Are You All In?
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This morning we are picking back up in our study of the book of Acts.
If you’re new to our church, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called Expository Preaching. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible, and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what the Bible means in our lives today.
With that said, we are currently doing that through the book of Acts. An amazing book in the NT that details the birth of the church and how the first disciples of Jesus began the work of spreading the Gospel.
So, if you are new to our church, I would encourage you to go online where you can listen to all the messages that have led up to today.
Today we are coming back to as we continue with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
As we come back to today, we are coming back to the first Gospel sermon message preached in the NT.
You may recall from last week, that as the Holy Spirit came, and the disciples began to function in the power of the Spirit, it caused quite a stir as it raised questions, caused confusion, and invited criticism.
In verse 2:12 Luke writes:
12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
And as we learned last week, part of the confusion and criticism came as the disciples began to supernaturally speak and minister in languages they’d never learned. The Bible calls this spiritual phenomena “tongues”.
And as strange as something like that sounds, we learned tongues in this instance wasn’t weird but served a specific spiritual purpose.
First, the tongues symbolized that the good news of Jesus Christ is for all nations and all languages. In other words, Jesus didn’t just come to save some, but all. The Apostle Paul puts it like this in 1 Timothy 2:
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Paul says God desires all to be saved, and the “tongues” in symbolizes God’s desire to save all people of all nations.
Second, the tongues symbolized the supernatural empowerment God wants to gives his disciples in order to communicate the Gospel.
We know this because on the day the Holy Spirit came, it was the day of Pentecost. A day when thousands of people from all over the known world had come to make sacrifices at the temple.
And because everybody was from different places, they all spoke different languages. But that wasn’t going to stop the Holy Spirit. So as the Holy Spirit came and the church was born, the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to share the gospel in languages they’d never learned. In verse 8 we read:
t. So in that moment, the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to share the gospel in languages they’d never learned. In verse 8 we read:
8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
Acts 2:8-
Luke says as the disciples supernaturally spoke in languages they’d never learned, the gospel was proclaimed to those present in a language they could understand. It was an amazing supernatural presentation of the Gospel.
The question then is, “How does all this apply to us?” And what we’ve learned so far is it applies to us in the same way.
The fact is, God still wants to reach lost people and He still wants to empower His disciples to communicate the Gospel in a way people can understand and receive it in their cultural context.
What that means then is, God wants the people of Marysville, Marshall County, and this region to hear the gospel in a way that will lead them to put their faith in Jesus. And to do that, He’s wants to empower us.
And if we don’t believe that, then we might as well take our cross down, remove Marysville Christian Fellowship from the building, and turn our building into a country club. Because without that belief, we are wasting our time. The fact of the matter is, God has raised up our church to supernaturally present the Gospel to this community, county, and region.
So, what does that look like for us? Does it look like it did in ? Does that mean God is going to use “tongues” like he did with the first disicples?
Well, while tongues is a gift the Apostle Paul says we should seek, I would say probably not. I’m pretty sure English is the dominate language in this area. Tongues isn’t going to help us communicate the Gospel.
However, if we seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can be certain God will supernaturally equip us to communicate the Gospel. How will He do it? Probably through some of the other spiritual gifts He offers us. The Apostle Paul highlights some of these gifts in . He writes:
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
Paul says through gifts like these God will help us communicate the Gospel in a way that people can understand and receive the Gospel.
So, I’m not exactly sure what it will look like for you. It may be that:
The Holy Spirit will give you words that aren’t your own.
Or He’ll give you wisdom that you’ve never learned.
He’ll give you wisdom that you’ve never learned.
Or He’ll give you insight that only He can see.
Or He’ll give you a love for people that only He can give.
He’ll give you insight that only He can see.
Or He’ll give you a confidence that you could never muster on your own.
He’ll give you a love for people that only He can give.
He’ll give you a confidence that you could never muster on your own.
Through the empowerment of the Spirit, what you can be sure of is you’ll become a living testimony and mouthpiece for God as you boldly communicate the Gospel in a way people can hear and receive it. That’s how this applies to us. That’s what the Holy Spirit is still meant to do for us today.
HOWEVER, you should know, the empowerment of the Spirit in your life will raise some eyebrows. Because the truth is, it will have a noticeable affect on your life.
We saw that last week as some were going as far to accuse the disciples of being drunk. Because as the disciples began to speak in these languages, there was such an obvious change and influence on their behavior, that the only way some could explain it was by saying, “It must be the wine.”
And what was true then is true now. As you begin to function in the power of the Spirit, there will be a noticeable influence on your life that will cause people to stop and scratch their heads. An influence on your life that it will amaze some, confuse others, and cause others to criticize you.
And as a result, you’ll need to be prepared to share, explain, and in some cases defend your faith. The Apostle Peter says it like this:
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Peter says we should always be ready to make a defense and give reason for the hope we have. And it shouldn’t surprise us that Peter would say this, because as the disciples begin to share the Gospel in , their words, actions, and behavior are challenged. And because he’s the appointed leader, Peter is the first to stand and address what is happening. Luke writes:
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
Acts 2:14-
As we saw last week, Peter took this opportunity to stand and share the first Gospel sermon. And like any good preacher, Peter delivered a three point sermon. Three points that accomplish two goals.
First, his sermon presents a thorough explanation of the Gospel for those present.
Second, his sermon gives us a template for how to lead somebody to faith in Jesus.
And this is important for us for two reasons:
#1, We need to understand how the Holy Spirit works in and through our lives. Without that understanding it will be difficult if not impossible for you and I to grow in our faith or lead anybody to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the key component for spiritual growth and evangelistic efforts in our personal lives and through our church.
#2, If we want to lead somebody to faith in Jesus, then we need to have a solid understanding of the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus. Because if we don’t have that in our own life, how would we ever lead somebody to Jesus.
So, if you missed the message on the Holy Spirit last week, I would encourage you to go back and listen to it on Facebook or on our website.
Because today we are going to look at the final two points of Peter’s sermon as Peter addresses who Jesus is and what it truly means to follow Him.
So, in order to set the stage for what Peter is about to say, I want to prime the pump by asking us all to consider what might be the most important question you will ever be asked.
In fact, I would say it is the most important question you could ever ask yourself or others. A question that doesn’t just have temporal consequences, but eternal as well.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor, you have my attention. What is the most important question I will ever be asked?”
Well, it depends on who you ask. For example, if you were to ask the culture we live in what the most important question to ask yourself or other is, I think you’d get a number of responses, but I think all answers would revolve around at least two specific topics. Two topics that for many people are the most important questions. And the questions are: “Am I happy?” and “Do I feel fulfilled?”
I say “Am I happy?” because that tends to be the #1 desire for many people in the American culture. In fact, I hear it all the time. A lot of Americans are on a journey to find happiness.
Meaning, they want a spouse or partner that will meet all their relational needs. And if that means divorcing their current spouse to find it, that’s the journey they’ll take.
Or they want certain possessions or material objects. And if that means going into massive debt or using deception to get it, they’re willing to do it.
Or they want a certain type of lifestyle. And even if it means abandoning ethics, morals, or personal beliefs, they’re willing to sacrifice just about anything to achieve it.
In fact, in a recent survey conducted by Gallup, it was discovered that “happiness” ranks highest for the millennial generation. They report in addition to finding steady, engaging jobs, millennials want to have high levels of well-being...And when it comes to financial stability, millennials want to be able to spend money on what they want -- not just on what they need.
*n fact, in a recent survey conducted by Gallup, they discovered that “happiness” ranks high for the millennial generation. They report n addition to finding steady, engaging jobs, millennials want to have high levels of well-being...Regarding financial stability, millennials want to be able to spend money on what they want -- not just on what they need.
Because for whatever reason, they believe by having "what they want”, they’ll find the happiness they’ve been looking for.
I say, “Do I feel fulfilled”, because again this tends to be a leading desire for most Americans. They want to find fulfillment.
Meaning, they want to feel valued and important.
Or they want to feel like what they are doing in life will make a difference.
In the same report, Gallup says this about the millennial generation, “Millennials want to understand how they fit in with their jobs, teams and companies. They look for work that fuels their sense of purpose and makes them feel important. Seventy-one percent of millennials who strongly agree that they know what their organization stands for and what makes it different from its competitors say they plan to be with their company for at least one year.”
Or they
Wow, a full year at one job. That’s amazing!
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with wanting to be happy or wanting to find fulfillment.
Listen, I’m not trying to pick on millennials. And I’m not saying there is anything wrong with wanting to be happy or wanting to find fulfillment.
What I’m saying though is those are not the most important questions we should be asking when it comes to our life on planet earth. Because at the end of the day, those two pursuits will always leave you disappointed.
Because the truth is, happiness is a flighty feeling that can change by what you ate the night before.
And self-fulfillment is a bottomless pit that can’t be filled.
Those who pursue happiness and self- fulfillment eventually discover it’s like a piece of candy. It looks good and tastes good, but it won’t fill you up and always leaves you wanting more.
At the end of the day, “Am I happy?” and “Do I feel fulfilled” are temporal pursuits that stop mattering when you take your last breath. At that point your happiness and self-fulfillment on planet earth cease to matter.
Do I just know about Jesus, or do I really know who Jesus is?
So, what is the most important question? What question should we be asking ourselves or others that has more value than any other question.
Well, if you were to ask me, I would say it boils down to one question that all other pursuits should then revolve around.
A question that doesn’t lead to temporal happiness, but to eternal joy.
In order to be “All in”,
A question that doesn’t focus on personal fulfillment, but instead requires personal sacrifice that leads too eternal fulfillment.
A question that doesn’t focus on personal fulfillment, but instead requires personal sacrifice that leads too eternal fulfillment. A question that if you’re willing to ask yourself and respond positively towards, has the ability to bring joy, purpose, and meaning to your life, not just in this life, but in the life to come.
A question that if you’re willing to ask yourself and respond positively towards, has the ability to bring joy, purpose, and meaning to your life, not just in this life, but in the life to come.
So, what’s the question we need to ask? The question is, “When it comes to a relationship with Jesus, are you all in?”
Acts 2:
In other words, are you a fully comitted Christ follower? Are you what the Bible calls a disciple?
And the reason I think that’s the most important question, is because at the end of your life, the only thing that is really going to matter is did you live your life for Jesus or not.
The only thing that’s going to matter is did you put your hope in what you could accomplish or what Jesus has already done for you?
Have I made Jesus LORD of my life?
Because either you followed Jesus or you didn’t. Either Jesus is your Lord and savior or He’s not. Because at the end of your life, what you did with Jesus in this life ultimately determines where you end up in the next. So, again my question to you is, “When it comes to Jesus, are you all in?”
So, again, my question is, “When it comes to Jesus, are you all in?”
Acts 2:
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow pastor, that’s quite a question. I mean I think I’m all in. I’m coming to church every week. I’m trying to be a good person. I love God. I don’t wear skinny jeans. I don’t smoke drink or chew or go with girls that do.”
And I would say those are all great things. Way to go! Keep it up! But that’s not what I asked you. What I asked is, “When it comes to Jesus Are you all in?”
So, how do we determine if we are all in? What does that look like? Well, that’s what Peter is going to share with us this morning. And to do that, Peter is going to give us three indicators to determine if your all in.
And the first one is this:
And the first one is this:
If you want to be all in with Jesus, you
So, with that question in mind, let’s return to Peter’s sermon as he shares the Gospel.
1. In order to be “All In”, I have to move beyond the historical Jesus.
Listen to what Peter says as he continues to share the Gospel:
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
After explaining the coming and purpose of the Holy Spirit, Peter now turns to the topic of Jesus. And what I want you to notice is Peter begins by verifying a couple important details about Jesus.
First, he verifies which Jesus he’s talking about. He says, “You all know the man called Jesus of Nazareth”. What I want you to notice is Peter attaches Nazareth to Jesus’s name. Why? Well, it’s where Jesus was from. It would be like you and I attaching a last name to somebody’s name in order to better identify them. The word “Nazareth” verifies which Jesus he is talking about.
Second, he wants to verify that everybody present is aware of not only which Jesus He’s talking about, but what He’s known for and what His life entailed.
that most everybody present knows about Jesus, His works, and ultimately how He died.
So, Peter says, “You all know or have hard about Jesus of Nazareth. You know about his miracles and some of you have even witnessed them. You know about his teaching and some of you have heard him teach. And you know he was murdered by lawless men. You know he was falsely accused of something he didn’t do. You know an innocent man was murdered.”
So, why does Peter begin this way? He does it because when you share the gospel, that’s where you have to start with Jesus. You start by telling people about Him. You start by referencing His teaching and His miracles. You talk about how He was killed for a crime he didn’t commit. That he was innocent of any wrong doing. You start with the historical Jesus.
And that’s true, right? Because if you’re a Christian, at some point somebody told you about man named Jesus of Nazareth. And that’s good information. Because if you’re going to follow Jesus, you need to know who He was, what he did, and why he died.
First, he wants to make sure everybody listening knows exactly who he’s talking about. That’s why he says, “Jesus of Nazareth”. It would be like you and I attaching a last name to somebody’s name. The word “Nazareth” verifies which Jesus is talking about.
But here’s the problem. The problem is that’s where it stops for a lot of people when it comes to Jesus. In fact, that’s where everybody Peter was talking to had stopped. Because as far as they knew, the Jesus they had known or had heard about was dead.
Yeah, he was somebody to watch and follow when he was alive, but now he’s dead. Now he’s an after thought. He’s like any celebrity that dies. It’s a shock at first, and then you kind of forget about them.
Now he’s just somebody in the history books.
And the truth is, that’s about as far as it goes for a lot of people, not just outside the church, but within the church as well.
For those outside the church, Jesus is just a historical figure that has been overly exaggerated. Yeah, apparently he was a good teacher with some good things to say, but in the end he was just a guy that didn’t play his cards right and he got himself killed. Too bad. To them He’s like Gandi or Muhammed. Great spiritual leaders who lived and died. And that’s what they know and that’s where they stop with Jesus.
People like this know about Jesus, but it stops there because he’s dead and has nothing to offer at this point.
And that’s what they know and that’s where they stop with Jesus.
And unfortunately, there are even some within the church who stop there as well. Yeah, they go to church. Yeah, they perform the rituals. Yeah they know the stories. Yeah, they know about the historical Jesus. But that’s where it stops for them when it comes to Jesus. At the end of the day it’s all knowledge.
And if I’m honest, I think there’s a lot of people like this in both the protestant and Catholic Church.
People who have a knowledge about the historical Jesus and could tell you everything Peter just listed about Jesus, but the truth is, they don’t really know Jesus.
People who could tell you everything Peter just listed about Jesus, but the truth is, they don’t really know Jesus.
Yeah, they’ve heard about the miracles of Jesus, but they’ve never experienced the miracle of salvation.
Yeah, they’ve heard about the teachings of Jesus, but their lives don’t reflect any part of what He taught.
Yeah, they’ve heard about the teachings of Jesus, but their lives don’t reflect any part of what He taught.
Yeah, they’ve heard about his death and resurrection, but they don’t live their life as if He’s alive.
Yeah, they’ve heard about his death and resurrection, but they don’t live their life as if He’s alive.
For a lot of church going people, Jesus is just a name. He’s just an icon. He’s just a symbol. A historical figure. And as a result, Jesus is dead to them because they don’t life like He’s alive.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow pastor, that sounds kind of harsh and judgmental.”
Well, maybe it does. But sometimes the truth hurts. And the the truth is, a lot of people know about Jesus but they don’t know Him.
Because if they did, they wouldn’t be living like He’s dead.
If they did, they wouldn’t be living according to the standards of the world. They wouldn’t be living with their girlfriend or boyfriend. They wouldn’t be sleeping around. They wouldn’t be getting wasted on the weekends. They wouldn’t be talking like a sailor. They wouldn’t be looking at porn. They wouldn’t be stepping out on their spouse. they wouldn’t be pursuing everything this life offers. I mean, if they really knew Jesus, they wouldn’t want any of that in their life.
The Apostle John writes:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
John says if your ultimate goal is to pursue the happiness and fulfillment that this life offers, then you don’t know Jesus. Yeah, you might know about Him, but you don’t know Him. Because those that know Him have given up that pursuit. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul says if you’ve heard about Jesus, then that knowledge should have led to a change. But if nothing has changed, then apparently either what you heard about Jesus was inaccurate or you choose to stop with what you heard.
So, that’s the first indicator for being all in. Is Jesus just a historical figure that’s dead, or is He somebody that has brought real change into your life because He’s alive in you.
Ephesians 4:17-2
So, a good question might be, “What does it take to move beyond the historical Jesus?” That leads us to the second requirement of what it takes to be “All In”.
2. In order to be “All in”, I have to believe Jesus is LORD.
Concerning Jesus, Peter goes on to say:
In order to be “All in”, I have to believe Jesus is LORD.
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
At this point Peter moves beyond the historical Jesus to a different view of Jesus. And in doing so Peter claims that the historical Jesus that was killed is in fact not dead. He says:
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Peter says, “You know Jesus of Nazareth. The one that did all those miracles. The one who had all those good things to say. The one that was murdered and killed. Well guess what. He’s not dead. He’s alive because God raised him up!”
And to prove it, Peter quotes a passage of scripture written by King David from . A psalm that appears to be about David as He cries out to God for help against his enemies.
But what Peter asserts by quoting this Psalm is that this Psalm isn’t talking about God saving David from death, but God saving Jesus from death. In other words, what Peter is going to claim is that this is a prophetic psalm that predicts the death and resurrection of Jesus. Listen to what David writes in .
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm
By quoting this Psalm Peter makes two declarations about Jesus.
First, that He’s not dead, but alive. He says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Shoel, or let your holy one see corruption.” Meaning, you didn’t leave me in the grave.
Second, that not only is Jesus alive, but that Jesus is Lord as he references Jesus as “The Holy One”. Peter says, “He wasn’t just a man, He’s God.
But Peter doesn’t stop there. He goes on to give further proof of his claim. He goes on to say:
Acts 2:
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Peter says, “Let me tell you how I know this Psalm is about Jesus and not David.
First, David is dead, and we know he’s dead because we all know where his tomb is. So, the Psalm obviously isn’t about David. David is dead and we’ve all been to the grave site.
Second, we also know that David was a prophet and that God swore through his line that the savior would come. So guess what, in this Psalm David is predicting his coming, his death, and his resurrection. David foresaw it all.
Third, we know Jesus is alive because we’ve seen Him. All of us standing here are witnesses to his resurrection. Don’t believe us, go check out the tomb. It’s empty.
And not only that, but we saw him ascend into heaven. In fact, according to David, he’s sitting at the right hand of God as I speak.
That being the case, we are here to tell you today with certainty that the Jesus that you crucified wasn’t just a man. He wasn’t just Jesus of Nazareth. He wasn’t just a historical figure. In fact He is LORD, He is God, and He is Lord over all!”
So, what does this mean for us? It means if you want to be all in with Jesus, you have to come to the same conclusion that Peter and those first disciples did. With confidence you have to be able to say, Jesus wasn’t just a man. But in fact, He is Lord. He is God. Because if you can’t see Jesus in that light, then you can’t follow Him and you can’t be all in. To be all in, you have to believe that Jesus died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now He is Lord.
Now, when I say that, some you might be thinking, “Ok pastor. I believe that. I believe Jesus died and rose again. I believe Jesus is Lord. So, does that mean I’m all in? Is that where it stops?” Not quite.
Which leads us to the final requirement. Because it’s not enough to see Him has Lord. If you truly want to be all in:
3. In order to be “All In”, I have to make Jesus LORD of my life.
Ask the Worship team to come forward.
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
As Peter finishes his sermon, Luke now records the response of those listening. Listen to what Luke says happened next:
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Luke says as soon as Peter finished explaining what was happening and who Jesus was and is, the people were cut to the heart. In other words, they were deeply convicted with sorrow. And they cried out, “What shall we do?”
And it’s at this point that Peter lays it out. Peter says, “In light of who Jesus is, repent and be baptized in His name for the forgiveness of your sins, and in doing so you will receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit”
In other words, it’s time to recognize Jesus not only as Lord, but to make Him Lord of your life. And the only way you can do that is by laying your life at His feet and giving yourself completely to Him. And if you’re willing to do that, then he’ll give you the gift of salvation. He’ll pour His spirit out upon you.
And this my friends is where the rubber meets the road. Because unless you are willing to do that. Unless you are willing to repent and make Him Lord, then you can’t be all in. You can’t be all in if Jesus isn’t Lord of your life.
So, maybe a good question would be, “What does it mean to make Jesus Lord of your life?”
It means from that point on, Jesus is in control of your life.
It means you’re no longer the King of your castle, He is.
It means His desires are your desires.
It means His will is your will.
It means that every part of your life now comes under His Lordship and His control. Your life is now devoted to following and being led by Him.
It means you’re no longer John the plumber who fixes pipes. Now you’re John the Christ follower. And now plumbing is the avenue through which God uses you. You no longer go to somebody’s house to fix a pipe. You go there to display your faith. You go there looking for an opportunity to share Jesus and lead somebody to Him.
It means you’re no longer Sue the trailer painter. Now your sue the Christ follower. And now you don’t just go to work to paint, you go to work looking for an opportunity to be used by Jesus. You’re now led and directed by Him.
Now, when I say that, some of you might be thinking, “So Pastor, what you’re saying is I need to become a radical Jesus freak?” Yes, that’s what I’m saying.
But you want to know what’s funny about that. What’s funny is to be a radical Jesus freak in the early church was normal Christianity. In other words, being a Jesus freak in was seen as normal. It’s just what it meant to follow Jesus. Your life became consumed by Him.
But in our culture, in our day, that kind of devotion is seen as radical or freaky. That’s true, right?
You know what that means then? What it means is in comparison to the Bible’s version of Christianity, our modern version of Christianity is subnormal.
In other words, if the first disciples could see how most Christians live their lives for Jesus today, I think they’d probably say, “You’re not a normal Christian. A normal Christian has a little bit more fire in them. A normal Christian has given up everything to follow Jesus. A normal Christian doesn’t live their life for themselves, but for Him.” In fact, they might even go as far too say, “You don’t look like a Christian at all.”
Again, some might say, “Wow pastor, that’s harsh and judgmental.” Again, I would say, “Sometimes the truth hurts, and if the shoe fits, well then...”
You see church, our radical was their normal, meaning our normal is really subnormal.
You see, to be all in, you have to be what our culture calls “radical”, but what the Bible calls “normal”. To be all in , Jesus has to be more than an icon, more than a belief, He has to be Lord of your life. Because if He’s not Lord, if He’s not in full control of your life in every aspect, then you’re not all in.
So, how did the people respond to Peter’s call for repentance? Were they all in? Luke tells us. He writes:
40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Luke says as Peter continued to share the gospel, 3000 people responded. 3000 people put their faith in Jesus and were water baptized. 3000 people said, “We’re all in!”.
You see, that’s what our baptisms were all about this morning. They were about people who finally came to a place where they said, “I’m done living for myself. I’m done trying to be good enough. I’m done running from God. I’m done living with no hope. I’m done trying to meet the worlds hopeless standards. I’m done trying to find my happiness. I’m done trying to find earthly fulfillment. Today, I’m ready to make Jesus Lord. Today I’m declaring that I’m all in!
So, as we close this morning, I want to end by asking you the question we started with. Again, my question to you is, “Are you all in?” Are you a Christ follower? Is Jesus Lord of your life?
And if not, why not? What’s stopping you? Is the world really that great? Are it’s temporary pleasures really that fulfilling? Is living for yourself really getting you anywhere worth going? Why would you want to continue to spin your wheels when you could move forward? Why would you want to stay stuck in a rut when Jesus is willing to pull you out?
Listen, you don’t have to live in your misery any longer. You don’t have to live in hopelessness any longer. You don’t have to walk through life trying to fill a void in your life. Jesus died and rose so you could be free from all that.
And today He’s calling for you. He wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to free you from the bondage of your sin. He wants to pour His Holy Spirit upon you. And all you have to do is make Him Lord. All you have to do is repent, put your faith in Him, and you can be saved.
The Apostle Paul writes:
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
So, what are you waiting for? Why not do that today? Why not leave here different than when you came in. Why not be like those 3000 that day who were sick and tired of being sick and tired, and through their faith and actions said, “I give up! Jesus, I’m all in!”.
So, in response to what Peter has said, here’s my challenge for you.
If you’re here this morning, and you’re not all in, I want to give you the opportunity to be all in. I don’t want anybody to leave here today without having the opportunity to respond like those 3000 did. All that to say, if you want to be all in, it’s time to make Jesus Lord and be baptized. And I can’t think of a better day to do it. Because the Holy Spirit is here and the tank is full. So, if you want to be all in, then jump out of your seat and head down front. We have extra towels and shirts. Today can be your day of declaration. A day when you finally come to the end of yourself, make Jesus Lord, and publically declare that you are all in!
If that’s you, meet me down front. Today is your day to go all in!
Let’s Pray
Am I fulfilled?” Do I feel valued? Do I feel important? Do I have a purpose?
What are my goals and how will I achieve them?
Because if we’re honest
In his first point, Peter addressed the topic of the Holy Spirit. And that’s where we spent most of our time last week, as Peter used the OT book of Joel to show us the purpose of the Holy Spirit.
So, before we get to the final two aspects of Peter
First, the the Holy Spirit has come to serve as a sign of the fulfillment of a promise.
And as always, God made good on His promise. Because as Peter gets up to speak, he begins by referencing the OT book of Joel.
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh...” (ESV)
The promise was that one day God would send a redeemer, which he fulfilled by sending His Son Jesus. And now the outpouring of the Spirit serves as a sign that Jesus’s sacrifice was sufficient for our sin. In other words, the coming of the Holy Spirit is the evidence that Jesus’s death and payment for our sin is acceptable to Him.
Let me explain it like this. When a person puts their faith in Jesus, God responds to that faith by putting His Holy Spirit in that person. Speaking through the prophet Ezekiel, God puts it like this:
Ezekiel 26:26
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And as a result, you literally become a different person as the Holy Spirit begins to influence your actions, behavior, decisions, and life. And that’s why people are amazed when they see you. That’s why your behavior confuses them. That’s why they may even criticize you and call you crazy. It’s because the Holy Spirit has changed and is changing you. Paul writes:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the evidence of God’s fulfilled promise through Jesus.
Second, the Holy Spirit has come to empower you for witness. Quoting Joel Peter says the Holy Spirit has been poured out so all may prophecy.
Jesus says one of the purposes of the Holy Spirt is to convince us of our sin, lead us to righteousness through faith in Jesus, thereby avoiding judgment and eternal damnation.
Third, the Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of sin. Quoting Joe, Peter reminds us that the day of the Lord is coming.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
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And as we learned last week the Day of the Lord is the day Jesus returns to collect those who have put their faith in Him and judge those who have not. It will be a good day for some and a bad day for others.
And part of the Holy Spirits job is to convince the world of their need for Jesus before that judgment comes. Jesus says this concerning the Holy Spirit:
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
Jesus says one of the purposes of the Holy Spirt is to convince us of our sin, lead us to righteousness through faith in Jesus, thereby avoiding judgment and eternal damnation.
And what’s amazing about that is the Holy Spirit wants to do that through us. That’s why the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is so important. Because only the Holy Spirit can truly convince someone of their need for Jesus. Only through His power do we stand a chance of leading someone to Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit has the ability to penetrate a heart.
So, that was point #1 of Peter’s sermon. To help us understand why the Holy Spirit has come, what He’s come to do, and why we need His help in leading people to Jesus.
From this passage in , Peter reminds us of the promise of God from . The promise that came after Adam and Eve sinned and severed their relationship with God. In that moment God made a promise that one day He would send a redeemer. That one day a messiah, a savior would come and restore the broken relationship between God and man. And as we all know, God made good on that promise by sending His Son Jesus.
And as we learned through the Gospel of Mark, Jesus fulfilled
So as Peter stands, he begins his sermon by declaring that God has fulfilled His promise. He proclaims that the savior has come. And he says the evidence is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
In other words, Peter says, “You want to know why we’re acting the way we’re acting? You want to know why you think we’ve been drinking? It’s because the Messiah you’ve been looking for, the savior you’ve been waiting for, He’s already come. And now He’s pouring out His Spirit of redemption upon us. He’s restoring what sin robbed. The time of redemption has come. God has made good on His promise.
And as we learned, that’s what the “last days” represent. They represent the time period between Jesus’s ascension and future return. It’s the days we live in now as God continues to pour out His Spirit and provide a way to salvation through His Son Jesus.
Second, the Holy Spirit has come to empower us for witness. Quoting Joel Peter says:
“…and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my
Now, the truth is,
You see, what we have to understand is, when a person puts their faith in Jesus