The Word of the Apostles as the Foundation of the Movement

Jeannie Greer why we believe the Bible. Why should we trust for the apostles recorded. Why should we think about is authority from God. Why should we interpret Lordship of Jesus. Why should we interpret that as adherence to what the apostles taught Rodale think about that.

I'm your host Molly's crimes and experts say that eyewitness testimony is subject to some personal interpretation and can therefore sometimes be unreliable today. Pastor JD shows us that the testimonies of all the disciples all point to the same rock solid evidence. It's part of our study in the book of acts title if you missed any of our previous messages in this series, you can listen online, free of charge castigating title this message. The word of the apostles as the foundation is easy to Say that what is actually me that if he shows up in a dream and he tells you something to do that you will do that. We certainly hope that you would answer yes to that question, but the way that the early church applied the Lordship of Jesus here. This way they apply the Lordship of Jesus is by being devoted to the apostles teaching.

That's the way they apply that phrase cowboy silverback stew. They devoted themselves to be apostles. E.g. that's how you apply the Lordship of Jesus.

As you become devoted to what the apostles taught what the apostles taught is called the New Testament.

So I want to deal with a really basic but very important question this week. You cannot skip over it and that is why we believe the Bible. Why should we trust will be apostles recorded. Why should we think about is authority from God. Why should we interpret Lordship of Jesus. Why should we interpret that as adherence to what the apostles taught Rodale think about that. Sometimes I be honest with you I get bewildered when I hear Christians try to defend why use the Bible as their authority and I can almost understand why skeptics take us seriously. Yes, a lot of Christians why they believe the Bible know God well because of the word of God what he believes the word of God well because it says so why do you believe what it says but because it's the word of God and you're like you was almost to the skeptics like you really have no reason at all. Believe what you believe is what your parents thought today I want to try to show you why we believe the Bible is the word of God and why was the teaching of the apostles was the foundation of the movement, so you have in the last half of acts. One was we skipped over for a couple weeks on a come back to reread the last half of acts.

Once you starting in verse 12. Then they returned they be in the apostles returned from Jerusalem from the mall for to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, where Jesus had ascended from and when they enter they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John Jameson. The rest of the apostles and disciples, which will mention modest units. Of course, verse 14, all bees with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers.

If you ever wonder. By the way, while we do not believe the perpetual virginity of Mary, that is why right there because she's not a bunch of brothers their half-brother to him because they're the sons of Mary and Joseph. But how could he have a bunch of brothers. If Mary was a perpetual virgin.okay so that's why because you're curious about that. I'm verse 15 in those days Peter stood up among the brothers the company of the persons was all about 120 11 apostles and hundred nine other people in December 16 brothers. The Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before him of the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus, for he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry.

Verse 18 of this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness and falling headlong burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out the metadata fibers you want to put down on your memorization list. By the way, whenever I sign the book you know like a book that I've written a lot of times I'll write acts 118 is on my life versus just to confuse people to get back to the barber assembly at whatever, was it me.

Verse 19 and became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field is called in their own language. I tell them, which in Aramaic means the feel the blood for it is written in the book of the songs. Chapter 69 salsa cannot be exactly whose can become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it, and Psalm 110. Let another take his office. Verse 21 so Peter said one of the men who accompanied us to read all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, starting with the baptism of John going all the way through the death and resurrection. One of these men must come with us, a witness to his resurrection verse 23 and he put forward to Joseph, who is also called posadas was also called Justice just got some name issues here. I can just pick one and go at it, but he's got three names and then this other guy with just one day Matthias and I prayed and said you Lord you know the hearts of all show us which one of these two you have chosen to take place in this ministry and not this apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go is to his own place and so they cast lots for them is then rolled the dice and the lot fell on Matthias and he was numbered with the 11 apostles and the other guy said it was an honor just to be nominated okay so there's a question. Why is this story in their visit to tell us how we are to choose a successor is that why is it trying to tell you that a if it's about my pastor anymore get a couple guys roll the dice. It was when God chose that I suspected girlfriend.

He's gonna roll the dice of my old number seven at seven or amendment would ask you out, no.

There's a lot of stop and ask that we say is descriptive, not prescriptive. It describes what happened not prescribed what we ought to do. There's nowhere in the Bible anywhere else in the New Testament that tells us that's how we ought to go about decision-making is describing in front does not bear to tell us how to pick successors it's not bear to introduce to us. This pivotal character Matthias Yueh because he wanted it is never mentioned again never know where the Bible says they never brought up again. So why is it in their. I believe that it's in there to show you listen it's in there to show you how the apostles viewed themselves and how they viewed the Scriptures. Both the Old Testament and what we would now call the New Testament the Scriptures they would write and it demonstrates for you, right at the beginning of acts why the Bible is to become the authoritative divine guide for Christians.

So here's what I want to do only show you for things about this passage that support that number one must show you how the apostle Saul Old Testament Scriptures number two I'm to show you the authority that the apostles assumed for writing new Scriptures to be the New Testament number three.

I'm in a show you the resolution to an apparent contradiction in the number four.

To give you a reason for skeptics to consider the apostles bold claims to authority to number one how the apostle Saul Old Testament Scripture write you two things two ways they Saul Old Testament Scripture you can see in this passage, A. They saw them as authenticated prophecies about Jesus, I thought I saw the Old Testament as authenticated prophecies about Jesus in acts 116 Peter quotes a song hates his brother Scriptures had to be fulfilled with the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas and he goes on to relate what was predicted about Judas, the apostle Saul, the whole Old Testament as a book written by the Holy Spirit predicting the coming of Jesus Bible scholars tell lies. There are close to close to exactly 322 direct prophecies that describe for us character in the nature of the Messiah. Details specifically about his life. His birth, his ministry, his death and resurrection and the fulfillment of these prophecies will prove to them that Jesus really was from God.

There like a divine signature that could not be forged because it was God signing beforehand. This is what is gonna look like Jesus had not sick sometimes to identify him but 322 Scripture says, for example, in Micah 5. Jesus will be born in Bethlehem that happened in second Samuel chapter 7 that he would be of the tribe of Judah and from the lineage of David that happened that in Zechariah 11 he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver and silver will be used by potter's field that happened that he would be be preceded by John the Baptist. Malachi 31 that happened that he would would would die by being pierced through and that he would be dies a substitute for other sinners. Isaiah 53. 5.happened that he will be raising the dead.

Psalm 1610. That happened all these things are God's way of authenticating that's my guy. That's the one I sent.

I've heard it said before that the mathematical odds of all that happening. By coincidence, is something like covering the entire states of North a lot of South line and Virginia in importers painting. One of the quarters, or two and half feet deep by the way, to have feet of quarters over the entire three state any one of them purple and and taking a blind man and catapulting him in from somewhere like in Maryland, the odds of him picking the one correct order out of the entire three states do not be be quarters the same odds of all 320 prophecies happening to coalesce upon Jesus Christ randomly chose authenticated prophecies about Jesus. Here's the second thing B is word from the Holy Spirit. They Saul the Old Testament is worse in the Holy Spirit look again. Acts 116 Peter quotes a song written by David, but he says it was the Holy Spirit's words now which is it. Is it David's words are the Holy Spirit towards yes how could something you say simultaneously be the word of God and the word of men how to be simultaneously David's words, and the Holy Spirit's words, the analogy argues with you before is is when my kids were learning to walk your toddler. They cannot hear that first through the steps were taken or shaken everywhere. The following over so I would hold her hand and I'm walking along the side and it is their feed that is taking the steps but it is me that controls where they go tuna since it's been walking another since it's me walking.

That's what the Holy Spirit is doing with the Bible. It is men who are speaking but it is the Holy Spirit that is guaranteeing that they are saying exactly what he wants them to say.

So how could listen Infallible man produce an infallible document. That's how you hear a lot of people say there's like a lot of people will. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostles given what God thoughts you know but they were fallible men. So they got a lot of stuff wrong when they write down so the divine part of the inspiration of the Bible.

That's inerrant, but the human parts there found one thing about Jesus right Jesus was called Lord of God and Jesus was what fully God and fully man the fully man. Part of them make infallible and simple. Not hardly. The divine part made him perfect. So the fully God. Plus, fully man equals fully perfect the same way the Bible is fully man. Plus, fully God, and the product is fully perfect.

It's not that the Bible writers were themselves infallible. They were not, it's because they wrote under the influence of the Holy Spirit that the product they gave forth. The Bible was infallible.

Here's all Peter said in second Peter prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, not one word of that came from the heart of man. It all came as men work. Along Pharaoh in Greek door Pharaoh. Some of the Holy Spirit was orally used when a ship would be being driven by the wind rest of the windows, blow it where it's going to go to the Holy Spirit was moving these men along so that what they wrote was according to be exact destination I got edited not mean that the Bible and sometimes speak with human conventions of speech, estimations, metaphors, figures of speech. Just that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine or approve regression instruction writes a second 360 that the law of God is perfect, reviving the soul.

Psalm 19 that that not one word of it can be broken. John 1030 that sooner would heaven and earth pass away them one jot or tittle from God's word ever not come to pass forever be found on Matthew 580 because the apostle Saul, the Bible is divine their opinions about things cease to matter. They quit speculating about their opinions and they started to say what does the Holy Spirit say because they saw the Bible as divine devoted themselves to it. Here's a quick question for you is that how you feel about the Bible. Do you feel the liberty to put the Bible on trial and accept certain parts of it reject certain others. It astounds me how many believers feel the liberty to just out of like 10% of the Bible that it is totally fine to Mina for them if it is the word of God. When you adhere to it all of its now properly interpreted, yes, but you adhere to all of it. Jesus is going to be Lord please give me Lord of all and if you're the kind of feels like you can pick and choose what parts of the Bible you get to follow what you don't and I don't think you understand the concept of Lordship put it either forgot or it's not.

It is not for God to choose your own way. This we, God, and you better surrender to what he says right.

It was sort of God, you devote yourself to it. That's why when I get up here.

I very little might try to tell you eight things that make the Greer family happy and not try to tell you my life secrets of your life coach. I hate it when a pastor called was about like I'm on a micro life coach. I am the guy who stands up open the Bible and yells at you for 45 minutes, but I just want to tell you what God's word says because that is the word we devoted to because it is the word of God and what you people need is not a word of me and you need word of God right right number two, number two, the authority, the apostles assumed for writing new Scripture to see how they Saul the old stuff now to pursue the authority they assume for writing new Scripture.

Peter says her 21.

The menu accompanied us during the time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us start of the baptism of John, when all into the resurrection and ascension. One of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection, not listen closely Peter feels like they need to replace Judas because Jesus had declared that the 12 apostles would be his authoritative representatives and since Judas was gone because he betrayed you know and left. They needed a new 12 man Texas A&M either your but needed a new 12 man the number 12 was important because it corresponded to the 12 tribes of Israel.

These guys and these guys like the new Israel but soon these guys were supposed to be the official authoritative representatives of Jesus and the requirement was that they had to have been with Jesus from the very beginning from the baptism of John, all the way through to the now. You supported Jesus say that these apostles were to be the official authoritative representatives, right? Several places. I'm only going to be to John 1426 that helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name. What's this usually apostles. He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you so there's your promise is not to be discussing Randall what he said again.

I do not care about what you had that does not know, to bring it to you infallibly that you can write it down exactly as I intended it for to be understood right here is another Matthew 1619. Whatever you bind on earth to be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth may lose that habit.

These apostles had Jesus authority to declare his judgments and record them authoritatively so that all the books of the New Testament listen all these books are either written by the apostle they come out of what we call the apostolic community. What I mean by that is, Mark, Luke, these guys are not apostles, but they traveled with apostles and their writing comes out of the apostolic community to the apostles verified what they were saying was an accurate record of what Jesus had taught right same is true with Paul. Paul, you come along later, Peter would say this about Paul as I do my favorite verses things of the river said is what the last thing he said in the second Peter, our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him as he does in all his letters when he speaks.

There are some things in them that are hard to understand. Can't make you feel better, now you to see Peter looking at you read in Romans. I like what in the world are you talking about I feel like that half the time and he says I should be ignorant and the unstable twist them to their own destruction. Just like they do the other Scriptures what he does call Paul's writings. Scripture he's thinking of Paul's words as Scripture. Now that's two things you learn whenever one he sees Paul's words in Scripture to you get the humor of Peter and Paul is hard to understand or read the book as they appear. There's a reason on their processing. A search and lifted his right of the Revelation light on what mood you talk about heaven's operator so it's and slanted humors on the seminary humors are about that. What I'm trying to show you I'm going to show you that at the very beginning of acts the apostles have taken on the responsibility because of the promise of Jesus to speak and write authoritatively on Jesus and from that point on, whenever they speak or write about Jesus, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit what they write is considered to be the words of the Holy Spirit, the very words of God, which is why we trust this book and is why we build everything we do on it because of the promise of Jesus, number three, number three, the resolution of an apparent contradiction whenever people say the Bible contradicts itself. My response is always want to show me an example Mrs. offers.

I would further like well not here with anyone right now but I know there's a lot of people just pick one and resend their fertility offered minutes and commission comes out. They never found one. They don't know about one, they just heard that somewhere in there to statement 9/10 times.

That's what happens on that 1/10 times and they actually produce a contradiction, right, three out of four of those times. This is the one they come up with one that's in acceptor one want to talk about it for a minute okay here's the supposed contradiction. Matthew 27 says that Judas died by hanging himself, but an action. One says that he died. By fall off a cliff and have his bowels burst out okay. Matthew 27 says that the money that Judas earned for betraying Jesus through back into the temple and discuss in the Jewish authorities using the Byfield but when Peter retells the story. That's one he says that Judas bought the field with 30 pieces of silver. So which is the data hanging really thought I was bowels burst out and did he give the money back ready Byfield but clear contradictions right, not necessarily when you hang yourself you are certain on this church when you hang yourself and your body stays that way for a long time to buy swells up and evidently eventually the branch broke and he fell down in his abdomen.

Roger ruptured and it's got spilled out or I've been to that area. Scholars say the beer is really rocky and hilly. So maybe the branch that he hung himself on looked up a small cliff and we hung himself. The branch broke and it happened right so they both gonna happen is not a contradiction. It's just two different eyewitness account of the same thing one got so Peter's universal Judas, his body dangling from the branch who hung himself. Another guy found him every density people to do together to get a full store than you do with one account with the money situation. One writer says he you know would not know was that he bought the field. What probably happened is that Judas threw the money back in the Jewish authorities brought bought the field with it like Matthew says, but when Peter tells a story that he just shortens it to say, Judas bought the field since the money that he earned from selling Jesus was used for that purpose. Anyway Rice was not really contradiction is just different. Whenever you have eyewitness accounts putting together negative for story that's what's happening here now that is just one resolution to a supposed contradiction, but I will tell you that I have looked at these supposed contradiction for years, hundreds of them in just about every single time with a little studying and a little work, you find that they they harmonize is a plausible way to resolve it so it is right that also don't believe what you here's because we were too lazy to get in there and figure out what document said, I will be gullible. Don't be naïve studying out for yourself right. Number four for a reason for skeptics to consider the apostles claims to authority your reason for skeptics to consider the apostles claims report that if you want to skeptics who say what you believe the Bible to the claims below.while people have claimed that of the years Mohammed Joseph Smith, David Karesh and I got the claims reported God sons. I believe the apostles when they say they're speaking the word of God is that you that's fine, really because there's another reason for you to consider their claims.

What Peter claims there and asked one acts 121, 22, he says we gotta find somebody who was an eyewitness to the life the ministry the death and the resurrection team again heard about it is gotta be and I can be sure to join us tomorrow when pastor Janie Greer just for reasons that we can confidently know that the Gospels are true you're listening to some life. If you happen to join us a little late today you can hear the entire message by visiting us online@janiegreer.com sent pastor Janie the book of acts tells the story of the early church, often following the steps of the apostles like Peter and Paul, but they are really the main characters are. I remember my pastor growing up saying that the book of acts is wrongly named in the Bible we call it actually apostles what should be the acts of the Holy Spirit is really access and have a main character may Peter sort of prominent. The first chapters and Paul Devlin from in the last chapters, but we really get down to it the actor in the book of acts is the Holy Spirit. He's the one that's building the church and the good news is that is at that same Holy Spirit that was at work in the book of acts is now at work.

Still, through us, just like he had power.

Peter Paul and James and John. In that same spirit is now with you and ready for you to access his power because the study is so important.

We've created a new Bible study to go along with it comes in two parts. Right now you get part one that covers the first eight chapters of acts the part two will be available in June.

It will help take you deeper into the truth of acts and uncover the power the Holy Spirit in your life to help you get a better understanding of how you can be more in tune with the Holy Spirit. We'd like to send you an exclusive new resource release this week and created by our Summit life team that's based in our study of acts, volume 1 have a personal Bible study come sent the book of acts. It's more than just the books that detail actually designed to help you discover your own personal role in the great copy and our way of saying inks for your support in this ministry. After six. The book of acts study guide when you get a suggested donation of $25 or more today by calling 866-335-5220 866-3552 21 line in your copy Janie Greer.com prefer to write her address is Janie Greer ministry, PO Box 12293, North Carolina 77, and be sure to include in this study the facts. Volume why my pastor Janie and Molly benefits inviting you to come back. Marley is our study about the word of the apostles for the church is raining for our very high that Thursday on Summit life