Acts 1:8
August 19, 2018 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction (Acts 1:8)
A. Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
B. God has given to every believer FIVE things:
1. His Son (John 3:16) – that is your salvation
2. His Spirit – that is His presence
3. Power (2Timothy 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
4. A Commission – a job to do as a Christian
5. A Goal – four regions all at the same time
a. Our Jerusalem
b. Our Judea
c. Our Samaria
d. And the entire rest of the world to the very last island and corner
e. That is a LOT of ground to cover
C. The First Century Christians did it!
1. Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
2. Colossians 1:4-6 – into ALL the world!
D. No one is exempt today
1. Use different means
2. But all people, everywhere must be witnessed to – told what you know and have experienced!
II. Message
A. Every Person Needs the Gospel - The Gospel is for All Peoples
1. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
3. Luke 24:46 -49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
4. That includes
a. The Religious and very devout (Acts 17:17)
b. And the highly educated and “civilised” (Acts 17:18-23)
c. The Pagans. Jonah 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
1) The heathen – uncivilised – drink cow’s blood, and worship idols of stone and wood
2) The Jews have always had a problem with this concept
3) NEVER went outside their borders to tell anyone about the God of Abraham
d. The Rejecters. (Mar 10:21,22) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
1) Christians have the same problem as the Jews did – why spend so much time working on people who don’t want to hear – because Christ died for THEM. (2Co 5:14,15) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
2) It is wonderful talking to God fearing people about the Gospel – really easy to win them to faith in Christ
3) But atheists and agnostics will not agree easily
e. And especially on the ones that others have given up on – hopeless
1) Matthew 9:9
2) Romans 5:20
5. Every Person Needs the Gospel - The Gospel is not just the easy to talk to
B. Every CULTURE needs the Gospel
1. What is culture? Culture is the way a particular group of people sees life. It includes their use of language, their religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.
2. Don’t start to think some places are “pretty good” and pretty moral
3. Every culture without God is dark. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
4. Why?
a. Because without Bible preaching – without God-ordained right and wrong - man’s culture is dark – full stop (John 1:1-5)
b. Without hard, strong, Bible preaching, and godly Christian living, the culture is wicked – just hidden!
c. 1Peter 4:3,4 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will (WAY) of the Gentiles, when we walked (LIVED) in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5. Every culture needs Bible preaching and teaching churches that build a strong foundation for a right kind of culture
a. Including the Irish culture – all the drink, and now drugs, and anger against God