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well good morning to everyone welcome to free grace Baptist Church for everyone here for everyone that is here for Emma Jones as baptism we welcome you everyone else we welcome you as well but it's a it's a fuller house this morning so it's good to have all of you with us it's always a delightful day when we get to observe the Lord's Day Sabbath yes but then also get to observe an ordinance get to observe someone in joyful obedience going into those waters of Baptist and that's a great day so we look forward we're prayerful we have been for for Emma and we look forward to to worship today into that baptism a few announcements just before we begin worship this morning is the Lord's Supper tonight a reminder so the 5 5 p.m. service following the the preaching we will observe the Lord's Supper it's a day of sacraments it's a day of ordinances that's always a wonderful thing for Christ's Church when we get to the preaching of the word the worship of our God baptism the Lord's Supper it's a wonderful day the Surrey Bible study will be a cup and running on Tuesday so this upcoming Tuesday the the Surrey Bible study will be meeting the free grace Baptist Church Bible study will be on Wednesday so we'll kick start that again for the first Bible study of 2018 that's this upcoming Wednesday also this week we have youth on Thursday so an email I imagine will be going out but that is this upcoming Thursday details forthcoming the luncheon the fellowship luncheon for January will be next Sunday January 14th it will be a farewell luncheon for those leaving for the South Surrey church plant so a bittersweet day for those leaving for the the Surrey church plant but it's a it's a wonderful endeavor that we've been prayerful about for years so that that will be good for fo our years not fo you our years we've been prayerful about that for years so we'll have a fellowship luncheon on Sunday January the 14th an email will be sent out on Wednesday what to bring so look forward to that and all are welcome to come to that the last announcement that we have is that Lindsey Jordan and Lindsey Porter are expecting their first child so that's wonderful news we add add them to the list of those in the church expecting expecting a child and it's a special interest and joy to my heart as well and it's it's wonderful so via please be in prayer for them for Lindsey for Jordan for the baby and we look forward hopefully at some point in late July to a new a new addition to the the Porter Butler Empire well let's move then to sacred things of worship if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 32 we'll begin our worship with the reading of psalm 32 verse 1 to verse 7 at psalm 32 beginning in verse 1 psalm 32 beginning in verse 1 this is the Word of God a psalm of David a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer sale ah I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin say law for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance say la amen well let's stand together and sing as a church our first hymn is - 18 that's 2 1 8 the first tune will stand and sing together - 1 8 [Music] well let's go to our God in prayer let us pray our righteous and our holy God we come to you in prayer rejoicing that we can do so in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you once again that you've caused each and every one of us to arise on a new day to draw breath in your creation we have the Liberty and the freedom to gather now in this place for the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit are great triune God we do pray that you would help us now to per ship you were right and we pray that we would worship you in spirit and in truth we pray that your most high name would be hallowed that you would receive all honor and all praise from the lips of this gathered assembly and we do pray this throughout the world Lord in all your churches we do pray that you would be worshipped we do pray that you would be honored and we do pray Lord God that all of your gathered Saints around the world would sing the praises of Father Son and Holy Spirit before truly Lord God you are worthy to be praised you created all things and you uphold all things by the word of your power you have condescended to save sinners through the perfect work of Jesus Christ our Savior we know that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy you saved us we thank you for that most blessed truth that you sent the Lord Jesus Christ into this world sinners to save that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son the born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who are under the law we thank you for that simplicity that we rehearsed in this morning our first Timothy 1:15 that there is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save and we acknowledge Lord God that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God yet you did send forth your son to save sinners and in that we rejoice we rejoice in his perfect life of obedience to your law that he rendered in the place of all who believe in his name we thank you for that death upon Calvary's cross where he secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number that she shed his precious blood for the forgiveness of sins we thank you for that resurrection the third day in power and in great victory we thank you Lord that he that all who believes in all who believe in his name have everlasting life have the forgiveness of sins and the joy of a perfect salvation we thank you Lord God Almighty that our Savior ascended to your right hand where he now ever lives to intercede for his people where he rules and reigns over his enemies and where he subdues the hearts of his people we do pray Lord God that you cause us to rejoice in so great a gospel is so great a biblical truth that we would be marked by great joy reflecting upon the doing and the dying and the rising again of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord God that we would give you honor and praise we do pray Lord God for some things in the life of our own church we would pray for John Proctor that you'd strengthen him and heal his ribs Lord we pray that you would just help him to be able to endure through the pain and that you would just heal him swiftly we pray Lord God for mrs. Boult that you would strengthen her as she suffers this this flu this bad flu just strengthen and heal her Lord God just this to health a Lord for all those who are struggling with disease and illness we would pray that you would just strengthen them and help them and in the midst of physical fliction you would cause them to rejoice in you that you would cause them to resign to your will in all things and we do that you would bring them physical blessing and healing we pray Lord God for those who rule over us we would ask would you those in the ranks of government as we're called in the scripture to pray for those who are in places of authority and places of government pray for them that they would rule in righteousness and justice and inequity it would pull longer sanction those things that are an abomination in your sight but rather Lord that you would raise up those to rule or cause the present rule to do so righteously we do pray that you would call your people to be ever and and we do play unto that end for the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world I might you empower your ministers of the gospel and you're missionaries or to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ to people in need everywhere that they would hear of the one who lived for sinners who died for sinners who rose again he might have everlasting life and the forgiveness of sins by your grace got altitude we do pray Lord for Surrey the Surrey Baptist Church we will be a church it will be officially planted in January we rejoice it what you've seen in the growth of this this Bible study we thank you for those who have been attending we thank you for thank you and Jessica we thank you for the the teacher Mike has engaged in we do prosper this work that you would help it as they begin their life there in Surrey and January 21st Lord we do just pray that you'd just flourish that church strengthen it that give much grace daily and Lord's Day in and Lord's Day out that they might grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ the Savior we do pray Lord for Jordan and Lindsay we thank you for this blessed news we pray for the baby in the womb we pray that you would just strengthen and nourish and and grow that young one we look forward Lord and do time to a healthy bringing forth we do just pray that you'd watch over Lindsay watch over the baby that you would give much joy and strength to Jordan as well as he comes alongside his wife bring this time we do just pray for a for good things in this and that they would be prayerful throughout these upcoming months we pray for all with child Lord that you would strengthen and bless the mothers who have who are pregnant you'd bless the babies in the wombs Lord we look forward to these coming forth without issue and we forward God we pray that in due time these young ones at a young age would own our great God would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by your grace we do just pray that you do these mighty works of salvation in this church whether too young or upon old Lord God that you would bring forth those dead in trespasses and sins to life and to light in Jesus Christ the Lord and we do pray Lord God this morning for Emma that you would just be with her as she goes into the waters of baptism we thank you for what this symbolizes for what this is emblematic of four of having been crucified with Christ of having been buried with him in Baptism arising a rising forth that you United to Christ in his resurrection we thank you that Emma believes on the savior the Lord Jesus Christ and that she has a Christian heart that seeks to be baptized in these waters of Baptism and we just pray that this would be a day of great rejoicing specifically for Emma but as well for those who look upon this we pray that we would rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ the Savior and we do pray Lord God as we have many here this morning we pray for all who have come in these two doors outside of Christ in unbelief that by the power of amazing grace you would cause them to see the glory and the holiness and the righteousness of our triune God that you would cause them by your face to reflect upon the fact that they have sinned and have fallen short of your glory we pray Lord God that you would cause them by that same grace to realize that there is one Savior for sinners that the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray that they would believe on the king of kings and Lord of lords we do pray God that you'd be just with us now as we continue in worship help us to have hearts that are tuned to that worship help our minds not to wander but to be focused upon the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit and might all that we do Lord God be done unto the praise of your most high name we pray in the name of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing again this time we're going to sing hymn number five eight zero that's five eight zero let's stand and sing together [Music] well you can turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts specifically Acts chapter 2 while you are turning there I do want to extend a heartfelt thanks to the church for the recent time off that I was given it was a blessed time of refreshment and much relaxation to which I thank our God and the goodness and the kindness of the church here a free grace Baptist Church it's a blessing to be back I had mentioned to my wife the other night that I don't know that I'll be able to preach she said well it's like riding a bike and then I mentioned it to someone on Friday night and he said the same thing and they hadn't talked to one another so I really do hope it is like riding a bike for those of you who are visiting with us I've been out of the pulpit for the last six weeks on sabbatical so as we look at acts 2 our focus this morning is predominantly on Peters preaching and the response of the hearers we see that in verses 37 to 42 it's a big section so we will try to focus our attention on those verses but I do want to begin reading in chapter 2 at verse 22 to set that section in its larger context and again this is the day of Pentecost the Spirit of God comes upon the church powerfully mightily and Peter then stands up and interprets the situation by an appeal to the Prophet Joel in chapter 2 verses 14 to 21 he says what is occurring here is what the Prophet Joel had prophesied concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and now Peter does engage in the proclamation of Christ and him crucified so I'll begin reading 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 him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge 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 where David says concerning him I foresaw the law always before my face for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken therefore 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 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 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 I make your enemies your footstool 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 who are afar off as many as the Lord our God will call 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 fastly 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 excuse me 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 art praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved amen will let us pray and ask God's blessing upon our time together Most High God we gather on the Sabbath day and we come to rejoice in you we come to the Father through the mediation of our priest that the Lord Jesus Christ and that by the Spirit we pray that the triune God would be all in all in this place we thank you for the happy occasion not only if worship but if baptism we thank you that you in your Grace and in your mercy effectually call sinners out of darkness and the marvelous light we thank you that you grant the graces of faith and repentance and that baptism is a is a demonstration of what you have done in wordly and our God we pray that as we gather here our hearts would be strengthened that we would grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus that we would appreciate afresh the gospel of our salvation and for any and all who do not know you we pray that today would be the day of salvation we pray that Christ him risen him enthroned on high him having died and those great truths associated with his life and ministry we pray that sinners would hear these things and by the power of the Holy Spirit would receive the word gladly do forgive us now for our sins and our transgressions and help us to glorify you and we pray through Christ our Lord amen as I said this is a significant passage in the in the history of God's workings among man it was prophesied of old and it comes to pass here in Acts chapter 2 if you look back for just a moment at one it is important for us to see how this book as a whole functions if you notice in verse 1 it says the former account I made aa Theophilus now Luke wrote acts so the former account refers to Luke his gospel narrative the former account I made aa Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach the connection is simple the book of Luke and the other gospel narratives record all that Jesus began both to do and teach the book of Acts tells us what he continues to do and teach it really is the acts of the risen Lord Jesus operating of course through the Apostles but he enthroned at the right hand of the Father is responsible for disciple making and church building and strengthening the people of God and you see the specific emphasis on the day that he was taken up in acts 1 verse 4 and then again in acts 1:22 but then we turned to the book of our Acts chapter 2 and notice the day of Pentecost so this day was taken up is identified one-for-one 22 the data sentient and then to 1 tells us the day of Pentecost I think Luke wants us to think this way the Christ who was taken up on that day is the Christ who is behind the glorious things transpiring on this day some take this chapter specifically the tongue speaking and they see that as the focus the centrality that the people of God need to be speaking in tongues know the emphasis in this chapter is on the Supreme Lord ship and sovereignty of Jesus Christ he is the star he is the one that is demonstrating his power enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on I so as I said let's look first at the instruction given by the Apostle Peter in verses 22 to 39 and then we'll look at the response of the hearers to the Apostle Peter in verses 41 to 42 the first place Peters instruction involves the gospel verses 22 to 36 specifically the event associated with the Lord Jesus Christ that word gospel is abused today we call everything in anything gospel the gospel narrowly defined is that message about Jesus Christ it's not about you you may participate in it be a partaker of it by God's grace through faith in it but the gospel is primarily about Jesus his life his ministry his death and his resurrection and this is precisely what Peter does his life in ministry in verse 22 his death in verse 23 his resurrection from the dead in verses 24 to 32 and then his ascension on I to the right hand of the majesty of God in verses 33 to 36 Peter doesn't come to proclaim a message of good advice Peter doesn't come to try and apply a bit of humanistic therapy to his hearers he doesn't come to try to make them feel a bit better about themselves he comes to preach Christ and him crucified the Apostle Paul in first Corinthians 1 says that says that Jews seek after signs Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ and him crucified if this is the pattern the paradigm the example of the apostolic ministry then why is the church lacking in this particular area gospel preaching must be preeminent that must be definitive of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ yes you come and you hear helpful messages on hopefully how to be a better husband or a better father but the primary undergirding theme of all preaching ought to be Christ in him crucified him resurrected him ascended on high him having led captivity captive him having given gifts to man him in throned at the right hand of the majesty of God for the edification of his people and the salvation of sinners you see that's Peters point is setting before his hearers the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but then secondly part of his destruction includes the law it doesn't say well here's first an exposition of the ten commandments and here's why you need the Lord Jesus Christ but he certainly appeals to the sixth commandment because in two places he highlights the fact that you have crucified Him you see as I was thinking about this particular section this morning what is it that brings us together here it's not the canucks is not a political party it is our sinner hood it is our sinfulness it is a in Adam Ness it is our wretchedness and our undone Ness and we need the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ we need redemption through his blood o Peter knows that Peter knows the reasons why Jesus lived Jesus died and Jesus was raised again it wasn't to provide good advice to provide moralistic therapy to people so they'd have a little bit better life no it's to deal with the sin issue the sin problem notice what he says here in verse 36 therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified see this is what necessitated the life and the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus this is another element that somehow is lacking in churches today we preach the centrality of the cross but we must also highlight what necessitated that the waywardness of man the sinfulness of man the guiltiness of man the reality that we have broken the law of God and in this particular section again he refers to it in chapter 2 at verse 23 he'll refer to it again in chapter 3 and then again in chapter 5 what's he doing he's highlighting the chief sin of these Jerusalem sinners why is that because if men don't see their sin they'll never see their need for Jesus it's a very simple concept isn't it that's what our Lord taught in Matthew chapter 9 come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance so what does the church do I'm speaking generically well let's just preach on how to be a better you know we tell people they're sinners well that's so negative they won't like that it doesn't matter what we like it matters what we need to hear certain when somebody goes to the doctor and hears the diagnosis you've got cancer it's not nice but it's necessary how do you find remedy without first finding the problem how do you find a solution unless you know what the situation is we are not to be tickling the ears of people on the way to hell we're to be telling them sin we're gonna be telling them of their lawlessness we are to be telling them of their wretchedness and in this particular situation Peter doesn't say you know you've got these few issues among you he says specifically whom you crucified I love Thomas Milton he says this loose discourses about sin in general do not affect the heart so much as the sound discovery of sin and when that one sin is discovered it bringeth others into the view of conscience these loose discourses these sort of vagaries these sort of thoughts on it you know you're not as great as you ought to be that's not going to convict anybody of their sin when they hear that they have crucified the Lord of glory that one sent from God most high as Israel's Messiah as his Israel's champion as the Promised One according to the Old Testament Scriptures and yet you denied him you by lawless hands crucified him you delivered him up to godless men and they pounded skates into his into his wrists and into his feet and ultimately a sphere was plunged into his side he bore that wrath for sin you see vagaries never do the job we need to highlight where persons have sinned and if you are here today and you are new to this whole thing you need to think about this you're not a perfect man woman boy or girl I know that your parents may think you are your spouse may think you are you're the best thing that's ever happened I mean you're still wicked I'm sorry you're still sinful this is the point now a person say wow this is good for my ego perhaps our egos need to be bruised broken and battered so will appreciate the bruised broken battered Savior that was raised the third day enthroned on high where he ever lives to save all who come to him you see your sin may not be directly the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ but the law of God is a wonderful place to go to sort of do a survey of your conduct before holy God the first two commandments prohibit idolatry you're not supposed to have other gods before not you're not supposed to make images of the true God that's a pretty easy litmus test to see where I stand before a holy God in fact this is the first and foremost commandment you'll love him with all your heart soul mind and strength are you an idolatry you say well I don't worship Bale I don't worship Moloch I don't bow to a Shura oh it may be something a little bit more respectable see on this side of the canaanites we've become more respectable in our idolatry at least outwardly but it's still inwardly corrupt and wicked and vile anything that we put in the place of God anything that we want more than God that's why that fundamental Kingdom principle of Matthew 6:33 comes hopefully as no surprise to the people of God but something very offensive to the non people of God seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then these things will be added unto you don't worry about food don't worry about what you're gonna wear don't worry about all those particular cares or anxieties that you have you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then those things will be added to you we're told in the scriptures that were not supposed to blaspheme the name of God we're not supposed to misuse his name and yet it's done all around us it's done by us in our actions when King David of Israel fell into adultery and then murder the prophet Nathan says by this you've given cause to the enemies of Yahweh to blaspheme his name Sabbath breaking I'm we could probably all just fall on the floor right now and confess our sin of Sabbath breaking to God for the next several hours who versus team's gods day who of us says with David in Psalm 122 I mean obviously we should be recalling what is written there and and encouraging our hearts to to make those sorts of declarations David says I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord we're glad to get the email last Saturday that we couldn't get the lot plowed are you glad that the house of God was barred up by the white stuff and we weren't able to come are you glad on Sunday morning when the alarm clock goes off and and you get to come to church or is it more like I have to go to church the fifth word very particular to kids you kids honor your father and your mother you obey them in the Lord you see one of the functions of God's law is to show us our need for Jesus Christ the function that I am highlighting here shows us that we are wicked and we stand in need of Christ and this is how it functioned here on the day of Pentecost under the power of the Spirit because they were cut to the heart and having been cut to the heart what do they do he said what shall we do now that's wrong headed that's always the response of a sinner who's been found out what shall I do shall I give money shall I pay tithes shall I go here shall I do this there's always that that covenant of works orientation in a in an awakened Center I want to do something to get right with God we'll see in just a few moments how Peter answers that particular query murder we may not be cutting throats or shooting people a mad but we may hate people in our hearts and we may have bitterness and resentment and all manner of corruption adultery Jesus says if you've looked upon a woman or a man too lost you've broken the commandment it's not just externals that the law of God is concerned with that's what the Pharisees thought that's what the rich young ruler thought all these I have kept from my youth what thing do I lack that's why Jesus says go sell everything you have give it to the poor and then follow me the law of God is internal this man was a covetous wretch just because he had externally not cut someone's throat just because externally had not lain with another man's wife doesn't mean he is a sinless creature and it doesn't mean that for any of us the eighth commandment you shall not steal the night you shall not lie the tenth you shall not covet all these things are are utilized by the Apostles in their preaching to highlight the need that persons have you see if you come to church and you don't hear your sin addressed you're never gonna see your need for the Savior it's just that simple why would I know this is one of the challenges and in the modern culture that we live in we are witnessing or trying to witness to people that have very full lives imagine we go to the neighbor's house and he lives in this massive house he's got you know boats and cars and summer homes and he's you know loaded rich and all that sort of thing and we come to him under the guise of the modern evangelical message and we say you need to come to Jesus so you can be happy happy I've got this massive house I've got a wonderful wife I've got five beautiful kids I got boats I've got homes out you know in in other parts of the world so that when snow Kansai I can get out of Dodge and bask on the beach of Tulum I have all that what are you telling me I need Jesus to be happy for see that is fundamentally flawed you don't need Jesus for your happiness you need Jesus for your salvation you need Jesus for your righteousness you need Jesus for your deliverance you need Jesus for redemption through his blood you need Jesus for reconciliation with a holy God you see this whole approach add Jesus to your life and it will get fundamentally better that just doesn't fly brethren and that's not how the Apostles proclaimed the gospel home you crucified he says I love the words of J Gresham machen he says a new and more powerful proclamation of that law is perhaps the most pressing need of the hour men would have little difficulty with the gospel if they had only learned the lesson of the law so it always is a low view of the law always brings legalism in religion that's contrary to what most of us think oh that guy he really loves the law he's a legalist legalists hate the law of God legalists and antinomian czar bedfellows with reference to the common of jacket opposition which is God's holy law a low view of law is what brings legalism a proper view of God's law does not promote legalism it does not promote antinomianism a proper view of God's law produces liberty joy Thanksgiving blessedness a proper view of law of God's law on the other side of Christ the non saved produces the reason why we need Jesus Christ machen ends that bit by saying a high view of law makes a man a seeker after grace pray God that the hive you may again prevail amen so notice they are convicted of their sin according to verse 37 now when they heard this it could be the specific reference in verse 36 more likely it is all that Peter has said concerning the man his ministry his death resurrection and ascension Peter ends this sermon with that therefore verse 36 therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly you see the Bible isn't something that might be true the Bible isn't something that is possible the Bible isn't something that is fairytale-like as pastor Porter pointed out recently pastor Porter pointed out recently there's some alliteration for you sermon lovers pastor Porter pointed out recently that the Bible does not begin in a distant land it doesn't begin or speak with the language of fable or fairy tale but no assuredly that this Jesus whom you crucified God has made in both Lord and Christ they heard this they understand this now we're going to focus on something a little bit later the reality that these are Jerusalem sinners the very City of God David city Sion had lately become the bastion of apostasy had lately become abominable had lately become defective and utterly undone why because they crucified the Lord of glory do you understand that it refer to John Bunyan in a few moments it's his messengers sermon or his discourse The Jerusalem sinner saved from Luke 24:47 Jesus says that this message of repentance and remission of sins needs to be preached to all nations beginning at Jerusalem now there's political theological reasons why that was the case but practically consider it you are just crucified by a wicked City you've a send it on high and you've given command to your disciples do you target that wicked City first no hit the other nations and then follow them up on the on the back back in they need to learn their lesson for what they have done to me these were vile Kurupt wretched people these were persons that really stood in need of all that the Redeemer had accomplished and God the spirit brings that conviction upon them right now verse 37 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 now let's look at Peter's response first of all he tells them to repent well why would he do that because they crucified Jesus this man who has attested to you by God through signs wonders and miracles this man that you instead of praising and worshipping and receiving and bowing and hearing and heeding you crucified you said away with him away with him Safiya of course they needed to repent they were certainly conversant with the Old Testament Scriptures the Old Testament not waste always calling through the prophets to the nation of Israel to repent he's not their big cheerleader up in heaven sending the prophets to give him a shot in the arms I you're doing a great job no return to me says Yahweh look to me and be saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is no other but the wicked man forsake his ways let him return to God you see Peters language here is appropriate repent go from the place of having murdered Jesus to the place of believing on Jesus and not you might apply that very specifically to your own place your own station your own breach of the commandments you need to repent don't continue in idolatry blasphemy Sabbath breaking insubordination murder adultery theft lies and covetousness don't perpetuate the sinfulness and the madness but repent now repent fundamentally means to have a change of mind the Bible envision envisions that when we have that change of mind there will be a change of conduct that follows there will be fruits of repentance so you take the man who worships bail repentance is going to look simple he's gonna not worship bail anymore and he's gonna worship Yahweh repent that's the fundamental meaning there Bruce defines it as a spiritual about-face kid you see soldiers marching in unison and the drill instructor says about-face and they all turn and go back the other way they came that's what it mean I think Jay a Alexander helps flesh it out a little bit as well excuse me he says regret or sorrow is only one of its ingredients you see it's not just I feel bad about that particular sin I feel bad that he mentioned adultery and I've been looking at porn I feel bad that he mentioned murder and I've hated my wife her husband in my heart I feel bad that such is the case that's not all that's involved in repentance and Alexander goes on regret or sorrow is only one of its ingredients evangelical repentance in its widest sense is an entire revolution of the principles and practice of the heart and life it's a piecemeal is that just a bit it's not just a little so that I can avail with God no it's a radical revolution look at Philippians chapter 3 Paul highlights what he once was and what do you become look at any of the repentance in the scriptures Matthew is sitting at the tax office counting his his his loot and Jesus says follow me what does he do he leaves it all and immediately follows now repentance is never perfect repentance is never absolutely complete repentance is not something that we do once and well tomorrow I won't have to repent again no that's not the case as well we need to understand repentance and faith because we come to a Reformed Church and we hear about justification by faith a lot it's almost hinted at times as if repentance is a workout and you know sort of other proclamation when you look at the book of Acts and we don't have time to do this now the words belief or believe and repent repentance trend those things are used separately in various contexts and they are used together in various contexts in fact look at our particular context Peter says in verse 30 38 repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins notice in verse 41 then those who gladly received his word were baptized so they're told to repent we see in verse 41 they received the word now notice the identifiers in verse 44 now all who believed were together it's almost as if these terms are used interchangeably in the book of Acts there's certainly a difference there's certainly distinction between faith and repentance but for our point now when Peter says repent he is not prescribing humanism he's not telling them behavior modification is where it's at he's not telling them just to affect their morality enough to get things right with God no faith and repentance go hand in hand in fact Thompson I think is right on when says repentance and faith are two sides of one coin they are not identical but where one is mentioned by itself the other may be presupposed you need to get that as you read acts well did I repent properly did I believe those are two sides of the same coin one of the Puritan authors says faith is penitent faith belief is or repentance is believing repentance the two go hand-in-hand their grace is given by God by means of which sinners close with the Lord Jesus Christ so Peters words are very specific to them repent notice secondly tells them to be baptized it's reflecting the Masters orders here in Matthew 28 why is that tank filled and why is Emma going to go into it because Jesus commands it there are churches that don't practice the sacraments why certainly some think while we're in heaven so we don't need sacramental adherents anymore that that's just bizarre but then there are others say the Salvation Army I think doesn't booth teach no baptism no Lord's Supper why didn't Jesus say all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me go therefore and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit if we ask the question today why is there water and why is Emma going into it the primary answer is because Jesus commands it right well cuz Emma's a great girl she is wonderful human he needed blood to save her from her sins we have a great master and he commands it and this is what Peter says repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins it is important for us to understand here that this is not a oneness Pentecostal formula statement for those who don't understand what I just said that's okay there are some who teach that were only to be baptized in the name of Jesus because that's what the Apostle said look at what Peter says repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins it's not formulaic the formula formulas laid down for us by the Lord in Matthew 28 John Gill is a far more able expositor of God's Word than any oneness Pentecostal and he explains in the name of Jesus Christ this way 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 that's what it means faith and repentance and the object of that faith and repentance is Jesus Christ be baptized in his name now forgiveness is not obtained by baptism there's others who teach well in order to be saved you have to be baptized we don't believe that here it's not obtained through baptism it's not as if Emma goes into the water now God forgives her no its signified by baptism when she goes into that water is it it is an external attestation of what God has done in wordly so in this particular context repent and let every one of you be baptized so that when they came to be baptized these 3,000 souls that are added to the church when they are baptized this is an attestation that they by God's grace had repented that they by God's grace had received the word which means they believed it that's what's in view here then notice something that I mentioned earlier why are we here it's not the canucks not the liberal party for sure it's because we're sinners that stand in need of God's forgiveness isn't it what why the gospel because you sinned against a holy God why the gospel because that holy God is going to rescue sinners why the gospel because without the shedding of blood there is no remission why the gospel because Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world see this is why these people gathered this is why these people heard this is why these people were cut to the heart by the Holy Spirit it was to bring them to this place repentance toward God faith in our Lord Jesus Christ having received the word washed in that precious fount the prophets testified jeta Zechariah specifically said in that day there will be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness where is he talking about so I'm not Jerusalem how is that fountain filled strong from the Manuel's veins as we sing in number 188 you see this is the point of the whole reason we exist why do you go to church is it because you like looking down on everybody else why do you go to church because you're a self-righteous schmuck that's very mean to everybody I go to church because I'm a wretch who stands in need a blow of blood see I think brethren that if we get our minds wrapped around that tight enough and we might begin to be the Christian people we're supposed to be we're not saved because we're better I've used the illustration before I think it was Ted Turner the founder of one of the network's said that the Christianity is for losers he meant that as a put-down that's actually too nice we're not just losers we're a whole lot worse than losers you come in last in a marathon you can go home and have a wonderful night with your wife and qaul you probably have to rest a few days but life goes on losing isn't the worst thing in the world sinning is that's our issue that's our problem that's who Christianity is for can I get a praise be to God on that one it's not because we are good it's not because we marry it is not because we obey those 10 words it's because God in Christ is reconciling the world to himself it comes as a result of his perfect life in obedience to the Father his death as a sacrifice and substitute at the cross and his resurrection the third day he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification that's the reality that Peter is setting forth in this particular section notice Peter then promises them the Holy Spirit verses 38 and 39 now there's a couple things here before we proceed I noticed my voice isn't as strong six weeks out has been tough but it's been six weeks so if I go a little bit longer nobody'll mind right I got six weeks of stuff just kidding are they go long enough as it is but notice what he goes on to say he says and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit verse 39 for the promise is to you now that promise there is the gift of the Holy Spirit this is conspicuous in the book of Acts it's conspicuous in the context of the prophets it is conspicuous in light of the zekiel 36 Ezekiel 37 the promise of the new covenant the Prophet Joel that has already been quoted God is going to do something God the Father is going to send the spirit through the agency of the son according to verse 33 that will be unlike anything he had done up to that point the age of the Spirit has dawned the age of the spirit of the age rather of Messiah has dawned and that is an age of the Spirit where Christ enthroned at the right hand of God most high according to verse 33 having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see in here so you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit look back at acts 1 it's important that we understand this that in verse 39 the promise in view is the gift of the Holy Spirit what a promise upon which we baptize our babies it's not a promise upon which we smuggle in infants it's not a promise upon which we we claim that this is the proof tax so that we can sprinkle little ones that's not what the promise of verse 39 is it's the promise of the Holy Spirit that they have been taught to wait for in accordance with but the Prophet the prophetic word of the old test and the words of the Lord Jesus Christ notice in verse 4 and being assembled this is acts one together with them he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the father which he said you have heard from me notice as well acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth and then again we see it in acts 233 you've already read that God our 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 here so we see that the Holy Spirit is the one promised by Peter to those who receive the word those who by God's grace believe the gospel and repent of their sin they received the spirit it's a beautiful thing now some interpret it as the gifts of the Spirit well the Apostle spoke in tongues and so what Peter is promising here is that they'll receive the gifts of the Spirit so that they could - can speak and talk it probably means the Spirit s gift this is what you get courtesy of our Lord Jesus and thrown at the right hand of God Most High certainly you got it in the Old Testament believers were not devoid of the spirit in the Old Testament but there is a quantifiable difference in terms of God's dealings in this new covenant era through Christ who is enthroned at the right hand who sends forth his spirit this is what Peter promises now let's look at verse 39 now for those of you who have been involved in any sort of church life those of you who've been on either side of the Baptism debate you'll know that verse 39 comes up a lot this and to your children it's sort of like the the motto text for paedo baptism or infant baptism I don't want to get into all that this morning I want to encourage us with what Peter is actually doing I don't think Peter here is giving us sort of a detailed statement on how we ought to regard infants in the new covenant situation I think Peter is encouraging his hearers with the scope of God's mercy in other words I might say to you come over to our house this afternoon it's a bear invitation but I might follow it up with my wife made a pot of soup and this soup is so delicious it is so wonderful some of the kids are going to bring other items everybody's going to show up at our house today it's an encouragement isn't it it entices you you've not only heard the invitation but it's been it's been highlighted it's been punctuated that's how verse 39 functions I'm not saying we ought not to refer to it in our polemics or discussions about baptism but in the context it functions this way for the promise is for you Jerusalem sinners Christ murdering sinners God in His grace God in His kindness God in His goodness has sent his son to die for that kind of sinner it's also for your children we know what this means because of our studies in Matthew 27 in Matthew 27 before Pontius Pilate all Israel says may his blood the Lord Jesus Christ may his blood be upon us and our children what's God saying through the process through the Apostle Peter the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin so it's for Jerusalem sinners it's for the children of Jerusalem sinners and get this it's for all those who are afar off in other words Gentiles see the three-fold outline of the book of Acts is in Chapter 1 you no witness to me first in Jerusalem then Judea Samaria and then what to the uttermost parts of the earth that's precisely how the book of Acts flows and that's precisely how these outpourings of the Spirit flow x2 is not to be duplicated at least some of it in the modern church we're not looking for Pentecost today we see it in acts 2 we see it in acts 8 when they're in Judea Samaria and we see it in acts 10 when the Spirit is given to the Gentiles so the Spirit is given in these particular instances to manifest God's fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets to empower and equip the church so that it can go out and preach Christ and him crucified the first message of the church ought not to be you need to speak in tongues no you need to believe the gospel you need to look under Jesus and live you see that's what Peter is saying here it's an encouragement 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 you see that's the fundamental statement that we need to make sure we attach to the others it's for you it's for your children it's for all those who are afar off the Gentiles but it's all modified by that statement as many as the Lord our God shall call not all of them without exception but all of them without distinction other words Jerusalem sinners Chilliwack e'en sinners Abbot's 14 sinners Vancouver sinners African sinners Asian sinners a whole host of sinners from every tribe tongue people and nation a great multitude that no man can number that is an encouragement you see Ezra Peters doing there he's not giving a polemic on the inclusion of infants in this new covenant era he is telling the people to come he is telling the people to repent to believe to come to this one who died for guilty sinners and then he goes on to exhort them be safe from this perverse generation let's just look quickly at the response of the hearers to the Apostle Peter verses 41 and 42 41 we see salvation then those who gladly received his word were baptized if you got the ESV they weren't glad a particular manuscript gets rid of gladly gladly should be there when you got saved listen okay I'll come to the Lord Jesus you know those people there wasn't like they got a a pocket full of lemons is just scowl it's unfortunate I I think I'm like that at times I don't walk around with a big natural smile you get that sort of an idea with Christianity it's all dour and sour and bad oh man what well what does Jesus doing pulling teeth without novocaine I mean what is it like being a Christian well look at some believers that's the way it might be communicated brethren what floods the heart of those who received the Word of God gladness praise joy Thanksgiving we move from a state of guilt to grace to gratitude they're leaping they're praising they're joyous and the presence of the God who has saved them through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus they gladly receive the word if you come to the Lord Jesus Christ it's not bread jury it's not heartache it's not a trip to the dentist it's life in its life abundant it's not what Jesus says in John 10 I came to give them life and life and that abundantly he doesn't just miserly you know give us a little bit what do we get from God when we come to Jesus brethren you can smile at this point it's okay think about redemptive benefit think about the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with a few spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ if you perform well you'll get the others that's how what he says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ yet we walk around like lemon sucking sour pusses that are not good advertisements for the Christian religion a little Peter statement 1st Peter chapter 3 says always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you do people know you have hope do people know there's something different about you if your plane is going down and you flip it out with the rest of them are you saying praise God Almighty I'm entering into the New Jerusalem via this downed airliner brethren there ought to be evident hope in the lives of God's people doesn't mean there's no sorrow doesn't mean there's no depression doesn't mean there's no hardship doesn't mean there's no psalm 42 or 43 why art thou disquieted o my soul but there's the hope sow in God Jesus spoke to the disciples in the upper room discourse he said in this world you will have tribulation how's that for a Salesman brethren you go to some perso it's only ever great Jesus says you're gonna have problems you're gonna have issues you're gonna have hardships but be of good cheer I've overcome the world you see brethren there ought to be a gladness about our worship but gladness about our singing does it just come out and Road does it just come out because we have to or is there a joy and a thanksgiving that by God's grace we move from guilt to grace and now we're gonna express that gratitude to our Savior they gladly receive that word no notice they obey then those who gladly received his word were baptized I should stop for just a moment here if you're a believer and you're not baptized you're disobeying God you know sometimes as pastors we don't want to browbeat people and we don't want to force people we don't want to threaten people we don't want to actually tell them that it really discourages us when they don't come to meetings of the church we don't want to tell them things like it would be nice to see you know Wednesday night once in a while we don't want to do that except when we passively aggressively do it but if you are a believer in Jesus and you have not entered the water of baptism you are disobedient I don't know how you can get out of that make disciples and baptize them in acts 10 when Cornelius and his household come to the Savior what does Peter say he commands that they be baptized there may be some in this place that are believers in Jesus Christ that have not been baptized you are disobedient to the master these people repented these people gladly receive the word that means they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ all that Peter had said concerning the life death and resurrection of the Savior his ascension on highest current session all that they believed so they come and they are baptized you'll notice in the book of Acts there's no altar call there's no every I bow or every eye closed every head bowed so they have been to have angelical churches you know you just shoot up your hand and that gets you in you know the pastor tells you bow your head close your eyes put your hand up if you want to receive or accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today there's no altar call you know the altar call is believe on the Lord Jesus and then go get baptized it always intrigues me too that there's not a six-month new member class before they get baptized I'm not knocking churches that do that I guess I am again passively aggressing aggressively doing that well well Peter how do you know that all these 3,000 because God's at work and God in His grace has actually given us a tool for those who enter and that aren't supposed to be in it's called church discipline called dealing with people I know that's tough but that's what we're supposed to do so they obey God but the sovereignty of God is on on display says and about 3,000 souls were added to them they weren't added by Peter they weren't added by the Apostles they weren't added by the agency of man they were added by God God the Spirit came that day what's significant about the day of Pentecost God saves sinners it's an amazing or charismatic and Pentecostal friends is it well the Holy Spirit and tongue speaking do you realize that 3,000 people went home that night justified by grace through faith Jesus heaven-bound cares who spoke in tongues I'm not disregarding the gift of the Holy Spirit in this particular instance it was to communicate not through gibberish but some other language as the great works of God Almighty but if you're seeking after the gifts of the Holy Spirit and not the Holy Spirit you've got problems the great miracle on the day of Pentecost well there are several but one significant one is that three thousand sinners were saved why is that not qualified you know as someone who believes in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit having ceased in the first century we're often ridicule I don't believe the spirits at work every time a god-hating rebel sinner comes to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that is a manifestation of the supernatural power of God that cannot be matched it's beautiful what do I care somebody's yammering on in tongues brethren we need to make sure our significance is Peter's significance now let's look finally at the practice of the church I think this bears out fruit for us now I I've been thinking that after the book of Matthew we'll move into the book of Acts it might be a sort of a nice way to to see what happened after Jesus does ascend on high goes back to the right hand of the Father and we can kind of take up the narrative what he continues to do through the Apostles one of the things I'm pretty certain I'm going to say is that not all of the book of Acts is prescriptive that means it's not all a prescription on how the church is to function much of it is B scripture when we read it as prescription we get discouraged because we don't speak in dogs when we read it as prescription we get discouraged because we're not able to work the great miracles that the Apostles did we're not the Apostles we need to keep that in our minds but it's descriptive of what church was about in this early era but if we had to pick out a section that was prescriptive a section that does prescribe for the urghhh what the church is supposed to be doing I can think of no better place than verse 42 what happens when these sinners gladly received the word which as we've seen involves repentance in faith they've come to the Savior they've been baptized now what how do we live how do we conduct ourselves what ought to be our practice note first their steadfastness their steadfastness verse 42 they continued steadfastly this is a good message for the snowflake generation so good message for us weak and soft people we need to be steadfast we need to be persevering we don't kowtow to the prevailing wisdom of the age we do what we're supposed to do it's not romantic it's not it you know exciting but doing what you're supposed to do is what God calls you to do and this steadfastness the definition means to persist in something hold fast to continuing persevere in something so what do they continued steadfastly in now mind you they had just witnessed some amazing things they had witnessed the gifts of the Holy Spirit visa vie tongue speaking they had witnessed powerful preaching by the Apostle Peter wherein 3,000 souls are added to the church and this is a a church body a group of people that are right for those sort of polished kind of guys to come in and teach them on how to do this and that spiritual gift they don't want gifts necessarily they don't want ecstasy they don't want excitement they certainly don't want entertainment what do they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine again I think corporately the church I don't mean just ours but the church ought to just stop inter tracks and say you mean doctrine is in bad you get that even still today after all the good things that have happened to sort of disavow or disabuse people of that notion doctrine is our wife we we don't want doctrine we just want Jesus you don't have Jesus with us because if you have Jesus without doctrine it's going to be a Jesus of your own making but they continued steadfastly in it brethren I think verse 42 is a powerful encouragement to the Church of Jesus Christ to do what she's supposed to do and not succumb to the prevailing wisdom of the age to the surrey ayats and to my dear brother Michael Kirkpatrick be faithful continued steadfastly don't change course apostolic doctrine is what the church feeds on apostolic doctrine is what the church needs apostolic doctrine is what these people wanted was not just doctrine it was fellowship and the fellowship here doesn't just mean going to a Canucks game together fellowship means mutual society and that mutual society is reflected very powerfully in another dimension of that word in their giving their selflessness their donations to one another it's not communist and that follows here there's no state coercion when they share their goods and property no it's spirit coercion it's the power of the Spirit coming upon the people of God and they are willingly and freely giving in an exact expression of fellowship but then in the breaking of bread and the term has sort of a technical designation later on in the book of Acts and in first Corinthians and 11 it's the Lord's Supper it's the Lord's Supper I mean why would he think he just got together and had breakfast together they got together in the turkey they got together to break bread you see the initiatory right or Sacrament or ordinance with reference to the entrance to the church is baptism you don't get baptized every week you don't get baptized every year you don't get baptized every fifth year but what the Supper that is God who is the house holder serving to his weary pilgrim Saints a necessary meal from time to time to encourage them on the way and why weary Saints don't always avail themselves of that I will never understand I will never understand why our service will be half this full tonight but for those of you who are weary those of you who are discouraged at times those of you who are tired those of you who want the householder God to serve you bread and wine to remind you of your Savior than come and eat and then finally of course prayers what does the spirit fill people do they pray when we gather together on Wednesday night when we gather together on Sunday morning that Oh pause is not a pause meeting sometimes I think that's what we should call it come to the pause meeting there's this sort of awkward silence you all know that awkward silence you're with somebody and you're silent that just feels weird well sometimes in a prayer meeting when nobody's praying it just feels weird brothers praying that's what spiritual people do they they pray they want to pray well I'm not good at Pope cares if you're good at pray pray we don't have the language the brothers that's not your concern open your mouth and speak to God God is very kind he'll listen to you just like with us as parents we don't tell our two-year-olds don't talk to us until you're 15 I mean we might be tempted to do that we might have a desire to do that but we don't do that till you can formulate long sentences using the proper syntax subject predicate we don't do that we love to hear our two-year-olds Lisp out their requests to us yeah sure why do we think prayer meetings any different gods up there with a notepads and when I got a doesn't pray that good that's not the way our God functions brethren he hears the prayers of the upright if you are in Christ or upright so pray it's not a pause meeting well in conclusion I really really do need an I just want to encourage Emma you know sometimes our church or our sort of Theological commitment has been identified as oh you practice adult baptism no we practice believers baptism that's not the distinction between us and others it's not at all in fact those believers if infants believed we'd have no problem baptizing them but we don't know if they're believing and also there's no command in Scripture to baptize infants if there was I'd like to think we donate why wouldn't we what is there it's not like wow I can't get this kid wet that's terrible of course we would if it's commanded sometimes Emma specifically we really value those who are saved out of the world and we don't see the same sort of power of God affected when they're saved in a Christian home and I think it can be a bit of a stumbling block to young people then well I haven't done anything really bad you've done everything really bad maybe it in sell crack or use crack or visit prostitutes but everything you've done up to the point where Jesus saved you is sin but but there is that in us I mean just face it the local church was going to advertise testimony night would you go to hear the guy that had been a bank robbery and gotten shootouts and in prison he was about to hang himself and somebody witnessed doing God miraculously saved him I mean that that's pretty sensational and pretty you know interesting for somebody says y'all was brought up in a Christian home by the grace of God my parents restrained me I didn't go out and rob banks I never went to prison I didn't almost hang myself I had a pretty normal simple life and one day somehow pretty imperceptibly I can't even pinpoint on the calendar as believing in Jesus why is it the guy was about to hang himself we see more power of God than we see in the other the power of God is the power of God the effectual call is the effectual call I think Paul speaks to that encouragingly with P Timothy when he says fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life to which you were also called and have confessed a good confession in the presence of many witnesses Gordon Clark says we note the fact that God called Timothy out of his state of original unrighteousness into his present state of grace such effectual calling is obvious in spectacular conversions such as Paul's but is just as real and necessary for those who learn the gospel from their mothers and grandmothers now you may not know what I'm talking about but I think this happened somebody is young they are converted in the context of the Christian home and in 1890 Atlanta I've never had this crisis I've never had this event I've never had this sort of dramatic thing or you believing in Jesus the same kind of thing when somebody says I can't pinpoint on the calendar when I believed if you couldn't pinpoint on the calendar or if you didn't have a birth certificate you couldn't pinpoint on the calendar when you were born physically why is it that we attach all this sort of significance in superstition the question for all of us is am I looking unto Jesus secondly we ought to observe in verse 42 and I don't want to pound this nail too too hard with reference to the practice of a spirit-filled Church just note verse 43 then fear came upon every soul now there's a bit of difference in terms of interpretation son say fear came upon the City of Jerusalem when they saw what was happening in the church others suggested it was the church the people of God that engaged in this practice this continuing a continual steadfastness then fear came upon every one of them but it is interesting to note that fear came upon somebody much of contemporary worship does not have that effect upon anybody least of all the worshiper one man made this observation with reference to contemporary worship it creates a tone that is casual comfortable chatty busy humorous pleasant and at times even cute he goes on to suggest that if the Seraphim assumed this Sunday morning mood they would be addressing God not as holy holy holy but as nice nice nice you see if there is prescription in the book of Acts it certainly must be verse 42 what's our task is the people of God continued steadfastly an apostolic Doctrine in fellowship in the breaking of bread and prayers well it's just kind of boring isn't it if God says this is what is calculated to do our souls good then it's not boring and then finally the glorious grace of God I don't want anybody to miss this the Jerusalem sinner saved a message by John Bunyan this typical Puritan fashion the the the titles of their treatises have more theology than many of the Christian books that are in Christian bookstores here's the title I don't know if it was a sermon specifically I think it was a I think he preached this material but he certainly wrote it out The Jerusalem sinner saved good news for the vilest of men or a help for despairing souls you know it as doctrine is that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered to the biggest sinners not beautiful you're a big sinner yeah exactly and God offers mercy to big sinners and this is the lesson of 2447 in the book of Luke that you you you preach the gospel to all nations beginning at Jerusalem this place that had murdered Jesus God's design is to offer mercy to the biggest sinners if you're a big sinner here this morning come to the Savior repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins Bunyan gives several reasons why this is the case the biggest sinners have the most need when the biggest sinners receive that mercy it resounds most to the fame of Christ's name others hearing of it will be more encouraged to come to him for life because it is the way if they receive it most a week in the sack ingdom of Satan because such when converted are usually the best helps in the church against temptations and fitness for the support of the feeble-minded their love that the biggest sinners serve a great encouragement to the rest of the sinners well God plucked him off and saved him and then there's certainly hope for me and as a paul used this ethic in first Timothy chapter one Christ Jesus came into the world sinners to save of whom what I am chief I am foremost if there's a biggest sinner list than Paul is number one see what ought that to do to you this morning don't get discouraged don't despair don't fret don't say no but rather receive the word believe on the Lord Jesus Christ this man who is attested by God with these miracles who ultimately died and who was raised the third day this man who was ascended on high and exalted the right hand of God most high this man will save the biggest sinners so come believe and live well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this record and the book of Acts and we thank you for this opportunity that brings us together and may you open hearts to receive the Word of God and may this be manifest through belief in the gospel and repentance unto life and baptism to identify publicly with Jesus Christ the Lord we ask these things in his most blessed name Amen well pastor Porter will come up and lead us in a couple of hymns while Emma and I change to go into the water and remain seated will sing for 40 together as they prepare for the baptism [Music] [Music] right the children up just so they can see because baptism is a seeing thing the Scriptures tell us that we're supposed to worship God in a particular way we're supposed to preach the word we're supposed to read the word we're supposed to sing the word and we're supposed to pray the word we also see the word when it comes to baptism and the Lord's Supper these are outward signs external things that teach us spiritual truths and as I mentioned earlier as emma goes into this water it is a representation a significant that she has died with christ and has been raised anew in fact our confession of faith highlights this it says baptism is an ordinance of the new testament ordained by jesus christ to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him and that ended in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him a remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life so there's a lot communicated by this particular act and so it's good for everybody to participate and watch so emma is going to share a bit of her testimony now to let us know how she came to know the Lord Jesus Christ so I came to the Lord at a very early age I remember one evening when my mom led me through some verses on a prayer I think I would say before then but even though I don't remember exactly when I was saved I do you know that I have been saved since Christ has saved me I've asked him to forgive me of my sins many times just to be sure thankfully though um there's no need for this as once we are saved we are always saved a blessed verse which was Austen's my oldest brother's favorite verse is John 6:37 which says all that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will wise cast out this is a blessing because it is basically saying that when someone comes to the Lord which I have by His grace he will never cast us away the Lord say me wholly out of his mercy and grace without any of my own righteousness Ephesians 2:8 2:9 says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast through Christ's perfect life death on the cross the shedding of his blood the blood of the one who has never sinned I'm rising again on the third day I have believed by His grace and have been saved now the reason for getting baptized is because in acts 2:38 8 it says then Paul said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ I have I have repented by God's grace and so am to be baptized also in Matthew 28:18 2:19 it says and Jesus came and spake to them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and on earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost so as Jesus Christ commanded the disciples to baptize we are once saved to be baptized by those who are in authority to do so namely pastors I want to in closing give a big thanks to my pastors for preaching from God's Word so faithfully every Sunday and also to my parents who are always willing to answer any questions I have and who have raised me and my three brothers up in a godly Christian home on my life also a big thanks to my wonderful godly siblings I love you all and of course I'm so flanked 'full that I was saved by my Savior Christ Jesus and that he died on the cross shedding his innocent blood and rose again on the third day to save me and many [Applause] it's been a blessing to be able to see Emma grow up here and the other Joneses it's bittersweet to see the Surry church plant take place sweet because we have prayed for this and God's blessing hopefully it will be upon this sweet kiss Mike and Jessica are with us but it's difficult I think next next Sunday it's gonna be a difficult Sunday to see various persons that we have grown to love over the years and know over the years leave and one of the families is certainly the Jones family so we're very thankful that Moore tones' could be with us this morning I want to pray and then we're going to close our service out by singing the doxology so let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the work of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for your power we thank you for the Spirit we thank you for effectual calling and for justification by faith alone we thank you for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray for the work in Surrey that they would continue steadfastly and in doctrine and fellowship and the breaking of bread and prayers and may that mark this body as well here in Chilliwack help us to persist help us to be faithful to you help us to bring glory and honor and praise unto you our God and we ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well everybody stand and we'll sing the doxology it's on page Roman numeral 16 in your Trinity hymnal if you're not familiar with it [Music] you you