Shall we pray?
Father, we invite your Spirit to come and speak to each of us, Lord, the words that we need to hear today. Father, we don’t want to come to this place and leave the same. We want to be continually moved and transformed into the likeness of your son. And so we invite your Holy Spirit to come and minister among us. In Jesus name, Amen.
From Acts 4 I’m going to explore three themes.
The first theme is called Battles and Blessings. particularly a focus on persecution.
Secondly is the theme of what is the gospel and how to share it.
And then the third theme will be, filled with the spirit. These are all within the Acts 4, passage.
So when we come to Acts 4, if you’re following along in the Bible, you’ll see that the church, this is about approximately three months. It’s after the events of Pentecost, that’s what some scholars suggest, so three months. And the church has grown to 5, 000 men. The Greek word is very clear, it’s men, not a generic term.
So that’s assuming that often a man leads a household, and so therefore you could be generally thinking a man, that could be pointed to a man, a woman, and a child, and therefore we could be now at the place of a church existing of 15, 000 people in Jerusalem. And so if this is three months later, the maths work out that there’s been approximately 130 converts per day in the start of the early church.
130 converts per day. And so not surprisingly, they get noticed by the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem. A man has also been miraculously healed, there has been preaching in temple courts.
And so they’re brought in on trial So great blessings, healing person who hadn’t been able to walk, 15, 000 converted in three months and now arrest and trial trial before the same people who also put Jesus on trial.
Battle and Blessing
And so in a very, almost at the beginning of the Acts story, there’s something pointing us to that the Christian life. Can be battle and blessing.
Battle and blessing.
Battle and blessing.
Battle and blessing.
When we’re in a battle, it can be hard to believe it’ll ever come to an end. When we’re in a period of blessing, we can sometimes expect it to go on forever. But the Christian life is not like that. Battles and blessings.
And sometimes it is that succession of battles and blessings one after another. But sometimes life is actually about two tracks. We’re running along, where at one point we’re experiencing blessings, at another point, there’s battles to face.
In the battles, one of the things to look for can be where are blessings from God? Is there a moment of his love? Or a moment of his goodness? Is it simply who he is? Or are there other blessings?
But battles and blessings takes us on to the thought about, the word persecution, which is of course what is happening here. This is what this particular battle is.
And here at All Saints, a heart for the persecuted church is something we seek to encourage, to be something, uh, the language’s core business was the phrase being used whenever All Saints was formed. Not something on the side, but something part of our DNA.
Currently the statistics of persecution continue to grow for Christians across our world.
So I’m just going to give you a few brief figures. So it’s estimated at the moment at one in seven Christians. face high or very high levels of persecution. So that’s 365 million Christians, one in seven.
Last year, it was estimated that nearly 4, 000 Christians were abducted for their faith.
Nearly 5, 000 Christians last year were killed for professing in the name of Christ. Most of them in Nigeria,
14, 800 church buildings or Christian buildings were attacked. So as we sit in this place that we enjoy, we can be mindful of the 14, 800 other places that didn’t experience peaceful times as they gathered at a place like this.
So seeing Acts 4 already points us to those Christians who today are facing battles, even though they know the blessing of faith in Christ.
And one country, just to draw a little bit more illustration is, of course, being in the news this week, would be Iran.
Now Iran has 1. 2 million Christians in a country of 87 million. Conversion from Islam to Christianity is illegal. And is seen as a crime against national security. Iran is currently designated as the ninth hardest place in the world to live as a Christian. Pressure for those who have been converted from a Muslim background can be to divorce, they can lose their inheritance, their children could be taken from them, and they can be sent to prison. Bibles cannot be read, or worship cannot take place in Farsi, which is Iran’s language.
And yet the church in Iran is the fastest growing church currently in the region.
So whenever you read Acts 4, for example, it makes us think of battles and blessings. The Christians who are facing the battles, and yet as the situation in Iran points to, there is blessings alongside those battles at this time.
Sharing Faith – The Gospel.
The second thought is about what is the gospel and how to share it. When you read Acts 4, you see very simple statements, which reminds us again of what are we trying to talk to people? And they ask, well, what’s this Christianity thing about? We talked about that story yesterday, last week, where you’re on the bus or train, and the person sees you’re reading something and asks, what’s Christianity all about?
What are you going to want to communicate with them? Well, Acts 4 draws out the fact that the gospel is about Jesus. Jesus is the center of it. It’s not about God, it’s about Jesus. Jesus is a message. Jesus is the person we seek to share with people. The core of this, is about his death and resurrection that we want to communicate.
Remember the meal we’re going to share in a few minutes, the Lord’s Supper. When Jesus gives the Lord’s Supper, he points to his death – body and blood. He doesn’t point to his teaching in that meal. He doesn’t point to his birth. He doesn’t point even to his return, in terms of what the bread and wine symbolize. He points to his death.
Reminding us every time we take this bread and wine, what are we trying to share about Christ, about his death, but also that he is raised. Our message is not about a historical person, that he’s raised and he’s alive today.
Somebody was speaking at the Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park where you can say anything and anything.
It was William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, who was preaching about belief and trust in Jesus.
And a guy shouted out from in the crowd, how do you know he’s alive? How do you know he’s real? And what anybody said I was talking to him today. Not a historical person we communicate, not a person in book. We’re communicating a real living Lord.
And it’s about eternal things, not just things for now. The word salvation is used in Acts 4. Salvation meaning from the effects of our sin. Which means ultimately through our sins we face separation from God The wages of sin is death as Paul says in romans 6, eternal separation from god, but the gift of God The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ We have the offer of offer of salvation.
We have the offer of eternal life, life beyond this life We have that this Christian message we share, is not about a self-help program. It is about eternal matters Which affects the now. That sin within us can be healed from it. Power of sin can be broken within us. Relationships can be restored. But these are about eternal things, the gospel. Not about a self help program.
And it of course says, ‘’in no one else’’ (v12). That Jesus is the center. The question is not if someone believes in God. The question is, how do they relate to Jesus? That is the question. For there’s no other way for people to be saved. It is by grace through faith we are saved. Not through good works, not by coming here, not by reading the Bible, but grace through faith we are saved.
And it’s all to do with Jesus. So those are the things we want to communicate when we’re talking about the what is the gospel.
Sharing Faith – HOW?
But then, as a recap from last week, to remind us about the different ways of sharing our faith. We talked about those six ways because we have to think about sharing faith as we can rather than as we can’t.
And so we talked about the direct, truth telling way, for example, shown by Peter here in Acts 4 and also in Acts, all through Acts really.
The reason giving intellectual style shown by Paul in Acts 17, for example.
The testimonial storytelling style, for example, a man born blind (John 9). ‘’This I know I was blind, but now I see’’.
That friendship building or interpersonal style of Matthew tax collector (Matthew 9. He puts his friends in a room with Jesus. He invites his friends to come.
The invitational style, Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), come and see. Which we also see Andrew do in, in all the parts of John.
And then the value of serving, Dorcas who served (Acts 9). And her knowledge for, uh, people knew of her for what she did in the community.
And so as we shared last week, just as a recap, a reminder, there may be one or two styles that we fit naturally with. Sometimes a faith sharing, as we said, we try and fit into a style that we’ve seen, or our parents have done, or maybe we’ve read in a book or seen in a video, when in fact our style may be something else.
So we seek to share faith as we can and not as we can’t. But we also remember that the style of the person we’re close to, we’re trying to reach out to. That style may not fit our style. There may be somebody we know who actually can talk in a way that connects with that person or can take them to the next step.
The person who needs reasoning, but our style is serving. The person who maybe needs to be challenged directly, when our style may be about gathering friends through an alpha or at home and talk about faith. Somebody just, you know, so you think about the style that works for the person. And is there someone you know who can share their faith in that way that will potentially impact that person?
So think about the approach that suits you when talking about the gospel. Is it direct, like a Peter? Is it reasoning, like a Paul? Is it testimonial, like the blind man? Is it friendship, like a Matthew? Is it invitational, like the Samaritan woman? Is it service, like Dorcas? Share faith as you can, not as you can’t.
Filled with the Spirit.
So first theme, battle of blessings. Second theme, about the gospel and how to share it. The third theme, um, is just to focus in the last minute. That’s it. on ‘filled with the Spirit’’, (4:8). This phrase that appears, um, Peter filled with the spirit. It just, it appears in the text. I could have said Peter said this, but I deliberately read Peter filled with the spirit.
So Peter is filled. So that simple phrase reminds us that as we try and share our Christian faith, the importance of seeking to be empowered and equipped by God’s spirit.
There is knowledge we can gain. Think about it. Peter had been with Jesus. So the most tremendous teacher in all of history, Peter had listened.
He had seen how to do it and yet filled with spirit almost reminds us on the sidelines. You need to power the spirits in your witnessing of the gospel. Now that word filled? Just a reminder of what we’ve talked about before.
The images of filled, we can think of images like wind filling a sail, or a hand filling a glove. Also, the word filled, we can understand it better when we remember that the disciples were promised that they would be baptized with the spirit.
Pentecost, Acts 2, the Spirit comes and it says they were filled.
So baptism in the spirit and filling the spirit are the same event.
And so what do we learn about baptism in the spirit? The word baptism in the Greek means submerge and immerse.
And so think back to the baptisms of Caroline, of Abel, and of Damien.
Think about what happened. They went under and they came up. Were they dry? They were completely drenched. They were soaked. Not a part of them was missing from the water. Everything was completely plastered, as we say in Northern Ireland. A very visual image of what it means to be filled with the spirit. No part of you is dry. No part of you is unaffected.
So as you approach Pentecost and you think about that phrase, when you’re praying to be (re-)filled with the Spirit, have in mind those baptisms as well, as a visual image of what you’re wanting God to do. That God, fill me so no part of my life is dry. I want to be soaked.
Now the word ‘filled with the Spirit’ also is important because promises are being kept here in this phrase as well. Amen.
First promise. In Luke 12, Jesus had told his disciples, ‘when you’re brought before the synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what you will say. The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say’.
So this is the first time they’re brought before the rulers and authorities. And the promise is fulfilled. That the Spirit is present in that place. Jesus said it would happen and Luke mentions it to say it came true in this difficult place, facing threat and fear. The same people who condemned Jesus and yet the Spirit is there in the room.
The Spirit is present in this difficult time as Peter stands and gives testimony.
And so it already again, as I said, points to the fact that Peter’s wonderful defense is not due to his intellect. It’s not due to his courage. It’s not even due to the fact he’s been with Jesus and all this knowledge and example he had seen. It’s in fact the Spirit who gives his words and help to Peter.
And we see that second promise therefore that was fulfilled because Acts 1, it said, ‘’you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. and you will be my witnesses’’.
So Peter seeks to witness in that place, and the Spirit empowers him for that task.
It always reminds us that the Holy Spirit is not there about internal change and transformation and the likeness of Christ. That is part of it. It’s not just about giving us gifts. That is part of it. But also it’s about power to witness.
Paul talks about his experience in Thessalonians. He says, ‘’our gospel came to you, not simply with words, but also with power with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction’’ (1 Thess 1). James Dunn, theologian, says, people were grasped by divine power when Paul spoke.
And 1 Corinthians 2, for those who are doing the life group series, you remember how Paul said, ‘’my message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.’’ (v4-5).
Again, Paul pointing to how the people, he was there, he desired that they would be grasped by divine power.
So I think that’s a reminder of us, a reminder for us. As we seek to witness, we can read, we can think about our approach, we can understand what to share, but we have to be praying for God’s Spirit to empower us and to equip us.
It’s a beautiful image about the, the words in John for spirit is Parakletos.
The parakletos in the ancient world, there was another use for it. And one of the words was it, that when a small boat would get lost on the Mediterranean Sea, from a neighboring harbor, a bigger boat would be sent out to rescue it and bring it safely to harbor. That bigger boat was called the paracletos.
It comes alongside. and brings home.
So as we pray for opportunities to talk about our faith, as we pray for boldness, as we pray for the right words, we pray for God’s Spirit in those moments, the ones we know are coming and the ones we don’t know are coming.
The Spirit will come alongside us to help us be the witness to be filled like Peter was.
Conclusion.
So three themes from Acts 4, as we finish.
The theme of battle and blessings,
and about persecution in particular we’ve touched on.
About what is the gospel. If we’re not talking about Jesus in the gospel, we’re not telling the whole gospel. Think about the faith sharing approach that connects with you.
But also, filled with the Spirit. So we seek to witness, let’s include our praying to be equipped and empowered by the spirit.
So let’s take some moments now to pray and to be still and to bring to God the thought, the idea that may have struck us for the last few minutes.
All these prayers we ask in Jesus name, Amen.