Current Sermon Series: Acts 1:6-8

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,  2  until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.  3  He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.  4  And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6  So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"  7  He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  

The Work of Christ at Pentecost (vv.6-8)

The disciples appear to meet together in Jerusalem. 

6  So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" [Wait, what!? They are still unclear about the relationship of the church to the nation of Israel. It is true that the flourishing of God's people is central to the kingdom. But it is not true that that people exist in the mode of the nation of Israel. They are still thinking in terms of Old Covenant realities. And honestly, it's hard not to blame them. The Old Covenant is all they've ever known.

You and I do the same thing. We slip back into old ways of thinking. Or we presume worldly ways of thinking now in Christ. How often do you do that? How often to you import old values, old desires, into your walk with Christ?

But, the apostles certainly missed all Jesus' points in Matthew 21-25 about the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel is gone as God's people. Sure, the nation as a state still existed, but soon it wouldn’t. By A.D. 70 it would be crushed by the Romans, which Jesus prophesied in Matthew 25. But the church has emanated out from National Israel. It was always there, and now has been brought out. And the church - not the nation - is the fullest expression of Jesus' Bride. We are not waiting for God to fulfill specific promises to modern day Jerusalem. There are not promises just to ethnic or national Israel. The nation that was created in 1948, and who is in the middle of a war right now, is not the object of Yahweh's love. You (the church; the bride of Christ) are. And therefore, any church prayer or message that still treats modern Israel as the special people of God is wrong. Any churches that wave the Israelite flag, any Christian movements that prioritize Israel for theological reasons, are twisting Scripture. It's one thing to be pro-self defense for any nation. It's one thing to be pro-democracy in a nation. It's one thing to support a national ally. Those are all issues for people in all societies to have differences of opinion on. But it's another thing entirely for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to declare the nation of Israel is still the Beloved of God. That theology within Christianity is called Dispensationalism. Within Judaism its called … Zionism. And Dispensationalism has only been around for about 140 years old. It's a belief, that though Jesus has already come to fulfill the Old Testament, that ultimately God wants to create a greater temple in Jerusalem and go back to the Old Testament ceremonial system. But that would be a denial of Jesus' fulfilling them. It's concluding the same wrong assumption that the apostles have here. And Jesus rebukes them.]  7  He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons [First, their assumption is wrong. Second, there will be a restoration of Israel, but as the prophet Joel showed us in prior sermons it will include the ingathering of the Gentiles. But, what God will do when he sees fit is not for them to know. And it's not for us to know. The secret things belong to the Lord. Only that which has been revealed to us in Scripture is ours (Deuteronomy 29:29). None of us know, when the total restoration of the God's people will occur. And that's why it's silly and sinful for these false teachers to arise every once in a while to declare the timing of Jesus' return. Jesus is applying Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

We don't live by God's secret will. That's why it's silly to presume to know, or live by, whether or not you're living in "the will of God." If by that you mean, "am I doing what he has commanded"? That's an excellent question! And it may be answered by a basic exposition of God's Word according to the agenda of the gospel. But, if by that you mean, "am I walking with secret knowledge about the providence of God for my life?" The answer to that will always be, “that's not for you know." Stop prying.

We live by the commanded Word alone. The restoration is] that [which] the Father has fixed by his own authority. [So, that's not to be our focus as the church. What then is?] 8  But [instead of living by secret knowledge, or by Old Covenant ideas …] you [the church] will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, [He's talking about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; the third person of the Trinity. This occurs in the very next chapter. THAT’s what the apostles and the 120 are to be occupied by. They are to be focused on the right power wielded in their hearts and souls by the Spirit. They are to be focused on another wonderful work of Christ: the Spirit’s abiding, tabernacling, and empowering the church to die to its sin, to create a redeemed community, and to share and spread the gospel. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to do the Great Commission.

This is why before every worship service, every sermon, every Bible study, every family devotion, we ask God, and ask the Holy Spirit, for equipping to understand the Word, and for power to share the good news with others.

If you're focused on the secret knowledge of God - you're in the wrong. If you're focused on worldly, carnal delight - you're in the wrong. If you're focused on Old Testament ideals - you're missing it. If you're mis-identifying your desires for kingdom desires - there's no power or grace from God for that. If you're focused on building your own little kingdom - that's not why you're indwelt by the Spirit. The outpouring of the Spirit is not for the individuals of the church to become the best version of themselves that they can be. No.

The out-pouring of the Spirit is so that … ] you will be my witnesses [The church now will be the arms and feet of Jesus' kingdom.

I have a question. When was the last time you were a witness for Christ? When was the last time you talked about the theology, ethics, or text of Scripture with someone else? Have you ever discipled anyone? That's not just my job. It's all our jobs. When was the last time you talked about Jesus with an unbeliever? Do you even know people outside the faith? Or are you confusing your self-righteous life with being a witness? Or, how many of you by your clear sin, are compromising your witness? How many of you, if your co-workers were to be asked, if you're a Christian, they'd be shocked that the answer is yes? You are not here for you. You are not here even for your family. You are here, and your family is here, to serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He lived for your righteousness, died for your sin, resurrected to give you new life, sent his Spirit to indwell you and empower you. Why? To live a West Mobile suburban life; to live comfortably? No. To be his witnesses! Not sharing your testimony, per se, though you may. But sharing Jesus' testimony.

Where?] in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." [Now in some sense v.8 actually give us the outline of the book of Acts. Chapters 1- 8 are focused solely in Jerusalem. Chapters 8-10 focus on the gospel going to Judea and Samaria. And Chapters 11-28 showcase the gospel going to "the ends of the earth," even before the mighty Caesar. But more than that, this text is oftentimes improperly used today.

Many churches will count themselves metaphorically as "Jerusalem," and their missions will be to Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts. And that is how they will minister. Except, it misunderstands one central reality. Our churches are not Jerusalem. We are "the uttermost parts of the world." We are the Gentiles, even though now we are the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

But still the basic point is to go: go to your families, your friends, your co-workers, to the park, to your neighbors, share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ great work at Pentecost is to send his Holy Spirit to make you part of the church, equip for ministry, and to make you function as salt and light. But I wonder how many of us are functionally hyper-Calvinists. We don't share the good news because "that's not our personality," "that's not my gifting," "I don't have opportunity." You're sinning against Christ and the Holy Spirit; you're rejecting the purpose of the outpouring of the Spirit; if you're living for yourself, and you're unwilling to pour into others, or talk about the gospel with others. Instead, Christ frees you from such things. He will forgive you, and empower you by his Holy Spirit to live for his Kingdom glory. Hallelujah!]

Introducing: the Doctrines of Grace (or, the Five Points of Calvinism)

The Five Points of Calvinism in History and Personally:

The Five Points of Calvinism are historically and personally controversial. Historically, they are a response to the Five Points of Arminianism. The Five Points of Arminianism are named after Jacob Arminius, a Dutch Pastor and Theologian in the mid-1500's to the early 1600's. Some people have accused me of being a direct descendant of good ole Arminius (pictured below). But I promise, though we look alike, I am not.

Jacob Arminius

Those who identified with his system of theology are called "Arminians." (No, this is not the same label as the people from the country Armenia.) This is quite important today. While American evangelicalism was originally Calvinistic, today it is not, but Arminian. In fact, most American evangelical churches today teach the Arminian system of doctrine. For instance, if you believe the natural person, though a sinner, can still reach out to God in faith, unassisted by God, then, whether you knew it or not, you are Arminian in your thinking.

The Arminians and the Reformed were both Dutch. In fact, at the time, they were both apart of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Arminians were publicly antagonistic to the Reformed Theology being taught in Geneva and in the Netherlands. So they published the Five Points of Remonstrance, or "ardent protest". The Reformed Church responded publicly. They held a gathering of their church court at Dordrecht to answer these five doctrines point for point. And [drum roll please] the Five Points of Calvinism were born. The name of that Synod was the Synod of Dort. So, the Five Points of Calvinism, or the Doctrines of Grace, were a reaction to false teaching.

However, some have objected to the name "Calvinism." And I don’t mind the objection. It's not unlike the difference between "Calvinism" and "Reformed Theology." When your average Southerner hears the category "Calvinism" many respond as though you just said a cuss word. But, when you say "Reformed Theology" they are shockingly open. Maybe because "Reformed" and even "the Protestant Reformation" hasn't been taught in our churches in a long time. Maybe because the "Calvinism" well has been poisoned by opposing pastors for a long time. Or maybe, it is genuinely the name. And, the name does matter. It's unfortunate that the Five Points were named after John Calvin, a French pastor and theologian in the early to mid-1500's.

John Calvin

I highly doubt Calvin would have appreciated the name. But, it isn't named after him per se, but the system of theological thought attributed to him. If anything, Calvinism strives, using the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and the method of expository teaching, to be clearly biblical. Sola Scriptura is a mantra of the Reformation calling for the church to find its ultimate authority for any doctrine or practice in "The Scriptures Alone," hence Sola (Alone) Scriptura (the Bible). Further, expository teaching naturally flowed out of Sola Scriptura. If the Bible is our ultimate authority for any doctrine or practice, then the church should stick close to the text going verse by verse, chapter by chapter, through the Bible. This doctrine Calvin unapologetically taught. And this method of teaching is throughout his commentaries and his books. However, Jacob Arminius was three years old when Calvin died. So, Calvin wasn't even alive for the controversy, let alone the pithy response of the Five Points. The Synod of Dort was held from 1618-1619. But Calvin died in 1564, more than fifty years before. But still, he wouldn't have liked the Five Points named after him. And I personally don't mind the Reformed Church apologizing for the reference. We should not be naming movements or doctrines after sinful men. Yet, these five points of biblical doctrine are and will still be referenced as "the Five Point of Calvinism," or "the Doctrines of Grace."

Personally, these doctrines are both so biblical and so contrary to our flesh that many Christians reject the headings and the content. In fact, some just irrationally respond with vitriol to the headings. You’ll see more all the heading in future blogposts. Oddly enough when presented with the content from the Bible, but without the headings, many Christians will see just how eminently biblical the Five Points of Calvinism are. But, when you reinsert the headings … the fangs come out. However, I'm confident that the Holy Spirit working through the plain teaching of his Word, will actually show you the vast storehouses of comfort that come, not just by the doctrine, but when we see the connections of these doctrines to our living and reigning Savior, His Father in Heaven, and the Spirit who abides in us. In following posts, I will personally strive to show how each doctrine relates to your relationship with each person of the Trinity and the gospel.

In Christ, and with you all,

Rev. Joshua Sparkman

Christ Presbyterian Church (2131 Cody Road S.)

cpcmobile.com

Introducing the Reformation Mobile Blog

Welcome to Reformation Mobile, the blog. This blog is a public ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church to Mobile, Alabama. The address of Christ Presbyterian Church is 2131 Cody Road S Mobile, AL 36695.

We are a PCA church. PCA stands for "Presbyterian Church in America." The PCA is the largest and most theologically conservative Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in the U.S. today. You may recognize names like Kevin DeYoung, R.C. Sproul, D. James Kennedy, James Montgomery Boice, Francis Shaeffer, Ligon Duncan, and Tim Keller. All those men have all been, or are, prominent voices of our denomination.

R.C. Sproul

Christ Presbyterian and the PCA hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith and its Catechisms. The confession does not sit over Scripture, but guards the church like a guard rail on the road from the many false teachings we see today.

We are therefore a self-consciously Reformed and Presbyterian ministry. What does that mean? It means we will be characterized by particular biblical categories. First, we are committed to Expository Teaching and Preaching (2 Timothy 4:2 ). That means we will open up God's holy (Psalm 19:7-9), inerrant (John 17:17) Word, and make sure the lessons and sermons we present are indeed the main point of the text (Psalm 119:105).

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Second, in our teaching and preaching, as we go through the text of Scripture, we are also dedicated to presenting Christ's life, death, and resurrection as the fulfillment of any text (Luke 24:27),

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."

and how its applicable to you (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  (17)  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

This is an aspect of teaching and preaching many ministries entirely skip. And it oftentimes ends up in a legalistic message. Legalism is either that the message is basically works righteousness ("try harder", "do better"), or where the grace is so removed from God's command that it appears to teaching salvation, or the Christian life, is based on our works. Jesus warns repeatedly about legalism. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about your works for him, but about the good news of Jesus' works of righteousness for you before God. Third, we believe in what is called the Regulative Principle of Worship. That means we may worship the Triune God only in the ways he has determined for gathered worship, in his Word (1 Chronicles 13:5-15 & Numbers 3:1-4). Our Triune God has not left us to our sinful imaginations as to how to worship him. That means you will not find smoke machines, nor obstacle courses, nor Santa, in worship here. But you will find a call to worship (Psalm 149:1-2), confession of sin (Leviticus 5:5 and Romans 10:10), singing of tradition and new hymns and biblical songs (Colossians 3:16), sound preaching and instruction in the gospel, theology, and life, and the sacraments of baptism (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:42). It should be unmistakably clear that we worship King Jesus, not a political party, a football team, or aspects of our culture. Fourth, we are elder-led. The pastor does not run "the show." In fact, there is no show. No gimmicks. The pastor and elders work together, submitting to God's Word and the agenda of Christ laid down in the Scriptures (as seen in Acts 15). We believe elders may be only biblically qualified, and grace-qualified, men. We will therefore not have tons and tons of staff and pastors. But regular, local men, who have been set part by God with graces and gifts, and trained, to disciple the Lord's sheep. This means we hold to the Doctrines of Grace. We believe that in and of ourselves (without God) we are sinners, deserving of his wrath, and thoroughly rebellious (Genesis 6:5), dead in our trespasses and sins, and cannot save ourselves by any works, let alone by our good works (Philippians 3:1-14). We believe Christ's redemptive work of living for our righteousness and dying for our sins is the alone grounds of our salvation (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). He also died only for his own people (John 10:27-28). We believe God's choosing of the sinner is what led the sinner to choosing God (Ephesians 1:4 & 1 John 4:19). And we believe that all those whom the Lord has saved will indeed be those saved when He returns in glory (Philippians 1:6). Lastly, you will be taught historic Protestant and Reformed doctrine clearly from the Word. We will not appeal to gurus, and popes. But we will strive to bring forth the clear teaching of the text of Scripture as we think it necessarily leads to Protestant and Reformation theology.

We are starting this blog so that we can make available good content for Mobile, Alabama. We want to help anyone navigate the intersection of the faith in the Bible, Theology, Culture, and Life in Mobile, Alabama. We will address things singles, parents, and grandparents need to hear. And we will strive to do it from a gracious, biblical worldview, that honors God in his holiness and in his mercy. We hope you are edified by this content. Come join us in worship every Sunday @ 10:15 (2131 Cody Road S. Mobile, AL 36695).

 

In Christ, and with you all,

to the Glory of God alone!

Pastor Josh Sparkman