Step By Step Through the New Testament (Part II)

1. Step By Step Through the New Testament(Part II) Lessons 2 & 3: Acts: Pentecost, Early Church Life, Witnessing for Jesus • Rev. Christopher J. Respass • Antioch Bible Institute • Spring 2014

2. Acts: Pentecost & Early Church Life • The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) • A. Feasts—Passover & Pentecost • 1. Passover • 2. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks): 50 days after Passover • B. Significance • 1. Passover = Jesus is the sacrifice • 2. Pentecost= Holy Spirit indwells

3. Acts: Pentecost & Early Church Life • C. Sounds & Sights of Pentecost • 1. Sound: Wind (pneuma) • --the Spirit (pneuma) of God • 2. Sights: Fire • --“Divine presence” • --Exodus 3:2-5

4. Acts: Pentecost & Early Church Life • D. Filling of the Spirit • 1. Each believer was “filled” receiving as much of the Spirit as they could hold. • 2. The Holy Spirit filled them with power. • 3. The believers spoke in tongues (languages) unknown to them, but known and understandable by others.

5. Acts: Pentecost & Early Church Life • E. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit • “The event of Pentecost brought the Spirit’s presence into the life of all Christians. The Holy Spirit now teaches, leads, and produces Christian character in all believers.” • (Lea & Hudson, 114).

6. Acts: Pentecost & Early Church Life • Peter’s Sermon (Acts 2:12-40) • A. Rebuts the charge of Drunkenness (v.14-15) • B. Explained the significance of the Sounds, Sight and Speaking in Tongues (v.16-21)(see, Joel 2:28-32). • C. Presented Jesus’ life, death and resurrection as the apex of God’s divine plan for the salvation and redemption of mankind (v.22-36)

7. Acts: Pentecost • D. Made and appeal to the people for repentance, faith and baptism (v.37-39). • “[Peter’s] appeal in Acts 2:38 promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who expressed repentance and faith as symbolized by baptism.” (Lea & Hudson)

8. Acts: Pentecost • “Peter did not link the gift of the Holy Spirit merely with the act of baptism, but with baptism as a visible sign of repentance and faith. Christians receive the Holy Spirit by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and baptism is the outward sign of this conversion.” (Lea & Hudson, 114-15)

9. Acts: Early Church Life • Characteristics of a Spiritual Church (2:42-47) • A. Doctrine—learning about Jesus and the Word • B. Fellowship—commemorating the death of Jesus and hoping in his return. • C. Prayer—praise and fervent intercession. • Evangelism, Discipleship, Ministry, Fellowship, Worship

10. Acts: Early Church Life • The Church at Prayer (Acts 4:23-31) • Q: How do the prayers of this church compare to the prayers of contemporary churches you have attended? • Similarities? Differences?

11. Acts: Early Church Life • The Problem of Sin in the Church (Acts 5) • A. When Satan attacks the church he: • 1. brings persecution from without • 2. deception and division from within • B. Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) • 1. God takes hypocrisy seriously • 2. They lied to God • 3. Endured a drastic punishment--Death

12. Acts: Early Church Life • Caring for Needs of Others (Acts 6:1-7) • A. The Problem—Grecian widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. • B. The Solution—Deacons. • The apostles refused to leave the preaching of the gospel in order to make ministry to widows a full-time task. So, they appointed seven men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom as deacons.

13. Acts: Early Church Life • C. The Result—God’s word increased • Because the Apostles were now able to focus on preaching the word and prayer, God’s word increased and the number of believers grew rapidly.

14. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus • VI. Witnessing By Martyrdom (Acts 6:8-7:60) • A. Stephen: The First Martyr of the Early Church. • 1. Steven is seized (Acts 8:8-15) • 2. Steven preaches (Acts 7:1-53) • 3. Steven is stoned (Acts 7:54-60) • B. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church"--Tertullian, early church father

15. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus Are you Ready to be a Witness for Jesus? • C. There may come a time when you will be an actual martyr or a symbolic "martyr." (Rev. 6:9-11).

16. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus • VII. Witnessing and Worldliness (Acts 8:5-24) • A. Simon the Magician: Talk v. Walk • 1. Came from a pagan faith system--used magic (v.9-10) • 2. Believed and became a companion of Phillip and, eventually, Peter and John. • 3. Did not fully understand and offered to pay for the power to impart the Holy Spirit (v.18-19)

17. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus B. Peter rebuked Simon (v.20-23) 1. Did not understand spiritual matters (v.20) 2. Could not share in the spiritual ministry (v21). 3. Had a heart not right before God (v.21) 4. Had committed wickedness (v.22) 5. Was full of bitterness (v.22) 6. Was captive to sin (v.23)

18. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus • C. What do we learn from this? • 1. Discipleship is important. • 2. Those from other faith systems may require more time to learn and "unlearn" some behaviors. • 3. A person's talk and walk must match.

19. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus • VIII. Witnessing One-on-one (Acts 8:26-40) • A. Ethiopian Eunuch: "religion" is not "salvation" • 1. Phillip leaves a powerful Samaritan ministry to travel down to a desert road (v. 4- 8, 26). • 2. A powerful, Ethiopian leader in the court of Queen Candace was returning from worship in Jerusalem and was reading the OT.

20. Acts: Witnessing For Jesus • B. What do we learn from this? • 1. Jesus Christ died for people--all people. • 2. Sharing the gospel requires sacrifice. • 3. Sharing the gospel takes time and patience • 4. People are searching for answers, often without the guidance they need. • 5. Saints must be prepared to meet people where they are spiritually. • 6. Being "religious" is not the same as being "saved."

21. Questions