We're continuing our summer series, the Pentecost
season, in being green and growing in the Lord.
And so we're continuing our foundations, Christian
foundations, here this morning. I want us to,
as we approach this here this morning, to think
a little bit about the title, and I'll reemphasize
several of these things. But the throne of God
manifested to the world is the church. The throne
of God manifested to the world is the church.
Let us pray. We praise thee, O God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, who of your
grace and mercy has called us to be your people.
You've made us a new creation in Jesus Christ
and have given us such great and glorious promises
concerning all of our todays and tomorrows. We
humbly ask that you make the words of my mouth
and the meditations of all our hearts acceptable
in your sight, O Lord our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Amen. Our text this morning is from Acts chapter
2. Acts chapter 2. beginning with verse 36. I
know I sent out 38 but I wanted to back it up
and add a couple of verses for context. So Acts
chapter 2 beginning in verse 36. Therefore let
all the house of Israel know assuredly that God
has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord
and Christ. Now when they heard this they were
cut to the heart. and said to Peter and the rest
of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall
we do? Then Peter said to them, repent and let
every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins that you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the
promise is to you and to your children and to
all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our
God will call. And with many other words, he
testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved
from this perverse generation. Then those who
gladly received his word were baptized. And that
day about 3 ,000 souls were added to them. And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and
in prayers. Then the fear came upon every soul,
and many leaders and sides were done through
the apostles. Now all who believed were together
and had all things in common and sold their possessions
and good and divided them among all as anyone
had need. So continuing daily with one accord
in the temple and breaking bread from house to
house, they ate their food with gladness and
simplicity of heart, praising God and having
favor with all people that the Lord added to
the church daily those who were being saved.
These are the words of Almighty God receive them
in your hearts Before we go any further you you
hear that line every week after I read the text
and Two things I want to point out one from our
texts. They gladly receive the words of Peter
Right and also this in my studies As a minister,
I came across a quote, targeted towards pastors.
So I'm going to accept the pastor part. Then
there's an intuitive part that is the congregation's
part. Every Sunday, I should preach as if I'm
never going to get this Sunday back again. You
should receive the word of the Lord as the congregation
here, as if you are never going to get. This
Sunday this service this word from God again
So again, I say to you these are the words of
Almighty God Receive them in your hearts Now
there are three things that I want us to get
out of that we're going to emphasize out of this
passage There's many things that could be taken,
but here are the three things that I want you
to get We are saved from our sins by Jesus That
of course reminds us of last week our emphasis
on this we are saved from our sins by Jesus Second
we are given the gifts of the covenant in baptism
and finally We are given nourishment to maturity
in membership to the local body. We are given
nourishment to maturity and membership to the
local body. For the last several weeks we've
been reminded that Jesus came to deliver us from
sin and death. Jesus lived a holy life. He suffered,
died, and was resurrected. He ascended to the
right hand of the Father to reign until all his
enemies are put under his feet. We have also
been reminded that this did not end his work
in the world. He did not leave his people, the
church, as orphans, but kept his promises by
sending the Holy Spirit to transform hearts,
minds, and the affections of his people. That
is the church. What did he do all this for? He
did all this so that we may be able to complete
the task of tending and guarding the new creation.
by making disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, and teaching them, that is the
nations, all, that is our disciples, all that
Jesus commanded. Why? That men may live, taking
dominion, being fruitful, multiply, and covering
the earth with the glory of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea. When God created the universe
he made his throne the center of it Throughout
the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation We
see that God gives his people access to him his
throne in his sanctuary Although after the fall
that becomes a very limited access by priests
and the blood of animals Over and over again.
We have this three tiered world Given to us beginning
in creation. We have the Garden of Eden where
God meets man face to face Moving outward we
have the land of Eden and then by a river it
flows out of that place God is to the four corners
of the earth And just as Adam fell into sin so
all men are separated from God by their sin All
men were put out of the garden which was guarded
by cherubim you know this story Right and children
you know this those angels stood and guarded
The garden the sanctuary of God God's access
to his throne room for people with cherubim with
what flaming swords The only way to come through
was to pass through the fire of judgment in Exodus,
when God formed a people, a covenant nation,
to intercede not just for themselves in worship,
prayer, and teaching, but to be a priestly covenant
nation to every tribe, every nation, and every
people. God again gave a three -tiered house
to us. In the Tabernacle, we have the Holy of
Holies, the most holy place. We have what? Then
we have the courtyard. which all proceeds out
to the world. And you get this, right? What happens?
Who were the tribe that could be there? That's
the Levites, right? By the way, think about this.
One person in the Holy of Holies. At the establishment
of the Tabernacle, five men could go into the
most holy place, five priests. And then the rest
of the priests and the Levites could serve in
the courtyard. And then what was outside of that?
That was the 12 tribes of Israel. And then outside
of that were the God -fearers. And then outside
of that were all the nations of the world. It
proceeds out. And we have that very same imagery
given to us by the fact of waters flowing out
of the presence by the basins, the cleansing
waters that were placed into the courtyard. Finally,
when God establishes Solomon's temple. We have
the very same imagery. Oh, by the way, I forgot
to remind you. What was the curtain between the
most holy place and the holy of holies? Cherubim.
Guarding God's throne. Right? And we see that
again. When God gives instructions and they build
Solomon's temple, they build it in the same fashion,
the same three -tier house. And again, Solomon
is doing it so ornately, so grandly, in fact.
And he wants to emphasize the cleansing waters,
that he builds a great big bronze sea. They're
talking about 8 ,000 gallons in the way it's
described. And then proceeding from that were
smaller basins of water moving forward towards
the door of the temple. We have all of this.
And of course we see what happens, again guarded
by cherubim. Christ dies, what happens? That
curtain in the temple, because it precedes every
temple built after that, inherits temple on that
day that Jesus dies, that curtain is torn in
half. And now through the blood of Christ, the
people of God can return back to face to face
with God. They can draw near once again. And
of course we see in Revelation, in chapter 22,
this very same in the second vision, we see the
church age described in these terms. There's
this heavenly city and the temple and God sitting
on His throne and Jesus is at His right hand
until every enemy is put under His feet. And
what do we see? We see this river of life flowing
outward. Bringing again imaging what we hear
in Ezekiel, right? This image goes out and it
specifically says there are long that that river
of life proceeding out There are trees planted
bearing fruit. I would argue the fruit of the
spirit All year round and the leaves of those
trees are for the healing of the nations So from
the beginning all the way to the church age and
all the way to the end of time God's throne is
the center of the universe And it is in this
way that we must understand what it is to be
in the church It is through Christ's work on
the cross that we are reconciled to God the Father
by the power of the Spirit. Hear these words
of life that proceeds from Jesus' mouth in John
14. It says, I am the way, the truth, and the
life. The only way to find the truth. The only
way to find the way to God the Father. The only
way to find life is through Jesus. The only way
to be reconciled. to the Father Dearly beloved
Jesus the Son of God is the only way to be forgiving
your sins and Is erected to life not just life
in the world to come but now First John 1 9 tells
us if we confess our sins he that is Jesus is
Faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Dearly
beloved be assured in Jesus of the forgiveness
of your sins Sometimes we struggle Sometimes
we think we have sinned so grievously that we
cannot be forgiven Here is a herald of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. I say to you confess your sins
and Jesus is just and He will forgive you Sometimes
we think, I can't be forgiven. As one pastor
says, Jesus stands ready to forgive more than
we stand ready to be forgiven. We can't believe
the fact that Jesus would forgive us. I'm gonna
speak to you fathers for just a moment. If you're
an honest father, you know that you have sinned
against your children. Sometimes very grievously
again husbands in the same fashion, you know
You've sinned against your wife and this of course
applies to every one of us, but I want us to
understand Don't get caught up believe Jesus
for the forgiveness of your sins and go and sin
no more Strive put your face towards Christ Jesus
ask him to help you to be full to be fruitful
in the fruit of the spirit and to tend To your
children and to your wife and to your household
and to the people of God to make it fruitful
For every one of you moms dads Even older kids
who've led other little kids to sin confess your
sin receive God's Forgiveness joyously, you know
kids are great Right we tell them hug each other
forgive each other after they do something they
do that and they go about life free What do we
do? We get in there and we want to drag all our
past sins up. No, don't stay stuck there. Grow
and mature in Christ. In our passage from Acts
this morning, notice that Peter confronts his
hearers as complicit in the unjust murder of
Jesus. See that in verse 36 of chapter 2 of the
book of Acts. And what does he do? He also proclaims,
not only does he tell them that they're complicit,
And it would seem to me that some of those men
on that day that were in Jerusalem, the nearly
200 ,000 that had swelled into the city, right?
I imagine that some of them may not have actually
been there, but they were still complicit by
their sin, by their rebellion to God in the murder
of Christ Jesus. And he proclaims Jesus as both
Lord and Christ. And what's their response? Now
when they heard this they were cut to the heart
and They said to the rest of Peter and the rest
of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we
do? And what's Peter's response repent and let
every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of your sins and You
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit And
of course we hear this great thing, and in our
circles, we love this part, right? This gift,
it's for us, it's for our children, and it's
for all who are far off, and we rejoice in that.
We rejoice in that. There's a lot more here.
Now all this on that day fulfills what the prophet
of Jeremiah says in chapter 31, beginning in
verse 31. Behold the days. Oh, by the way, I
just want to say this to you. I apologize for
interrupting there. But there are a lot of visitors
here today. And I know during a prayer, you heard
the Lord's name being called Yahweh. I'm going
to read it here, as you know, in the Old Testament,
where you see capitalized L -O -R -D, that's
Yahweh. This is especially important when we
think about the context of covenant and God's
covenant work in our life, because Yahweh is
the name that God gave himself as the covenant
God. So it's very appropriate. I want us to say
this when we see it because it reminds us he's
a covenant God and he keeps his covenant. He's
the covenant God and he keeps his covenant with
his people. Behold the days are coming says Yahweh
when I will make a new covenant with the house
of Israel and with the house of Judah. Drop it
down to verse 33. But this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel after those
days says Yahweh. I will put my law in their
minds and write it on their hearts, and I will
be their God, and they shall be my people. No
more shall every man teach his neighbor and every
man his brother, saying, know Yahweh, for they
all shall know me. From the least of them to
the greatest of them, says Yahweh. Here it is.
I will, for I will forgive their iniquity and
their sin, I will remember no more." And of course,
this can only be done by the work of Jesus Christ.
Remember, when these people at Pentecost heard
Peter, it says they were cut to the heart. This
is real important when you think about the covenant.
What do you think a Jewish man or the people
of men, women that were standing there, they
hear cut to the heart. They hear the cutting
of flesh. What do you think they think of? They
think of circumcision. You know consider what
the Apostle Paul says describing this very thing
in Colossians chapter 2 beginning in verse 11
in him that is Jesus you were also circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands by the
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh
by the circumcision of Christ Buried with him
in baptism in which you were also raised with
him through faith in the working of God who raised
him from the dead and you being dead in your
trespasses, and the uncircumcision of your flesh.
He is made alive together with him, having forgiven
you all trespasses, and having wiped out the
handwriting of the requirements that was against
us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken
it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Praise God. God keeps his word. He circumcised
the heart. This isn't a circumcision made by
men, but by God, by the work of Jesus Christ
on the cross, and the power of the Spirit. And
that is what happens in the waters of baptism.
The Holy Spirit comes in because of the work
of Christ Jesus, and He dwells upon His people.
And He circumcises the heart. The Holy Spirit
comes at baptism, and we are circumcised in our
hearts. Heart washed and our sins are forgiven
in Christ Jesus Now notice what happens again
in Acts chapter 2 it perceived it says in those
Who gladly received the word were baptized that
day about 3 ,000 souls were added I've never
been anywhere where I've seen 3 ,000 souls converted
at one time Okay, I may have been have seen on
television a Billy Graham crusade and God did
use him in many ways in that fashion Right, but
I've never personally seen 3 ,000 souls What
what a rejoicing thing we get to see that they
gladly received and were baptized and It then
tells us in verse 40 42 that they continued steadfastly
in four things the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship
in the breaking of bread and in prayers People
of God, from their joyful baptism, they continued
steadfastly in these four things. So what are
these? First of all, what is to be steadfast?
To be steadfast is to courageously and continually
attending to. Being steadfast is courageously,
continually attending to what? The Apostle's
doctrine. Right remember what Jesus said after
his resurrection? Right he breathed the Holy
Spirit on and then he then he says then he explains
How all of the law all of the prophets and all
the Psalms were about him? He's constantly through
Jesus whole work Jesus is teaching and recalibrating
and fixing all the errors of the doctrine of
men while serving Yahweh And of course, Jesus
in the Great Commission says to teach them after
you baptize them, to teach them all that I have
commanded. So that doctrine is the word of God.
Second, they were in fellowship. That's a joint
participation in the community. That's koinonia.
Sometimes you guys have heard that. That's the
Greek understanding. It's this dwelling together,
but in this way in a particular fashion. They
were breaking bread. That's the table As we're
praying we see in first Timothy chapter 2 Paul's
telling people this Regarding worship therefore
I accept first of all that supplications prayers
intercessions and the giving of thanks be made
for all men and it talks about praying for All
those in authority over us why? the lead a quiet
and peaceable life and all godliness and reverence.
And he tells us that this is good and acceptable.
These four things demonstrate the foundations
of the church. Church membership in a local body
is not just a good idea, but it is essential.
In order to remain steadfast in the world, The
scriptures tell us that these 3 ,000 converts
had to continue in the teachings, admonishments,
and the proclamations of the words of Jesus.
That is all scriptures. They then remained steadfast
by interceding for the church, the authorities,
and the nations. They remained steadfast as they
ate the covenant meal and breaking Bread being
reconciled to God the father by the work of the
son by the power of the spirit In this work in
God in the sacrament of communion There's more
going on in communion It isn't just about our
relationship to God, but also our relationship
to one another this is really important Paul
describes it this way in first Corinthians chapter
10. I'm gonna read it and then explain it to
you Says this the cup of blessing which bless
is not is it not the communion of the blood of
Christ the bread Which we break is it not the
communion of the body of Christ? For we though
many are one bread and one body for we all partake
of that one bread And we kind of listen to that
It seems back and forth. What is this? In communion,
we are covenantally connected to one another
by all of us being the body of Christ. You're
the body of Christ. You all know that, right?
Think about this. By being the body of Christ
and eating the body, the bread, we are connected.
See, in the old world and in many places of the
world yet today, People understand the significance
of eating with other people, and particularly
if you eat something that died that we both share
in that animal or that thing. It died for us,
and we're covenantally connected because it sustains
us. It binds us together. You may have heard
me talk about this before, but I call it the
Kentucky Fried Chicken Paradox. In America, we
have this issue, right? We don't think about
this. Some of you, I know, like to go out, cut
the chicken's head off, and pluck it all, and
cook it up. And so you understand this a little
bit because you're doing it in the old fashion.
You know that that chicken died. If you all sit
there and eat that chicken together, you all
know that chicken died to sustain you, to give
you life and strength, to sing God's praises
and to do God's works. But here in America, in
this world of individualism, we go to Kentucky
Fried Chicken, we get a bucket with 20 pieces
in it. And we don't know how many chickens is
there. And so our mind is totally disconnected
from the realization that in breaking bread in
what we eat and how we share that with others
changes the world. Dearly beloved, here in the
power of the Spirit, when we come to this table
right here, you need to understand that you are
not only reconciled to God through the work of
Christ Jesus by the power of the Spirit, but
the Spirit works in you as it passes along. This
is why... This is why each one of you breaks
a piece and you eat You're each covenantally
linked to the father by the work of the spirit
by the by the work of Christ Jesus by the power
of the spirit to one another Look around you
the good the bad and the ugly the happy the sad
the joyous The distracting one all these people
in this room right now. These are your covenant
people It's true fellowship. We're an inseparable
people, the family whose God has declared us
by placing his own name upon us as his people.
We are not simply Travato's, Nash's, Grief's,
Zelostowski's, whatever else your surname may
be. We are not simply that. We need to understand
this. If we honor the first one, it's Christ,
then our family, the second, will take care of
itself. Dearly beloved, as you look around this
room, all of those of you who are baptized in
the name of the triune God, these are your people,
no matter their tribe, their tongue, or their
nation. Jesus tells us that his people will be
distinctive from the people outside of the faith.
By what? How we love one another. Now in the
reform world, this is particularly difficult
because you know what we like to do? We like
to argue and bicker and divide and divide and
divide and find every kind of distinctive. People
of God, that is not how we should be operating.
Now sometimes we need to stretch one another
and push one another a little bit. That's okay.
Because at the end of the day, just like my biological
brother, I can't change that he's my brother.
God ordained that those men were my brothers.
One's with the Lord, and two are yet to get there.
I mean, they're following God, but they haven't
passed on. Here's the point I'm making. I didn't
get to choose them. Not their proclivities, not
their character, not their strengths, not their
weaknesses. I didn't choose any of it. God ordained
it to be so and it was. God ordains it and it
is so for you. Today in our world where individualism
and tribalism reign in both thought and deed,
the church and its worship is seen unnecessary
at best, or excuse me, at worst and only a helpful
tool at best. Unnecessary. Might be a helpful
tool The people of God are out of calibration
as to what is the center of the universe God's
throne is the center of the universe and life
proceeds from his throne in the river of the
Holy Spirit into the world through what? Through
the Lord's Day worship from which All of our
families proceed to our outposts as trees by
the living waters, producing the fruit of the
Spirit all year round with leaves for the healing
of the nations. Saints of God, local church membership
strengthens us by calling us to the Lord to draw
near to His throne by the blood of Jesus for
the transformation. of ourselves and the world.
The church is not optional. It is essential.
Now, I just want to say this to you. Here in
a little bit, we're going to take a young man
into membership. By the way, this was already
on my sermon plan weeks ago for today, and I
didn't pay attention and realize it was the second
Sunday and we were going to bring someone in.
But by God's good providence, it is so. But I
want to tell you so, I'm very, very grieved if
you look out at your brothers and sisters and
you think, man, they're struggling. They got
a problem in their marriage with their kids,
how they're doing their work every day on their
job. You notice these things and you go, I don't
have any responsibility. It's none of my business.
Well, the first thing is it is your business
to pray. Second, check yourself. Make sure you're
aligned with the scriptures. And then third,
knowing that this is your brother with whom you
cannot escape. Go to them in love. You don't
walk up and hit them with the hammer. Start with
questions, with humility. Hey, I noticed this.
What were you thinking? And what you might learn
is, A, you didn't have all the facts. You were
missing something. Or B, they are sinning in
a tough way. Or how about the third one? Some
of both. You didn't know everything, and you
can encourage them how to do it better, following
Christ, pointing them to Christ the whole way.
The church is an optional. It's essential, and
you are coming to one another, and you are to
bear one another's burdens. What is Hebrews chapter
10? Tell us beginning verse 19 therefore brethren
having the boldness to enter the holiest by the
blood of Jesus Excuse me by a new and living
way which he consecrated us for us through the
veil That is his flesh and having a high priest
over the house of God Let us near draw near to
God with the true heart in full assurance of
faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience And our bodies washed with pure water.
There's that baptism. The work of Christ, baptism.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope
without wavering. That is being steadfast. For
he who promised is faithful. This is all able
to be done because Christ is faithful and his
words are true all the time. And then what's
the response of that? Let us consider one another,
loving one another. In order to do what? To stir
up love and good works. And then it says, all
of this is happening, right? You come into God's
presence, you can draw near because of the work
of Jesus. You hear the word, you're obedient,
you're baptized. The blood of Christ cleanses
you. The waters of baptism cleanse you. And it
says, forsaking, not the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting
one another, so as much more as you see the day
approaching. Now, when Hebrews is written, the
approaching that he's talking about is the greatest
persecution in the history of the church. And
it says, Jesus says of this in Matthew, that
if God hadn't put an end to it, The whole church
would have been wiped out. So you think it's
tough today. You think that we're in a bad spot
today This is worse That day approaching so whatever
day you have approaching God has ordained you
to be here He's ordained you to be his people.
He has ordained you to be in his house of worship
today What happened? What do we do in here? We
heard the call So we came right God's chosen
leaders for you First they set the time like
we saw here. We're changing the time for next
week. We set the time. This is the time where
we're going to assemble as the stones, the living
stones, and the new temple. We're going to come
together. And when we come in, what do we do?
Joyously. And then we confess our sins. We get
cleaned up. And then because of the faithfulness
of Christ, what happens? We're able to draw near.
There's a way in which you draw near in here
that you can't do at your home outpost. We need
the church. We need the church. And all of this
should be to help us keep our eyes on Jesus,
disturb one another to good works. For what?
So that we flow out of here through the river
of life, the spirit proceeding from the throne.
Every time we get here, we confess those sins.
And we elevate, and God comes down, His throne.
That is where we are. This is why, and you hear
me, this is maybe one of the things I focus on
a lot. Why do we pray so long? Because it's the
one time of the week. We can all pray and ask
God for His blessing, but this is the one time
where the people of God, united together, are
not just praying from afar, but we have drawn
near to God, and we can give Him all. all of
our concerns. And then by the power of the Spirit,
we proceed out of here to our family outposts,
calling on the name of Jesus, walking in obedience.
By the way, here's the thing. Just like those
folks on the day of Pentecost and Peter's sermon,
they gladly received the word. You know it, if
you're a parent, There's two ways that you can
get obedience. Right? Oh, man. Dag on it. I'm
going to have to do that. Right? Saints of God,
grownups in here do this all the time with God's
word. Glad to receive the word of God. And be
baptized. So you've been baptized, right? Great.
Go out. Stir up one another to good works. and
love. And so since it's right here, I'm going
to put this plug in. Every Sunday, no matter
where you are, you belong in church. Every Sunday.
Every Sunday. You're not at home? Find a church.
Find the best one. And if the best one you think
isn't good enough, too bad. Go to that one. Thank
God for all His grace. Rejoice in the fact there's
saints there. And pray for them. But don't walk
out haughty. Walk out knowing that we're all
saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. Our passage
in Acts 2 ends with this. So continuing daily
with one accord in the temple and the breaking
of bread from house to house, they ate their
food with gladness and simplicity of heart. Joy,
humility. And what happened? They were praying
to God, having favor with people. And the Lord
added to the church daily those who were being
saved. If we're going to see the nations baptized
and discipled so that the glory of God covers
the earth as the waters cover the sea, we must
trust in Jesus, be baptized, and enter the center
of the universe every week along with the people
of God. Because this is where the throne room
of God comes down to the earth. Remember what
we said in the beginning? God's throne room is
manifested to the world through the church right
here every Sunday. Let us then, because of this
great work, stir up love and good works in one
another. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank
you for your word, that your word is truth. and
that your word is joy and peace and life to our
hearts. We thank you for your word promises us
an assurance of victory in Jesus Christ. Make
us ever mindful of how rich we are in Christ
our Lord. Help us to center our lives each week
in your presence that we may be united with you
and your people to your glory and praise forever.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
who reigns with you in the Holy Spirit. world
without end. Amen.