The Amazing First Century Church

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 2:22-26Adrian Rogers says, “A New Testament, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, Christ-honoring church is a mighty weapon in the hands of a holy God.”As the Body and Bride of Christ, the Church is the world’s first idea of Jesus. How do we exhibit the same power as the amazing first-century Church which turned the world upside down with the Gospel?First, we must remember that the Church exists to exalt the Savior.Acts 2:23-24 says, “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.” In this passage, Peter proclaims the manner of Jesus’ life, the meaning of His death, and the miracle of His resurrection.Later in the same chapter, Peter proclaims the magnificence of Christ’s reign: “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” (Acts 2:33).One day, whether we believe in Jesus in this life or not, we will confess that He is Lord.Second, our purpose as the Church is to evangelize to sinners.True salvation begins with conviction by the Holy Spirit: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart…” (Acts 2:37). Once convicted, a sinner must repent, changing his mind about sin and self. This conversion leads to a confession that Jesus is Lord.Finally, the Church exists to enlist the saints.The Holy Spirit resides in believers; we must urge each other to continue in His Spirit. We depend on each other to mature in the faith, through Bible study, fellowship and worship. We are bound together by stewardship, in tithes and offerings. And we are joined together through evangelism. We must be in the business of making Jesus known by living supernaturally. We cannot do it naturally, and we cannot do it alone. But if together we learn the Word of God and continue in obedience, we will make Jesus known to our neighbors and our nation.Apply it to your lifeAre you a part of a New Testament, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, Christ-honoring church? Consider your purpose today: to exalt the Savior, to evangelize to sinners, and to enlist the saints.