The Spirit Convicts Through the Word

Transcript

GR 1583
11/14/10
The Spirit Convicts through the Word
Acts 2:37-41
Gil Rugh

Acts 2 in your Bibles. And as we have noted several times, this is a very significant and momentous chapter in the word of God. It makes a significant and major turning point in God's work in the world. From Genesis 12 to Acts 2 God's focus in His work in the world and particularly in the salvation that He has been bringing to the world has been in the nation Israel. With Acts 2 we have the beginning of the church and the book of Acts will progressively unfold the developing of the church which now becomes the focal point of God's work in the world and the focal point of His work of salvation in particular. It does not replace Israel, but now God is doing a unique thing that will continue down to the rapture of the church, following which He will resume His program with Israel as you are aware and prepare the way for the return of Christ and the establishing of His kingdom.

Peter doesn't realize the full extent of this momentous occasion. Now he has been taught by Christ for three years during Christ's earthly ministry, then following the death and resurrection of Christ Peter has been part of that apostolic group that was further instructed by Christ over a period of forty days. So Peter stands up now and preaches, unfolding the significance of certain Old Testament passages which prophesied the very events taking place on that Day of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Then he puts that in the context of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ that this coming of the Holy Spirit is a demonstration that Jesus indeed is the Christ, the Messiah of Israel. He ties in these passages from the Old Testament. And will be a progressive development in the growth of the church that will move out from just Jews to Samaritans to Gentiles. So we come to the point that Gentiles become the dominant focus of the church, and that is true of the whole church age.

He began by quoting from the prophet Joel and Joel prophesied the coming of the Holy Spirit in verses 17ff. Peter said that is what has occurred on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God has been poured out. That's part of the last days, the days around Messiah. And we noted there is a break between verses 18-19 where the events of verses 17-18 took place in connection with the first coming of Christ, verses 19-20 focus on events around the Second Coming of Christ. Verse 21 which becomes a key verse and is a focal point that we come to at the conclusion of Peter's sermon as men and women are called to salvation. That really is applicable during the entire last days. The days of Messiah are days when anyone who will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Then he began to drive this home to the Jews who were listening. Verse 22, men of Israel, listen to these words. And he related something of the life of Jesus Christ on the earth that they were well familiar with, the miracles that He had done and so forth. But in the predetermined plan of God He was rejected. The Jews had Him crucified, using the godless Romans as an instrument. But He could not be held by the grave, verse 24. And why? David had prophesied concerning Him that His body would not see corruption in the grave.

He went on to show that David couldn't have been speaking about himself, but he was speaking about someone greater than himself, the descendant of David. Verse 30, who because he was a prophet knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on the throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. So this giving of the Holy Spirit is further evidence on top of the resurrection of Christ, which was on top of the miracles that He did during His earthly life. All irrefutably demonstrate and prove that He is the Messiah of Israel. And His ascension to the Father which is validated by the giving of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had told His followers about in John 16.

And then David supports that. It was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself said, the Lord said to my Lord. He's talking about God the Father speaking to God the Son. Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. We noted this does not mark the beginning of the kingdom promised to Israel. The Jews would not have understood it that way, could not have understood it that way. Peter would not have understood it that way. What it is, is a demonstration that this Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior. And He is at the right hand of the Father. And what that means is, the right hand of the Father with the Holy Spirit having been given, what is next for Israel? Jesus is seated at the right hand until the Father makes the enemies a footstool for His feet. He will come and establish the kingdom. So he’s driving home the point the awful situation of Israel and these Jews.

Verse 36, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, demonstrated Him to be by the resurrection of the dead, by the giving of the Holy Spirit following His ascension to heaven. This Jesus whom you crucified. How pointed is that. You crucified Him. The Lord who is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, the One who has poured forth the Holy Spirit, the One who is at the right hand of the Father anticipating the time when He will return with His enemies having been made a footstool for His feet. And you crucified Him.

And when they heard this, verse 37, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, brethren, what shall we do? It has been a very pointed message. No extraneous material, right to the heart. Who is Jesus Christ? Jesus the Nazarene, the One attested to you with miracles and signs. He lived on this earth, He walked on this earth. And in the plan of God He was crucified and raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, bestowed the Holy Spirit. In heaven He has been seated at the right hand of the Father and He will come again. The Holy Spirit of God carries that message to the heart.

Come back to John 16. In John 15:26 Jesus had told them, when the Helper comes, referring to the Holy Spirit, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me and you will testify also. Then you come to chapter 16 verse 7, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away the Helper, the Paraclete will not come to you. But if I go I will send Him to you. And when He comes He will convict the world concerning sin, concerning righteousness and concerning judgment. And that's what you see taking place here. That Holy Spirit who has been poured out is now carrying on this ministry and this convicting ministry is taking place among these assembled Jews. And you see what happens. Peter testifies about Jesus Christ, that's the work of the Holy Spirit in Peter's life, using him as an instrument. Because John 15:16 says, when the Holy Spirit comes He will testify about Me, and you will testify also. And they become the instruments; become the mouthpiece for the Spirit as they give forth the message of the gospel. And the Spirit takes that and convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment. Only the Holy Spirit can carry that message to the heart.

This same message will be repeated again and again and again as we move through Acts. It doesn't always have the same result. We are going to see a multitude of people saved on this occasion. Sometimes this message stirs up hostility. You understand that we must be clear; it's the message of the gospel that the Spirit uses. We talked in our earlier study today, sometimes in mercy to bring salvation, sometimes in judgment bringing hardness. So we need to be careful that we don't move away from the plan of God and try to help God out by developing methodologies that we think will be more effective. We can have methodologies that are more effective in attracting more people, but we cannot have any methodologies that are more effective in bringing people to true salvation. Because that's a work of God in the heart.

Turn over to Hebrews 4:12, a verse that many of you have memorized. And this is in the context of a warning to those who might stop short of faith in Christ. Look at verse 11; therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest so no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience. The disobedience of Israel in their Old Testament history. Up in verse 2 of chapter 4, for indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also. But the word they heard did not profit them because it was not united by faith in those who heard. They heard the word of God but they didn't believe it so it didn't profit them, it didn't bring them salvation. So you have the warning in verse 11 and then you come to verse 12. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. And is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. That's the amazing thing that goes on in the giving out of the word of God. Under the ministry of the Spirit of God it is carried to the innermost recesses of the person's being. Nothing else works like that. That's why it is the giving of the word, and there is a danger which we have talked about in those who might not believe the word they hear. How sad to be so exposed to the salvation of God and refuse to believe it. And thus miss the salvation that God has made available.

Come back to Acts 2. They were pierced to the heart, they were wounded in the heart, they were smitten in their heart. The guilt and the recognition of the sin that was theirs. What shall we do, is their response. We are guilty. What more horrendous crime could we have committed than to have crucified the Son of God who is the Messiah and the One who is going to come again and have all His enemies crushed under His feet. What shall we do brethren? Peter, what shall we do? How do we remedy this? Similar to the question that will come up in Acts 16:39 with the Philippian jailer when he says, men, what must I do to be saved? That work of the Spirit of God carrying the truth of God to a heart breaks it all down, the resistance, the opposition, because the Spirit is convicting of sin, of righteousness and judgment.

Peter said to them, repent. Command here, strong command, forceful command. We might say, you must repent. And each of you be baptized and you'll have forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What more could you ask for. What shall we do? We were guilty of the death of the Messiah of Israel, the One that God has exalted to His right hand. I mean, talk about an offense against the holy God, the God of Israel. What you must do is repent of your sins, be baptized and you'll experience forgiveness and you will receive the Holy Spirit.

Repentance, compound word, basically means to be of another mind. Bit its use in the New Testament it has an inner change of heart and mind that manifests itself in a change of behavior and action. So it is encompassing the whole person. Of course it has to begin in the inner person, in the heart and mind. Brought to see myself as a sinner, as guilty, and I desire to turn away from my sin to the Savior. And with that there comes a turning away of life and lifestyle. The change will be complete. So repentance is an all encompassing word for all that is involved in our faith. It's not a synonym for faith but it is part of saving faith. No one gets saved without repentance, because can you get saved without the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit, doesn't it? And when He brings the truth of God home to a heart there is a conviction of sin and righteousness and judgment which brings that desire of heart and mind to turn away from that sin. And to place our faith in the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

Remember when John the Baptist came on the scene, the forerunner of Christ. His message was one of repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Turn from your sin; place your faith in the truth that God has made known to prepare yourself for the coming of His Messiah. This was the message that John preached, it was the message that Jesus preached.

Come back to Luke 5:31, Jesus answered and said unto them, it is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. So foundational to our salvation is the recognition that we are not righteous, we are sinners. I've come to call sinners to repentance, to a recognition of their sin and calling them to turn from their sin and to place their faith in Christ.

Turn over to Luke 13:3, this in the context of some Galileans that Pilate had killed and Jesus said, do you think these Galileans were greater sinners than others because of what had happened to them? Verse 3, no, I tell you no. But unless you repent you will all likewise perish. There is no salvation from God but a salvation that involves repentance. Either you repent or perish. He repeats it, down in verse 5, I tell you no, but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. This is essential because we've developed a kind of Christianity today with the idea that people just sort of gradually morph into a change. I realize we can be exposed to the gospel over time and not recognize over the years, particularly when young people grow up in a church, exactly when they placed their faith in Christ. They were privileged to have Christian parents, they were part of a church where they heard the word of God taught and explained and heard the gospel repeatedly. We need to be careful, we've created a church where we don't want to talk about sin too much, we don't want to be too direct trying to put what we would say a guilt trip on people. So we just sort of give a soft Christianity, an easy Christianity and people can just easily adjust into the lifestyle of what a Christian is. And so now I'm a Christian because I've just sort of settled in and I've become over time more and more like a Christian would be. I don't do bad things like I used to and so I'm a Christian, too. And pretty soon over time we fill our churches with what we call nominal Christians, Christians in name only. And they've never experienced the transforming power of the Spirit. You understand if you don't repent you don't get saved. You can't have saving faith without repentance because unless you repent you will perish. There is no middle ground. I have a concern that in the evangelical world we have developed what we sometimes refer to as a comfortable Christianity. And we've taken the edge off and we want to be careful that we don't become too pointed because it becomes convicting. When the word of God becomes convicting people are in a position of either submitting to it and repenting of their sin and believing, or becoming antagonized and resentful of it. And if they get antagonized and resent it and are hostile toward it, they won't come back. Then we won't have “successful” churches because we won't have lots of people. And we lose our focus of being instruments in the hands of God, His slaves, and instruments that the Holy Spirit uses to do in a heart what only He can do. So repent, repent.

Come back to the book of Acts. And this is an essential part of the message all through the book of Acts—repent, repent. The world has made fun of the message to repent. We used to see cartoons and we don't see cartoons much because people don't do it anymore I guess. But they'd show the sign of a man standing on a corner with a sign, repent, the end of the world is near. And make fun of that. And so we sort of back off, we don't want to tell people repent. But that's the biblical message and that's the message that pervades the book of Acts.

Look over in Acts 8:22. And here Peter is talking to Simon, and Simon has made a profession of faith but Peter says in verse 21, you have no part or portion in this matter for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours and pray the Lord that if possible the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity. What do you have to do? Repent. There is no soft peddling here. We could get a prominent, influential person to be part of a new church that could help give us credibility in this new region. And Peter says you better repent. Your heart still isn't right with the Lord.

Look over in Acts 11:18 and here Peter is explaining the conversion of the Gentiles in chapter 10. We'll be looking at that a little bit later. And when the other Jewish leaders, the apostles at Jerusalem, hear Peter give testimony of the salvation of the Gentiles, what do they say? Verse 18, when they heard this they quieted down and glorified God saying, well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life. And you know repentance is not an act of man, it is in the sovereign grace of God mercy bestowed upon a man to move him to repentance. That is the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. God has granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life. We just don't slide in somehow and somehow I've been with Christians long enough so I'm a Christian, too.

Look in Acts 17:30, therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent. There is no salvation accomplished unless we are giving out the message of God. And this is God’s message, what He is declaring to all everywhere—repent. So the message doesn't change because we just give out what God has given us, right? And the message is repent because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.

Acts 20:21, Paul when he is giving his farewell to the Ephesian elders, he calls them for a meeting at Miletus as he is passing by. Verse 20, I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable and teaching you publicly and from house to house solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance, I am a sinner. God, I bow before you acknowledging my guilt and my sin. I want to place my faith in your Son. This is what Paul was doing, solemnly testifying. Doesn't matter whether it is Jews or Gentiles, it's the same message—repentance toward God, faith in Christ.

And one more, Acts 26. Paul speaking to King Agrippa, maybe you have to make some adjustments now, you are before King Agrippa, a minor king, the Romans ruled. But he is an area king and he thought of himself as a great person. Here you are before a ruler like this, what do you do. Paul says to him in verse 19, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring to those at Damascus first and also at Jerusalem, and then throughout all the region of Judea and even to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. So you see genuine repentance impacts our behavior and results in deeds appropriate to repentance. Because I see sin and my sin as an offense against a holy God and I am turning from that. And so the conduct of my life naturally changes.

Turn over to I Thessalonians 1. Paul is speaking of the salvation of the Thessalonians and the fact that their lives have become a testimony in other parts of the world as word has spread of the transformation of the Thessalonians as they heard the gospel and believed it. And he says in verse 9. Paul says, I don't even have to tell people about you, they tell me about you when I get there. For they themselves report about us, what kind of a reception we had with you and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. You see what happened to them; they turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. He doesn't use the word repentance here but that tells you what happens. It's a turn, a change. And to wait for His Son from heaven whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus who rescues us from wrath to come.

One more passage on repentance, II Corinthians. We don't want to get confused on repentance. II Corinthians 7, Paul had written a letter to the Corinthians that had made them sorrowful because they were convicted of their sin. Verse 9, Paul said, I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to repentance. For you were made sorrowful according to God so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation. But the sorrow of the world produces death. Because a person has an emotional experience and goes sorry about certain sins or guilty over something, doesn't produce salvation. Godly sorrow, sorrow that is according to God is a result of the work of God in a life, produces repentance. And there is no going back on that. That's the change that God brings in a life. We don't want to get the idea that we can tell a sad story and move people to tears and get them emotionally stirred and make a decision, therefore they are saved. I'm not saying that sometimes there is not great emotion associated with salvation. There may be, and great sorrow that overwhelms us. But if it stops there, there is no salvation. But it's a result of the convicting work of the Spirit and the recognition of our sin and guilt that moves us to that maybe great depth of sorrow, tears and whatever. It will be accompanied with genuine repentance, a turning from sin and the adjustment in life that follows through on that.

All right come back to Acts 2. Peter said to them, repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This has caused much discussion. It's one of these verses that we might say, I wish the Lord had written it a little differently because if you've had many discussions with certain people from certain groups they want to always bring you to this verse among one or two others. And say, see, you have to be baptized to be saved. But that can't be. We have studied Romans 4, we're not going back there, but remember Romans 4 is the example how God saved Abraham, which is an example of how He will save every person who is ever saved. Abraham was saved without being circumcised, Abraham believed God, God credited it to him as righteousness. That was before Abraham had been circumcised. Abraham was never baptized. That alone would demonstrate that's not what is in view here.

What he's doing is calling these Jews in genuine repentance. You're turning from your sin to the Savior, part of the follow through of that is you step up and are identified with him. Now remember you bring forth the fruits of repentance, the deeds appropriate to repentance. And the first one is being identified with Christ. The scripture make no provision for “secret” believers. Well I have trusted Christ but I don't want anyone to know right now; I've trusted Christ but I don't think I want my parent to find out ye or my family to know. What do you mean? You see what happens right here. These Jews have every reason to think it would be better to have a secret faith. I mean, it hasn't been that long ago, about fifty days, that they crucified the Messiah. There is going to be tremendous persecution that is going to be breaking out. These Jews know how the authorities are looking at these matters. Am I going to be a Jew now and step up and declare I'm a follower of Christ? I won't have a job tomorrow. If my family finds out about it, I'm done.

I remember hearing the testimony of a Jewish person years ago. I trusted Christ, I told my family, my family members are serious Jews and they put candles in the window so everyone would know that their son had died. No contact, no relationship, it was as though I had been killed, I'm done. And they wanted everybody to know, our son has died and we put the indicator to these Jews. But nonetheless you have to be baptized, step up, be identified with Christ. Because baptism will save you? No. Because if you truly repented and placed your faith in Him, you will have the desire in your heart to be identified with Him. It is an honor. What did Jesus say? Take up your cross and follow Me.

So repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, which identifies you with Him in a public way. The third thing he says, repent, be baptized, the result will be it is for the forgiveness of sins. I take it the repentance is what brings the forgiveness of sins. And the baptism follows up on that, as does the forgiveness of sins and as does the coming of the Holy Spirit. And we're not going back through Acts, but as we move through Acts we will see that is the consistent connection. Repentance and forgiveness of sins.

Turn over to Acts 3:19 therefore repent and return so that your sins may be wiped away. And that is the pattern that goes through the book of Acts. That repentance, genuine repentance will bring forgiveness of sins.

Back up to Matthew 3. The Jews would understand this; it's what John the Baptist preached. Verse 2, he is preaching, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We referred to that verse. Then in verse 5, then the people at Jerusalem were going out to him. All Judea, all the districts around the Jordan, they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism He said to them, you brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Baptism is no necessary for salvation; he didn't say come you need to be baptized so you can be forgiven. He says, no, there is no evidence that you truly repented. So that connection. We'll see more in a moment.

And then what will happen? Back in Acts 2, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, what God had promised. Because verse 39 says, the promise is for you and your children. So the same Holy Spirit that you've seen poured out on us will be poured out on you if you place your faith in Christ and are identified with Him as you must be. You received the forgiveness of sins and you received the Holy Spirit. I mean, that's the promise of God.

Turn over to Acts 10. This is where Peter will carry the gospel to the Gentiles. In Acts 10 Peter goes through the gospel again, a simple presentation of the gospel. The beautiful thing, as we read these presentations we ought to have in our heart and mind fixed that we are ready at any time, any moment to present the gospel to someone. Yes, I can do it. Should I ever say, I don't think I could do that? Of course I could do that. You tell me what the gospel is. So what happens is Peter is going through it here in Acts 10, and we're not going to take the time to go through it all, but down to verse 44, as Peter is giving the gospel. While Peter was still speaking these words the Holy Spirit fell on those who were listening to the message. What had happened? Well we saw that over in chapter 11 verse 18 that Peter explains it and says that they received the Holy Spirit after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then the Jewish leaders say, well then God granted them repentance. So back here in Acts 10 as Peter explains it, while I was giving out the gospel they believed it. And the Jewish leaders understand and say, God has granted them repentance. They recognize their sin and place their faith in the Messiah.

What we want to pick up in Acts 10, the Spirit fell on those while Peter was preaching. And all the circumcised believers, the Jews who came with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. And they recognized that as what they had experienced back in Acts 2. And then verse 47, surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who had received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he? And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

I come to this because you see what happens. The gospel is presented, they believe and the Holy Spirit comes into their lives. They are saved and then they are baptized. Now the reason they are baptized is they gave evidence they have received the Holy Spirit. So salvation does not depend on being baptized. Baptism is a result of the work of salvation.

Back in Acts 2. What a gracious God we have. Here the people directly responsible for the crucifixion of Christ, the Jews, and they recognize their guilt and the horrendous sin they have committed and they repent. I mean, you can be saved. You can be identified with Christ, you can have forgiveness of sins, you can have the Holy Spirit. I mean, how gracious God is. There is no penance to be worked out, no years of pleading with God to maybe forgive me. Just repent, be identified with Christ by faith. You'll receive the forgiveness of sins; you'll receive the Holy Spirit.

Verse 39, for the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. You know even in the presentation of the gospel Peter is not hesitant to present the sovereignty of God in their salvation. This is the message for everyone that God will call to Himself because the others won't respond. But it is for you, it's for our children and it's for all who are far off. Now Peter at this time does not understand the significance of what it meant for all who are far off. I mean, for you Jews, for your children and for all who are far off. Maybe he was thinking of the Jews in the Diaspora to whom he will write his letters later, to the Jews of the Diaspora. And those were scattered. He didn't have the full understanding because when you get to chapter 10 he still doesn't understand that the message of the gospel could be carried to Gentiles. But that's what the reference is, going back to Isaiah. Isaiah 57 is the background for it, we won't go back there. It's for you, for your children, for the Jews and it's for those who are far off.

Turn over to Ephesians 2:11 therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision which is performed in the flesh by human hands, remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth and so on. Verse 13, but now in Christ you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. So when Isaiah gave that prophecy to you and your children, to those far off, God is speaking beyond what the Jews comprehended, what Peter even understood in Acts 2, the breadth of God's mercy and grace. People far off, way outside the bounds of Israel. Not just wandering Jews but Gentiles. You Gentiles in Christ, you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. How great the grace of God.

Come back to Acts 2. As many as the Lord will call to Himself. Peter realizes salvation will be a work of God. The thing the Jews had as a benefit; they had a background in the Old Testament and even though they needed to have that explained to them even further, they do recognize there is a sovereign God. And we've studied that in the book of Romans and the call of God. And that call refers to His effectual call in bringing men and women to Himself. So all that God will call to Himself will experience this salvation. The barriers are down, Peter is preaching about that even though he doesn't realize the extent of that.

We have a summary here because verse 40, with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them saying. And the Spirit of God directs Luke to include here what is essential for us. Peter has many other things he was saying to encourage and exhort them. What is he saying? Be saved from this perverse generation. Peter is really earnest here and you have that solemnly testified kept on exhorting, pleading. I mean, there is urgency here. He has expressed as many as God will call to Himself but Peter is urgent and burdened. Like Paul when we started Romans 9, my heart's desire, my burden for Israel is their salvation. That kind of heart passion for the lost. And here Peter is exhorting them, pleading with them, testifying to them. And he is saying, be saved from this perverse generation.

You know there is no middle ground here. This perverse generation, it's a wicked generation, but you can be saved from it. This idea that you are saved and you just continue on and nothing changes and we are as we have been. We just know we're going to heaven. Be saved from this perverse generation.

Look back in Matthew 16:4. Jesus speaking to the Pharisees and Sadducees according to verse 1. Down in verse 4 he says, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. And that's the generation you are, an evil and adulterous generation. Look in Matthew 17:17, Jesus answered and said, you unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? You see there is no compromising with the world, no trying as one person said, to be acclimated to the world and then we'll be more accepted. We have an emphasis come into the church now, we call it missiology. And their view is the church is to go out into the world and just mix in with the world. And then over time as the world gets to know us and we develop that rapport then we can work into sharing with them and so on. We don't find that going on. This is a perverse generation; you need to be delivered from it by the grace of God, by salvation in Jesus Christ. No we're not mixing in. We've been saved from this perverse generation and you can be, too. That hasn't changed.

Come over to Philippians 2. I'm not saying we cannot be friendly with unbelievers. We don't have to be offensive in the wrong sense, but we need to be careful that we are not making unbiblical adjustments. Verse 15, verse 12 for the context. So then, my brethren, just as you have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling and disputing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. We aren't here to be like them, we are here to be lights to them. This is a crooked and perverse generation. The evangelical right wing has been a denial of the gospel, failed to maintain our position as lights in the world. This is a crooked and perverse generation. Its salvation does not lie in social change, does not lie in political change. It is found only in Jesus Christ. We have come to call people to be saved from this perverse generation. We are not saving this perverse generation; we are calling men to be saved from this perverse generation. So the clarity and boldness of the gospel.

Back in Acts 2. So then those who had received his word were baptized. That day there were added about 3000 souls. What a remarkable beginning to the church. Peter preaches the gospel and there are 3000 people saved. That's amazing. That day. What kind of crowd had gathered here? We think of a couple hundred people here, a few hundred people, but there were a lot of people because the way this is put. Those who had received his word were baptized. That means not everybody did. But 3000 did. Quite a crowd he was preaching to. The grace of God has reached out to Israel and the gospel has begun here. And 3000 Jews form the nucleus.

So we go from 120 believers in Acts 1 to 3000. You talk about church growth. In one day an explosion. People like to come and say, that's what we want today. We want to get back to the church in Acts. But stay with us through Acts, it doesn't happen that way everywhere. In these beginning days God does a work of grace in getting the new church established. We ought not to think, we've preached the gospel and if we are faithful like they were in Acts we will have the same results. If we are faithful like they were in Acts God will do with His word as He pleases. And we're going to see people die for giving their testimony in Acts, we're going to see people beaten, and we’re going to see hostility. Whatever God does, that's in His hands. We testify, we exhort people, we tell them of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. He is the Savior, He walked this earth, He healed the sick, the blind, He raised the dead, He was crucified on the cross, He was buried. But He was raised from the dead and He not only was raised from the dead, He ascended to heaven. And He not only ascended to heaven but He sent the Holy Spirit to earth and was seated at the right hand of His Father. And the Holy Spirit is present today and we are telling you the truth of God that you must be saved from this perverse generation, saved out of the evil world by coming to believe in Him. You must recognize your sin and place your faith in Christ. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

Think about the honor. We think, wouldn't it be great to have been an apostle. Wouldn't it be great to be a believer today in the church entrusted with the gospel, having the completed word of God and privileged to go out? And wherever you know I'm a light in the midst of darkness, I walk in a crooked and perverse world but I'm a light in this darkness. I'm here to tell people there is a Savior, I'm here to give out the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ and that will be pleasing to God. What an honor given to me. How many people can I talk to today, to tell of the Savior? How blessed we have been. Think of it, 2000 years later. How could Peter have known we would be studying his sermon and we would be people who have experienced that saving grace by repenting and turning in faith to Jesus Christ? We are among those who have experienced that forgiveness of sins, we have received the Holy Spirit, and we have been identified with Christ, too, in our own water baptism. What a blessing is ours.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for your grace. Thank you, Lord that over 2000 years the work of the Spirit with your word has continued on. You've continued your work in the world down to this day. Through times of great blessing and times of great difficulty you have been faithful down to today. We gather as one church, and there are churches across the country and around the world comprised of your children who are lights in the midst of darkness. Lord, may we not lose our perspective. What a privilege to know that we are your children; we have been saved out of this crooked, perverse world. We are lights in the darkness, entrusted with the same message that was entrusted to Peter and others. Lord, may we be faithful. May our lights be strong and bright and clear wherever you place us in the days before us. We praise you in Christ's name, amen.