Converting Lost Souls (Part B)

There is definite mention, however if they continued instead fast in the word and fellowship and communion and prayer which will get next session, which I fear many Christians are not mindful of. So this is a little phrase in Scripture, but it really doesn't it's it characterizes what the church should be both local and universal truth is to dominate the believer is to dominate our faith from this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of acts. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today.

Pastor Rick will continue teaching through the book of acts chapter 2 and his message called converting lost soul Greek word for for sins, for in the phrase for the remission of sins can also be translated on the account of as not a fault of the original Greek is not a fault of the Peter just translators of opted for a different word. One of my favorite pastor Bible teaches of long ago said, you know, theologians like sheep all go astray sometime and they they just that I think this is one of the as some translations have will go with the on to remission of sins, to make it clear here's why I said the Bible doesn't teach that if baptism were necessary for salvation and nobody in the Old Testament saved. We know there in heaven because the Bible tells us these things. Most of you know, just Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus saying what you want to feel pretty bad when you see Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom and you left out so we we understand that Old Testament saints were up saved apart from water baptism. Water baptism is not a condition of salvation. It is an admission that Jesus finished the work for my salvation messiahs death has canceled my debt sin is remitted, and they understood it that way. Peter said when they said what do we do repent and right after that repentant because we been commanded your first act as a Christian is to be baptized when I and I'm not the only one. But when I conduct a wedding, I offer the couple as their first act of marriage together and out of their husband, wife, I offer that their first action be communion that they start off that way. Not a rabbit's foot doesn't mean, okay, now that you've done that your marriage is going to be perfect after this, no laughing, but it it does mean hopefully. But what if you get a couple to send that will pass on the sandwiches see that what should be a great indicator that they're missing the value of the things that belong to our faith and Peter's not having any of that first John 17 the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us of all sin, not water baptism cannot cleanse, and water baptism been necessary for salvation and Paul would never have said these things, first Corinthians chapter 1, I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius is a how we could make could make that statement if it was Nessie could not say is the same thing about the cross of Christ does say Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel and he goes on to say, not with the wisdom of worthless the cross of Christ be made of no value. That's pretty powerful is a list of cross of Christ and the baptism be made of no value is okay regarding a social to believe that one must be water baptized to be saved is to believe that ritual conviction contributes to your salvation and what I am saying. Of course, is the conclusion is we are to be baptized in water baptized that autism and water.

Cannot say because is not the only baptism available to the believer.

Jesus said that he would immerse us in the Holy Spirit. That's not water baptism Nessus that's the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured upon the individual. So let's take some more verses because we are in God's house and what a delight to be able to speak God's word.

Neither John the Baptist nor the apostles understood water baptism as necessary for salvation. John in the Revelation chapter 1 verse five he says, Jesus Christ, the faithful witness to him who loved us and washed us from our our sins in his own blood water baptism had anything to do great time for him to say who washed us in the water at the baptism Matthew 26 verse 28 Jesus speaking this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for remission of sins." Then acts chapter 10 verse 42, this is Peter is preaching to Gentiles and it again.

The Holy Spirit interferes. Roger fears interrupts of one of blessed way all the time and Peter's not finished his sermon, and they start you know, speaking in tongues praising God.

Acts 10 verse 42, and after this and he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead to him all the apostles witness, that through his name. Whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins. If you are a Christian and you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you know that there is no other way into heaven except through him, and you've not been baptized. You need to get with one of the pastors so we can arrange that baptism and if know if you had no witnesses of your baptism, God witnesses it. The Angels witness it. Satan sees it, and don't be surprised if there are others that you don't know about witnessed you being baptized. He continues here in verse 38 and your sin at apartment and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is salvation. This is what Paul had in mind. First Corinthians 1213 for by one Spirit we are all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. The giving of the spirit, obedience, acts 532. We are his witnesses to these things. Sienna keeps coming up with these men.

We are his witnesses. We have seen these things.

Those who believe believe because they have seen the gospel in their heart they have seen the Christ of the gospel. You can't un-see this does not mean they are not apostates. There are, but it does me that we who are saved are supposed to be those who tell people what we have seen, to get a saved and you do not need a theological degree to do that. You don't have to know one word of Greek to be an effective servant for Christ in leading people to Christ or praying someone you know can lead somebody to Christ.

What if you would just you know confined to your home. You don't get out while you can.

I don't get to preach anyone to anyone you would set you could say you could pray for those who know are out there on the battlefield you can lift your arms up as Erin did for Joshua there on the battlefield submitting to the truth of Scripture is obeying God, which is what they were doing.

Jesus said this. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him if you never been filled with the love of Christ. If you never for been filled with his desire to share him what you say. I believe I'm a Christian. I believe in the cross.

If you've never been filled with love.

If you want to those you know booby-trapped Christians you know exactly bump women only go off on you that I suggest at the service you get with the pastors you come up he said could you pray that I received the Holy Spirit that I would love the Lord, that I would value witnessing his name and that I would be filled with love that I could at least resist my own. My personal obnoxious attitudes because I claim Christ or are you ashamed to say something like that. If you are ashamed of this evidence you not filled verse 39 would anybody object to that on for all of you, not just going to point you are past your field or at all to be carried out.

Anyway, verse 39 for the promises to you and your children to those who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. What is happened to this man, Peter Meese is laying everything out perfectly say look this is not only for you. This goes beyond you. Many of them pretty self-important, not those crying out the offer and the message of salvation accompanied by the immersion in the spirit reaches all future generations if they will have. I don't know if there's that.

I don't think there's ever been an unbroken witness of Christianity in on earth somewhere there's been a remnant somewhere. At the very least, there have been those who are saved and filled Jesus said this in his prayer. John 17. I do not pray for these alone.

That's his apostles, but also for those who will believe in me through their word just made what they're going to say Scripture before it even happened is why we consider everything after the Gospels just as much scripture from God as the Gospels. Likewise with the Old Testament and to all who are far off Jew and Gentile alike.

When Paul was witnessing.

You know he had the hard task of trying to bring the gospel to the Gentiles without letting certain Jews Judaize the gospel and ruined it did great job and when he writes in the Ephesians, he says and he came and preached peace to you who are afar off to those who were near certain Jews and Gentiles. The fact that there is such thing as Jew and Gentile. The fact that there's this distinction from one people, one race of people and everybody else should alert anyone that something spiritual is going on how you do that how do you just take one race is slow to set it aside from everybody else and then preserve this for millennium wrote you don't, God did that alone should make everybody say why is there this distinction.

Why is it preserved. Why is it on or not honored honorably all the time but honored in the sense that it is preserved while the Jewish people targeted by so many Gentiles for something they didn't do wrong, I mean them during the plague many of them were blamed because they were getting a play while they were cleaning themselves. They were practiced their little lifestyles that ID was a lot different than everybody else.

There wasn't much of a a re-that's one of the reasons for that Nazi Germany, they hated the Jews a source isolated from everybody else and doing well without them. You think somebody would say well when I was a Gentile and a gentleman stopping. I opted out when I came to Christ. Now I'm a Christian I'm not a Jew and not a Gentile. I'm a Christian, but I didn't. I didn't make that connection. I'm not that I was anti-Semitic was because I was not, but I never thought that well that could be part of your witnessing to start the conversation with someone anytime a Christian hears somebody badmouth a Jew you got an opportunity to preach � I suggest you strongly look to preach. Don't bow down to them. They get the stent in the at the say their nonsense. You get to say the truth. That's how it works full-time. Sometimes it works well on Annapolis go to verse 40 and with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be safe from this perverse generation, when it says and with many other words he testified and exhorted them. That's why sermons along is always more to say about Jesus and you know what is supposed to do if you're preparing God is showing you things. He is was alive and I need to bury that I need to hide that under the rug. I need to skip over. You can do it. You just have to take that section and try to share and hopefully it was the Lord saying be safe from what a for when I was in my teens. I hear that be saved. When I mean I was such a sewing to baseball the relief pitcher was the Savior heaves when it came in to save the game and I met this with one of the main be saved. I wanted a Christian. Tell me what that meant we we say these things is this Bible language in it. We expect the world to understand we have to have it with the walking glossary.

I will walk around.

Let me tell you what that word means how it is applied to you.

Was God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, then what that means send me they hear so much like the dictum become numb to it. Only begotten there is none like him.

He comes from God is God the son, and he gave him to be slaughtered as a lamb for us and that's you know we get to preach these things Savior not God has allowed humans to achieve quite a few exceptional, even extraordinary feats except salvation man you know you man can put a man and he can take a man putting in Ashland's thoughts was a moon we can do is as extraordinary things. We can't has nothing to do with salvation apart from Jesus Christ, and some hearts that we come in touch with our black holes is so much gravity in their light can't get out. It can't be reflected moon. The moon has no light of its own. It reflects the sunlight that's decreased.

It's a metaphor and allegory for the Christian salvation you see any light in me is not self originated.

It comes from me reflecting Christ's black hole will do that and their black holes. In this sense, because they are disinterested preoccupied or insincere about Jesus Christ. That's the parable of the sewer the shallow once you know the one on the rocks one to Satan, plucked up in the other ones who couldn't handle the pressure, they become the apostates they enter Christianity expecting God to do things for them and he doesn't do it as they thought and they become disillusioned and no longer do they want Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior. The first question in the Bible from God is, where are you first question from Satan proceeds that has God really said that doubt came first and then God shows up and says what you do with the doubt. Well, those black holes is an excellent question asked somebody disinterested and fresh, preoccupied, insincere, which one of them. Where are you or are you ready to receive the gospel what you want to wait until is a real you know heavy grief in your life then you want to come in here that all the blessings from the Bible without repenting, he says from this perverse generation that's Jesus reached the mankind of the Jesus haters for us will, in those days it was those it was Peter said it. Those who are rejecting their own Scripture of Messiah, but it it first shows up in Deuteronomy and there. Moses applies it to everybody outside of the covenant or against God because show was not under the covenant of the Jews in Job is right with God. I mean there's no greater boast in Scripture I know about a human being's righteousness and God laid on Joe, you got me out. I don't believe God can be impressed. In this way that we are impressed. He can be pleased. 101 All Saints that God is easily pleased with never satisfied and that I believe is true because when Jesus is being perfect is your father in heaven is perfect. I can't be perfect, but is the pursuit of that perfection that counts a whole lot because take that pursuit away what you left with the pursuit of unrighteousness. Deuteronomy 32.

They have corrupted themselves they have and they are not his children because of their blemish, perverse and crooked generation. The Proverbs 30 verse 12 this is stuff you can read on believe that they let you. Proverbs 30 verse 12, a generation that is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness.

I mean, you can bring that up is is literature and then segue right into the gospel is of Ezra Ezra. They come back from captivity in Babylon. Not a lot of most of the Jews wanted to stay out of Jerusalem was it was no race destroyed and Ezra brings a remnant back we read this, then the children of Israel, who had returned from the captivity ate together with all those who have separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to see Yahweh God of Israel. Well, he for the Christian separation is not isolation it's contact without contamination. That's the Christian life. I like to build a W Trojans analysis.

He says will you like a ship having contact with the sea, but not being on filled with the sea.

Philippians 215 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world goes back to that reflection of the light on the moon goes back to that whole black hole thing humanity worsens morally as we approach the last days were warned about this first Timothy four now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons to report from the faith is to be an apostate second Timothy three but know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.

And then one more second Timothy 313 but evil men and imposters was a make believers will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Internet is helping all that along the Internet is Babel rebuilt a doesn't mean you can't find sales and is use it for good.

If they have your size but it does mean it has become a superhighway for the trade of foul thoughts and every unclean beast you can imagine, is there and that is Babel.

The tendency of the universe is always towards decay. It's not towards evolution is proven all the time. Just take a piece of fruit out, leave it out too long and it will decay it will not get better but this is vintage was now some of you may say what about why Melissa one is good okay don't start whining deliberately that too long, it becomes vinegar anyway, that's nature and that's our nature to left to ourselves. Mankind will decay. Peter exhorts them to fight the natural tendencies again.

Romans 12 nine. How many of you Christians are familiar with this.

Let love be without hypocrisy of war. What is evil and cling to what is good, were almost done. Verse 41, then those who gladly received his word will baptize and that day about 3000 souls were added to them is preaching and expounding Scripture and he got fruit from that doesn't always work that way, they were baptized as commanded that day about 3000 souls were added to them. That's a reversal of what we read and at the giving of the law Moses comes down and he breaks the stones because the people are in debauchery and about 3000 of them were killed. Exodus 3228 so the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and about 3000 men of the people fell that day that distant judgment from God. And so there is a lot there to ponder. Peter promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit. If they believe Jesus Christ was Messiah and they believe another 3000 converts is no mention of a single one of them speaking in tongues. Pretty interesting. There is a definite mention, however, that they continued steadfastly in the word and fellowship and communion and prayer which will get next session, which I fear many Christians are not mindful of.

So this is a little phrase in Scripture, but it really doesn't it's it characterizes what the church should be both local and universal truth is to dominate the believer is to dominate our faith, not what we want to be true, but what we realize to be true by the spirit of God, and you may not like it. You may not like that God has given the pastor authority in the assembly. You may not like that but you can't get away from it and this is because so many unnecessary just hand Satan victory. Time and time again with some with some people here this is the feast of firstfruits the church makes her converts, but Jesus grows the church will cover this again. We need to started here, Jesus grows the church, not people, not marketing agency, not tactics have I would put a yellow piece of candy and the chair of everybody renounce it in the paper is candy. Just come and get it it's free. Matthew 1618.

Jesus said I will build my church. John chapter 5 verse five without me you can do nothing. Psalm 127 verse one unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor labor to build it in vain. Galatians chapter 3. Have you begun in the spirit of to become perfected in the flesh course not, Stephen will go he will have a deadly reaction. The fatal reaction to his preaching acts chapter 7 when they heard these things and that Stephen was preaching, they were cut to heart and they mastered him with their teeth. And of course they keep they murdered him for preaching the truth. This sermon by Peter I believe, put it in the hearts of some of the Jews.

They would have no more.

This Christianity and they wouldn't tolerate another Pentecost. And that's what one of the reasons why I think they turned on Stephen also because Stephen frustrated their arguments and in declaring Christ, the Messiah, they could not outwit him they could not beat him in debate they could not take away what he was saying from the Scripture.

They either submitted to Christ like these, 3000 or they rejected Christ and they rejected Christ and he was stoned and of course the fruit of his death was a grain of wheat falls, anodizing, lives alone with him in dies and bring forth much fruit Jesus said about himself.

Well Stephen died and he brought forth much fruit from a single tree that is the life Paul this is God at work move. You've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast.

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