Acts Chapter 3:11-26

Jesus in Matthew seven for many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name. No simple phrase in your namely thrown that name around worker and know the nature of personality and then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Apart from me you practice falls is not what you know about Jesus or theologians at no so much information they don't know we need to know how do you get to know you asking to forgive yourself and ask him to give you the power to follow him. Tell him you're sorry for what you begin to get to know welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today we have on the program with this DA Brown one of David McGee's associate pastors.

The bridge welcome to the program today DA what's the difference in knowing Jesus and knowing about Bob. Someone can tell me all about you until I meet you personally I'm missing out really. It's important that we get to know Jesus personally to be the most blessed DA.

I think that's a great analogy as David McGee continues teaching, sharing your faith on the program today.

Last week we saw that Peter was used to heal this guy that was laying his amazing things. So that's, what's going on now everybody is celebrating that the sky was healed will pick it up in verse 11 says now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw.

He responded to the people. Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk. Verse 13 the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let them get what you know is first thing that Peter does here is the times in Judaism or the Jewish faith with the belief in Jesus as the Messiah. We need to understand at this point there are no Gentiles in the church.

The church is just Jewish people believing in Jesus the first missionaries were Jewish people.

Jesus was a Jewish man born into a Jewish family. He was the Jewish Messiah.

We need to understand what Peter doesn't Peter find the common ground and he talks about the God of Abraham, Isaac, so important when you're trying to share with somebody when you're trying to build a bridge with Samantha first life lessons find the common ground when sharing your faith. Verse 14 that you did not have the holy one and the just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to the killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Verse 16 and his name, through faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all, yet now brother and I know they did it in ignorance is that also your rulers he's talking to the people that played a part in the murder and execution for spiritual teacher.

They killed his friend, the mercy and the grace of God is just pouring out of Peter right man to pour out of us. Verse 18 but those things which God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets that the Christ would suffer.

He is less fulfilled, repent therefore be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of now we talked about this word repent before and probably need to revisit the means to turn around to think differently afterwards or to change your mind literally understand.

Again, Peter's audience, it is it a bunch of young guys that are many been out partying and she did open all kinds of the night before the religious leaders what what she sent. Repent, change your mind now, here's the deal. As we turn from our sins we turn to God.

But what's important part turn in the God you can turn from your sins are still not be saved, and what happens is we often put the focus on turning from her sins when the focus should be on turning to God. What happens is you turn to God, you turn away from your sins, but often we got repent was at me you never do anything wrong and the person goes I can do what we just do we just make the gospel unattainable.

When that was the gospel that got presented to you.

I would've had to sack him I'm sorry can't do that. But as I turned to God continually.

I continually turn away from us. But again, these guys are hard-core partiers or anything. So what is it that they're turning to. What is it that they're turning from turning to God when turning from religion, self-righteousness, thinking they can earn their way. She had returned from in order to trust Jesus, you got a quick trust and in your own good work. A lot of people in churches this morning are trusting in their own good works asking how to get a good person and commitments and this is nothing new in the Bible has nothing to do with about what you've got to give up on you earning your way before you understand. You have to have another way why you think you can earn your trust. Years ago to like first a Likert thing what one of things that they tell you is when you're going to save some. My before you do you collect and quit struggle. They had quit struggle you wait until they realize they can't help themselves.

They can't save themselves and then you can help with. The same is true with the gospel what people think they can earn their own way in heaven through their own good works there and try, but the moment that it happens and it's happening so many lives people here. The moment you realize you can't do this. I'm not perfect like I keep messing and in that moment of despair walks into the room. The form of Jesus Christ and you know I been waiting for you to come to this point you realize you can't do it when sitting off to the side watching you struggle watching you think you can do now is to realize that you can't do it.

I'm here to forgive you of your sentence that you can have a relationship with me so we can be trusting in ourselves.

We need trust in the Lord speaks of refreshing and refreshing. Often comes with repentance and John 737 $0.38 on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone thirsts, let them come to me and drink.

He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water is a great rate versus an understanding this is a desert community. This is it is so imagine if you will desert no water talking about water flowing out of speaking about the Holy Spirit and we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit for those times of refreshing. We need to ask the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit that we might be filled that we might be refreshed so that we can be empowered. According to acts chapter 18 to be witnesses that we would receive the power to be witnesses. We talked about the great war therefore powers Dumas is where we get our word for dynamite filled with the power still times of refreshing.

We need each person has to personal accountability. Ask God fill me with the spirit Lord Jesus said no I'm not gonna give you a serpent or stone or something.

If you ask he was dealing with that fear thing that that so many of us get concerned Holy Spirit and he says how much more will the father give you the Holy Spirit to those who ask for support and we all asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 20 that he may send Jesus Christ he was preached to you before whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things which God is spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Now Peter does such an awesome job here.

He lays out bills the bridge brings in personal accountability says you messed up the here's your out here is your out, believe in Jesus you know he sent something is going be blotted out either. Your sins are going be blotted out your names will be blotted out. That's a decision for everyone of us.

The days come and like I said before, the days come and where you stand before God. What will defend you on that day one of two things.

Either your actions, your works will defend you when we suggest you not try part of your actions are your sins I want to be standing for God. Try to explain to him why messed up so many times over and over and over again on a point to sign say I'm within these defendant me my counselor, my attorney, Jesus my attorney.

What we say to this. Jesus is this one month. The question is do you want your sense to defend your Jesus to defend you.

That's the question see it.

If you reject Jesus as your Messiah. You reject Jesus as your Savior here saying that on that day you want to stand before God and give a full explanation of everything you've ever done in all your wrong delivery, not me on that day on the say I'm with him. I'm with your son passing the forgive me of my sins, he took off my nasty stinking filthy garment gave me a robe of righteousness. That's what we need to do and you know it understand when you're talking to people about salvation. That's the deal on the evening getting to the point where you you want to defend yourself on a day coming. Nobody goes to court over a serious offense without a lawyer that's in their right mind who wants to stand by themselves. On that day. Not me and friend I sure hope you know you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for you need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's word to appear on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring your loved ones to Jesus.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a couple minutes to pray for some cities in our listening audience specifically to caccia Durrant, Edmund Oklahoma City whispered in Woodward Oklahoma, Lord, thank you for the people in these cities.

Thank you that we get the broadcasts in these areas. God, I pray that you would plug people in Bible believing churches, Lord, I pray, people haven't put their trust in you yet that today would be the day we pray for the city leaders. The mayor, the police chief fire marshal father all those in government, low acid you give them wisdom and discernment and that they would look to your word for advice on how to lead and how to serve the people and their communities in God. We pray that your Holy Spirit will be poured out on the cities and that many people would be changed forever. In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 21. There's an interesting phrase is whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things. Now there are some people that have really tortured that verse on people and get a lot of verses say a lot of things that must favor saying is you can always torture the data until he confesses now it says times of restoration of all things.

There are people like home. Universalist and these people believe that everyone all people will be safe.

They get that part from this verse. But you know what, that's a rather obscure reference to be getting that none of that. But there's a lot of scriptures in the Bible and talk about not if I don't that some will not go to heaven. Jesus didn't die for all the sins of the world, but it's also plain from the Bible that you have a personal accountability that you have to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. And if you reject the father will reject you must understand that now, then what is it telling that restoration of all things. It is not all things what houses it clarifies. This is all things which God is spoken by the mouth of all of his holy prophets since the world began this all things which God is spoken or what God speak talked about the restoration of the world. We look at the book of Revelation see a lot of that. He also talked about the restoration of the nation Israel know if you understand the significant of the rebirth of the nation of Israel eating understand in the history of mankind is never happened, there has never been a nation that seems to be a nation for almost 2000 years and then became a nation again that their language wasn't even what they call a living language and then the language was rebirth in the Bible told this was going to happen before I read older commentaries is interesting. Some the guys are like well knows it's more about some really physical rebirth of Israel to spiritual rebirth of Israel. But I love the guys that the older guys that I really like that happen. Don't know when but Israel's combination three that 100 years ago. What is happened never happened before in history but happened in the bottom talked about the fact that it was going to flower bloom and talks about the fact that it was going to have this bounteous fruit and guess what you understand the nation of Israel, which is about the size of New Jersey which is a desert country exports, flowers, and bulbs the Holland is the number one provider of fruit to your and God said it was so guess what God says in the book of Revelation how the whole thing ends up in you know if somebody comes make a hey this is gonna happen to you tomorrow and the next day that happened to go and this is what can happen to you tomorrow and that happens and this is what can happen is that tomorrow and that same thing. Guess what, by the time they come to me. The fourth or fifth time I go, hey, this is going to happen only Lindsay can happen, what, where, where women are white because they have a track record. Guess what God has a track Bible has a tractor mostly accurate hundred percent accurate about all these things you can trust the book and you can trust the Lord, and he says these things are happening are going to happen. They will happen. Verse 22 for Moses truly said to the fathers, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brother and you shall hear in all things whatever he says to you, and it shall be that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. There is only been one prophet that this description for messages not all, but Jesus that if you don't listen to him. If you reject them you will be separated.

You will be judged. Everyone of us gets to make that decision whether we want to receive the forgiveness of God, or whether we want to see receive his condemnation. We all make that decision now that days, I don't know when the day is for in a twisted way, I wish I wish I knew was when I looked at each person to resist the calendar on their chest. That way you can go up to a minute and look through audience. It will you know it and try to catch a map or service do we gotta talk but I don't know, and you don't.

God knows what he's not that days, the question is do you know Jesus. Do you know about Jesus in America you. It's hard to find people don't know about Jesus but I mean do you know him you know I'm in your heart that makes all the difference in the world.

Jesus in Matthew seven says this many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name noticeable phrase in your name. Later on that name around and know the nature of personality God.

And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you practice lawlessness never knew that all adage is true is not what you is who you is not what you know about Jesus. There's theologians that know so much information at staggering. They don't know they don't know Jesus.

We need to know how you get to know why you ask him to forgive you of your sins and you ask him to give you the power to follow him. Tell him you're sorry for what you've done and you begin to get to know now here's the thing Peter saying these things to this crown 33 A.D. these guys are less than a generation less than 40 years away from incredible national disaster. The siege of Jerusalem.

The Romans taken over leveling this temple with their standing and on that day there were some people that reason they accepted Jesus as their Savior that day was different, but there's also some people at this point here that rejected all. I am sure they, they probably felt the tugging of the heart, and they resisted there can be people here this morning. She was some people say you know what I'm I've been trust in them own good works been all about me myself and I must send in some will turn to God, some will say no thanks. Many people here may be on the brink of some serious personal disaster and I'm not a doom and gloom preacher, but there's a reality that if you keep rejecting the Lord.

Sometimes you begin to reap what you sow some this morning.

If you accept it will keep you from some of his personal disasters that he will keep you from every personal disasters also go through something Matthew question. Do you want to go see them alone or do you want to go. So when Jesus called Jesus to walk with me through those things that life is bringing none of us know what's around the corner but we can know God who does know what's around the corner. Verse 25. You are sons of the prophets of the covenant which God made with her father saying Abraham and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed to you first God, having raised up his servant Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. Notice it says in your seed seed is singular thought seeds is nothing that the people of the earth will necessarily be blessed through all of the Jewish people saying that one seed of Abraham. What one seed of Abraham. Jesus all the nations will be blessed because of this one seed of Jesus and that's why we can sit here this morning because of this seed of Jesus as Jesus did what he did. Now we can do what we dare not hearing before that, stand righteous for holy God in this teaching P Peter, how many hits a home run in her eye. He starts out kind of like is the prosecuting attorney runs with stories guys in jail and attorney comes the same because he know I have studied your case and am willing to represent my guess is I'll have any money. Some represent you for free is think so. You shall have studied your case if you allow me to represent it. You be declared innocent.

Is that I need your help. Next day, the attorney comes back pay seriously and will represent you for free and I know you'll be declared SAB allow me to do this I don't need your help. I want your help after data is on a day after day the man rejected the attorneys in the day of the trial. This guy calls it's raising my managers help me to see what he was going to say because he attorney because I you know how I'm going to drown down thinking I want you to come with me and be with me in court.

It's are negotiated after day I came in ask you to allow me to represent told you that if you did out with see that you were declared as as well as a free and now the day of your trial. You call me asked me to be in court with you. Well I'll be in court today that have been appointed to be your judge. I will stand with you as your attorney but you stand before me to defend your actions. That's awfully God gives us to either him to be the judge for him to be our counselor are turning this decision. Everybody in this room estimate and peer so shows Jesus in this chapter as he starts out kind of the prosecuting attorney and then moved almost into defending what happened and then moves into the in the pardoning judge just like Jesus but each one of us have to make that decision and you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations free and you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio to the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you'd like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com.

Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out to cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart. The David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continue teaching verse by verse in the book of acts