The third expository talk was on God's Word and its Proclamation.
At the heart of the church's ministry, the Spirit of God takes the Word of God to do the work of God - this is the only way; there is no other!
This is the Lord's Comission...
"... All authority on earth and in heaven has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20
Through His Empowering...
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." - Acts 1:8
As we saw in the apostolic outworking in the Jerusalem church, the Jerusalem church were devoted to the apostolic teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer (when faced with problems) etc. Even the scattering of the disciples due to persecution was followed by the Word of God being preached everywhere the disciples were scattered, leading to a missionary expansion. Paul's testimony recorded in Acts 20:17-35 illustrated two points: firstly that he did not hesitate to preach anything that would be helpful but taught publicly and from house to house; secondly, that even though Paul knew that hardships would meet him, he was committed to finish his task of testifying to the grace of God.
In the Inspired Commentary...
The disciples never stopped teaching and proclaiming the Word of God, the Gospel - this led to the Word of God spreading and growing in power, first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles; bolding and without hindrance, Paul preached the Gospel (end of Acts 28).
At the heart of the Gospel, it is...
The Word of the Cross...
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel - not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
And the Power of God to Save...
"But to those whom God has called... Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God" - 1 Corinthians 1:24
The Weak and Unimpressive People...
From 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, we can see that God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise... so that no one may boast, therefore... let him who boast, boast in the Lord!
Using Messengers who Demonstrated Gospel Characteristics...
From 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, we can see that Paul did not go to the Corinthian church with eloquence or superior wisdom, but rather, in weakness and in fear, with much trembling. His message and preaching, therefore, came with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit's power.
Showing that the Real Power and Wisdom Resides in the Hidden Work of the Holy Spirit...
"This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spirtual truths in spiritual words" - 1 Corinthians 2:13
In the Heart of the Hearers, it is...
A Realistic Assessment...
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." - Ephesians 2:1-2
A Realistic Methodology...
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:13
"... in His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." - 1 Peter 1:3
In Acts, we saw that Paul reasoned from the Scriptures. The Thessalonians examined the Scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true.
Therefore, to the believers, the Bible is central to everyday life!
At the heart of the matter...
"We must pay careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." - Hebrews 2:1
"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion." - Hebrews 3:7b-8a
Four important application questions remains to be asked in each and every one of us:
- Do we proclaim the Word of God as we should through the power of the Holy Spirit?
- Are we relying on human wisdom, or the Holy Spirit in us, when we share the Gospel?
- Are we thankful for the redemption through the blood of Christ, and examining the Scriptures to uncover truths?
- Are we paying attention to the Word of God which we have heard, not hardening our hearts, so that we do not drift away?
