Snapshots of a New Creation (Part 1)

Today we are back in our sermon series in the Acts of the Apostles.

If you brought a Bible and you want to follow along, today we're in chapter 4 of the book of Acts.

If you would like a sermon outline, I'd be happy to give you one.

Just raise your hand, they'll hand you one.

You know, a pastor was greeting people after a worship service one Sunday morning and an elderly woman came up to him and said Pastor, that was a good sermon.

And the pastor said Well, I have to give credit to the Holy Spirit for that.

The woman replied it wasn't that good.

The woman replied it wasn't that good.

Well, listen, how can you tell when someone's words or life is a credit to the Holy Spirit?

That's what we're going to look at today in Acts, chapter 4.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

When the church was born, in the early chapters of Acts we see believers begin to behave and act as people who've been radically changed.

After they're filled with the Spirit, their changed lives become for us, a kind of pattern, a paradigm for us and those whose lives have been changed by Christ ever since.

That's what we want to look at.

We want to look at the facets of the early church that God brought to them and made them into to help us understand what God wants to do with us.

The Bible tells us that when we believe in Jesus, we become a new creation.

Believe in Jesus, we become a new creation.

What does a new creation look like?

Well, we get a glimpse of it in Acts, chapter 4 and 5.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Today we're only going to look at the first part.

Right after Peter and John were thrown into prison after healing the lame man, just look at zero in on one thing we see one mark of a changed life, of a new creation, of being filled with the Spirit.

If you want to follow along, I'm going to read the passage.

We've taken a week since we've been in here, so I'm going to just back up in Acts, chapter 4, beginning in verse 5, and read the passage we'll look at today.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

This is after Peter and John had healed the lame man, and the religious leaders in Israel were all upset.

So, chapter 4, verse 5,.

On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem and Annas, the high priest, was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were high priestly descent.

When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire by what power and what name have you done this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers and elders of the people, if we're on trial today for the benefit done to a sick man as to how this man has been made, well, let it be known to all of you, to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name, this man stands here before you in good health.

He's the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.

Now, as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply, but when they had ordered them to leave the council, they began to confer with one another, saying what shall we do with these men?

For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered and said to them whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God.

You be the judge.

We cannot stop speaking about what we've seen and heard, and when they have threatened them further, they let them go, finding no basis to punish them on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened, for the man was more than 40 years old, on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

The church is made up of individuals who have believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

When they believed, they were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.

It's the same Jesus, the same Holy Spirit, who's at work in our lives when we believe in him.

And we're going to look at four distinctive marks of believers in the early church who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who were born again, who were new creations.

These four things, I think, will help us learn how the Holy Spirit works in our lives today, and we're just going to look at the first one.

Today I tried to do all four of them in one sermon.

It's like probably three o'clock's too late so we're not going to do it, just the first one.

The first mark we see in the believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit is found in their response to trouble.

Now think about it.

I know, as I'm studying this, I'm thinking, as I track myself as a Christian, what has been my response when trouble hits my life?

Is there any sense in which the Holy Spirit is working in me and through me, manifesting power of God or grace of God or whatever?

Well, acts, chapter 4 begins a dramatic change in the lives of Christians and the lives of Christians in the church.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

In Acts, chapters 1 to 3, which we looked at, things are going fantastic for the church.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

Everything's going great, believed in Jesus, they're filled with the Holy Spirit and you know something like today, when people come to faith in Jesus and their eyes are open.

It's amazing.

They get it, they're filled with the Holy Spirit, they have unspeakable joy.

Acts 2, 46, 47, day by day, continuing with one mind in the temple and breaking bread from house to house.

They were taking their meals together with gladness, sincerity of heart, praising God, having favor with all the people, and the Lord was adding to their number day by day.

Those are being saved, wow, fantastic.

Being a Christian, you know some people I've led to the Lord over the years, you know.

One of the first signs is they're just filled with joy.

They get it.

Their eyes are open and then a few weeks later or months, they come to see me and they are very surprised that they've encountered trouble and things aren't so good.

What happened?

What errors, god you see, for those who first believe in Jesus in Acts were filled with the Holy Spirit.

It was an exciting time to be a Christian.

Oh man, they had favor with all the people.

3,000 people believed became part of the first church.

Then more and more were added as a result of Peter's second sermon in Acts 4.

5,000 men believed.

These were exciting times.

Everything was going fantastic, going well, everyone was praising God.

But then in Acts 4, peter and John are arrested.

Their lives are being threatened.

They're told not to preach Jesus anymore and suddenly being a Christian was not so much fun and games anymore.

This is a dramatic change right away for believers.

In the book of Acts it is here For the first time.

Some of these believers realized they actually might die for being a Christian.

Well, jesus actually told them and by them us too, that you know what we're going to experience tribulation and troubles in this world.

John 16, 33,.

Jesus said these things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace In the world.

You'll have tribulation, but take courage.

I've overcome the world.

Jesus also said to those disciples, and by that way to us as well those who follow him will encounter trouble and persecution.

John 15, 18 and 19.

If the world hates you, you know that it's hated me before.

It hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own, but because you're not of the world, I chose you out of the world.

Because of this, the world hates you.

Christians are not exempt from suffering and trouble and tribulation and persecution.

We're not exempt.

Sometimes we live like we think we should be, but we're not.

But because of the Holy Spirit's presence in us that changes everything.

When we hit trouble it does, and Paul goes as far as to say because of the Holy Spirit's presence, we're actually hard to get your head around.

We're actually able to exalt in and through our suffering how the Holy Spirit in us shows us a whole new dimension of life we did not see before knowing Jesus.

Listen to Romans 5, 3-5.

Paul says not only this.

We also exalt in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance, perseverance, proven character, proven character, hope.

Hope doesn't disappoint us.

You know why?

Because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

No matter what happens, we know God loves us.

His Spirit is telling us that every day it's the Holy Spirit who will give us power to respond to suffering, difficulty, trouble, amazingly, by joyfully praising God will give us power to respond to suffering, difficulty, trouble, amazingly, by joyfully praising God, which we'll see what these guys are doing next time.

When a believer encounters suffering of any sort, we know from the scripture that what's happening is our faith is being tested.

Boy, I could do a whole sermon on that.

Basically, it's a purifying, getting rid of the stuff that gets in our way of this intimate fellowship with the Lord.

It prunes and purifies us of that.

So our focus keeps coming back to the presence of God in our life.

Our faith is tested and what's interesting is, peter will point this out to believers later.

It's like using his own experience and knowledge.

Now let me tell you something.

In his first letter, 1 Peter 4, 12 to 13, peter says Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.

But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exultation.

Now, in Acts, chapter 4, these new believers' faith is being tested, and this is the first time we see the New Testament church face trouble and suffering and their response is noteworthy.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

It is noteworthy and a mark of a Christ-changed life that we see the first taste of this suffering leading to jail, possible death.

Peter and John don't get mad at God or quit.

They keep on serving consistently.

They keep look, let that ring.

They keep on serving Jesus.

That's the point for today.

Now we can go home, okay.

Peter and John are thrown into jail, possibly facing death.

Before releasing them, the rulers warned them, threatened them stop, stop preaching to Jesus.

In other words, just go home.

Stop serving Jesus this way.

He won't let you alone.

Here's how they responded.

We read it Acts 4, 19 and 20.

Peter and John answered whether it's right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God.

Well, you be the judge.

We cannot stop speaking about what we've seen and heard.

Persistent loyal service to Jesus is a mark of being filled with the Spirit, of being a new creation.

We keep going.

In fact, it's always been a mark of a redeemed believer, no matter what happens.

You know, in the book of Job it's about a believer named Job who loses almost everything Money, possessions, family, even his health.

At the very beginning of the book, setting us up for this, we get in a conversation between God and Satan and how God's commending Job for being a faithful servant.

He was a faithful servant of God like nobody else on earth.

And Satan comes back with accusing Job saying listen to me, god, do you think Job is serving you for nothing, just on the goodness of his heart?

Oh, hey, listen.

He's serving you because the benefits he gets from you it isn't costing Job anything to serve you.

You've surrounded his life with all kinds of great things, happiness and joy.

He's just using you.

You see, if you bring suffering into his life trouble I mean trouble into his life you'll then see his real motives for serving you.

You will then see his real motives for serving you All through 37 chapters of the book of Job.

Job is suffering.

He's being condemned by his friends.

He's lost everything, until God vindicates him in chapter 42, job is absolutely confused.

He doesn't get it.

What on earth is going on?

But he prays to God, he laments his situation to God, he argues with God about it.

He's maintaining his faith and his hope in God all this time, which means that his suffering did not drive him away from God.

It drove him to God deeper, stronger, intensifying his prayer life, which is what God wants to happen.

How's your prayer life?

I've noticed in my life my prayer life wasn't so great for years until trouble came.

Lord, I need thee every hour.

Oh, something has changed.

Oh, I'm praying now.

Yeah, the first mark of a Christ-changed life that we learn from these early believers in Jesus is that when our faith is tested through suffering or trouble, we will keep serving Jesus, no matter what.

It's a mark of the Holy Spirit to do that I mean seriously.

I know people.

I know Christians, pastor.

I know Christians, pastor, friends of mine over the years, who've quit because it got too hard.

Don't quit, I don't quit, I don't care what's happening.

If you believe in Jesus, his Holy Spirit resides in you.

He can give you what you need to overcome whatever through the power of his Spirit.

You know it's a mark of a Christ-changed life, because it's a mark of Christ who said in Mark 10.45, for even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Even the cross couldn't stop him.

Even torture, even death could not stop him.

Even torture, even death could not stop him.

Those who believe in Jesus receive God's Holy Spirit and become a new creation in God's sight.

Jesus could only describe that spiritual dynamic, that act, that event, by using an analogy of being born again, something brand new.

When the Holy Spirit enters your life, he radically changes you.

You're not the same person you were in God's eyes, why You've been given a new nature, why You've been given a new nature, god's nature living in you, a new spiritual presence and power the Holy Spirit gives you to manifest God himself to you.

Today we've seen one way In these early believers, one way he radically changed them, and that is when they hit trouble.

They serve God consistently.

Put me in jail, I'm still going to serve him.

Torture me, I'll still serve him.

You be the judge.

What do you want us to do?

What's pleasing to you or what pleases God?

They didn't get mad at God.

They didn't quit.

They glorified God and kept serving you know, the thing of it is, people are able to serve and pray and speak and give by their own willpower, but without the Holy Spirit they're just religious exercises.

With the Holy Spirit, there's an empowerment of God to have profound, mighty effects of God's abundant grace working in them and through them.

We need to remember that, that it's not of us that we're saved.

It's not of us, not our doing that somehow God gives us the strength and power to do what is pleasing.

It's him.

The Holy Spirit is a gift to everyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior.

As the Apostle Paul tells us, he enters our life when we believe and he seals us permanent.

God says you're mine now.

Whatever happens in your life, it's coming through, but I'm here, I'm there, I will always be there.

Ephesians 1,.

Paul says 13 and 14,.

In him, you also, after listening to the message of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you are sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of his glory.

If you've never done so, I invite you to believe in Jesus as your Savior, for the gift of God's spirit and eternal life, and for those of you, those of us who are currently facing trouble of any kind, those of us who are currently facing trouble of any kind.

Go to the Lord in prayer.

Hang on to Jesus and keep serving him.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you that you gave us your beloved son, jesus.

You gave us your son so we could become your sons and daughters.

Oh, father, we ask you to help us to learn from these early believers, as their radically changed lives affected people all around them.

Even these religious leaders were amazed at how they responded, how they talked, how they acted.

Please help us to learn from these early believers' response to suffering.

Help us give us the strength, the grace, to serve you faithfully, no matter what we face, so that all praise and honor and glory would go to Jesus, our Lord.

In his name I pray Amen.