[0:00] Hallelujah! We thank God you have tuned in to this message by David and Tree at Carish Church. No hand can help you with the fulfillment of your destiny but the Word of God. May God hand a line with you further into your destiny through this Word.
[0:14] Acts chapter 1 from verse 1 to verse 8. The former treaties have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day in which he was taken up.
[0:33] After that, he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
[0:53] And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which he says, you have heard of me.
[1:06] For John truly baptized with water, but he shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
[1:26] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his power, but ye shall receive power.
[1:40] After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
[1:55] Here ends the reading of God's holy word. Please let's pray. Father, as we have gathered to hear your word, we pray that grant us grace. Open our ears.
[2:08] That we will hear the sound from heaven. As your word is taught, lead us into chambers in your word that man cannot take us.
[2:20] Oh, heavenly Jesus, minister through us and to us. As we hear your word, we pray, let us hear from you. Let sicknesses be healed.
[2:31] Let deliverances take place. Let convictions happen. Let the lost be saved. Let the lost find its way back to Christ.
[2:43] Let the backsliding be restored. Let the despondent receive encouragement. Let the faithless receive faith. That's your word is taught.
[2:54] Let faith come alive. That we will be able to take steps and walk in obedience to your glory. Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
[3:06] How many of you are excited about the book of Acts? Every book in the Bible is the book. Because the entirety of Scripture is the word of God.
[3:19] But when you come to certain books, you get to know and understand certain things in a different way, in a different light. When you become a Christian, the remaining days of your Christian life is developed based on the word of God that is coming in.
[3:40] So the Bible talks about how you grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord. 2 Peter chapter 3 or so. It talks about how grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
[3:55] So how you know Christ today is not necessarily the way you will know him if you give yourself to spiritual growth in the word of God.
[4:06] You realize that, in other words, there's more to know about Christ. There's more to know because he is the eternal one. The Bible says unto the king eternal, immortal, the only wise God.
[4:20] The Bible calls him the only potentate. You can't finish knowing him. Romans chapter 11 talks about verse 33, talks about how he says that the depths and the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, it's unsearchable, inexhaustible.
[4:41] So Paul says that I've been called to teach Ephesians chapter 3, verse 8, the unsearchable riches. Wow! To the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches.
[4:52] In other words, you can't exhaust the riches of Christ. It's unsearchable. It's inexhaustible. So then when we have to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, that means that wherever you are at in your Christian journey, you haven't gotten anywhere at all.
[5:11] There were these guys who walked with him when he was alive, physically. He held their hands. They saw him. In fact, some of them, Peter puts it this way. He says, we saw the excellent glory.
[5:22] 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 17. When a voice came from the excellent glory, we saw, he said, we were with him on the Holy Mount. Talks about, we were with him on the Holy Mount and we saw, we saw his glory from verse 16.
[5:36] He said, we are not telling you stories. For we are not telling you fables and stories where we will talk to you about Jesus Christ and his coming. And he says that for, look at verse 17. He says that, for he received from the Father honor and glory, when there came to him such a voice from the excellent glory.
[5:54] This is my beloved son in whom I well pleased. Then verse 17, verse 18. Verse 18 says that, and this voice which came from heaven, we heard. When we were with him on the Holy Mount, we heard it.
[6:08] We were with him. Matthew chapter 17, verse 3. We were with him. We heard it. And yet, after hearing all these things, Jesus resurrects from the dead and he begins to tell some of the disciples that foolish and dull of hearing.
[6:24] He said, Luke chapter 24, ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter his glory? Peter, the same person, says that you can't die.
[6:35] He was blocking Jesus from dying after having a revelation of who Jesus was. He didn't have a comprehensive understanding. So he said, you can't die. But Jesus said, you don't know.
[6:46] You don't know. You are not looking for the things of God. You are thinking like men. So as long as we remain human beings, we are always limited in the scope of our understanding. That is why we keep growing.
[6:58] We keep growing. We keep growing. That we may not. Can you imagine? Paul, he saw Jesus in his glory. That's how he came born again. No one prayed to Paul. No one went for evangelism to Paul because if you go, he'll kill you.
[7:10] He was looking for them. He was looking for the evangelists. He was looking for those who are doing outreach to kill them. So everybody was running away from him. So who would go and preach to him? Oh, Jesus said, this guy, I got to stop him in his truck.
[7:23] In Acts chapter 9, Jesus appeared to him on his way to Damascus and he said that, what do you want me to do for you? He said, what he saw? He said, oh, King Agrippa, at noonday, I saw, Acts chapter 26, at noonday, I saw a light brighter than the noonday sun.
[7:42] I saw a light and I fell from my horse. He saw all these things and he began to walk with Jesus. And in Philippians chapter 3, he said that, I may know him. Ah! Philippians chapter 3, verse 7.
[7:55] He said that, whatsoever, but the things that were gained to me, this I count loss for Christ. Verse 8. And he said, why? Yeah, doubtless, I count all things low. for the excellency of the knowledge.
[8:07] Knowing Christ is more excellent than any other thing I can gain. Then he said, I count all these things as done, verse 9, that I might be found in him. I might be found not having my own righteousness that is of the law.
[8:20] Then the stage said that, that I may know him. So, the point I'm making is, you can be the most trained bishop. That's why theology in itself does not guarantee you know him entirely.
[8:33] These guys walked with him. They ate with him. Let me tell you something. In the book of Luke, chapter 24, verse 45, then he opened their understanding.
[8:46] Ha! Guess what? When those disciples on the road to Emmaus were having a discourse and they said, don't you know what's been going on?
[8:57] They killed the Christ. Bible says in verse 24 that Jesus Christ began to tell them and actually rebukes them that you are dull of hearing.
[9:09] Then, verse 24, you are dull of hearing. He said, ought not the Christ to have gone through all these things and then enter his glory? Then the verse 27 says that, beginning at Moses, he took the scriptures.
[9:22] Jesus Christ, Bible study 101 with Jesus himself from Genesis. It said, beginning at Moses, that's Genesis. Moses, Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded.
[9:37] Do you know what that means? He made them, he explained, he opened up the scriptures. These are people who had worked with him for three and a half years. Yet, they didn't know.
[9:49] They knew him in a limited way because the knowledge of Christ is unsanctable. Then he, wow, wow, and they said, did our hearts not burn when he spoke to us?
[10:01] Then they began to understand after the resurrection, they began to understand the scriptures. There's a place where Bible says that they didn't understand what Jesus said until after the resurrection in John chapter 2, I think 23 somewhere, destroyed the temple three days, I'll raise it.
[10:14] Bible said, he's supposed to didn't understand this until after the resurrection because after the resurrection, they received the seed of God, the nature of God, the life of God entered them and that afforded them the ability to grasp, begin to understand.
[10:31] And then, the Bible says that after the resurrection, he opened their eyes. So for 40 days, he was doing Bible study with them, explaining things to them, appearing and disappearing, appearing and disappearing, explaining things to them.
[10:45] And guess what? Even that, when he had left and the Holy Spirit has come, that's why the upper room, besides prayer, I believe, they were now understanding everything in the Old Testament about Jesus.
[10:58] That's why on the day Peter started preaching, on the day of Pentacles, he kept making reference, quoting the Old Testament and explaining it, quoting and explaining it because now they, in fact, before the Holy Ghost came, he was actually explaining what was said about Judas.
[11:11] He knew the scriptures now after the resurrection, but when the Holy Ghost came, he took it to another level. Peter was explaining the Old Testament, explaining the scriptures, but guess what? Even with that, he was still limited because he didn't understand that the Gentiles were part of the church.
[11:29] With all this insight, Peter, you were with Jesus, you were on the Holy Mountain, you saw everything, now the Holy Ghost has come, the scriptures have been open to you, yet the depths, all the depths and the riches of the knowledge of Christ, how unsatchable are his understanding.
[11:47] So, we have to give us, listen, you are not growing as a Christian if you are not growing in the word of God. The quality of a man of God is not necessarily his miracles.
[12:05] It has everything to do with his doctrine. Let me say it for that to sink in again. The quality, heaven's judgment, the quality of a man of God is not predicated on the miracle he does.
[12:21] It's predicated on the soundness of his doctrine. The soundness of his doctrine. So, last week I spoke about Acts.
[12:32] Yeah. How? Who wrote the book of Acts? You don't know? I didn't hear you. Luke, Dr. Luke.
[12:43] Dr. Luke. Dr. Luke, if he was in these days, we have to make sure I had the doctor. Let me show. Dr. Luke wrote the book of Luke and the book of Acts.
[12:59] And in Acts chapter 1, he says that, he makes it clear that, he says that, the former treaties have I made, the former accounts have I made O Theophilus.
[13:10] So, last week, I took my time to talk about the account because he said, I've made a previous account. Now, this is a new, a different account I'm making. Or, I'm continuing the previous account.
[13:22] So, I took my time to explain the connection between the first account and the second account. The first account, all his accounts were, this is very important, all his accounts were about the ministry of Jesus.
[13:37] Right? The first account was about the ministry of Jesus when he was in the physical flesh. The second account is about the ministry of Jesus from heaven. I was always taught that Jesus went to heaven and that's why I'm happy, all power is given to me, any miracle I need or any blessing I need, he will do it for me, he will do it for me, he will do it for me.
[14:00] It's true, but that's not the whole story. He didn't just go to heaven to sit. Yes, he talked about how intercession on our behalf, right? But that's not all that he's doing.
[14:10] The main work he's doing from heaven is he's still working on earth. I like the way one great man of God put it. He said, Jesus Christ just changed bodies.
[14:23] So, when he was on, physically, before the resurrection, he was using his physical, human, biological body. But after the resurrection in ascension, he changed the body.
[14:37] But he's still here working. So, Luke's first account was when he was in his biological body. Second account is when he was, he changed bodies and he was in his second body.
[14:49] Now, that is very important. So, he says that, watch this, he says that, the former account have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day, you see, until.
[15:01] So, the first account, the time frame was the beginning until the day he was taken up. Did you see that? That's the time frame for the first account. So, then, this second account has to do it after he had been taken up.
[15:16] What has he been doing? Now, this makes it necessary for me to mention Theophilus. Can you see it in your Bible? Yeah, Theophilus, it's in your Bible. Let's all read the verse 1 together again.
[15:27] Action to 1 verse 1. Let's go. Let's go. of all that Jesus began to do and to teach. Therefore, my treatise have I made all Theophilus.
[15:40] Now, scholars have had a few deliberations about who this Theophilus is. Some scholars believe the word Theophilus, that's the meaning.
[15:51] Theos. You know Theo? Theos. Theology. God's study. Or reasoning behind God. Theology. Theology is study and then Theos. So, Theophilus.
[16:03] You know, we have different types of love. Agape love. Eros love. Phileo. Phileo. Friendship love.
[16:13] Phileo. How many of you have heard about Phileo Adelphos? Philadelphia. Philadelphia. Adelphos. Brotherly love. Okay. So, Phileo is love.
[16:24] So, what do you say? Phileo. And then Theo. So, lover of God or someone God loves. So, some scholars believe that this text was written to people, Luke wrote his account to people who actually love God.
[16:41] Like me. Actually, I don't know about you. I can't say for you, but I can't say for you. He wrote his account for those of us who love God and are more interested in the things of God.
[16:52] So, do I have some Theophilosis in this building? You are a Theophilos if you love God. So, that's what some theologians or some scholars believe.
[17:06] However, others also differ. Others believe that Theophilosis is actually a particular person. It is believed that in those days, you know, nowadays, medical doctors are very, so long as career is concerned, a medical doctor is someone with a good career.
[17:25] You work for yourself. You decide where to work and stuff like that. In those days, if you're a medical doctor, you're more or less like an owner to somebody. So, rich people had their medical doctors who served them, who traveled with them, who lived.
[17:41] It's like a cook or a chef. Those days, a medical doctor is like a chef. It's just they has worked for some prominent person.
[17:52] So, it's believed that Luke was the medical doctor of this prominent man called Theophilos. But Theophilos, he loves God and he became a believer and he knows Paul.
[18:05] And so, somewhere along Paul's missionary journey, because it was believed that Paul had some health challenges, he needed a medical doctor to be with him. Paul's missionary journey, this wealthy man called Theophilos, kind of loaned or gave his special attendance that go with Paul.
[18:25] Paul, I will let him come with you. So, when he went with Paul, it's necessary for him to give reports, account of what has been happening with Theophilos. To keep signing reports of when we went here, when we went here, when we went there.
[18:38] And it's actually believed that from the chapter 1, he didn't seem to be there in Acts chapter 1 through to chapter 15, but he showed up in chapter 16, because from chapter 16, we are said to go to Bethania, but the Holy Ghost forbade us.
[18:53] And then, whilst we didn't go, we tried to go to Galatia, the Holy, so he brought himself in the picture. He started talking about the us, us, us, so they are said. Now, go to the next verse and let me show you something.
[19:04] And they're passing through, okay, verse 9 and verse 10, and then, they came to Macedonia and then, someone said, come and help us, a man of Macedonia. Some theologians even believe that he, Theophilus, was the man of Macedonia or something like that.
[19:18] Because from there, you see, look, I think there was 16 or somewhere there, you see that Luke begins to say, when we had, look at the verse 10, when we had, said, after that, we have seen this, we endeavored.
[19:31] Now, he has added himself to the whole story now. But from chapter 1 all through to chapter 16, it wasn't we, we, it was always reported speech. We posted it. So, it goes to chapter 16, so people believe, theologians believe that he joined the team from chapter 16.
[19:46] Wherever he joined the team, he's the one who uttered everything. Now, so he was writing reports and sending it to Theophilus, his former boss or his boss. That's what some believe.
[19:57] Others also believe, which is more convincing, that Theophilus was a very top official, Roman official, very top guy and a man of nobility.
[20:08] Because when you look at Luke, chapter 1, Theophilus was mentioned there as well. Now, look at Luke, chapter 1, and verse 3, it says that, it seems good to me, having had perfect understanding of all these things from the very first, to write to thee in order, most, that word before Theophilus, that word, is like your excellency, your highness.
[20:32] So, when you read some other translation, it actually makes it like a title. You see, your highness, your excellency. So, the fact that he calls him most excellent Theophilus, that means I was addressing somebody of nobility, somebody of prominence, who might have been maybe top in the Roman rankings.
[20:54] So, that is why, and then, it's actually further believed that those days, when you have a big court case, a big trial, somebody, your lawyer, Luke was like a lawyer for Paul, how to prepare a document for the judge to look through, or whoever is the official who is going through, to look through and make a submission to present the case about everything that has been happening.
[21:20] So, it was believed that Luke, being a medical doctor, he wrote an account, first volume and the second volume, sending it for Paul's trial to explain everything that has been going on with Paul before they killed him in Rome.
[21:36] So that any governor, any authority, or even if the Caesar, if Caesar himself, takes the document and begins to read it, he will have a proper understanding about this whole trial, about this Paul.
[21:47] So, he wrote everything because he was a trained medical doctor and he was acting as an attorney for Paul. He was able to sit down and put everything in order, put an accurate account of the whole, this whole Christian, Christian thing.
[22:05] He put an accurate, because the Romans didn't know about Christianity. They didn't know about these believers. So, he had to put it together. No wonder, after Acts, the first book, epistle, is letter to the Romans. Letter to the Romans.
[22:17] How would you have connected Romans from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Where did they come? How did they get a message? How did they? So, Acts connects the epistles to the gospels.
[22:29] But much more, it's believed that Theophilus was a prominent person. I believe he's a very prominent person and the accounts were written to him so he can have a proper understanding of this whole thing about Christianity or the ministry of Christ when he was on earth and the ministry of Christ from heaven.
[22:47] Going back to the text, the former treaties have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and to teach. Until the day in which he was taken up.
[22:57] After he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto his apostles who he had chosen. He was taken up. He didn't say until the day he died. There's a difference between the death of Jesus and the ascension of Jesus.
[23:11] When he died, he resurrected. But after the resurrection, there were some activities as well. So, after the resurrection, he ascended. Now, this is very crucial for Christianity or for your faith that we are walking and serving and ascended Jesus.
[23:29] And when we get there, you see, in Acts chapter 1, verse 9, Bible says that, and while they beheld him, he was taken up. They saw him go. So, that's why they were very excited.
[23:40] In fact, some people believe that the excitement of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus gave the early apostles, the disciples, the boldness and excitement preaching everywhere.
[23:52] No, that wasn't what gave them the boldness and excitement preaching everywhere. It wasn't that. It was the Holy Ghost that came upon them that gave them the excitement. But they saw him go. In Acts chapter 1, verse 22, Peter was making reference to how to replace Judas, we need somebody who has been with us until the time Jesus was taken up.
[24:12] That was their language. They knew Jesus was taken up. But I mentioned chapter 1, verse 9, because when Jesus was taken up, they were looking. Only God knows whether it was 20 minutes. They kept seeing him going.
[24:23] How long? You see, when a plane takes off, I like planes, so sometimes I keep watching. I keep watching. Sometimes when I'm walking, I even see planes flying or two planes.
[24:33] I wonder, wow, they are flying nicely. They are not coming. I just like planes. So, sometimes you can watch something in the sky or helium balloon or it vanishes.
[24:45] So, we don't know how long they kept looking into heaven for because they saw Jesus while he blessed them. he started going. He was taken up. He left. He left.
[24:56] They saw him go. Then an angel appears and he said, men of Galilee, why are you gazing? That means they stood there keeping. Now, he was taken, but so he vanished from their sight. They still were hoping that the cloud would go so they would see.
[25:10] And an angel, excuse me guys, why are you gazing up? This Jesus, watch what the angel said. This Jesus, the same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner.
[25:24] So, the angel told them he's going to come. So, watch this. This is very important. They've always known that Jesus is with them and he's just up. He's gone and he's coming. So, they lived a life walking with an ascended Jesus.
[25:40] When you read Mark chapter 16, in Mark chapter 16, verse 19. Mark chapter 16, verse 19. It says that, so after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
[25:57] He spoke to them and he was received into heaven. The next verse says that the Lord was, they went everywhere preaching, the Lord was working with them, signs and wonders. So, he was with them. He was received into heaven.
[26:08] Now, Bible says, the scripture we are reading in Acts is that, until the time he was taken up, he didn't see until that time he died. He was taken up and the disciples saw him go up.
[26:20] They knew he's not dead and before he was even taken up, physically, he used to show up and then vanish and appear and disappear. He appeared so many times to them. So, they rehearsed, as I taught you the other time, they rehearsed or he helped them to understand how to be accustomed to his presence without physically seeing him.
[26:41] For 40 days, appeared and disappeared, appeared and disappeared. And so, until the time was taken up, now look at this again, until the time was taken up, who by the Holy Ghost gave commandments to his disciples.
[26:55] Verse 3, to whom also he showed himself alive. This is very important. So, before he was taken up, he showed himself alive after his suffering and crucifixion.
[27:10] How did he do it? With many infallible proofs. Before I come to many infallible proofs, many people saw him alive. According to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 5, 6, 7, 8, I like that one.
[27:22] He says that he was seen by Peter. Say first, they mean Peter. Okay? He was seen by Peter, then by the 12. This is after resurrection. Because, verse 3 and verse 4 talks about my gospel.
[27:35] Jesus died according to the scriptures and then he was buried and then verse 4 says on the third day he rose again from the dead. He was buried and rose again from the dead according to the scripture. Watch it.
[27:46] When he rose from the dead, verse 5, and he was seen. Peter saw him and not only Peter and then by the 12. Is that only, is it only the 12? Now look at the next verse.
[27:57] After that, he was seen by over 500 brethren at once of whom as I'm writing this, he said, as I'm writing this letter, some are still alive. So, you can go and verify from them.
[28:09] They saw him. So, Jesus Christ presented himself alive. Verse 6, verse 7 and verse 8. Look at verse 7. After that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
[28:21] They all saw him. Then he said, me too, finally. I saw him, but the time I saw him was a bit late. Last of it, I was, also I saw him, but I came in like someone who I was not born at the right time.
[28:33] I was born out of Jesus because he had ascended before I saw him. He had to come back to warn me and get me converted before I saw him. But he said, I saw him. Now, this is very important.
[28:44] He appeared to people in Acts chapter 10, verse 40. He says that God raised him from the dead and showed him openly to the people on the third day and showed him openly.
[28:57] So, people saw him openly. In John chapter 21, verse 1, he appeared to them when they were together and after this, Jesus showed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
[29:11] In this way, he showed himself. Jesus showed himself. So, it wasn't like after the resurrection, it was an ideology. If it was one person who saw, you know, psychiatrists say that hallucination cannot happen to a group of people at the same time.
[29:27] hallucination. Maybe you are hallucinating, but how come all of us, 500 people, the Bible even used the word at once, and you say, oh, they were just daydreaming.
[29:41] How come everybody daydream the same thing at the same time? It's not possible. And so, the resurrection, because those who don't want to believe, those with their stubborn hearts who don't want to believe the resurrection, they have to find a way to explain it away.
[29:57] That he didn't resurrect, he didn't want to, maybe it's just an ideology, maybe it's just imagination, he never resurrected. And so, they always try to explain things away by saying that Peter said, but I saw him.
[30:09] So, maybe you are just having a daydream. Maybe it was an idea. Maybe you just, you had too much food the night before. And then, James comes, he said, I saw him. The 12 skip, we also saw him.
[30:21] Then 500 saw him. You can't say everybody was faking it. They can't fake it. somebody will speak. Somebody will speak. But all of them saw him at once and they couldn't deny it because, and look at how the Bible puts it.
[30:35] It says that, but he showed himself alive. Okay? Acts chapter 1, again, verse 3, says that, whom he showed himself alive, not dead. It's not like, oh, I've seen something.
[30:47] It looks like Jesus. Oh, yeah, I see him. But he's not talking. No, he showed himself. In fact, the Bible says he ate with them. So they knew that after his death, he actually came back to life.
[31:01] This is important. It's the bedrock of Christianity. We are serving a man and a God who became a human being, died on the cross, and was, look, look, look, look, watch this, watch this.
[31:15] Part of the Apostles' Creed and part of the true gospel includes the burial. Why the burial? Because he was buried. He was put away.
[31:26] We finished with him. Let's go now. So even the disciples were not expecting him to come back. Luke chapter 24, early morning, the women were going to embalm him. That was a tradition for dead body.
[31:37] When you love him, you go and prepare the body so he can rest well, even though he's dead. So he just paid their last respect only to get there and they had a shock of their lives. The angels said, why are you looking for the living among the dead?
[31:49] He's not here. You think he's not here. And then, he showed himself physically alive with so many people and he ate with them. He worked with them.
[31:59] He talked with them. So they couldn't deny it. And the Acts says that he showed himself alive. Watch this. Acts chapter 1 verse 3, showed himself alive after his suffering. How?
[32:11] By many undeniable. Listen to me, brothers and sisters. Let those who always want to attack our faith, and they will keep quiet to focus on their religion and their appetite is to attack whatever Christianity believes and telling you, listen to a Christian pastor.
[32:28] He's telling you that our religion is better. Prove your religion. They're always looking in, trying to find out what we are eating to give a negative spin on it.
[32:40] And we don't have time thinking about what they are doing. We don't have time because it's a waste of time. It's a waste of time. If I meet someone who practices different religion and I'm trying to tell him how much I know his religion and his faults, it still doesn't save him.
[32:58] But even if I don't talk about his religion and I talk about this Jesus, ha ha! All I need is to talk about Jesus. That is what saves.
[33:09] It is not an argument. It is not intellectual reasoning, but it is the power of the gospel. He said, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
[33:23] If I were you, I would shout hallelujah. That's what we preach. Listen, brothers and sisters, your testimony, your personal testimony is even not strong enough to save anybody.
[33:38] I used to be a drunkard. I used to be a thief. And this is what Jesus has done to me. I used to be a womanizer. And now, I don't even see, I don't even like to see women. I used to, I used to, I used to, I used to always give problems to my wife.
[33:54] And now, my wife is a happy woman because since I met Jesus, it's okay. But listen, it cannot even save a rat. Why?
[34:07] Because salvation is not repository in the realm of the intellect. Salvation is not based on, thinking is based on your inner man.
[34:18] Convictions in the spirit. And you can convince somebody of crime. You can convince somebody or convict somebody of crime, but you can't convict someone to believe in Jesus.
[34:31] That's the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit. Ah, so, pastor, are you trying to say, I can't share my testimony like the woman at the well. Say, I've seen a man. Come and see.
[34:42] He went and told them about the man. There's a man I've met. This man has told me these things. Is he not the Messiah? She just mentioned how it has had an impact on her life, but the focus was on the man.
[34:55] The point I'm making is, some of us, we always tell people about how my church has changed my life. It's true. It's true. Don't be quiet about it. But there's something better you can say after that.
[35:08] What saves people is Jesus. So, don't be saying, my church is a nice church. I like my church. But you can't even tell anybody about Jesus. When we ask you, who is Jesus? Ine.
[35:19] Ine. Mary's son, Ine. Mary's baby boy, Ine. Please. For heaven's sake, grow up in your knowledge of Christ. Grow up in your knowledge of Christ.
[35:34] You can't even preach Christ without making reference to your testimony. It just, it helps. It just, it's like, this is a proof that the thing works. But, you have to talk about the thing.
[35:46] The thing. The thing that works is what you have to focus on. But you can preach Christ without making references to personal testimony and the gospel about Christ alone.
[35:58] His death, burial, and resurrection, who he is, is so powerful that it can change anyone who doesn't even want to know about your testimony. Christ. Listen to me, brothers and sisters.
[36:10] The Christianity that we are, the faith, let me prefer, I think I prefer using the word the faith. The faith we have is a faith that is built on facts and proofs.
[36:25] Our faith versus science. Laughable. Faith, maybe other faith. Maybe other faith. But a Christian faith is never contrary to science.
[36:38] It's because it's based on reason. It's not based on feelings. How I feel. No, no, no. Christianity is not based on feelings.
[36:48] It's based first on reason. That is why there are documented facts. This thing I'm talking to you about, the book of Acts, is history.
[36:59] In fact, scholars have proven that the records of Luke, Dr. Luke, the book of Luke and Acts, scholars have proven that it's one of the most accurate, scholastic, historic accounts of ancient times.
[37:15] It sits above many other historical, so even if you take it out of the Bible and you make circular historians and you make it circular, the historicity, the unimpeachable evidence and information in it makes it above its class and yet it's in scripture.
[37:36] What is it trying to tell? This Christian faith is not based on fiction. It's based on facts. So when Jesus was erected from the dead, he showed himself alive by many infallible, many infallible.
[37:56] Infallible is unmistaking. You can't prove wrong. Infallible is tangible, undeniable. Proofs. Christianity is built on proofs.
[38:07] Proofs. Not fiction. Not emotive. Opinions. That's why no sound Christian person or believer is afraid.
[38:19] You can't scrutinize the Bible. Let anybody, let them scrutinize it. We can give our book, this holy book, anybody, take it, investigate it.
[38:29] Most have attempted to investigate it to prove it wrong and end up believing it. And many people. So most of the people you hear say, oh, the Bible is fake. They haven't even read it.
[38:40] They haven't read it. They haven't read it. They don't even know. It's a display of ignorance. Anytime you hear anybody who tells you the Bible contradicts itself, they are advertising their ignorance.
[38:53] Oh, yes. You mean the Bible contradicts itself? You mean the Bible is fake? Some of the stories are fake? You mean it? Who, did you find out what you were told?
[39:03] Did you? Have you done a thorough investigation, a scholastic or scholarly investigation on it? Check with your scholars.
[39:15] Oh, but a biologist is telling you that the historic accounts is, that's a biologist. Leave him alone. Let the historians talk. Bring a historian and let any historian come and prove anything wrong and see if they will still retain their credibility as historians.
[39:31] You are a bogus historian if you deny the existence of our late queen mother, Queen Elizabeth, you deny that she never existed. You are bogus because we know it.
[39:44] These are facts. What I'm trying to tell you, the history of scripture are based on facts, not fiction. Facts, facts, facts.
[39:57] Those who tell you that everything in the history is not true, ask them about their books. They won't be allowed to investigate it. They say, don't touch it. This one, you don't die.
[40:09] What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of? Like, go to somebody's house and he said, my, my cat is missing. And he go to the person's house. He said, I don't know about your cat.
[40:19] He said, can I check your cat? No, no, you can't come into my garden. I don't know. Is there anything wrong in your garden? Nothing wrong. My garden is the same. But I used to come and play there, yes, but today you can't come. You can't come into my garden.
[40:31] No, no, no, you can't come. You can't come into my garden. No, no, no. No, no, you don't come. I don't feel comfortable about it because my garden is so special. Somebody is looking for his cat. He's looking for his cat.
[40:42] You are talking about your grass. He's looking for his cat. People are looking for the truth. Allow them to investigate your book. Allow them if you don't have anything to hide.
[40:55] If it is authentic enough, bring it on. Bring it on. Bring it on. Christianity has never been afraid of any other religion.
[41:10] Wherever Christianity dominates, it opens up for other religions to also preach because you don't have anything to say. So, it's not a threat.
[41:22] It's not a threat. Can you imagine? Can you imagine you can go and walk right in front of the House of Parliament? You can walk right in front of the House of Parliament and Whitehall and actually Buckingham Palace.
[41:36] You can go and take pictures in the front of the gate. Isn't that risky? Security breach? No, no. You don't have a gun. You don't have a gun. You are not a threat. If you are a threat, they won't let you come. Christianity usually, anything called Christianity, anything that starts as Christianity is very tolerant because it's not afraid of anything or bad other religions.
[42:00] No, you can come in. That's why they killed the early Christians. You can preach this. You can preach. In fact, they warned them in Acts chapter 5, verse 28. They said, we do not strictly warn you not to preach in this name.
[42:13] You can preach but not in the name. Ah! You can preach but not in the name. When they tell you that we are all serving God, ask them about Christ.
[42:26] Christ is the problem. It's not God. It's Christ. Christ, who it is, what it is, the problem is Christ. That is why you are losing your credibility before heaven if you are a pastor and Christ is missing from your teaching, from your message.
[42:43] You have lost yourself by, you've gone past yourself by this. Pastor, when we go further into this text, you will see that they were not even described as preachers.
[43:01] The apostles were not described as preachers. No, no, no, no, no, no, no preachers. When you read the Bible, you find out in the book of Acts, the believers were not presented necessarily as preachers, some powerful people.
[43:14] They were presented as witnesses. He said you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost and you will be good, good. That's a whole new game altogether.
[43:26] It's not about you. So, He proved, I want to make a strong case for somebody to know. Don't be swayed by people who seem to have, you know, sometimes some ignorant people can speak and convince you.
[43:44] Not because of their ignorance, but they're going to speak. they're so articulate. Especially when, if a person is learned in one area. Most people go to university and a professor says something very useless, but because the professor, he can say something very contradicting, but people will say, wow, that's deep.
[44:02] That's deep. That's deep. That's deep. So, I want you to know Christianity is built on infallible what?
[44:14] Proofs. Never forget that. It's built on infallible proofs. Not wishes and fiction. Let me add this point and then end on it.
[44:25] It says that he showed himself alive through infallible proofs. Being seen of them during 40 days and speaking of the things.
[44:36] Oh! Can I comment on this and end? So that next week I pick from verse 4. I can't wait to get to verse 6, but it's okay. I'm going to pick on verse 4.
[44:48] He says that he was with them for 40 days and what was he doing? Speaking of the things pertaining what? The kingdom of God? I know I've not told you the theme, the subject of the book of Acts.
[45:04] At least you know the position. Last week I spoke about his position in between the gospel. But what's the subject? The subject if I tell you, you'll be a little bit dazed, but I will say it anyway.
[45:15] Then later when I was studying I came across and I said I prefer different subjects, mainly some people said, in fact I like the way one great man of the world posted said the Acts.
[45:27] When you read the Old Testament it's really the main key person in the Old Testament is God. How about the gospels? Who's the key person? Jesus.
[45:38] And then the Acts and the Epistles is the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And really people have, it's been called the Acts of the Apostles but really it seems to be not just the Acts of the Apostles but it's the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
[46:00] It's the Holy Spirit who is working. The Acts of, or I prefer to call it the Acts of Jesus. in his ascension. Not just the resurrection in his ascension.
[46:13] So, if you care to write this it's a mouthful I'm about to say. The theme, are you ready for this? The theme or the subject of the book of Acts is the propagation the propagation.
[46:26] Aha, it started already. It started already. The propaganda, what's that? I didn't say propaganda. I said propagation. The propagation of the resurrected Jesus in his ascension.
[46:42] Aha. I haven't finished you. I haven't finished. A lot more is coming. Okay, I think it's better I say it first then I break it. The propagation of the resurrected Jesus in his ascension by the Holy Spirit through his disciples for the producing of the church the kingdom of God.
[47:04] I told you. I told you. It's not right. At least I warn you ahead of time. Alright. Let's go again. The theme of the book of Acts is the propagation of the resurrected Jesus in his ascension.
[47:18] By who? By the Holy Spirit through his disciples for what purpose? For the producing of the church which is the kingdom of God.
[47:30] That is profound. So now let's break it down. Jesus resurrected but the Holy Ghost could not come until he had what is this?
[47:42] When you are told parliament is in session what does that mean? parliament is in session. The speaker is screaming. Court is in session.
[47:57] What does that mean? Those of you who used to be go to court a lot of the lawyers and then what we say court is in session what does that mean?
[48:10] Proceedings are going on and court is in session. So when court is in session the lawyers the judge everything is things are going on that's in session. Parliament is in session. They are not doing their real job as parliamentarian.
[48:23] They are in session. They are Jesus Christ after ascension sat and sat at the right hand of God. Theologians call it his in session. When you are in session that's when you are in your full grown power and authority to do the things that you are elected to do or you are put there to do.
[48:42] Jesus said there there are things Jesus couldn't have done the things that Jesus began to do and to teach. There are things that Jesus couldn't have done and there are things that Jesus couldn't have taught.
[48:59] I'm going somewhere. Don't get locked up in the gospel Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There are things that he couldn't have said and done in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
[49:10] There are things that he could only say and do when he's in session. And when he's in session that is when he begins to build his church.
[49:22] He could never build a church until he was in session. So in Acts chapter 2 verse 33 the Bible says that after he has been exalted to the right hand of God the Father and having received the Basha the Hamantiah I said Acts chapter 2 verse 33 is good to see it.
[49:42] It said and therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and to the right hand of God that means exalted in session a certain session and then received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit what did he do?
[49:59] Now he started his ministry on end. So there was no that's why he said in John chapter 16 that is expedient for you that I go because if I don't go the comforter will not come but when I go I will send him I need to be in session I need to be in session in order to send the comforter and watch this he said in verse 12 John chapter 16 there are many things I want to tell you there are yet so there are some things that are not captured in the gospel because he said I can't say it you cannot bear them look at the verse 13 I like the verse 13 however whenever when I'm in session and the spirit of truth is come he will begin to guide you things that I couldn't tell you oh my goodness don't get yourself locked up in the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John there's more to come after Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which is part of the gospel sometimes it's good to come to church to think not just how you feel so when he sat in session the purpose of the book are someone thinking you see when you know your bible someone can come from outside all this bible you don't even understand what is going on in the text if you don't know your own bible as a believer some other people from other religions or so called intellectual people who think they are smart but they can't be around a family you're smart and you're coming to tell us about this oh excuse me give me infallible proof of your smartness by how you can put your life together your family together and your health together give me wasn't it the doctors who told you you had this signal you didn't even know you come to boast about how smart you are
[51:49] I know the bible don't allow some people from other religions or so called someone who is very intellectual intelligent to be telling you what the bible they don't even know about Christianity there are people who are supposed to be leaders in Christian organizations who don't know about Christianity they are actually not born again because a certain man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God they don't know but he said he began to speak to them for 40 days concerning the thing pertaining the kingdom of God so the theme of this book is the propagation say propagation propagation so you realize that right from chapter 2 it's all about propagation of Christ propagation of Christ why propagation of Christ because we just saw I read the scripture not long ago in my early part in 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 17 how a voice came from the excellent majesty and what did the voice say this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased when he was being baptized in the book of Matthew chapter 3 verse 16 and 17 a voice came from heaven said this is my beloved son there's only one person who has lived on this earth who has pleased God so well only one person
[53:00] God can sit in heaven and say hmm I'm so pleased I'm so pleased in such a person if I can get a lot of them so propagation of Christ is duplication of Christ into other people so that God looks from heaven he sees the church this is my beloved son this is my beloved why?
[53:21] not because of your human nature but because of the divine nature that is in you Christ becomes your life Christ becomes your living so when we talk about the propagation of Christ we are talking about the spreading of Christ the spreading of Christ when the coronavirus came we only heard about it that people were stuck on a ship and some people you know they couldn't come down because someone one person has caught it it was spreading and then it looks like it was going everywhere to every nation in any church there were just about 12 disciples and then 120 people when you do the maths 120 people received the Holy Spirit that means in those days the Jews who were there living in that whole region that means one person to 30,000 Jews that's just a fraction of them who experienced the Holy Spirit and they were supposed to spread this thing to the whole world how could that be but look at what's happening today when the Holy Ghost came this life of today I'm standing here because I have the life of Jesus in me you are here because you have the life of Jesus they're spreading they're spreading the propagation not of Mary's son but the resurrected Christ in his ascension and who is doing the spreading the Holy Ghost how is he doing it through the disciples for what for the producing of the church the church is the kingdom of God
[54:43] God has always wanted a kingdom let me just end by saying this about the kingdom I know when we talk about kingdom most people are thinking about a geographical location that's the one definition of a kingdom geographical location of a group of people with a monarch that's not kingdom in this sense the kingdom here how many of you have heard about the animal kingdom which part of the world is the animal kingdom can I ask you a question why are you not part of the animal kingdom I want to sign up to be part of the animal kingdom alright let's retreat to the canine kingdom the dog kingdom canine kingdom you want to be part of the canine kingdom how can you be part of the canine kingdom you have to have the nature of a dog you have to have the nature of a dog to be part of the dog kingdom in the same way the kingdom of God You want to be part of the kingdom of God?
[55:37] You want to be part of the kingdom of God? You have to have the nature of God. You have to have the life of God to become part of the kingdom of God. We are in the kingdom.
[55:50] When God created Adam, there was one man and he became the human kingdom. One man. Instead of multiplying, multiplying, he became a huge human kingdom. No, Jesus came as one man.
[56:01] One man with the life of God. But today, the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus told them, if I, by the finger of God, cast out devils. Luke chapter 11, verse 24.
[56:13] If I, by the finger of God, cast out devils, then I want you to know the kingdom of God has come upon. So the kingdom of God is not something they are waiting. In a sense, there's a time that is going to become physical.
[56:25] But now, it's not physical. It's not physical. It's not physical. It's an organic kingdom. It's not physical. So does it make sense why Jesus had to take his time and explain the kingdom?
[56:41] For almost six weeks, he was teaching them the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. So you know what? The message of the apostles, the message of the early church, was the kingdom of God.
[56:53] That's what they were preaching about. In Acts chapter 8, verse 12. In Acts chapter 14, verse 22. In Acts chapter 19, verse 8. In Acts chapter 20, verse 25. In Acts chapter 28, verse 23, and verse 31.
[57:05] Check and see. It's the kingdom they preach. I like that Acts chapter 8, verse 12. I feel like preaching church. My time is up. But Acts chapter 8, verse 12. But when they believe Philip, as he preached the things pertaining to the kingdom.
[57:18] Hallelujah. That's what he was preaching. Doesn't make sense when Jesus was explaining the kingdom to them. For six weeks. They believe Philip. In Acts chapter 14, verse 22.
[57:30] Bible talks about how they exhorted them that through many tribulations and trials, they will enter the kingdom of God. Enter the kingdom of God. In Acts chapter 19, verse 8.
[57:40] He went to the synagogue and spoke boldly for three men, reasoning and persuading, concerning. That was the focus of his preaching. Oh, really?
[57:52] Oh, yes. In Acts chapter 20, verse 25. He says that, I've been going amongst you up and down. Indeed, now I know that you all amongst whom I've gone preaching.
[58:03] What has he been preaching? The kingdom of God. Jesus shows up on the sin himself. John the Baptist said, repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
[58:14] It's just like an axe has been laid to the root. It's about to cut. The kingdom is about to manifest. Jesus shows up. He said, the kingdom has come. Jesus came with the kingdom. The life of God where God reigns.
[58:25] So that's why God is the ruler in the church. Not a government. Not a pastor. Not a committee. God. That's kingdom.
[58:36] The church is, another name for the church is the kingdom of God. And this was used just interchangeably. The church, the kingdom of God or the propagation of Christ is the same thing as the church.
[58:48] The spreading of Christ. The spreading of Christ. He reasoned them. Let me finish by adding this one more point on the kingdom. I quoted Acts chapter 28, verse 23. You remember? Or 31. The day came, the Saturday, the Jews came to Paul in Rome.
[59:02] And you see what he was doing. So when they had appointed a day, many came to him at his lodging to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the...
[59:13] Ah! So that was Paul's focus. Look at verse 31. The last verse in Acts. preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence.
[59:25] No one forbidding him. That's what he preached. He preached the kingdom. The kingdom. Romans chapter 14, verse 17. Righteousness. Peace. Joy in the Holy Ghost.
[59:38] That's the kingdom of God. In Revelation chapter 1, verse 9, he said that, I testify of the kingdom. Revelation chapter 1, verse 9. It talks about how he's a companion of the tribulation and the kingdom and the patience of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[59:53] And the verse 6 talks about how, in fact, one of the versions we use the word kings. But when you read, I think, the New American Standard Version, it uses, he has made us kingdom.
[60:06] Ooh! We are... Ooh! We are a kingdom of priests. We are a kingdom. kingdom. So Jesus took his time for six weeks explaining to them the things pertaining the kingdom, the things pertaining the church.
[60:23] If you are not a true member of the church, a true... When I say a member of the church, I'm not telling you your name is on the books, but Christ is living in you. You are not part of the kingdom of God. Except a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
[60:36] That is the focus of the church. The church is the kingdom of God. The only group of people on earth who have the life of God. They have the life of God and God is our rule.
[60:48] Don't you want to be a part of this kingdom? Don't you want to be a part of this kingdom? Some of the people hear kingdom, they're thinking United Kingdom or some kingdom somewhere. No, no, not that one.
[61:00] We are talking about a jurisdiction, a biological jurisdiction, not a geographical jurisdiction, a biological, intangible jurisdiction where God lives, lives and lives among his people.
[61:13] Did you receive something? Oh, come on, give Jesus a praise! Hallelujah! Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry.
[61:26] We pray you have been strengthened and enlightened. You can connect to David Entry on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear many more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Carriage Church app.
[61:42] Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed.