The Unrestrainable Gospel!
Acts 22:30-23:22
Purpose: to see Christ’s providential plan for Paul to be a witness of the gospel
- Paul Passed to the Chief Priests: Trial #2 (Acts 22:30)
- Paul Persecuted by His Own People (Acts 23:1-5)
- Paul Proclaims the Resurrection! (Acts 23:6-10)
Fulfillment of Acts 1:8 generally
Fulfillment of Acts 9:15-16 specifically!
- Jesus’ Plan to Protect Paul (Acts 23:11)
This promise of Jesus carries Paul to the end of the book of Acts, and his life!
- The Persecutors Plot, While Jesus Protects! (Acts 23:12-22)
Jesus has preserved the witness of His resurrection to the ends of the earth and to the end of time!
Dating God
Purpose: to respond to God’s pursuit of our hearts to have a lifelong deepening relationship with Him
- Ignite the Flame (James 4:8)
- Stoke the Flame (John 15:5)
7 Ways to Date God
-
- 1. Learn His story: Read your Bible.
- 2. Share your dreams: Pray daily.
- 3. Spend time with His family: Attend worship.
- 4. Hang out with His friends: Join a discipleship group.
- 5. Do things together: Serve the church.
- 6. Introduce Him to your friends and family: Share the gospel
- 7. Go on a trip together: Join a short-term mission trip.
Making Disciples of the Nations
Purpose: to join the Lord in His mission to reach all the nations with the Gospel!
- We Have Heard Christ’s First Command! (Luke 24:44-47)
All of Scripture is about taking the Gospel of
Jesus Christ to All the Nations
- How Does FBC Make Disciples of All the Nations? (Matt 28:18-20)
Personal Evangelism: the Cross & Resurrection of
Christ (Rm 10:9-10)
Corporate Evangelism in the QCA through
ministries like VBS and special events
Short-Term Mission Trips
Supporting Our Own Missionaries
Supporting called ministers of the Gospel in
Seminary
Sending Our Own to Study
The “Called to the Nations” FBC Scholarship at
MBTS
Supporting Missionaries through the CP,
AAEO, and LMCO
How FBC CP Giving Works
Pray! Give! Go!
- Let’s GO!
What will FBC’s future be as we glorify Christ in
Worship, Discipleship, and Mission?
Let us unite in Faithfully Worshipping Jesus Christ (Mt 4:10)
Let us commit to being disciples who observe all
that Jesus commanded (Mt 28:19)
Let us take the next step in making disciples of all
the nations!
Romans 15:20-21
3 John 1-8
We exist to glorify Christ in Worship, Discipleship, and Mission!
“The First Command!”
Purpose: to correct misunderstanding, and exalt the truth of Christ’s Great Commission
- “The First Command!”
The Great Commission of Jesus Christ X 5!
Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15
Luke 24:44-47
John 20:21
Acts 1:8
What makes these 5 Great Commission statements the “First” Command?
- Correcting the Misunderstanding
Matthew 28 Correctly Understood
The Great Commission begins with v. 18 “All authority…”
“Go” means “Go”
The command is to “make disciples” baptizing and teaching
The receiver of Christ’s Command is the Church
The object of Christ’s command is “of all the nations”!
The promise is Christ’s presence!
- Paul’s Understanding of the Great Commission in Covenant
Gal 3:8; Gen 12:1-3
- God’s End-Vision of the Great Commission
Rev 7:9-10
All of Scripture is about Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of repentant believers from every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Building Up the Body: Part II
1 Corinthians 12-14
Purpose: to use our God-given gifts to build up the body of Christ
- “For the Common Good”: The Key Purpose for Spiritual Gifts (12:7; 14:12)
- “For Edification”: The Right Use of Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 14 esp. vv 3-5, 17, 19, 26)
- “Peace in All the Churches” (1 Cor 14:33)
The true purpose for God-given spiritual gifts is to edify, to build up the body of Christ. God gives spiritual gifts for the common good, for the health and growth of His church!
Building Up the Body: Part I
1 Corinthians 12-14
Purpose: to use our God-given gifts to build up the body of Christ
- “Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Brethren” (1 Cor 12:1)
- One God: The Source of Unity in One Body (1 Cor 12 esp. vv 3-7, 13, 18-20)
- God’s Love: The Key Unifier (1 Cor 13)
The church’s unity finds its source in God Himself. His Spirit unifies His people into one body. God gives gifts to the body for the building up of itself in love (Eph 4:16).
What Does it Mean to Be the Church? Part II
Purpose: to biblically define key terms in the Christian church
- Why the Church? What is its Purpose? (Matt. 22:36-40; Mk. 12:29-31; Lk. 10:27;
Ex. 3:14; Jn. 8:58; Isa. 42:8; 45:23; Phil. 2:10; Jn. 12:28; Rom. 11:26; Rev. 1:17, 13)
To Love God and Love Others, the Great Commandments
For God’s glory!
To grow up into the Head, Jesus Christ (Eph 4:15)
The church is the bride, Christ is the Bridegroom (Eph 5, esp v. 23)
- What is the Doctrinal Authority of the Church? (Lk. 24:44-47; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
The Scriptures and the Gospel
- What are the Ordinances of the Church and Their Importance? (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:1-14; 1 Cor. 11:20-26)
Baptism
The Lord’s Supper
The true church exists for the glory of God, for the love of God and neighbor. The true church has the Christian Scriptures and the gospel as her authority. Members in the church are identified by their faithful observance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
What Does it Mean to Be the Church? Part I
Purpose: to biblically define key terms in the Christian church
- Who Builds the Church? (Matt. 16:13-17; Eph. 1:22; 2:8-10; 5:23; Col. 1:18)
The Great Confession
- What is the Foundation of the Church? (Matt. 16:18-19; 21:42; 1 Pet. 2:7-10)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God
Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone
- What is the Church? (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 2:7-10)
A body of baptized believers
Christ is the Head
Distinctions of the church universal and local
- Who is a member in the Church? (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:27)
Repentant believers who have been baptized
The Great Commission
The source of the true church is God Himself. Christ is the foundation and Head of His church. Believers in Jesus Christ are baptized into His church.
The Supreme Gospel!
Acts 21:15-40
Purpose: the Supremacy of the Gospel exalted by its vindication on trial!
- Reunion in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-18)
- Report From the Harvest (Acts 21:19-20)
The Gospel is for Jews AND Gentiles!
- An Old Refrain Recurs (Acts 21:20-26)
See Acts 15:23-29
A Remedy Requested
- Paul Arrested! (Acts 21:27-29)
Remedy Rebuffed
Paul Remanded and Restrained
- Riotous Raucous Unrest! (Acts 21:30-36)
- Paul’s Response! (Acts 21:37-40)
Stage is set for Paul’s first of his five defenses of the Gospel!
Paul in Jerusalem (21:15-40)
The “Fuse Lit” when Paul Falsely Accused & Seized in the Temple (21:27-29)
TRIAL #1: Paul’s Public Trial on the Steps (22:1-21)
TRIAL #2: Paul Before the Council/Sanhedrin (23:1-29)
TRIAL 3#: Paul Before Felix (24:1-27)
TRIAL #4: Paul Before Festus (25:1-19)
TRIAL #5: Paul Before Agrippa (25:23-26:31)
Paul Sent to Rome (26:32, fulfills Jesus’ prophetic statement to Paul in 23:11!)
The Gospel may be on trial, but God and His Supreme Gospel are vindicated at every step!
A True Servant of Jesus Christ
Acts 20:17-38
Purpose: to see that a true servant of Christ …
- Perseveres! (Acts 20:17-21)
He does not shrink back from gospel ministry though facing adversity
- Sacrifices! (Acts 20:22-24)
He considers his own life less important than the ministry
- Guards the Sheep! (Acts 20:25-31)
He protects the flock by declaring the whole purpose of God
Pictures of the Problem:
1 Timothy 1:19–20; 4:1–5
2 Timothy 1:15; 2:17–18; 3:1–9
Revelation 2:1-7
2 Peter 2:1-3
- Commends! (Acts 20:32-38)
He commends his hearers to God!
A true servant is faithfully Christ-centered for himself, and for the church!