Sunday Sermon
sunday morning 11th Jan 2009
Acts 1v12-26.
Intro:
The second half of chapter 1 in comparison to the rest of Acts seems a bit flat!
We note in coming to it that Luke is simply recording history.
He is telling us what happened in those days.
So what was the history of it as events unfolded?
We need to take a step back to remind ourselves that Jesus had given an instruction to the disciples. They had to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be given to them.
And so that is what they do. They all gather together and wait.
What do they do in their waiting?
1) they pray v14 (prayer)
At the beginning of the church age we find a band of believers who are obedient, united and prayerful.
Obedient – Jesus has told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait. And so they are.
United – they are together. “one accord” – means all were of the same mind.
Prayer – Jesus was gone but they still communicated with Him!
The reason for all this? Jesus. It is Him they are obedient to, because of Him they are united and it is Him they pray to!
In other words the wonder of this whole start to the church is completely because of Jesus.
None of the band of men and women would be there if not for him!
App:
Where is our focus at the start of the year?
Why do we do what we do? Why do we obey, pray and unite?
2) peter explains Judas Iscariots demise v15-20 (provision)
Obviously the whole question of Judas would still have been on the people’s minds.
The great why questions that we always ask when things don’t seem to go well!
People needed answers and on this occasion answers were given.
And who speaks out? Peter! V15 “stood up”
Where do the answers lie? In scripture – v16, “the scripture had to be fulfilled”
Two psalms are quoted v20. Ps69v25 and Ps 109v8.
The first quote refers to the cursing of Judas and his home.
The second to the need to fill the position that he held as one of the 12.
Note: where does the emphasis lie in all this?
Is there a felt need to condemn Judas and do a witch hunt into who else might be to blame. Why did the others not realise and do something etc.
No, the whole situation reverberates back to the Sovereign God.
His plans and purposes were the reason behind it all!
The thought is not who else it to be blamed, but who is to be worshipped!
App:
All the problems of life bring a challenge. The challenge is how will I react.
Will we see problems as an opportunity to bring glory to God or something else!
Human instinct is to find someone to blame!
Christian human instinct is to praise God.
How hurtful it can be when those close to us let us down or worse.
Judas was one of their number from the start, v17!
They looked to God for His help. He must be our help in such times.
· Note too that a “bad witness” can be overcome by God.
Wouldn’t the unbelievers have said – “look at what Judas did!” “How could Jesus be God if he had Judas as one of his chosen 12?” etc.
But God is able to overcome all of this.
3) they install another apostle v21-26 (progress)
With the attitude of prayer and worship in place progress is made.
An new man is needed to take the place of Judas.
a. a qualification is required v21-22.
b. short list is drawn up v23
c. prayer v24-25
d. lot is cast and Matthias is chosen v26.
Note:
Again the whole focus of the situation was around Jesus Christ. He was the centre of it all.
The man chosen at the end of the day did not matter so much as the reason he was there. That was that he was a witness to Jesus and his resurrection!
App:
The way forward in any decision is through prayer, worship and vision of Christ.
All that we do has to be Christ centred. The work is all about him, for his glory.
We are but bit players, our role only counts in so far as it points to Jesus.
sunday evening 11th Jan 2009
Rom 8v2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set you free from the law of sin and death.
Intro:
Last week we saw the banner over the Christian is : No condemnation!
The reason for “no condemnation” was because of our union with Christ – “in Christ”.
For those who believe in Jesus, who belong to Him, there is no condemnation.
That meant there would be no sentencing and no punishment of our sins!
This week we see further why the believer need not worry about condemnation.
1) it all has to do with our relationship to Jesus
“because through Christ Jesus” “in Christ Jesus”
Jesus Christ is the key. It is through being united to Him that we have our salvation.
“in Christ Jesus” is one of Pauls favourite and unique terms.
In Romans alone he uses it 8x – 3v24, 6v11, 6v23, 8v1, 8v2, 8v39, 15v17 & 16v3.
Why is it a favourite?
· Because “in Christ Jesus” is the mystery of the gospel!
A gospel that brings in, breaks barriers, includes rather than excludes.
Gentiles, Jews, women and children, slaves and free – all welcome in!
· Further: because of all the tremendous benefits that follow from being “in”!
If we were to think in terms of clubs and membership benefits there is no beating what is on offer here.
· Further: the phrase is holy; how can it be! How can we who have rebelled against God be allowed back in! So freely with all the blessing that come!
No wonder Paul uses it so much!
App:
And so should we. Consider it, dwell on it. Trust it. Live as if it were true.
2)we need not worry about condemnation because being united to Christ connects us to the holy Spirit.
The holy Spirit is referred to 19 times in this chapter alone.
We will see that the ministry of the Spirit is vital in the thinking of Paul as we go on.
So if we are in Christ we are then connected with to ministry of the Holy Spirit.
“the law of the Spirit of life set me free - from the law of sin and death”
a) 2 laws at work and 2 consequences:
1) the law of the Spirit brings life
Law in this context refers to power – the power of the Spirit.
He is the Spirit of “life” thus His work is to bring life, or as here freedom!
Life in Christ is freedom.
This brings us back to what really is the Gospel. The gospel is about life, new eternal life now! Not about sins being forgiven so that we can get to heaven!
That is a cheapening of the whole glory of what has been done for us.
We have been set free – by the power of the Spirit of Life!
We are in Christ, therefore no longer in the flesh, therefore set free in the Spirit.
App
The Good News just keeps getting better.
The glory of Jesus keeps getting bigger.
In him there is no condemnation, because being in Him joins us to the work of the Life giving Spirit who it would seems just wants to keep on creating life!
The Spirit hovered over the waters at creation, The Spirit filled Jesus while he was on earth with the creative power to do all that he did, the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, the Spirit in us gives us new life!!
Here we see a true picture of God! He is full, bursting at the seams, overflowing with creative power and life!!
His glory is seen even more as we now consider what we are without Him:
2) the law of sin brings death.
before this we were under the power of sin – the law of sin, which meant death!
No freedom, no life, just sin and death. What a law, what misery.
This refers back to what Paul has said in ch7 and elsewhere, the law is good, but because of sin it only brings judgement and death!
Living in “the flesh” only brings death!
The law cannot be obeyed and thus only leads to death.
App:
Whenever we are tempted to sin one good way to overcome it is to think of sins consequences.
We do not need to look far to see it’s devastating effects.
But being united to Christ separates us from all this sin and death!
The law of sin and death has been destroyed by the greater law of the Spirit and life.
