5 Reasons Why We’re Preaching Through Acts
This Sunday we begin a new series in the book of Acts and I’m super excited for us to go through this book found in God’s true Story. Why? (I know you asked it, right?) Let me give you a few reasons; well, five to be exact, although we could come up with plenty more!
- Acts displays the story of God’s people taking on Jesus’ character and mission. After spending several weeks in the Great Commission and looking at what it means for us to be a missional people who belong to a missional God (see Matthew 28:16-20), moving into the book of Acts makes perfect sense. In Acts we see God’s people becoming the missional community that he created them to be, learning to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ in both word and witness. It’s in Acts where we see the church being formed as a Jesus-centered community, sent to the world for God’s glory and mankind’s good.
- Acts displays the gospel.Many within Christianity have an anemic definition of the gospel. When asked to give a summary of the gospel, too often the response is something like, “Ask Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior,” or “God loves sinners.” Both of these statements have degrees of truth, but both fall short of the gospel as explained in the Bible. So, what is the gospel? The gospel is the good news that Jesus is King and Lord. Here’s a broader definition (based off of Mark 1:14-17; 8:27-31; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; 20-28; Romans 1:1-5; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; Matthew 25:31-46):
The gospel is the good news that the kingdom of God has come, that Jesus Christ is its King, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried and resurrected. In his great love and by his amazing grace, God the Father saves those who repent of their sin, believe the gospel and follow Jesus. When King Jesus returns on the Day of Judgment, everyone who has followed him will enter into the eternal Kingdom of God.
Throughout the book of Acts we see this gospel being preached, with the message that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel’s story and the turning point of all history. Acts not only presents the message of the gospel, but also reveals the saving acts of the risen Jesus as he works through the Holy Spirit to change the hearts of humankind.
- Acts displays God’s sovereignty. In Acts we see God’s rule over all history, events, and people. The apostles testify repeatedly that the gospel is the good news that Jesus is Lord and King, and that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel’s story and the fulfillment of God’s promises throughout the Old Testament. Everything from Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to the outpouring promise of the Holy Spirit, to the gospel message taken to all nations happens because God said it would. Acts shows us that God rules over all creation – from the events of world history to our own personal trials. God is in control!
- Acts displays what the church is all about.Acts will teach our church what it means to be the church. In Acts we get glimpses into the rhythms of church life like teaching, prayer, fellowship, and service. Acts addresses issues of church life like baptism, church membership, church discipline, and the plurality of elder leadership. It also presses into the beauty of multigenerational and multiethnic unity among the church and the connections that should occur among various Jesus-centered churches.
- Acts displays the reality of persecution.In the book of Acts we see God’s mission spreading throughout the world even in the face of persecution. Christians are beaten, misaligned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, ridiculed, and killed for the sake of the gospel. We need to hear this message and to not only remember our sisters and brothers around the world who face daily persecution, but to also prepare our hearts when we face some of the above. We must learn what it means to suffer well for the gospel of Jesus.
I’m excited to take this journey of discipleship through the book of Acts as we partner together as a Family of Servant Ambassadors! As we seek to help you and others find and follow Jesus, we believe that God’s true Story will shape us to do just that. May our great God continue to send us out into the everyday as his holy and missional people.
On mission together,
–Pastor Wade
