The Role of the Church
Introduction
At the start of the chapter – we see fearful disciples / in unbelief
But at the end of the chapter – in Jerusalem every day, continually blessing and praising God
We can get a false idea of what happened before Pentecost
They had already met the risen Christ
Jesus had blessed them
They were full of joy
Focussing on v47-49: on the last words given by Jesus
A fuller version in Matt 28 (the Great Commission)
The gospel was now going out to the nations (previously to the Jews)
The disciples were to proclaim the full gospel message
To start in Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth
Jerusalem had not been a light to the nations
Example of Jonah
God had always planned that His church would be from every tribe, tongue and nation
Examples
The Mission of the Church
The Message of the Church
The Motivation of the Church
The Mission of the Church
The Church is primarily for the equipping of the saints
We are to share the gospel outside of the Church
We may need training to go out
Jesus gave instruction to the disciples – first the 12, then the 70
This is no longer a short-term but a long-term mission
The disciples were to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit
They could not preach in their own strength – they needed the power of God to come upon them
Matt 28:18-20
Jesus has all authority – examples
What an encouragement to go in the authority and strength of Jesus (not their own strength)
The promise of the blessing through Abraham – Gen 12,15,17
That blessing will come as the gospel is preached
Where were they to start?
Acts 1:8 – Jerusalem
This was a hard task – the city that rejected their Messiah
Peter preached in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost – 3,000 were saved
Then 5,000 were saved
Then some of the chief priests were saved
Acts 1:8 – then all Judea
Acts 1:8 – then Samaria
Remember that Jesus had gone into Samaria
Acts 10 – Cornelius and his household is saved
Acts 1:8 – then to all the world
Consider Paul’s 3 missionary journey’s
Macedonia, Achia (Corinth), Galatia, finally to Rome – over hundreds of miles
He travelled with a team
He saw great blessing
We have inherited this commission
We can pray, give, support
We should be invested in missions
Not all of us can be like the apostles and leave our jobs, but we can be witnesses
This is a challenge for us – wherever we are, to speak of Christ
Help us to see and take the opportunities
We glorify God in obeying the great commission
What God has done in the past, He can do again
Example of Poor Frenchman, the Mauravian Movement, of Brazil
The Message of the Church
There is no point in going if we have the wrong message
Some people do promote the wrong message – examples
Blessing, morality, part of a spiritual movement
We are to preach Jesus Christ
His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His coming again
At the centre – Jesus crucified
We preach the good news
We speak about sin
We speak of the cross that overcomes sin
We speak about the resurrection of the dead
We speak of forgiveness of sin
v47 – "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name"
We call people to turn away from their sin: to repent
To change their thoughts about themselves and Jesus
To change their mind that results in action
To turn away from sin and turn to Christ
We are justified and then sanctified
First put right with God
Then made (and being made) holy
We call people to believe in the promise of the forgiveness of sin
Example of the Living Waters Ministry
He presents the 10 Commandments
He confronts their sin: a blasphemous lying thief
He confesses his own sin
We need to be wise in how we evangelise
We need to get to know people
We point them to the law (for conviction), we point them to Jesus, we speak of heaven and hell
We could give our testimony
A persons response – to repent and believe in Jesus Christ
The Motivation of the Church
Of course to give God glory
God has promised He will be with us
We do not go alone
We have the promise of the Holy Spirit (v49)
The Holy Spirit came down and remained with the Church
He gave the power to go out and preach the gospel
The Spirit of God remains in us
John 14:18-20,23
We are a dwelling place of God (Eph 2:22, 1:21,23)
We need to understand and prove these things
Consider the disciples: changed from fearful and cowering to joyful boldness