Acts: The Gospel to the World (Part 1)

The Gospel of Christ-TGOC

“What must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30
It is this compelling question and the biblical answer that follows that we'll address in our study of Acts 13 through 16 today.
Get your Bible handy as we're going to study the word of God together.
In Acts chapter 13 the apostle Paul is now going to begin some of what we know of as his missionary tours or journeys to preach the gospel. In these initial first verses in Acts 13, God now separates these workers from the world to do the work of God. Notice Acts 13:2. The Scripture records, “As they minister to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said ‘Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I've called them.’” These men are specially selected by God to do that work. They're separated from the world to do the work of Almighty God.
Isn't that a perfect example for us as well? Aren't we separated to do the work of God? What are we separated from? We're separated from the world and its lust, and its desire, and its passion by the Holy Spirit's word to do God's work. That's what Christians are all about. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Be steadfast, immovable always abounding in the work
of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain.” Our mission, our work is to be separate, come out from among them, and ‘be ye separate’ says the Lord, 2 Corinthians 6:17-20. Jesus said it this way in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day, for night comes when no man works.” People work during the day- that's the idea. Jesus likened day until now to now an opportunity. We got to work while we can, because there's a time coming when we won't. The work that we do for God, how wonderful that is! Revelation 14:13 “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Yes says the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.” Let's be like these men. Let's separate ourselves with the mission to do the work of God and to put our trust in the Almighty.
Now as Paul continues in Acts chapter 13, he's going to go into the area of Antioch, which is a well-known mentioned area often in the Bible, and there he's going to preach the message of Jesus unto these people. It is a people who need to hear about the power of Christ, and the gospel, and that it's not the old law that we're living under. Notice the words of Acts 13:38-39 the apostle Paul says “Therefore let it be known to you brethren that through this man, through Jesus, is preached to you the forgiveness of sins. By Him everyone who believes is justified from all things which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.” This is the clarity of the message of the gospel “By Him, by Jesus, you can be forgiven of all things that Moses law could not forgive you of.”
A couple of powerful points that he drives home: Jesus is the Savior of the world. “You shall call His name Jesus. He'll save His people from their sins,” Matthew 1:19-21.He has the power to forgive and to take away the sins of the world. 1 Peter 2:24 “He Himself bore our sins in His own body upon the tree that we having died to sin might live for righteousness by whose stripes we are healed.” It's through His blood that we're saved.
A second a very important powerful principle is driven home: You can be justified through Jesus. Listen now, “By all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.” Could the Law of Moses forgive, remove sin? Hebrews 10:3-4 says “The blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin.” Thus the multitude of sacrifices, the multitude of animals that died the multitude of things that were done, all pointed toward and looked forward to Jesus. Now without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. We hear these words in Hebrews 10:12 and
contrast to all those Old Testament, sacrifices that could never take away sin. We hear these words, “But this man, Jesus, after He'd offered one sacrifice for sin forever sat down at the right hand of God.” One sacrifice, one time for everybody.
Contrast that with the multitude of sacrifices that could never take away sin. Jesus and the New Testament is God's way. Don't get me wrong, the Law of Moses was a Good Law according to Romans 7:12. It was a law designed to help the people. It's a law designed to point us to Christ. The Law of Moses is not a law all that can save. It's not the law that we're living under today. That law has died. I want you to listen to Hebrews chapter 8. I want you to notice this passage the Bible says these words in Hebrews 8:13 the Scripture says, “In that He,” that's God “says a new covenant.” He's made the first obsolete. Now what? “Is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” This is one of the clearest pictures to show that the Old Testament is not what Christians are living under today in that God said, “New covenant.” Jeremiah 31:31-34, He made the first obsolete.
Now I want you to think about that idea of obsolete. If you were to think of things that are obsolete, outdated, no longer useful, things that really are way in the past, what would you think of? Well here are some things I would think of: can you imagine now today using an old typewriter and the white out paper used to have the white out tape you have to use? How obsolete is that compared to a computer and the delete button on a on a keyboard? It's obsolete! Can you imagine today using an old rotary phone? Using the very first cell phone you had, or maybe think about this the very first computer you ever bought? Is that obsolete? Compared to ones today, it's a dinosaur! Compared to those today, you wouldn't dare try to use that!
Christianity is the way. The Old Testament is obsolete. Imagine riding around in a buggy pulled by horses today, or imagine going down to the creek and washing clothes on a washboard. Those things are obsolete. They're no longer useful. They're outdated. In that He said “A new covenant,” God made the first, the Old Testament, obsolete. We are not living under, we cannot be saved by, and the new covenant is what Christians are under today. I'm not under the 10 Commandments. I cannot keep nor break the 10 Commandments, because they're not given to me,
Deuteronomy 5:1-5. So what a powerful lesson that we learn from God's word and from the gospel!
Here now as Paul preaches this, how we need more people like the Gentiles who responded properly to that message. Notice Acts 13:42-44 the Bible says “So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that the these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” What a powerful impact the preaching of the gospel made on those people! How we've got to put our trust and hope in the word of God! If the gospel is God's power to save, and it is Romans 1:16, if God says preach the word 2 Timothy 4:2, and if that word is still living and powerful- then friend hearts that are receptive to it will obey and submit to the will of God. Our responsibility is simply to preach the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15.
As we turn to Acts chapter 14, Paul is now going to go to the regions of Iconium and Lystra. In about the first 18 verses this is a very idolatrous city, and Paul is going to go when to this idolatrous place. He's going to preach repentance from idolatry. He's going to preach about God being the creator of all things, and how God has truly given evidence of Himself that He is the one true and living God. How does he do that?
Look in Acts chapter 14, and I want you to notice what the Scripture says in verse number 17. Preaching to these idolaters about God he says, “Nevertheless He, God, did not leave Himself without witness in that He did good.” What did He do? “Gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Who takes care of the rain? Who takes care of the trees producing fruit? Who is it that gives us water and gives us food? God. The land that produces, the creeks that flow, the rivers that flowed with water, where does all that come from? You? Are you, are we making that? Are we making that happen? Of course not! Who did that? God! Therefore He's the creator of all things. These idols that you've got set up, they're not making it rain. They're not making the trees produce fruit. They're not providing for you and your family. And they knew those idols weren't doing anything. “But the true, living God did not leave Himself without witness.” The creator and His creation show He is the designer of
all things. When the Gentiles heard this, they loved the message. The Jews, they didn't want anything to do with it. In fact they're going to take Paul out of the city, and they're ultimately going to stone him for that message and for preaching the gospel. In fact I want you to know with notice what the Scripture says in Acts chapter 14 about Paul being stoned. When he is left outside the city for dead, and how that he arises to go in and preach the gospel. The Scripture says in verse 19 “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, dragged him out of the city supposing he was dead and Paul rises up.” We hear in verse 22 Paul said these words “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
Paul suffered; he was beaten .Yet he got up and continued to preach the gospel! Can you imagine that scene? This multitude, stoning Paul bloody and bruised and lying there looking dead? Why did he do all that? The power of the gospel had to be preached, and Paul really committed himself to following Jesus- no matter what.
Now as Paul does rise up, he goes on to preach the gospel. In one of the unique things that he does is found in Acts 14:23. The Bible records that ‘Paul went around and appointed elders in every city.’ Let's think about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ for a moment, and let's think about how God designed it. In the church we do not find a one person leadership. For example we don't find pastor, one pastor leading it. We don't find the Pope. We don't find someone else in authority doing that.
How did God design the church in the local organization and work of it? Well here's how: there were elders to be appointed, Titus 1:5, 1 Timothy 3:1 following they were to appoint elders in every city not only were that elders there is a plurality of them. Not one elder, but more than one a plurality to work together for a check and balance system. Then under elders there deacons, 1 Timothy 3:12 following you've got deacons being mentioned and their qualifications. We have elders who are overseers in a 1 Timothy 3:1 that's clearly mentioned as well as Acts 20:28 following, and then we have deacons who are designed to help with that work. And of course, all members work together-that's the design and organization of the church. But again, we don't see one person running the show. We don't see a pat one pastor. You never find a pastor in the Bible running
everything. There's a plurality of elders, deacons working under that all Christians working together to fulfill the work of God. That's the unique design, nature of the Lord's church and how God set things up.
Now in Acts chapter 15 things are going to take a unique turn as false doctrine is being taught and dealt with from the Scriptures. In Acts 15 there certain Jew, who are saying yes it's Christ, but is not Christ period It's Christ plus circumcision, and Christ plus some of the things in the old law-is it Christ alone or is it Christ plus these things? They have this hang up with circumcision, especially in the old law, and Peter is going to go in with the rest of the disciples. They're going to teach from the Scripture these things aren't right.
Now friend as we think about the book of Acts and some practical lessons from it, one of them is this: When false doctrine is being told, it must be dealt with from the Scriptures. You can’t allow false doctrine to go on in the congregation and think everything's going be okay. What if that doctrine was allowed to be taught and that doctrine was according not according to the will of God? That's going to jeopardize souls. If people are saying it's Christ plus circumcision and God doesn't say that, that's in violation of His will and that's not according to the will of God. And people are going to be lost over that. The Bible teaches we also must stand up and oppose false doctrine. Ephesians 5:11, we must expose the unfruitful works of darkness. Jude verse 3 we must contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. Peter preaches that the old law is no longer in effect. Not for the Gentiles, not for the Jews and it's not something that they can keep, we're under the new law. He says of that that law even we ourselves couldn't keep it. John word 1:17 says this “The law came there Moses grace and truth it's found in Christ Jesus.”
Now turning our attention to Acts 16- two more cases of conversion as we see throughout the book of Acts-that's what Acts is about: Conversion of those who want to submit to the will of God. The first one is a wonderful example the conversion of Lydia and her household.
Look in Acts 16:11. The Scripture records these words about this conversion “Therefore sailing from Troas,” this is Paul “we ran a straight course to Samothrace and the next day came to Neapolis and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. We
were staying in that city for some days, and on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the Riverside where prayer was customarily made, and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira who worships God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she begged us saying ‘If you judge me to be faithful to the Lord come to my house and stay.’ So she persuaded us.”
Isn't this a wonderful example? Lydia is already a woman who’s concerned about religious things on the Sabbath day. They're down at the river. These women where prayer's customarily made. Paul goes down there with the purpose and intent of preaching the gospel. How did that message affect Lydia? Here's what the Bible says “the Lord opened her heart.” How? “By the things spoken.” Psalm 119:130 the Scripture says “The word of God gives entrance.” When Paul preached the gospel, her heart was opened. She saw the message to be true. Do you remember Acts 2:37? “They were pricked in their hearts.” The message reached into their heart as well. Their heart was receptive to the gospel. This isn't saying that somehow God forced His way into her heart. She chose to make that decision, and the power of the message opened her heart because her heart was receptive to the gospel. So she heard it; she believed it. No doubt she's willing to acknowledge wrongs in her life and confess Jesus as Lord.
What else happened in conversion of Lydia? Lydia and her household were baptized. Every account we see the importance of baptism being emphasized. Just like in Acts chapter 2, they repented and were baptized for the remission of their sins. Just like Saul of Tarsus who was told ‘Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins,’ just like the Ethiopian eunuch, just like Cornelius, and every example we learn the importance of being baptized. Lydia and her household were baptized.
Now sometimes people will come to this context to come to this verse, and they'll say ‘Well because her whole household was baptized that teaches infants were baptized.’ Number one: you can't prove her household included infants. Then of course you've got to factor in the rest of the plan of salvation has been consistent with the rest of the plan of
salvation. If I'm going to say infants were there, there's a big problem because here's what we know: A person must hear the word, understand it, acknowledge it, put the facts together- can an infant do that? A person must believe in Jesus. Does the infant have the ability to do that? A person must repent. What's an infant going to repent of? A person must confess Jesus as Lord and Christ. Infant can't meet those requirements; therefore we're not talking about proof here for infant baptism. It was those who were there with her, who were of an accountable age that needed to obey the gospel. Not only was she persuaded, those who were of a good heart that were with her were persuaded also.
Now the final example in conversions: Acts 16:25-34, we've got the conversion of the Philippian jailer. Paul and Barnabas or Paul and Silas are put in prison. While they're in prison, God works with the miraculous and opens the door of the prison. The jailer awakes. He realizes that maybe the prisoners have escaped. He's about to kill himself, and takes his own sword and is about to kill himself. Paul says “Do yourself no harm. We're all we are all here,” and upon the heels of that great statement the greatest question ever comes that ever is ever asked comes: “Sir what must I do to be saved?” Let's notice the answer to that. Look in your Bible in Acts 16:31 the Scripture says “So they said ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to them and to all who were in the house, and he took them the same hour of the night washed their stripes. Immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into the house, he set food before them. He rejoiced having believed in God with all his household.”
What'd they have to do to be saved? “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you and your household and you will be saved.” Now what does it mean to believe in Jesus? Well they could not believe in Him at that point there some things that had to be done to believe in Christ. First they had heard the word of God. They preached the message to them. This man hears that message, and he believes it. He is willing to repent. He washes the stripes that were laid on these men. He may have even been involved in that. Then he and his household were baptized. The Scripture says after they'd heard the word, believed in Jesus, repent no doubt acknowledged Him as Savior, and are baptized. Then the Scripture says “They believed in Him.” They rejoiced having believed in Jesus.
What does it mean to believe in Christ? Friend belief in the Bible is never just accepting a fact mentally. Belief is always an action. You read Hebrews chapter 11 “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they'd encircled.” Every time “by faith” occurs there is an action word that shows their faith or belief in God. The same is true in the Bible. Belief is never just mental assent alone; belief means we're willing to do the things that God has told us to do to be saved.
And so that great question is asked, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” As we think about the power of that question and the need to answer it correctly, let's realize this-listen very carefully now-the most important thing that you have right now is your soul. One day you're going to leave this old body behind, but your soul is going to live on forever. It's going to return to God who gave it, and God according those who've obeyed the gospel or not will separate them into eternal righteousness or eternal glory or into eternal torment. Jesus said it this way in Mark 8:36-37 “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
We ask you today to consider seriously, are you making your soul your number one priority? If you gained everything in the world and went to hell, what good would that be on the Day of Judgment? If you say to the Lord ‘You know maybe I really didn't live right, but I've got all this stuff right here.’ Can't give anything in exchange for your soul. Let's realize the importance of our soul friend.
If you haven't had your spirit, your soul cleansed by the blood of Jesus, we're begging you to do that today. Won't you do what they did? In every account of conversion in the book of Acts, didn’t they hear the powerful message? Jesus is Lord and Christ. He's the Savior of the world. Salvation cannot be had outside His name. They believe that. They commit to it with all their heart. “If you believe with all your heart you may,” Acts 8:34-37.
Are you willing to repent and turn again that your sins may be blotted out, Acts 3:19? Would you stop doing the wrong in your life, turn to God, and start doing the right? Would you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior? The Ethiopian eunuch said it this way “I believe Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God.”
If you believe that friend, would you to get into Christ and have every sin and wrong washed away? Be immersed into His name for the forgiveness of sins. Listen to the first gospel sermon and the response to it. Acts 2:37 says they're cut to the heart; and they cried out ‘Men and brethren what shall we do?’
The answer was this “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.” If you've never obeyed the gospel friend, more than anything we're pleading with you today. Won't you become a Christian and answer that question ‘What must I do to be saved?’ just like they did in the New Testament? That's our hope, and that's our plea.
Please continue this study with us as we think more about the book of Acts next time.
Study Questions for: “Acts: Lesson 4”
1. What question is asked in Acts 16:30?
2. According to Acts 13:2, who selected the men?
3. According to 1 Corinthians 15:58, what must we do? Why?
4. When should we “work” according to John 9:4?
5. What does Revelation 14:13 say of the ones who die in the Lord?
6. According to Acts 13:38-39, how was this different from Moses’ Law?
7. According to Matthew 1:19-21, what will He do for His people?
8. According to Hebrews 8:13, what did He make obsolete?
9. In Acts 14:23 what did Paul appoint in the cities?
10. According to Ephesians 5:11, what must be exposed?