Acts 1. I'm going to read verses
1-8. We looked at verses 1-4 last
week. The former treaties have I made,
O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Until
the day in which He was taken up, after that He, through the
Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had
chosen, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion
by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and
speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being
assembled together with them, commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,
which, saith he, ye have heard of me. for John truly baptized
with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many
days hence. When they therefore were come
together, they asked of Christ, they asked of him saying, Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times
or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power, but
Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of
the earth." Turn for a parallel passage to this Luke chapter
24, as we noted Last week, the author, the writer,
under inspiration of God, of the Acts of the Apostles is Luke,
and we see the corresponding connection between the end of
Luke and the first part of Acts. But for our use and edification
this morning, let's just read in the 24th of Luke and starting
in verse 44. Christ is appearing to his disciples
after his resurrection. This is after his resurrection
in verse 44 and Christ said unto them These are the words which
I have which I spake unto you While I was yet with you that
all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me then opened he their understanding that they might understand the
scriptures and And said unto them, Thus it is written, and
thus it behooves Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the
third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem.
and you are witnesses of these things." You are witnesses of
these things. And then it goes on to recount
that as he was speaking to them, he was carried up into the heavens,
which we will see, Lord willing, next week. We'll look at that
in this passage in Acts. But this book is called the Acts
of the Apostles. It's called the Acts of the Apostles.
And I began to look at that and think about that Well, what exactly
are the acts, are the actions that are spoken of? Now, we'll
get more into that as we study this, but we've looked at this,
I don't know, about 10 years or longer ago, but what are the
acts of the apostles? Well, verse 8 said that when
you receive power, or after you receive power of the Holy Ghost
who's come upon you, you're going to be witnesses unto me. If that is the directive, to
be a witness of the person, the work, the righteousness, the
deity, the burial, the resurrection and ascension of Christ, if that
was the charge for them, the early New Testament church, It
will be well and certainly good enough for us here this morning. People I hear all the time, I
don't know, you know, and these are from adults, I don't know
what I want to be when I grow up. You hear that. Or I hear,
I mean, I'm talking about, I'm 48 years old, Don and I were
talking about that, you know, we're getting, every time we
see one another, it's grayer, you know, and less, I've got
less hair, you know, he's got the same amount, but it's changing
colors. But I hear people that I work
with that don't know what their purpose in life is. This before
us, this passage before us, this book before us, is the Acts of
the Apostles. But we could say, we could go
back in the Genesis, in Nehemiah or Isaiah, and look at their
actions and their acts. And it all has a central theme. Speak. live for, honor, and glorify
Christ. We are not called pastors and
preachers. We're not called, as I mentioned
before, we're not called to be politicians. We stand behind
this pulpit. It isn't going to happen. We're
not called to be comedians. We're not called to be, but we're
called to speak of Christ. And if it is the early New Testament
church directive, it is most certainly good for us here as
well. What does it mean to be a witness
for Christ? Well, first things first, before
we get into that in verse 8, he said that they would be, as
it's called in verse 3, Or verse 4, the promise of the Father,
that's the only place in the Scriptures that that is used,
that terminology, the promise of the Father, and specifically
speaking about the Holy Ghost coming upon the brethren here. So, before we get into what it
means to be witnesses for Christ, let's look at the first thing.
Before you can be a witness for Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Spirit, God's grace must come upon you. This is a special time
in this directive, in this writing here, historically, to show forth
the gifts and to confirm the things which Christ had said.
It was a special time in the apostolic days of the gifts that
they would receive. However, there's a greater application,
a greater meaning. That is that every chosen elect
sinner must be quickened, regenerated by the Holy Ghost before they
can serve, worship, or be a witness. You want to know why? Maybe your
neighbor, or you want to know why, maybe others that you've
spoken with can't be a witness for Christ. They try, but it's
not because God has not saved them through the preaching of
the gospel, through the impartation of the Spirit of God's grace.
You've got to know Him whom you believe. And how do you believe?
It's by the supernatural gift of God's grace. So the greater
application is every chosen elect sinner must receive, must have
the Holy Spirit quicken the things of this book in order for we
can say anything. You know, the old saying is you
can't tell about somebody that you don't know any more than
you can tell about a place that you haven't been. You can't do
it. You can't do it. The sacred third person of the
Blessed Trinity must open the heart to the truth of Christ
before we will ever be a true witness of His grace, of His
glory, and of His gospel. I got a... it wasn't a letter,
it was a Christmas card from a cousin who's thinking about
becoming a minister. What did I think of that? Well,
I haven't thought about it. I don't think much of it, but
I haven't responded yet. I don't know what I'm going to
say, but I had a gentleman, and I've told you this before, I
had a gentleman when I worked for the city, came up to me and he heard I
was a preacher, and they call you a reverend, and I just say,
no. I stop right there. No, I'm not a reverend. The only
reference to a reverend in this whole book is to God. So I say,
no, just call me Drew. Well, I understand you're a preacher,
and I think that would be neat if I want to be a preacher. Do
you have any words of encouragement for me?" And I thought about
what Henry Mahan told so many folks. I told him to just run
like crazy. Run away. Run away. He was Pentecostal, so he didn't
understand. He had no witness. He had no
ability to witness because God had not given him the Holy Spirit
through the preaching of the Gospel. Well, then we come to
another section before we get into what it is to be a witness
just in passing I noticed here that in verse 5 John truly baptized
with water But you'll receive you'll be baptized with the Holy
Ghost not many days hence Then they're listening to all this
and they're gathering all this information and look at what
they say in verse 6 When they therefore were come together
They asked Christ saying Lord What or will you at this time
restore again the kingdom to Israel? He's talking about being a witness
to them, he's talking about preaching to them, he's talking about receiving
the gifts from the Holy Ghost, and they want to know if he's
going to restore the kingdom. And his answer is, tenderly,
it's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the
Father has put in His own power. Now, the reason why I wasn't
going to say much about this this morning, but the reason why I added it
is I was looking this over and over again last night is because
situations that I have at work and situations that you come
in at work and situations maybe with your neighbors or family,
children or whatever it might be, we get anxious and so concerned
about things we have no control over. They wanted to know if He was
going to restore the Kingdom of Israel. And He just said,
it's just not for you. Now, I'm not saying don't pray
for your children. Don't bring them under the earshot
of the Gospel. Raise them in the fear and the
admonition of the Lord. Do your jobs as under the glory
of God. Pay your bills. Be responsible. But all this other stuff that
we worry about, we have no control over. Submit to the fact that
He is Lord for you. He comforts His people knowing
the fact that He's on His throne, He's sovereign, He rules and
He reigns and He's in charge. You know, what about this? What
about... I don't know. What about... I don't know. What about this country? What
about the economy? What about oil markets? What about... It's
not for me to know. He'll take care of His own. And
He focuses their attention to what we're here for again anyway.
But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come
upon you and you shall be witnesses unto Me. Witnesses unto Me. Well, turn to 1 John 1. A witness is where we get our
word martyr from. Pretty well selling out lock,
stock, and barrel to the cause of Christ. But here's a witness,
and I'm going to read you a note on this from one of the men I
was studying from. He says it very well witness,
but let's look at what the scripture says in 1st John chapter 1 verses
1 2 & 3 This is what a witness is and what they do that which
was from the beginning Which we that is the Apostles we and
anyone who believes have heard which we have seen with our eyes
which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the
word of life for this life was manifested and we've seen it
and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was
with the father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen
and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship
with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his
son Jesus Christ if you know something about grace Tell it. Years ago, I'm used to preaching
to groups like this or smaller. This guy's at Scott Richardson's
and he had invited me up there to preach and it was like 80
people. And I was just like, I can't.
And he said, well, what's the matter? He looked at me with
his eyes and he said, brother, just tell us what you know. Well,
I don't understand all the things about election. Do you understand
Christ who chose you? I don't understand the implications
and the total ramifications of His glorious predestinating work
in His purpose and decrees of grace before the foundation of
the world. I don't either. But do you know of Him who purposed
these things? Tell of Him. A witness is one
who accurately and honestly relates to others that which he has heard
with his own ears, seen with his own eyes, and felt and experienced
in his own heart. He does not relate second-hand
information. He declares only what he himself
knows to be true. It is the privilege, responsibility,
and honor of every believer to be a witness for Christ in his
generation. This is every believer's calling
and vocation in this world. Every true Christian is a missionary.
Every true believer is an evangelist. Every true follower of Christ
is a preacher. Every true child of God is His
witness. Christ's witnesses are his martyrs,
people who lay down their lives in the cause of Christ. Go ahead,
work your job so that you can pay the expenses of life, but
do not forget that your calling, your life's work, is to be his
witness. Let nothing interfere with that."
And I add this quote. It's my favorite quote from Henry
Mahan. Now, I've been tinkering in these
one-liners. It gets me every time I read
it. Never neglect the spiritual because of pressing demands of
the temporal." Puts things in perspective, doesn't
it? I like that. And that's what it is to be a
witness, a witness for Christ. Now, let's turn back to Luke
chapter 24 and let's see some specific things about being witnesses
for Christ. Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24, starting in
verse 44, to be a witness for Christ. What does this include? Many things and more than this,
but it does include these things. And Christ said unto them, these
are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me. To be a witness of Christ is
just like Moses and all the brethren in the Old Testament It's to
speak in this book about Christ. One old preacher said the job
of the preacher, the job of the reader of this book is to find
Christ in the passage, to find Him as quickly as you can. And
on Wednesdays we've been in Genesis. There's a great lessons great
teachings great Bible class Sunday school for the little kids in
Genesis But every passage we go through every those lessons
we see Christ whether it's Isaac whether it's Jacob We're on Joseph.
Now. These are all pictures of Christ
Moses the prophets of Psalms all Old Testament prophets Wrote
and spoke of Christ about his birth his deity his ministry
his miracles his death And there is only one gospel One true religion,
one way to glory, and it is all by, through, and because of Christ. That's what it is to be a witness
to Christ. Whether it's the Old Testament
or New Testament, to see Him. To see Him. Verse 45, Then opened
Christ, he their understanding, that they might understand the
Scriptures. To be a witness of Christ is
to be blessed of God to have our minds and our hearts opened
to the Scriptures. Opened to the Scriptures. Just
the phraseology there says grace. You didn't, oh, I understand
this because I've got a PhD in theology. Actually, most doctors
of divinities that I've talked to, you know, you go over to
SIU or you go, I don't know if they've got it here at SEMO,
but religious studies, you talk to those guys and they're just,
they're just wacko. You know. Much learning has made them mad,
but when He opens the Scriptures,
you speak of Him. It's not me this, it's not my
church. That's what I love about these
preachers that we have in and these pastors that we've had
in that you know. You don't hear them calling,
well, this is my church. They know that God has raised
them up, He's raised me up, and He can take us out just like
that. So while we're here, let's be
a witness to Him. He opened the Scriptures. If it's not in this book, then
when people are preaching, and you're hearing somebody speak,
and they're giving a nice lecture, or they have good oratorical
skills, but if they're not coming from this book, the Scriptures,
Christ opened their mind to the Scriptures so they could see
Him. If they're not preaching from this book, don't listen
to them. I work for very good moral people
that own the company that I work for. I mean, they're the best
bosses I've ever had. They're Mormons. They don't have
a clue. All they see, this is a book
of morality. We see this book is covered in
red, that scarlet thread from beginning to end, and that thread
is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that I must have or I'll
never see glory. to be a witness of Him. He opened
the Scriptures. That word is just, the phraseology
is that, all of grace. This, the Scriptures, and Christ
in the Scriptures, is our life, it's our food, our breath, our
desire. Verse 46, thirdly, he says, and
he said unto them, thus it is written that it behooved Christ
to suffer and to raise from the dead on the third day. What is
it to be a witness for Christ? It's to speak of his passion. It behooved Christ to suffer,
his passion. That word behooved, I like to
look up to these words when I'm looking at it, because we don't,
who uses behooved anymore? I looked it up. It's of necessity. Christ must of necessity. Suffered
bleed and died. Well, then you got to ask yourself
anybody that's listening asks Why do you got to do that? Because
you and I are so vile. We're so corrupt. We're so full
of sin and He's so righteous now you're speaking of him and
your necessity to be redeemed by his blood and He must lay
down His life for sin and uncleanness. Our sins and our uncleanness
because the law demanded it and His holiness expected it. A perfect
life sets up the perfect death and therefore sets in motion
and in stone the perfect redemption. He must be raised from the grave
because if He's not raised from the grave, there's no salvation. So we preach His passion. It
behooves Christ to suffer. He raised from the dead on the
third day. That's what it is to be a witness
for him He must raise from the grave if he does it No salvation
no glory to be had apart from it. No honor in the purpose and
decree of God without it verse 47 We see the next thing, and
that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in
His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Now, with the resurgence,
whatever term I want to use, of Islam, and our leaders, especially our
religious leaders, Graham and all them, they're trying to be
all congenial and requisitory. They're trying to say, oh, we're
all saying the same thing. I don't think I added anything
when I read, and that repentance and remission of sins, that's
our problem, sins, should be preached in His name. Muhammad? No. Joseph Smith? No. Buddha? No. His name. As we'll see in Acts,
because there's no other name given among men whereby we must
be saved. To be a witness of Him. What
Him are we talking about? Remember when Don was here, he
said this is a hymn book? H-I-M? It's exactly what it is. It's exactly what it is. We preach
repentance and remission of sins. Repentance, that's simply, the
Greek for that is a reversal of one's thoughts or decisions.
And that's exactly what he does. You're going the way of free
will works, you're going the way of self, easy believism,
decisionalism, whatever it might be in this country, these are
the main things, or walking it out, I did something for Jesus,
that's the way you thought, and then he shows you the gospel,
he shows you his glory, and he takes that mind and that heart,
and he pulls that out, and you're just like, That's not how God
saves. That's how I thought I saved
myself. He reverses that thought process. He reverses, gives you
a new heart. And you're in agreement. You
know the word fellowship? Part of that word fellowship?
To be in agreement. Was it Amos? Can two walk together
except they be agreed? We hadn't seen Don in years and
you come in, we just kind of pick up where we left off. Why?
Because where two are agreed in the gospel. Now, if he didn't
understand the gospel, I didn't, we might be able to talk about
our old SIU days, we might be able to talk about the weather,
talk about different things, but where two are agreed, and
He will make us, cause us, thankfully, to be in agreement with what
He says about His Son, and about our sin, Repentance it's a reversal
of one's thoughts and decisions and remission is The word remission
is is freedom or pardon and I like that because in my old religion
Being a Methodist and my old religion Being a four-point Calvinist
and all these other things my old religion being reformed There was no freedom in that
Always somebody always peeking over your shoulder, always seeing
if you're doing the right things. But oh, when you see Christ,
the truth shall set you free, and you'll be free indeed. Free
to what? Serve Him, worship Him, and adore
Him. The sinner must be convinced
and confessed, be turned away from one self and to be turned
to the other Christ. Acknowledgement and an active
realization that we are poor, blind, and helpless, and as a
blessed realization that in Him is life, happiness, peace, and
joy. You know, joy, we talk this season,
everybody's, and I do, I know it's pagan and I know all this
other stuff as far as the history of Christmas, but it's great,
I like it. I like people getting together
and seem to be, you know what I mean, there's these people,
they try to be good. And for whatever that's worth, that's
fine. And I remember old Maurice Montgomery
saying one thing, he says, whether historically Christ was born
on the 25th, probably not, all these different things, he says,
but it makes people think about a Redeemer once a year. Can't
get away from it. Now I know in this political
correct society they're trying to. That's alright. Our God's on the throne. He's
on the throne. Blessed remission of sins. That
includes forgiveness, acceptance with God, peace, joy, happiness,
all in Him. We sing that chorus, my sins
are all taken away. Have you heard what Jesus said
to me? They're all taken away. And I tell you what, if you ever
experienced that, Like old Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress, if you
ever experienced that burden that he carried around, which
was his sin, and he went to the law, he went to Mount Sinai,
and that thing just got heavier, and when he finally went through
that gate, because evangelists told him to go, that's not the
way of salvation, that's the way, and he went through that
narrow, wicked gate, and he looked up at Calvary, he looked at that
one hanging on a cross, and as he raised up, that burden, it
fell off. And if God ever removes that
burden, and I know we still sin, and I know we still struggle, but there's a peace that passes
all understanding. People can browbeat you, your
boss can kick you when you're down, they can do all those things,
but they cannot rob the inner joy and peace that comes from
knowing He's given you repentance and remission of sins. Lastly
verse 47 in our in Luke And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at
Jerusalem You are witnesses of these things Where are we to
be witnesses? We are to be witnesses to whom All nations beginning at Jerusalem
All that we meet are come into contact with, starting right
here in Jackson. Starting right there in Patton. Starting right there in Houston. In Jerusalem, it's just the way
it usually is. Start right here. You want to
know, I think, that the gospel was so hated right there, and
that Jerusalem was such a mess of religion. Start right here. A prophet is usually not accepted
in his own country. So don't be surprised if they
frown at you, they tell you to show you the door, but that's
okay, because are we to make friends? Yeah, make friends.
Should you try to be friendly? Yeah, a friend must be friendly.
You know, a friend in order to have friends must show himself
friendly. Should you try to do right by your neighbors? Absolutely.
Your children? Absolutely. Your parents? Absolutely.
Your grandparents? Absolutely. But not at the expense of being
his witness. Do not let the pressing demands
of the temporal override the more important things of the
spiritual. right here in Jackson and spreading
that wonderful yet sobering news of Christ and Him crucified to
everybody that will hear. So I close with this thought. We're not really interested in
denominations or getting people to think our way, but to tell
of Him and give Him all the glory And if folks hear this message
by His grace, they will come out of false religion, and they
will embrace Him, and they will embrace us. People say, well,
when you tell the truth, well, that's not very loving. The most love you can show anybody
is to tell them the truth, speaking the truth in love. That's what
Paul says. Now, I've done it and you've
done it because we're so weak. You're going to believe this
gospel or else, bam, you know, walk around. I heard somebody
call the early caliphate, you know, people are converted or
whatever. They call it the cage stage. You know, you need to
be locked up because they just want to shake everybody into
submission. Be witnesses of Him. Speak the
truth. Because they can't believe it
if they don't hear the truth. Speak it in love. all the time knowing
what you are, what you were, what I am, what I was, one who
actually could care less about the gospel, let alone stand up
and try to talk about it. Because I was just in it for
myself. for what I could gain, for what I could do. Bless God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit for that marvelous
gospel of His free, sovereign grace.