only the spirit of God can do in the hearts of people who are dead in their trespasses and sins Lord we pray for our brethren in foreign lands that are under persecution this day those who are suffering because of the gospel for the sake of Christ and for his church we pray for your people that are in prison today be merciful to them and those churches that are meeting in secret in hiding from the authorities or from the religious leaders we pray oh God that you would bless your people continue to offer them your sustenance Your Grace your mercy to sustain them in these times of trial and Lord may we continually uplift our Brethren who are suffering this way as we would want to be if indeed we were in the same position and we thank you that we are all part of one family we are not separated into two different churches we are all the persecuted Church even though we do not experience the same degree of persecution here we're brothers and sisters together in Christ we pray that you would be merciful and kind to your people we look forward to that day when we will gather before your throne people from every tribe and Kindred and tongue and Nation to worship the lamb Lord we pray that this day would be a small taste of Heaven here in this room Lord be gracious to those who are not able to be with us this day those who are perhaps sick the elderly who are at home those who are traveling be merciful to their to all the members of this congregation Lord we pray that you would be gracious to them as well and Lord have mercy upon our nation I pray for the political realm as well for the leaders in that uh sphere Lord I pray that you would restrain evil in this country and Grant a hearing to the gospel cause an Awakening to take place in our nation once again and cause your church to be revived we ask these things for your honor and your glory in Jesus name amen we're going to stand again to sing hymn number 431 431 and can it be that I should gain [Music] theor me to his for toaz love my for s how can be that [Music] my for me J for Mery all your might for soe his himself to his love and for his chos PR his mer all free my me love my for all and [Applause] with ch my heart was I and Me Love [Music] that God the Jesus and all is I my Liv andness oh and the ground through my [Music] amazing may be seated well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts Acts chapter 2 familiar passage of scripture when we come to baptismal Services Acts chapter 2 is Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost so I want to read from verses 22 to 40 well we'll read to the end of the chapter and then we'll focus on the actual sermon of Peter and then the response to that sermon so beginning in Acts 2 at verse 22 men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by Miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determined purpose and forn knowledge of God you have taken by Lawless hands have crucified and put to death whom God raised up having loosed the Pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it for David says concerning him I foresaw the lord always before my face he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken therefore my heart was glad uh my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad moreover My Flesh also will rest in Hope for you will not leave my soul in Hades nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption you have made known to me the ways of life you will make me make me full of joy in your presence men and Brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he is 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 foreseeing 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 at 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 I make your enemies your foot stol therefore let 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 then 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 are AAR off as many as the Lord Our God shall 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 3,000 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 amen well let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for this privilege to gather in the house of God on the day of God for the worship of our Triune God even Father Son and Holy Spirit we pray that you would be glorified we pray that you would be enthroned upon the Praises of your people here we pray that you would be pleased to bless the word as it goes forth here uh throughout this nation and to the uttermost parts of the earth may it run swiftly and be glorified may you be pleased to call out of Darkness into Marvelous Light men from every tribe and tongue and people and Nation as well God we pray that you would encourage your people that you would sanctify Us by your truth we confess that your word is truth as well we pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to lead us and to guide us into truth and cause it to find its Mark in our hearts and may you promote in US Conformity unto the Lord Jesus Christ do forgive us now for all sin all transgression we know that you call us to live in a manner that is consistent with our calling in the gospel and yet we confess with the hyw writer we are prone to wander and prone to leave the god that we love so wash us and cleanse us and help us now to receive all that you have for us for your glory and honor and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we have seen over the last few weeks in our studies in John's gospel Jesus promises the sending of the spirit not that the spirit is absent from the Old Testament he is certainly there at the creation he is there speaking through the prophets he is there being grieved by Israel he is there to be sure but there is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit promised by those prophets specifically I'm thinking of Joel chapter 2 and so what we have in the book of Acts on this day of Pentecost is the Fulfillment or the fruition or the realization of Christ's promise there in the upper room to send the spirit with power and essentially that's what we find remember in John 20es Jesus breathed on the disciples not that the spirit is a substance or a gas or a vapor but it was a signifying event a signifying or foreshadowing sign that the spirit would come with great power and when we see that breath of Jesus in John 20 we turn to acts chap 2 and you notice specifically in verse one it says when the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one Accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting now the phenomena that attended that was tongu speaking and prophesying and certainly that caused a lot of interest amongst the people that were hearing this so much so that they began to criticize the apostles and criticize the hearers by saying these men are drunk so Peter gets up and he says these men are not drunk as you suppose it's only the third hour of the day and then he says that this is is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel in other words the Messianic Kingdom has come Christ is enthroned at the right hand of the father all that the prophets testified concerning the outpoured spirit is upon us now and so Peter cites the prophet Joel and then uh Peter preaches the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ so that's what I want to look at the proclamation of the truth of the Gospel verses 22- 40 won't be detailed it won't be every jot and two but just an overview and then secondly the response to the truth of the Gospel in verses 41 and 42 so when our sister today goes into the Waters of baptism it's not the case that she ought to be congratulated or applauded for what she has done it's not an exhibition of her own wisdom it is not the exercise of her own free will it is rather a testimony to the power of God in the saving of Sinners it is a demonstration of what we find throughout scripture concerning the glory of Jesus Christ in the salvation of Sinners faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God so hopefully all of us that are believers will be encouraged and strengthened as we rehearse again the gospel of our salvation but if you're not a believer in Jesus Christ I would really encourage you to pay attention to what Simon Peter has to say as the spirit moves him to preach on the day of Pentecost so let's look first at the proclamation of the gospel and this encompasses verses 22-36 again we won't go into every detail but notice first the gospel is a message about the life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ notice in verse 22 men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by Miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know and I think that this goes along with the citation of the Prophet Joel there preceding this notice after Peter cites Joel it ends in verse 21 it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved I think a good question there is well who is this Lord upon whom I should call in order that I might be saved and so Peter takes that charge in hand and he preaches Jesus Christ who is the Lord that must be called upon in order that men be saved so Jesus is the center point of the Gospel the gospel isn't a religious feeling it's certainly not a religious experience the gospel isn't my warm fuzzy feelings that I get when I show up at church once in a while the gospel is the message of Jesus Christ it's about his life it's about about his ministry as we move through this narrative it's about his death it's about his resurrection and his exaltation it's not personal accomplishment that we are parading today it is not Personal Achievement it is not religiosity it is rather a celebration of the glory of God's grace revealed freely in and through his son the Lord Jesus Christ j gresa ma made this observation concerning the gospel he says we can preach the gospel they tell Us by Our Lives you may have heard that Dre before uh preach the gospel and when necessary use words that is unbiblical to the core M ma is right we can preach the gospel they tell us by our lives and do not need to preach it by our words but they are wrong he says men are not saved by the exhibition of our glorious Christian virtues they're not saved by the contagion of our experiences we cannot be the instrument of God in Saving that if we preach to them thus only ourselves nay we must preach to them the Lord Jesus Christ for it is only through the gospel which sets him forth that they can be saved ma didn't make that up ma is reflecting perhaps on passages like Acts 2 what is this phenomena that we are witnessing what is this thing that we are seeing in terms of tongue speaking and prophesying Peter filled with the spirit stands and preaches the gospel not about experience not about feeling not about our own virtue but it's about Jesus his life his ministry and then notice his death according to verse 23 him being delivered by the determined purpose and for knowledge of God you have taken by Lawless hands have crucified and put to death so the gospel is about the life of Jesus and when we speak of the life of Jesus we're not speaking simply as an example we're not speaking simply as a pattern oh look at Jesus and go thou and do likewise look at Jesus and be like him now I'm not suggesting we ought not to be like him but that's not the gospel in fact that's more law be like him and if you're not you'll be cut off if you're not you'll be condemned if you're not you'll be thrown in the Lake of Fire no the blessedness of jesus' life is 33 years of perfect OB obedience to the law we need jesus' life we need his righteousness such that when by God's grace We Believe on him we're not only washed in his Precious Blood but we are clothed in his righteousness we need the entirety of Jesus life and death he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world he is that great high priest that has made intercession and has provided a sacrifice he is that Aaron in the wilderness taking that fire pan full of of hot coals and holding it up before Yahweh as it stays the Vengeance of God upon the sinning Israelites our Jesus is that great high priest but he's not only the great high priest he is the perfect offering or victim that is given in in atoning work for God most high so it's about his life and his death but then notice is his resurrection in verses 24-32 after speaking of the crucifixion verse 24 whom God raised up Peter makes this contrast as do the other Apostles with reference to Christ you killed him but God raised him up you killed him but God raised him up now for the audience here the god that raised them up raised him up is the god that they subscribe allegiance to is it's the god of old Covenant Israel it is Yahweh and so he condemns them for having crucified the one that Yahweh sent in accordance with his written promises to save his people from their sins that contrast comes to a pinnacle at the end of his sermon in other words what Peter wants to do is to show them their sinfulness so that they will see their need to call upon the name of the Lord that they may be saved it is a Most Blessed Way that he proceeds so he speaks concerning the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and again we need the entirety of Christ he was delivered up because of our offenses Romans 4:25 and he was raised for our justification so then he speaks concerning the exaltation of Christ in verses 33 to 36 so he spoke of his death his resurrection and then in verse 33 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 in accordance with his promise to his disciples in the upper room I will send another helper I will send the spirit of Truth in accordance with the prophet Joel as well the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah who spoke of the Messianic age as being a time of the great power of the Holy Spirit so Peter brings this sermon to that beautiful sort of conclusion to highlight the exaltation of Jesus at the right hand of the father and then notice what he does in verse 36 therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly I've always love that word assuredly in this context for Simon Peter this isn't a debatable topic for Simon Peter this isn't up for grabs for Simon Peter he never thought for a moment that you know maybe Jesus doesn't check every box on the Messianic survey maybe there is one that potentially may come and fulfill all those prophets in a way that that Jesus doesn't no therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly without question with absolute conviction with certainty let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ so twice in his sermon he points out their particular sin I think that Manon is right when Manon says loose discourses about Sin in general do not affect the heart so much as the sound discovery of sin and when and when that one sin is is discovered it bringeth others into the view of conscience so Peter not only preaches the the glorious power of the Gospel in terms of the Redemption of Sinners but he preaches the horrifying condemnation of the law in other words if you do not believe if you do not in the language of Acts 2:21 citing Joel chapter 2 call upon the name of the Lord you will be cut off by that Lord you will be rejected on that day of judgment you will end up in hell for having sinned against the very Majesty of God most high for being a law breaker for breathing his air for drinking his water for eating his food for living in his world for enjoying a daylight today and nevertheless resisting rejecting and despising him for your pet sin so Peter goes to the heart here Peter does what a PR pracher ought to do not speaking in vagueness and in ambiguity and perhaps possibly one of you here may have sinned before no that's not what he does and notice the guts and the courage with reference to this preacher of the Gospel he goes into enemy territory remember what happened not long before this in Jerusalem it was that mob that cried away with him away with him Cru crucify him it was that mob who had appealed through their leadership to Pontius Pilate to get Pontius Pilate to sign off on the death penalty because the Jews didn't have that Authority as a subject uh subject to the Roman EMP uh Roman Emperor and So within the space of several days couple weeks few weeks we've got Peter now addressing these Jerusalem Sinners with an offer of Mercy an offer of Grace from the one that they themselves had crucified know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ now notice before we move on to the actual response look at the conviction of these Jerusalem sinners in verses 37 to 40 verses 37 to 40 we see there conviction in verse 37 now when they heard this they were cut to the heart it's the language of conv ition you see it used elsewhere in the book of Acts specifically with uh Steven rather testifying before the Sanhedrin they were cut to the heart also so the fact that it stipulates that they were cut to the heart it's neither a positive nor a negative statement you know on its own people get cut to the heart through gospel preaching because they're outraged people get cut to the Heart by gospel preaching because it's an offense people get cut to to the Heart by gospel preaching because are you suggesting that I'm a sinner who stands justly under God's Wrath and curse people do get caught to the heart they feel uncomfortable they feel Disturbed and that's what it is in the Sanhedrin in Acts chapter 7 but that's not what it is here this is the kind of conviction that we pray for on a Sunday morning and a Sunday afternoon before the gospel is preached such that Sinners will be convicted that they'll understand you know what I shouldn't have said away with him away with him crucify him I shouldn't have stood there you know roaring with Glee and joy When They Crucified the Lord Of Glory I shouldn't have done those particular things in violation of and transgression toward the law of God and so Peter preaches to them the spirit comes to bless them or bless it and they are cut to the heart we know this is a positive cutting to the heartness because of what they then say they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and Brethren what shall we do what shall we do now not commenting too much on the what shall we do other than to say that's usually man's response isn't it I'm found out I'm messed up not sure that I can stand before God on that day of judgment what do I do how do I fix it how do I get better how do I reform how do I prepare you're still thinking in the unbelieving Jew mind of I've got to do Torah in order to commend myself to God what must I do it's like that prodigal remember the prodigal I'll just throw myself on the I I'll just come back and throw myself on the mercy of the father not for free Grace and and blood atonement but I will I will ask him if I can be a a high D servant I will ask him if I can share the servants quarters I I will ask him if I can participate that way because that's the means by which I'll get three three Hots in a cot there's always a doing element on the part of the sinner if you're not a Believer here this morning notice that I just said you're not a Believer whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved what does that mean it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ it means to look from you and your doing to look from you and your trying to look from you and your religiosity to look from you and your reform to the one who lived the one who died the one who was raised again and the one who is now enthroned at the right hand of the father where he says all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out we come in faith the hyw writer put it well nothing in my hand I bring there's no doing that I can do in order to commend myself to God nothing in my hand I bring simply to thy cross I cling and we cling because of God's grace he says in that same hymn foul I to the Fountain fly Wash Me savior or I die see these men are convicted these men ask what shall we do thankfully Peter wasn't a neonian thankfully Peter wasn't a papist thankfully Peter wasn't some other you know form of heretic when it comes to justification by faith alone but he preaches the response that brings us then to verse 38 notice then Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin 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 a far off as many as the Lord Our God will call so note first that command to repent Peter sounds like a couple of men that preceded him namely John the Baptist repent the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and the Lord Jesus Christ repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand what does this mean repent I thought justification was by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone well as you move through the book of Acts you'll see that belief and repentance are often times used interchangeably in fact as one one current commentator mentions repentance and Faith are two sides of one coin they're not identical but where one is mentioned by itself the other may be presupposed and and I think it's helpful to sort of as the question what does repentance mean usually people associate repentance with the fruits of repentance he he he stopped smoking crack he he stopped visiting prostitutes he he's repented those are as bad examples as you can stop cheating on his taxes stop looking at porn stop doing these things he's repented well there's pagans out there that realize you know a life of crack and prostitutes isn't all it's cracked up to be so perhaps I should stop that's not repentance repentance fundamentally the very basic essence of the language is a change of mind it is a change of mind that's why it's the the the opposite side of the same coin you can't have faith without repentance and you can't have repentance without faith we associate the fruits of repentance as the essence of repentance and I'm not suggesting that true repentance doesn't issue forth in fruits it certainly does but when Peter says repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins he's not teaching a doctrine of justification by forsaking your sin and then coming or getting your act together and then coming I think Sinners look at the gospel that way I I've got to fix myself before I go to Jesus I've got to deal with this glaring issue in my life before I I go to Jesus may I just say this is what Jesus is for he deals with the glaring issues he deals with The Wretched said in Jeremiah the prophet in chapters 2 and three we see in Chapter 2 the build up to chapter 3 chapter 2 shows the sinfulness of old Covenant Israel such that God himself says has a nation changed its gods and yet you you have exchanged me you have you have turned me over for all these gods that the Nations around you have I mean it is hard-hitting Jeremiah 2 is one of those passages that is law heavy and very condemnatory and it sets the stage for Jeremiah 3 five five times God through the prophet says yet return to me says the Lord that's what Peter's saying you crucified the Lord Of Glory repent from that and be baptized in his blessed name for the remission of sins one of those instances in that Prophet Jeremiah in chapter three return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings I mentioned the prodigal earlier he thought he could do he thought he could fix he thought he could just get alongside the servants do the work of a daily laborer receive his three Hots and a c he didn't understand the father's Grace didn't understand the father's nature didn't understand that the father while he was a long way off was going to actually run to him and fall on him not to Buffet him or to resist him or to reject him or to send him on his way but to kiss him to order the placing of a fing a ring on his finger to order the placing of a of a robe on his back and then to Rejoice this son of mine that was dead is now alive this son that was lost is now found Jesus is in the business of receiving to him guilty vile helpless Sinners see that's why it's gospel it's good news it's not bad news it's not simp Simply Good Advice fix your life and everything will be great it's the good news concerning life death and Resurrection call upon him in faith and you will have everlasting life as I said there are multiple instances where you see in the book of Acts Sinners are told either either to repent or to believe we see the interchangeability Even In this passage notice in verse 38 repent and let every one of you be baptized notice in verse 44 now all who believe excuse me believed were in common uh uh were together you mean those who repented can be known as Believers yes and those who believe can be known as repenters because they're two sides of the same coin in fact turn over to the book of Acts chapter uh chapter uh uh excuse me chapter 10 chapter 10 the household of Cornelius Gentile inclusion in the Covenant Promises of God to the old Covenant nation of Israel notice in Acts chapter 10 specifically at verse 43 to him Jesus Peter's got a common way of preaching the gospel it's all about Jesus it's not about Peter you know Brothers I was a fisherman I was just minding my own Nets I was just doing my own thing and I met this Jesus but it's all about me me me me me it's all about Jesus life death Resurrection Life death Resurrection believe on him call upon him and you shall be saved so notice to him all the prophets witness not some of them not a handful even Obadiah Hosea Joel Amos Micah naam habach to him all the prophets what does that tell us tells us the scope of scripture is Jesus Christ glory of God and the salvation of Sinners by Jesus Christ Christ is all throughout the Old Testament do not neglect the Old Testament oh I just want to read about Jesus then read from Genesis to Malachi because you get a lot about Jesus anyways to him all the prophets witness that through his name whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins we now it goes the Holy Spirit falls upon them they speak in tongues they they they they've received the gift of the Holy Spirit they're blessed now Peter gets called to the mat to have to describe or explain this why these are Gentiles why would you go to these why would you go to the Hoy pooy why would you go to these these derel these animals these dirt bags these dogs why would you go to that so guess where Peter then goes He it's called to the m in Jerusalem he has to tell what's happened what happened what happened Peter well look at how Peter describes what happened just picking up toward the end there verse 16 then I remembered the word of the Lord how he said John indeed baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit if therefore God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ who was I that I could withstand God of course I baptized them of course I welcome them into the household of faith of course I accepted them because God saved them and Peter would know with that interpretative key which is Jesus to the Old Testament that Gentile inclusion in the Covenant Promises of God began in the Oracle of Noah when Shem or rather jath Gentile comes and finds Safe Harbor in the in the tents of of of Shem but then note how they interpret this verse 18 when they heard these things they became silent they glorified God saying then God also has granted to the Gentiles repentance to life whoever believes he has granted them repentance to life now examples of this could be multiplied but going back to Acts chapter 2 when Peter says repent he doesn't in the first place mean get your act together fix yourself take a vacation and work on you bit of self-reflection a little bit of introspection a little bit of change a little bit of schedule manipulation that then then come to Christ no repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and what is baptism baptism is a sign for the party baptized of his Union with Christ of his having been forgiven of his sins of his having been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ it is that initiatory right that the Lord Jesus commanded that be done Matthew 28:18 to20 go therefore Make Disciples of all the nations baptize those disciples that you've made from all the nations that's the gloss in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit then teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I'm with you always even to the end of the age now when he says repent let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ there are Trinity denying Heretics that seize upon this language and insist on jesus' name only baptism they're Heretics that have an acte to grind against the doctrine of the Trinity I think that Gil is on the better path why Jesus alone is mentioned here but now upon their repentance and Faith they are to be baptized in His Name by his authority according to his command professing their faith in him devoting themselves to him and calling on his name so note again the text repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins it's not the baptism that brings the Forgiveness it's not a work wherein we've repented and therefore God owes us forgiveness we are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ that is signified it is displayed it is demonstrated Illustrated emblemized however you want to say it by that tank the tank doesn't save Shannon this morning this the tank rather tells us what God has done it is all about the grace and the glory and the mercy and the kindness of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit the provision of forgiveness is not obtained by baptism but signified by baptism and then moving on in the passage notice in verse 38 for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit this is the promise that's in view if you look back to verse 33 I think this becomes important as the poed Baptist tries to Pivot and include his infants in verse 39 we first must ask the question what's the promise that Peter is referring to in verse 38 you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit notice in verse 33 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 the promise and view is the promise of the spirit and I don't think it's the gifts of the Spirit where we speak in tongues or prophesy or do those sorts of things but it's the gift of the spirit it is the helper sent by Jesus to indwell The Blood Bought children of God to be their seal to be their guarantee the way Paul describes in Ephesians 1 13 and4 14 the promise of Acts 238 is the Fulfillment of what God Said in Joel 2 Christ at the right hand of the father sending the spirit as he promised in the upper room to empower and enable the church for the mission to go first to Jerusalem and then Judea Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth to testify everywhere of the life the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ we saw it last week in John's gospel in John 16 what's one of the purposes of the Min of the spirit in his ministry he will glorify me is what Jesus says guess what's Happening Here the spirit is glorifying Jesus the spirit is shining the light Upon Jesus The Sinner is told repent be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins it is then and thus that the spirit is given to you in great power for all that you stand in need of as Christ's people such that he never leaves you as an orphan and then I think and this is going to differentiate me from our brethren in town that disagree but that's okay we are Baptists I typically try not to pick on competing sort of interpretations when we have a baptismal service but sometimes yeah I got problems notice in verse 39 for the promise again the reception of the spirit upon faith in Jesus for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are AAR off as many as the Lord Our God will call let's just look at each little section of that verse for the promis is to you we we could stop right there and fall on our faces and worship Brethren if this city of Jerusalem treated your son the way they treated his son would you be keen on sending preachers to them and calling them to your son I wouldn't you rejected my son you resisted my word you missed what the prophet Joel was writing you missed Isaiah you you missed Ezekiel you teachers of Israel you missed all that I'd be like you're done Peter is standing in Jerusalem telling Jerusalem Sinners that this promise is for you you mean the one we just crucified the one we cried out away with him away with him crucify him that one is actually calling upon us to call upon his name yeah that one and the to your children Brethren this text does not legitimize infant inclusion in the Covenant of Grace this text shows us the scope and the universality of God goel preaching whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved and I think it has a particular application to something that we find in Matthew's gospel you can turn be back there to Matthew chapter 27 Matthew chapter 27 you'll remember the scene it's the away with him away with him crucify him seen and uh Pontius Pilate is presiding on all of it notice in verse 22 of Matthew 27 pilate said to them What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ they all said to him let him be crucified then the governor said why what is what evil has he done now pilate was a gutless man a horribly gutless man I mean celebrator a gutless man and I don't want to say but cuz it almost sounds like I'm relieving that but he kind of knew that this was a great big sham he knew they only they were only after Jesus because of their own Envy pilate himself confesses three times I find no guilt in this man I find no guilt in this man I find no guilt in this man say what you will about the pilots in the in the Roman Empire but they did kind of prize themselves or Pride themselves rather on the view of the law Prudence actually mattered days in court cross-examination witness testimony laws of evidence that that stuff actually mattered pilate was smart enough to know this was a a sham so Godless Wonder but some turmoil I mean his wife has a dream and says have nothing to do with him it's not going to go well you mix yourself up with this righteous man it's not going to go well for you so back to the text what why what evil has he done but they cried out all the more saying let him be crucified when pilate saw that he could not Prevail at all but rather that a tumult was Rising he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I I am innocent of the blood of this just person you see to it now note this curious phrase in verse 25 and all the people answered and said his blood be on us and on our children now we've heard the word benediction benediction literally means a good word there's a benediction often times at the end of a church worship service it's a pronouncement of a good word this is called a malediction this is a bad word basically what it is is that they are invoking God's Wrath and curse upon them and their children curious that when Simon Peter gets up to proclaim the boundlessness and the mercifulness of God and His grace says the promise is for you and to you your your children you Jerusalem Sinners you called that self maledictory oath upon you and your children great parents by the way but when Peter says that it's not to legitimize infant baptism it's to capitalize the graciousness of God to magnify it's to you it's to your children but then notice and to all who are a far off the the Hoy pooy the every tribe tongue people Nation the Gentiles not only did Noah speak about this not only did the prophets speak about this not only did the Salter celebrate this but our Lord testified go and make disciples of what of all the nations so Peter says gospel Mercy is there for you sinning Jerusalem Sinners for the children you called God's Wrath down upon and for all those who are a far off but then notice that Clause that we somehow always miss as many as the Lord Our God will call see we don't just fly to a country that is never heard the gospel line them up and start sprinkling baptismal water on them and including them in the Covenant of Grace that would be absurd that would be ludicrous we'd say no they don't know anything they haven't believed they haven't repented they don't know that remission of sin well isn't that what we're doing when we willy-nilly include infants now Brethren the argument isn't God can't save infants God most certainly can save infants the argument is who should be baptized and when we ask the Bible the answer is very clear those who believe those who repent those who have been saved it's not a converting ordinance it doesn't make one a Believer but rather it is a signifying ordin ordinance of what God has done internally in the heart of that particular sinner so what Peter is doing here is he's not giving this pronouncement on the legitimacy of infant baptism but is highlighting the gloriousness and the the the magnanimous magnanimousness of God's grace this gospel message whoever calls upon the name of the Lord if they happen to be Jerusalem Sinners if they happen to be the children of J Jerusalem Sinners if they happen to be in Nations a far off always Modified by as many as the Lord Our God shall call Those whom the Lord effectually calls Those whom he regenerates Those whom he gives The Graces of faith and repentance they are the ones that are follow the lord in that command to be uh to be baptized and then notice lastly and quickly and finally the response to the truth of the Gospel well verse 40 tells us with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be saved from this perverse generation as we've seen in John's gospel it was a perverse generation They Crucified the Lord Of Glory he came to his own his own received him not so Peter continues to exhort in this direction he continues to testify in this direction he continues to lay upon them that emphasis of the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ and the bad news of their foul sin before a holy God and so then note the salvation of sinners in verse 41 then those who gladly received his word were baptized note that order they were glad receivers of the word and then they got baptized that's a a pattern in Acts that's a pattern according to the Great Commission go therefore make disciples baptize those disciples teach those disciples in a pedal Baptist scheme it's first baptize those disciples then hopefully they'll be made disciples and then you can go ahead and teach those disciples but that UND do everything that we see in our Lord's command and the commission which reflects the larger scene in terms of Covenant the promise in Jeremiah 31 31-34 who's going to be in the New Covenant it's not everybody by their ethnicity it's not everybody by their physical descendants from Abraham it is those who know the Lord it is those who have been forgiven of their sins it is those who have received the law of God internalized upon them so the Prophet Jeremiah announces a new covenant not like that one I made with them before which they broke but in this one all those participants in that New Covenant will know the Lord all those part participants in the New Covenant will have been forgiven of their sins all those participants in the New Covenant will have received the internalization of God's law upon their heart by his spirit so lo and behold that's exactly how Jesus frames the Great Commission Go Make Disciples baptize disciples and then teach those disciples that's what's happening right before your eyes that's what happens in the book of Acts forth with every instance every single time well that's an argument that's a Baptist okay argue from the New Covenant from Jeremiah's prophecy how this isn't a proper interpretation or understanding of the practice of baptism it's just sensical and I realize that I'm open to the charge of saying that's nonsensical on the part of others I love them I want the best for them I read their books I love their books but man on this I think we just disagree and I think that the weight of the argument goes to the Baptists go make baptize teach go make baptize teach what happens on the day of Pentecost he's gone he's making he's baptizing he's teaching that's the pattern again reflected in Jeremiah 31: 31-34 that's what we do that's how we function that's how we move so notice again verse 41 then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about 3,000 Souls were added to to them don't miss the sovereignty of God there Peter didn't have these 3,000 Souls it wasn't Peter's persuasive powers in his preaching it wasn't the apostles on the you know the sideline looking at people and glar glaring at them you better side with us or we're going to we're going to throw you out no 3,000 were added by the power and the sovereignty and the glory of God other words Peter did what Peter was supposed to do the Peter uh the spirit comes and does what he was promised to do and the end result people get saved maybe there's a lesson there for us preachers do what preachers are supposed to do trusting that the spirit will come and does what he has promised to do and we'll see people get saved imagine imagine the Simplicity imagine the the ease with which we ought to proceed not ease without any oppression or persecution or hardship or suffering but in terms of strategy and tactics let's keep it simple preach the gospel call upon Sinners to call upon the name of the Lord believe on Jesus and you be you shall be saved praying that the spirit comes in power and blesses the word effectually calls Sinners under the son of his love it's a wonderful process or pattern that we see worked out and then the text ends with the practice of the church so we not only see the salvation of the Sinners but then we see the practice of the church remember that Great Commission it's got two legs Go Make Disciples okay now what baptize those disciples and then teach those disciples well where are we going to do that Lord you're going to do it in churches imagine that churches aren't going to be places simply to have religious experience and emotionalism they're certainly not going to be places with entertainment they're not going to be with the guru that stands up there and tells you how to get your life right and do everything properly so you can make make a million bucks there going to be places where people are heard they hear the gospel and are Justified freely by God's grace they're baptized identifying with the Triune God in the waters of baptism and then they're taught you mean that's it that's all there's not more to it you think I'm being factious here but I've had calls not so much now but in the past you know what what does your church offer well we meet on Sunday for worship and we have a Wednesday night bible study that's it that's all you don't have a Thursday morning knitting time Tuesday afternoon coffee time no I'm not against knitting time if that's your boat float it coffee's great text me show up with a coffee I'll drink it with you but there's a that's itness on the part of a consumer but on the part of a disciple he's happy to do what they did right here in the book of Acts they continued steadfastly not halfhazard not once in a while not when they got the feeling that they should probably do something they continued steadfastly in what the apostles Doctrine they understood all too well what Jesus prayed in the high Priestly prayer sanctify them by thy truth Thy word is truth apart from the word of God we're in bad shape but notice they continued steadfastly as well in Fellowship that doesn't simply mean they went to conu games together I think Calvin's got it Mutual society and fellowship unto alms and unto other duties of Brotherly Fellowship they continued steadfastly in this but as well in the breaking of bread not just having a stake at Mr Mike's together but the breaking of bread is the supper it's the Lord's table it's the sacrament ordained by our Lord Jesus Christ baptism is the initiatory right the supper is that ongoing right where the the householder serves his weary pilgrims the bread and the wine that they need to sustain them and then they continued steadfastly in prayers Brethren that's conversion that's what happens when you get saved you want to do what Jesus says Jesus says get baptized Jesus says join churches Jesus says grow okay that's what I want to do that's what I want to do well in conclusion I want to encourage Shannon she probably think so am I one the blessing of salvation by grace alone through faith alone and Christ alone remember that I believe that you do we had a good meeting together it's great again one of the parts of the the the the job or the vocation if you were here on Wednesday night you'll get the background to that of being a pastor one of the Privileges or benefits is being able to talk to new converts about their conversion and to hear of God's grace in their lives it's a real encouragement and and Brethren I'm going to I just want to say one other thing here this is in fact the response of those saved by grace this isn't a performance and in fact I'm going to just be open and candid here and you're probably going to go wow that was a parachuted end point but it wasn't it isn't there's just something that needs to be said let's not clap after the baptism I I don't think any of us mean to applaud the person being baptized I don't think any of us mean to applaud the person for what they've done I I do believe in my heart of hearts it goes to God but I'm going to suggest that we do that through the saying of the doxology in praise to God lest anyone ever think that the reason that person is in that water is owing to some small degree on their part it it could be misinterpreted just say refrain you can hug that person Embrace that person certainly pray for that person encourage that person I don't mean to be the guy that RS on the the parade but I just think if it's given a misunderstanding we don't want anybody to ever walk out of here thinking man that Shannon she's a great girl she is a great girl that's not my point she's a fantastic girl but she ain't going into that water because she's a fantastic girl she's going in that water because Christ is a fantastic savior let us not obscure that let us sing praise to God God receives the Praises of his people I want to read to Shannon and all of us something that I've read in the past on baptismal services from CH Spurgeon he rehearses his own baptism May 3rd in the afternoon if if you don't know who CH spon he's kind of the patron saint for us reformed Baptists he didn't wear the big hat and have the big scepter actually did wear a big hat he wore a top hat but not the big red one that the bapist wear he he just kind of a hero to to to us not in the sense that Jesus is just so you know if you ever go into my office that bobble head on my desk that's not a baseball player they're usually not that overweight unless you were Babe Ruth but but it's Spurgeon so listen to how he describes his baptism in the afternoon I was privileged to follow my Lord and to be buried with him in baptism blessed pool sweet emblem of my death to all the world may I hence forward live live alone for Jesus accept my body and soul as a poor sacrifice tie me unto thee in thy strength I now devote myself to thy service forever May uh never may I shrink from owning thy name witness ye men and angels now if I forsake the Lord I vow to Glory alone in Jesus and his cross and to spend my life in the extension of his cause in whatsoever way he pleases I desire to be sincere in this solemn profession having but one object in View and that to glorify God blessing upon thy name that thou has supported me through the day it is thy strength alone that could do this thou hast thou wilt thou Hast enabled me to profess thee help me now to honor thee and carry out my profession and Live the Life of Christ on Earth amen hopefully this rejuvenates or rekindles that in our heart Hearts as those who have been baptized and identified publicly in the waters of baptism curious thing about Spurgeon his parents were Presbyterian poed Baptist they were quite happy to hear that he got converted but showed a bit of chiding on him getting baptized he said well Mom Dad God is able to do above and exceedingly abundantly more than all we can ask or think not only did he saved me he made me a Baptist that's a joke from me but that's essentially what he was saying again I love poed Baptists I love the theology that these brothers have brought to the church but I think their interpretation of Acts 238 239 is just incorrect it's become a a a means a foil to to to bring this Doctrine when you look at the text in its context it's very clear what Peter is saying and what Peter isn't saying so again don't want to lambast but just want to make that observation and then I want to end with the whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved that's a glorious promise that is a glorious encouragement if you are a sinner here this morning that has not believed the gospel you've not not repented you've not been baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins guess what the encouragement to you is to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins in other words call on his name in faith Look to Him and you will be saved well let us pray Our Father in Heaven thank you for your word thank you for your goodness and your kindness to us thank you thank you that we get to take part in this and witness the baptism of another believer thank you for adding to our church we see your sovereignty here in Acts chapter 2 we see your sovereignty here in chillac in December 2024 and all praise all honor all glory is to you our great God even Father Son and Holy Spirit and we pray in jesus' name amen well our brother Mark is going to come up and Lead A Hymn while we change our clothes all right we're going to stand together and we're going to sing Amazing Grace number 433 in your Himel 433 we'll sing all six verses [Music] the like I was lost now found was now I see my heart and my Howe that Gra my first I his gra has he SA for and gra will the has Pro good to me my will my shield and as long as and and shall shall with the a life of joy and peace shining as the we to sing PR [Music] we youngward from a little closer perspective you can line up here I just wanted to rehearse the rest of our confession I alluded to chapter 29 paragraph 1 but I'll just read the whole chapter we subscribed the second London Confession was written in 1677 basically ratified in 1689 1689 was a unique time in in English History you had what was called The Act of Toleration passed so the public uh the Baptist could publicly affirm their doctrinal commitments without threat of going to prison you remember the author John bunan John bunan went to jail not because he robbed banks John bunan went to jail because he was a Baptist and so at that time of 1689 they had taken their confession signed it put it out there not to show how much different they were in fact their particular emphasis was to show how much they were aligned with their Presbyterian and congregational Brethren they they they say as much and they did as much for much of the 1689 confession they simply took the SE the Westminster Confession from the Presbyterians the savoo Declaration from the congregationalists and used it for the most part in full now along the way they differed there were a few things baptism obviously being one of them where they did differ so their first intention was was not to highlight or parade their differences but rather to show their solidarity so as I said when it comes to our poed Baptist Brethren great solidarity we affirm the the doctrine of justification by faith alone we affirm the the triun of God we we affirm you know many many many truths together our confession is very similar to the three forms of unity as well at least in doctrinal precision and articulation so when they come to deal with baptism however there are some notable exceptions they leave out infants they leave out sort of an automatic inclusion of of children that are born to Believers and I cannot stress this enough the argument is not that God can't save children that God can't save infants the argument is not that God doesn't save them the argument is simple who does the Bible say ought to be baptized and I believe along with other Baptists at least cam I know will affirm this as well we ask Jesus who gets baptized not Abraham not that Abraham doesn't have much to teach us and tell us but not with reference to a New Covenant U um sacraments so I'll read chapter 29 paragraph 1 speaks of the significance of baptism it is an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of Life the proper subjects are then set forth those who do actually profess repentance towards God faith in and obedience to our lord Jesus are the only proper subjects of this ordinance third is the outward elements involved the outward element to be used in this ordinance is water wherein the party is to be baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and then the paragraph following says immersion or dipping of the person in water is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance in fact the word baptizo means immerse and so that's why we do what we do of course the the the picture or the representation that's why we ask the kids up here it is a visible expression of what God does internally so in the immersion into the water we see that signifying with Christ death burial Resurrection that's the language of the Apostle in Romans chapter 6 when he points the Believers there to consider their baptism ISM so I've asked Shannon if I uh I've got several questions to ask of Shannon and then we will baptize do you believe there is one true and living God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit do you believe that you have sinned against God and justly deserve his punishment for your sins do you believe that Jesus Christ the son of God lived in obedience to God's law died as a sacrifice and substitute for Sinners and Rose on the third day do you believe in Jesus Christ Alone to save you from from your sins and do you commit to walk in obedience to God through faith in Jesus Christ amen all right Jour this way I baptize you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit it's okay it was just the kids let's stand and sing the do ology and praise to our God 568 praise to our Triune [Music] God all blessings pring All Creatures here Praise Him the heav host praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Our Father in heaven we thank you again for this wonderful opportunity and privilege to participate in this service thank you for for our dear sister Shannon and for her testimony of your Saving Grace we thank you for her understanding of the gospel and her knowledge of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may you multiply these cases may you cause many more to come to our Savior Believing on him calling upon his name and knowing the joy of being found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is given freely by you and receive through faith we ask that you would go with us help us to sanctify the day to call it a delight and we pray in jesus' name amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation e e e for