We are currently going through our “Case for Christ and the New Testament” series by finishing up with some thoughts from the book of Acts and then moving on into the Epistles, which we will overview next week. Knowing that the book of Acts gives us the historical narrative of the beginning of the Christian Church, it is important to understand the emphasis this early Church had so that we do not loose site of it for us today. The most important thing Jesus told the disciples before he ascended was to go out and share what they had learned about Him with others (the Gospel message), and this command is commonly known as the “Great Commission.”
Fulfilling the Great Commission:
Listen to this 5 minute presentation on the Great Commission by “Real Truth, Real Quick” ministries:
The early Church has a single mission, and that was to share the Gospel of Jesus with the whole world. Today, as it was then, this mission should be the center of all God’s Church. How do we do it? Three important ways:
The Means –The Message –The Method
1. The Means of Spreading the Gospel
The Holy Spirit is the Means:
But 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. Acts 1:8
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity
- Genesis 1:2 The Holy Spirit is present at the Creation
- Matthew 28:19 Jesus affirms the concept of the Trinity when he says “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”
- Mark 1:10-11 The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at His baptism
- Luke 1:35 The Holy Spirit brought about the birth of Jesus
- Luke 3:21-22 The Holy Spirit was with Jesus during His earthly ministry
- John 14:15-17 The Holy Spirit is with us forever
- Acts 1:4-5 Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 The Holy Spirit is the first installment of all God is giving us
- 2 Peter 1:21 The Holy Spirit enabled men to write God’s Word
- Revelation 1:4-5 The message is from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Let the Spirit do the work in us!
2. Give the Message of the Gospel
The Gospel Message:
Peter gives us an example:
Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him an oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. Gad has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted 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. – Acts 2:29-33
The Gospel Message: (Jesus is the focus)
- Jesus is the promised Messiah
- Jesus is the Son of God and YHWH, the LORD (the second person in the Trinity)
- Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
- Jesus is the one upon whom belief and trust will lead to a changed life and an eternal life
- Jesus is the only one whose sacrifice was sufficient to forgive all of our sins, not just for some, but for all, once and for all
- Jesus is the one who says “it is done” there is nothing we can do except believe and receive—then share it with others
- Jesus is the one who defeated death for us through His resurrection, thus providing eternal life for all who believe
Keep Jesus as the main theme!
3. The Method of Spreading the Gospel
The Church is the method:
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
- The Church is not a place or a building but a body of God’s people who gather together to worship and praise God
- The Church is people who have a common mission to share the Gospel and to work in service to others
- The early Church consisted of small groups of believers who meet in homes to worship, study and pray
- The early Church also focused their time, money, and attention on mission work whether it was sending out representatives to teach the Gospel locally or in support of other missionaries abroad
As believers we are the Church, not the building, and we are all called to share what we have learned with others!
How can we be a part of the Great Commission?
- Share in a personal way – “here’s what Jesus did for me!”
- Share in a historical way – “here’s how Jesus has worked in the lives of others throughout time!”
- Share using apologetics if applicable – “here’s how scholars know the truth!”
- Then we can tell them – “here’s how He can do it for you too!”
These are the important elements Jesus gave to His disciples—the things we are to share with others concerning the Gospel message:
Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:44-48
On the day of Pentecost (read Acts chapter 2) Peter stepped up and became the leader Jesus knew he could be, and he preached a powerful sermon that included these three characteristics:
- The preaching centered on the life, mission, and ministry of Jesus
- The preaching was apologetic in nature (giving evidence for the truth)
- The preaching was Biblical in content (referencing Scripture)
The simple practice of the early Church we should follow still today:
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42
Bible Study:
We are currently studying through the Gospel of John. Read John chapter 19 then answer the following questions:
- Summarize what Pilate did to Jesus and then said to the Jews. How did they respond? (19:1-7).
- What was Jesus’ response to Pilate’s questions (19:8-16)?
- What did Pilate have inscribed on Jesus’ cross and why were the Jews so unhappy? (19:17-22)
- What prophecy was fulfilled in 19:23-24 and what is its Old Testament cross-reference? List the other prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in 19:28-37 and their Old Testament cross-references.
- Who was Joseph of Arimathea, why is he important, and what did he and Nicodemus do (19:38-42)? Why is this an important apologetic for the death and resurrection of Jesus (some skeptics will claim that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross)?
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15