The First Sermon

Acts--The Gospel in the City PART 3
02 December 2012
Dr. Timothy Keller

Acts 2:12-39
12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"  13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.  15These men are not drunk, as you suppose.  It's only nine in the morning!  16No, this is what was spoken by the prohet Joel"

17"'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.  23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.  25David said about him:

"I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
and my body will live in hope,
27because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with you in your presence.'

29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.  30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.  31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.  32God has raised Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.  33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.  34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

"'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.'"
36Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

RECEIVE AND REFLECT GOD'S LIGHT THAT SHINES ON YOU.

MIND
--David didn't ascend to heaven until Jesus came along.
--Greek word for "repent" is to change our mind.
--Makes us think.
--New preachers go to the Old Testament to make connections with Jesus.

GRACE
--Bible shouldn't be read as what you can do, but rather what Jesus did for you.

HEART
--Has to get personal.
--It should sweep you up.
--We're not just breaking laws, we're breaking his heart as we wrong Jesus.

LIFE
--REPENT and receive forgiveness - freedom
--BAPTIZE into a new family.
--POWER of the Holy Spirit.
--VISION - a new view of the world.

The Ascension of Jesus

Acts: The Gospel in the City PART 1
18 November 2012
Rev. Leo Schuster

Acts 1:1-11
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.  4On one occasion, while he was eathing with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

7He said to them: "it is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go to heaven.

Luke, a Gentile wrote Acts

PLAUSIBILITY OF ASCNESION
--v.3; Study teachings with convincing proof.
--Jesus showed himself to eyewitnesses.

REENVISION OUR PURPOSE
--v.8; Disciples witnessed Jesus go up, but they went out to spread His word.
--Jesus identified with his followers.
--Kingdom of God is his reign over the Universe.
--Jesus's ascension gives him authority as King and he delegates his power to us.

POWER RECEIVED
--His presence can run through me.
--Heart of stone becomes a heart of flesh.
--Holy Spirit is the spirit of Christ working in us to reveal Him.
--Jesus reenters us through his ascension--He's not leaving us.