Alright, we're there in Acts, Acts chapter 1, and look at verse number 8, it says,
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall
be witnesses unto me.
The title of the sermon tonight is witnesses unto Jesus, witnesses unto Jesus.
This power the Holy Spirit gives us is to be a witness unto Christ.
You know, if you've ever given somebody the gospel of Jesus Christ, you've demonstrated
the power of the Holy Ghost.
Where is the Holy Ghost?
Where is the Holy Spirit?
So, you know, if you're witnessing, that is the power of the Holy Ghost being utilised
through you to preach the gospel and seeing souls saved.
So witnesses unto Jesus, there's actually a lot contained in this chapter.
And so let's begin there in verse number 1, it says,
The former treaties have I made, O Theopolis, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
So we see the book of Acts was written to a man named Theopolis, okay, so this kind
of begins to tell us, or teach us as to who the writer of this book is.
And by the Acts that refers to the actions of the apostle, it's the action, you know,
I've heard it said it's the action book of the Bible.
And so we see that it was written specifically for Theopolis.
Now just very quickly, come with me to the book of Luke, keep your finger there, come
with me to Luke chapter 1, Luke chapter 1 and verse number 1.
Because it said there in Acts 1, the former treaties have I made of Theopolis.
So there is a former writing, there is another book that comes before the book of Acts and
we read about here this in Luke chapter 1 and verse number 1, Luke chapter 1 and verse
number 1.
Luke 1 begins with these words,
For as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those
things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which
from the beginning, sorry, were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seems good to
me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write
unto thee in order, O most excellent Theopolis.
All right.
So the book of Luke was written to O excellent Theopolis, okay.
And who's the writer of the book of Luke?
Luke.
Okay.
Luke, it continues in verse number 4.
This is why he wrote the book of Luke, that thou mightest know the certainty of those
things wherein thou has been instructed.
So Luke is teaching Theopolis, I want to know these things for certain, these are eyewitness
reports of Jesus and Luke writes there the epistle or the gospel, I suppose of the book
of Luke.
And so when we begin Acts chapter 1 verse 1, the former treaties have I made, O Theopolis,
when the former treaty was Luke and he's also again writing this to Theopolis.
So many times people will say, you know, that the book of Acts is like Luke part 2,
you know, Luke part 2, you know, the, the, you know, and it makes perfect sense.
If you read through the book of Luke and you begin the book of Acts, there's just like
this follow through exactly where one left off, the other one definitely continues.
Also if you're still there in Luke, come with me to Luke 24, come with me there to Luke
24.
So the last chapter of the book of Luke, just right at the end, look at verse number 50,
Luke 24 verse 150.
Let's have a look at how it ends there.
Luke 24, 50, it says, uh, and he led them, this is Jesus, and he led them out as far
as to Bethany and he lifted up his hands and bless them.
And it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into
heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually
in the temple, praising and blessing God.
Amen.
Luke 24 ends with Jesus Christ being taken away, carried up into heaven from their sites.
And so we then answer Acts chapter one.
And of course, one of the very first things that we're going to read about is Christ being
taken up in a cloud into the heavens.
So we're there in Acts one, come back with me to Acts chapter one and verse number two,
Acts chapter one.
So in case, you know, if you, in case you've, you've wondered why the people say the book
of Acts was written by Luke.
Now you know why.
Okay.
Uh, just by putting these things side by side, you can see that Luke has continued writing
to Theopolis, the book of Acts and in chapter, sorry, in verse number two, it says, sorry,
let me read verse number one again.
The former treatise have I made, O Theopolis, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach
until the day in which he was taken up.
So we, yeah, we just saw that, right?
That's what the former treatise, until Christ was taken up, of that through the Holy Ghost
had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.
So after that, now, now Theopolis, I'm telling you about the events after all of that, okay?
So this is the book of Acts to tell you all about the events after Christ was taken up.
Verse number three, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible
proofs being seen of them 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God.
So for 40 days after his resurrection from the dead, there were many infallible proofs
of his resurrection, that he was seen by so many of his apostles, so many of his disciples.
And so some of these things, of course, are recorded for us in the scriptures.
Verse number four, and being, sorry, verse number four, and being assembled together
with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but waits for the
promise of the Father, which saith here, He, ye have heard of me.
All right.
He says to them, you know, go into Jerusalem, which we saw they do at the end of Luke, right?
They saw Christ being taken up, and then they went into Jerusalem with joy.
So Jesus Christ told him to wait in Jerusalem, they should not depart from Jerusalem until
the promise of the Father, okay?
And we're going to read about what that promise is.
Verse number five.
So it says here, verse number five, for John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.
All right, so this is the promise, or the gift that's coming from the Father, the Holy
Ghost, okay, which they're going to be baptized with, not many days hence.
Hence means from here, not many days from here, hence from here, thence from there,
whence from where, in case you're wondering what that means in the Bible, okay?
So, so after they saw Christ being taken up in the cloud into heaven, Christ says,
go back to Jerusalem, wait there until the promise of the Father comes.
The baptism of the Holy Ghost, okay?
So far that makes sense.
I hope that makes sense so far.
I want you to remember some of these things because next week when we get to Acts chapter
two, we need to recall some of these things that we're hearing tonight.
Now before I keep reading, come with me to John chapter 20, keep your finger there, and
come with me to John chapter 20.
Because what I'm about to teach is, I think, I think, okay, I don't know, but I hear what
I teach is contrary to most independent Baptist churches.
Now I'm trying to show you, Christ says, wait to Jerusalem until you get baptized with the
Holy Ghost.
Okay, it's not going to be many days from hence, not many days from here.
So soon afterwards, they're going to be baptized by the Holy Ghost.
And I believe we read about that in Acts chapter two.
That kind of makes sense.
If we're Acts one, it's going to happen.
It's been 40 days of his appearance.
And then we have the day of Pentecost, that's 50 days afterwards, after the Passover.
So a few more days, 10 more days later on, they get baptized by the Holy Ghost.
All right, now, this is where it gets a little controversial amongst independent Baptists.
And to be honest with you, I don't know why it's controversial.
Now I can tell you why I think it's, I can tell you why I think it's controversial.
Because the independent Baptists many times are afraid to sound like charismatic or Pentecostals.
All right.
Like obviously, we both believe in the Holy Spirit of God.
You know, just not long ago, I was talking to a Pentecostal.
And they're like, oh, sorry, Baptist, so you guys don't really talk about the Holy Spirit.
I'm like, of course we do.
We just don't talk about it like you talk about it.
You know, what you talk about is another spirit.
I don't know what that spirit is.
When you talk to me about your Holy Spirit, I have no idea what you're talking about.
Because it's not what I read about in the Bible.
But you know, sometimes the Baptists are afraid.
And I believe Acts chapter two is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I don't think it's a big deal.
The word baptism just means to be immersed.
That's all it really means.
It's not like a churchy word.
It's just, it means immersion.
That's all it means.
Okay.
Baptizo is the Greek word for immersion in English.
And you know, as it was translated, I just went with the baptism name, the Baptized.
And so it's not necessarily this, you know, religious churchy word.
It just means to be immersed.
And I don't think, I don't think what I believe should be controversial, but some believe
it is.
But anyway, what most, at least again, in the circle of independent Baptist churches
that I've been part of, I can't, I can't name them all and all pastors, maybe some pastors
agree with me, I have no idea.
But they'll say that the moment you get saved as a believer, and we understand this, I agree
with this, you have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Ghost, they'll say, okay, which
I agree with.
And they'll often say that is also the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Now I've got a problem with that a little bit, okay.
I mean, I don't see the issue like really so much what this like, what this means.
But the thing is, he's saying to them, in some days hence, you know, in not many days
hence you're going to be baptized, okay.
So right now, the saved disciples, the saved apostles, do they have the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit within them already?
Or do they not?
Well this is why I wanted to read to you from Acts 20, look at Acts 20.
So Acts 20, sorry, John 20, sorry, John 20, okay.
So John 20 is after Christ resurrects from the dead, okay.
And in John 20, verse number 21, it says this, Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto
you, as my Father have sent me, even so send are you.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith to them, Receive ye the Holy
Ghost.
So when did his disciples receive the Holy Ghost?
Shortly after his resurrection.
So they have, do they have the Holy Ghost indwelling them right now?
Of course.
So when we get to Acts 1, Christ has already breathed on them the Holy Ghost, and now he's
telling them, in a few days, you're going to be baptized by the Holy Ghost.
So to me, being indwelt with the Holy Ghost, receiving the Holy Ghost, as a saved person,
I believe that happens for us as soon as we're saved.
We have the sealing of the Holy Ghost.
And being baptized by the Holy Spirit, or baptized by the Holy Ghost is something separate.
Yeah, I'd say, I'd say, I meant, I don't see any issue with that.
When I look at the Bible, Amen.
But some independent baptismists say that's heresy, which I don't understand.
I don't get it.
Like what?
It can't be any clearer out here, right?
Christ breathed on them the Holy Ghost, they've got it already in them, okay.
And again, the independent baptismists say, well, as soon as you have the Christ, Holy
Ghost living in you, you've been baptized, you've been immersed by the Holy Ghost.
And to say that being baptized by the Holy Ghost as a separate thing, that's what the
Charismatics teach.
And they do teach that.
They do teach about, just because they say it doesn't mean we should shy away from something
to me that is quite clear and obvious in the scriptures here.
Now I'll just tell you very quickly what I believe being baptized by the Holy Ghost is.
You know, when we have church service and we say, Lord, please fill us with the Holy
Spirit.
And as I got up to preach, I think, brother, you said, you know, Lord, I think you said
something like, you know, can you feel the past of your spirit as it comes to preach?
To me, that is, that equates to being baptized by the Holy Ghost.
Like I see no difference between those two things, because being baptized once again
just means to be immersed.
So to say to be filled with the Spirit, yeah, just immerse me with your Spirit, like, fill
me with your Spirit.
Whatever it is, like, you know, I'm fine either way that you, whatever language you
want to use.
So I don't see the issue, like, what's the big deal?
Like every independent Baptist church that I've ever been in, when the pastor gets up
to preach, I'll say something like, Lord, fill the preacher with the Holy Spirit.
And all I'm saying is, yeah, that's being baptized by the Holy Spirit.
And for some reason, none of that, that's got to be the moment you'll say, but no, it
cannot be.
If you look at the scriptures in chronological order like this, I don't see what the big
deal is.
They don't want to use the word being baptized by the Holy Spirit.
They just want to say, no, we can just say being filled with the Spirit, okay.
It's just a choice of words, but we still believe the same thing, that even after you're
saved, in order for us to be empowered to do something great for God, we ask God to
fill us with your Spirit.
So I don't see where the controversy lies.
I might be missing something from the equation.
Because I often ask people, I often ask pastors, like, what's the issue here?
And they can't really tell me.
It's like everything you're saying to me, I agree with.
So let's call it being baptized.
Oh, I can't do that.
Why?
Is it just you're afraid of the charismatics?
If that's it, then that's a stupid reason to not accept the scriptures as they're clearly
laid out here.
But anyway, I just want you to know that it is apparently controversial, even though I
believe pretty much the same as they do.
It's just a choice of words.
What do they call it?
Semantics.
But it's the same, like, we believe the same thing.
You don't like the way I want to use it, but I just want to use the words that God's got
in his Bible for us to use.
That's probably the best way to use the words, is to use the words that God has for us.
So I don't see what the controversy is.
Now come with me quickly to Acts 2, just to show you that in Acts chapter 2, this is on
the day of Pentecost, they're in Acts chapter 2, verse number 4.
So Christ already breathed the Holy Ghost on them.
And then in Acts chapter 2, verse number 4, not many days after he ascended to heaven,
it says, and they were all filled, in verse number 4, and they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
So when the Holy Spirit fuels them, and Christ says you're going to be baptised, they start
speaking in what?
Other tongues, other languages.
And Christ, as we're going to keep going through chapter 1, Christ, that power is to be a witness
unto him.
That power is to be able to preach the Gospel.
So Christ baptises them and powers them to be able to preach the Gospel and they've got
like this extra amount of power where they can actually speak in other languages and
preach in other languages.
That's pretty amazing.
Amazing.
But you know what, in order for us to be witnesses unto Christ, we need the same power.
We need to be baptised and we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit as well.
In fact, again, look at verse number 4, Acts 2, 4, and they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost.
So again, my Baptist brethren have no problem saying yet, you know, let's ask God to fill
us with the Holy Ghost.
But Christ just said you're going to be baptised with the Holy Ghost.
So being baptised with the Holy Ghost and being filled with the Holy Ghost, it's one
and the same thing.
What's the controversy?
I don't understand.
If someone understands the controversy later on, please explain to me further because I
still haven't got a clear answer from my Baptist friends.
But anyway, let's go back to Acts chapter 1, Acts chapter 1 and verse number 6.
So this is, verse number 6 is someone that's obsessed with the end times.
Christ is the kingdom coming out.
Christ is not for you to know.
I don't, look, people think I'm obsessed about the end times, but I'm not.
I'm not really.
I mean, when I preach the Bible and I forget to that, I'll preach on it.
I'm not going to avoid the topic, you guys.
I mean, I just recently preached through the book of Revelation, but I don't want to be
the kind of pastor that's just harping on about the end times.
And every time there's some development, some technological adventure, now we're closer
even.
I mean, we're closer every day.
We already know this by default.
Every day that goes by, we're a little closer to the end times.
But I'm not obsessed with every little technology, every new political movement in the world.
Did you know this war is breaking out and these people are joining these people and,
you know, Bitcoin might be the future mark of the beast and, you know, the vaccine that
was the mark of the beast and, you know, it's like people just, when's the kingdom
coming?
But I want you to notice Christ's response.
Verse number seven again, and he said, and said, it is not for you to know the times
or the seasons, which the Father had put in his own power.
Christ says, look, don't worry about it.
Don't worry about the times and the seasons.
So here's the thing.
We do have the writings of the scriptures and we do have references to times and seasons.
Okay?
But one thing Christ makes very clear in Matthew 24, you can read this in your own time.
He says, when ye shall see, when you shall see the abomination of desolation, that's
when we know we are in the end times.
And that takes place, guess what, halfway through the seven year period already.
That's what Christ says now, when you shall see the abomination of desolation, okay?
So I've shared with you that I hate the end times and I love the end times.
I love the Bible end times.
I love the promise of Christ coming.
I love the millennial reign.
I love the new heavens and new earth.
I can't wait to rule over the Sunshine Coast if that's the Lord's will for me.
But I also hate all these videos and documentaries and books and, you know, Blood Moon novels
and whatever, Left Behind books and, you know, Nicolas Cage and the Left Behind movies that
is made and the obsession.
And boy, if you want to grow a YouTube channel, just make it rule at the end times and you'll
get hundreds and thousands of subscribers.
And you're going to be like this guy.
Tell me about your kingdom.
Is it coming now?
Christ says, it's not for you to know.
But I love how Christ says these words, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons
which the Father had put in his own power.
So the Father has the power, okay, for this time to essentially commence, to start playing
out, all right?
But just in case, just in case you're like, okay, well that's a bit, Lord, I want to know,
but he draws our attention to verse number eight.
But ye shall receive power.
So don't worry about that power that's in the Father's hands on the end times and the
coming kingdom of Christ.
But you shall receive power.
You're not missing out on the power of God.
But this is our focus instead.
But ye shall receive power.
After that, the Holy Ghost has come upon you.
And ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, in all Judea and in Samaria and
unto the uttermost part of the earth.
What does the Lord want us to be focused on?
All the end times, it's all about to happen, hiding your bunkers and whatever it is, you
know, prep, you know, prep and get all your cans of food ready and your gardens all ready
because the Antichrist is coming for you.
No, he says, you know what, you focus on the power of the Holy Spirit and you go be witnesses
unto Jesus.
You be witnesses unto Christ.
That's our attention, our focus.
That's what our eyes should be upon.
So this is known as the Great Commission.
If you ever want to know what is the vision of New Life Baptist Church, it's the Great
Commission.
It's that we would be witnesses unto Christ.
And for us, yeah, we don't live in Jerusalem, but we live on the sunny coast.
I'll read verse 8 again, but you shall receive power and after that the Holy Ghost is upon
you.
It's the power of God.
You say, I don't have the courage, pastor, to preach the gospel to the lost.
Yeah, well, that's kind of true because the power comes from the Holy Spirit of God.
We can't do it in our own strength, but I want you to know, if you're saved, you have
that power.
You just ask the Holy Ghost, give me that power and it will give it to you and all of
us have the capacity, have the ability to go and preach the gospel and be a witness
unto Christ, all of us.
And not just on the sunny coast, it says in Jerusalem, that's like our sunny coast
and in all Judea, it's like Queensland or something like that, right?
I mean, we've not only gone soul-winning here on the sunny coast, we've gone soul-winning
in Caboolture, we've done some soul-winning in Brisbane, some of us have done soul-winning
on the Gold Coast and we've done soul-winning in other places.
And then it says in Judea and in Samaria, you know, some of us have done soul-winning
in Melbourne, right?
We've done some soul-winning in Perth, in Bridgetown, done some soul-winning in Sydney,
some of the Sydney Brethren at Blessed Hope, they've done soul-winning in Canberra.
It says unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Where else have we gone?
The Philippines, even this year, Fiji.
I want to get to Papua New Guinea eventually, if the Lord wills, if the Lord allows our
church and we're a small church and we've achieved a lot.
See this is our vision, you know, this is our vision to be able to be a witness unto
Jesus Christ.
In our Jerusalem, in our Samaria, into the uttermost part of the earth, maybe Port Macquarie,
is that where the Lord wants us to be witnesses, Port Macquarie?
To support a church there, maybe, pray about it, okay?
Think about it, pray about it hard, see if you're saying pastor, I'll be a witness in
Port Macquarie, let me know, I'll send you there, I'll send you there to help the brethren
get out there soul-winning, teach them, encourage them, guide them, instruct them.
We can be used, you know, utilized greatly and we have been utilized greatly by our Lord
God and the power that he's given us.
The power is not in the flesh, the power is in the Holy Spirit of God.
Where is the Holy Spirit?
It's right here in New Life Baptist Church, I'll tell you that.
Being a witness unto Christ, a hundred percent.
So this is the great commission, this is the goal of our church, this is the vision of
our church, these are the last words that Christ left us before he ascended up to heaven
because it says in verse number nine, and when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sights, and while they looked
steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in wide apparel, which
also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
I mean, I'd be like yeah, I mean, it's not every day you see a man go to heaven, in a
cloud, like a cloud comes and collects him I guess, and takes him up to heaven, I'd be
gazing into heaven as well, just like the meteor we saw earlier, like, well, that's
amazing, now I see a man going up to heaven, and then the angels that turn up, why do you
stand here gazing up to heaven, I'd be like, well, who wouldn't?
But this is why, it says, this Saint Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall
so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
So this is why, it's like, yeah, it's amazing, but even more amazing is Christ is going to
come back in like manner, in the same manner, in the same way that he was taken up in a
cloud, we're going to see Christ return in a cloud, and this is important, like, this
is important doctrinally, to understand that Christ's next coming is going to be in a cloud.
Now just for some references, keep your finger there and come with me to Revelation 1, please,
come with me to Revelation 1.
You know what, one of the strange things about the pre-tribulation rapture, the position,
they say it's a secret rapture, you know, it's like, you know, you go from seeing a
human being to just seeing their clothes on the ground, and they've disappeared out of
your sight, and Christ has come back so quick that nobody's going to see him, but the angels
here have said, why stand ye gazing up into heaven, this Saint Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
So if they saw him go into heaven, and he's going to do it in like manner when he returns,
aren't we going to see him as well?
That's the next coming of Christ, we're going to see him, but the pre-tribulation, no, no,
it's secret, nobody's going to see him.
It's so fast, you won't even see people get up, you know, go into the clouds to be with
Christ forever.
It's such lies, such garbage coming from the mouths of preachers these days, I don't know
why, I don't know why that's so important to just go contrary to the clear scriptures
and teach some nonsense about a pre-tribulation rapture.
But in Acts 1 verse 7, behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they
also which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him, even
so, Amen.
So this is why Christ's coming in the clouds is greater than us standing and gazing and
going to heaven, because it's just those witnesses that are around him that started going to
heaven, whereas when he returns, every eye shall see him, right?
His glorious coming is going to be amazing, like, you know, it cannot be missed by anybody.
Come with me to Revelation 14, Revelation 14 verse number 14, Revelation 14, 14.
So the Bible is consistent, they saw him go up into heaven, and every eye shall see him
and he returns in the clouds.
But then Revelation 14, 14 also gives us the chronology or the timeframe as to when he
returns on the cloud.
It says in Revelation 14, 14, and I looked and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud
once sat like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand
a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out of the temple crying of a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud,
thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest
of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
So of course this is symbolic, Christ has not actually got a sickle and going to reap
like in that sense, but the idea there is of course is that he's going to gather his
elects, you know, and we're going to be caught up together with him in the cloud.
We see then Revelation 14, 14 when that takes place.
And spoiler alert, it's after the tribulation by the way, just in case you don't know that.
And I'll just quickly read to you from Matthew 24, 30, and then shall appear the sign the
Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall
see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
So Christ comes back and he turns on the power, he turns on the glory, and he's coming back
in the clouds.
Next time Christ appears on this earth, he'll be in the clouds, okay.
So it's good doctrine that the angels are given, these men, I'm assuming they're angels,
these men in white apparel, you know, given great doctrine as to what the coming of Christ
will look like when he returns.
The secret rapture, invisible rapture, garbage, garbage in light of the doctrine that we learnt
from the angels here.
But back to Acts chapter 1 verse number 12, Acts 1 verse 12.
So they see Christ going into the clouds, Christ told them, go back to Jerusalem, don't
leave until you received, what was it again, the promise of the Father, the baptism of
the Holy Ghost.
Then it says in verse number 12, they returned, then returned they unto Jerusalem from the
mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.
And when they would come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter
and James and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the
son of Alphaeus and Simon Zelotes and Judas the brother of James.
So these are the 11 that are left, the 11 apostles.
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary
the mother of Jesus and with his brethren.
And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said, the number of names
together were about 120, all right.
So there's about 120 that have all seen Christ and they've stayed in Jerusalem waiting for
the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
What I like about this number and I've heard it preached before as well of course is that
Christ had thousands flock into his ministry.
Even one time Christ fed 4000 men, another time he fed 5000 men, thousands and thousands
and thousands followed after Christ in his ministry.
But how many are gathered together following the commands of Jesus Christ?
Only 120.
So when we go out soul winning and we preach the gospel and we're witnesses unto Christ
and people call upon them Lord and then you have others from other churches, other pastors
and other people say, where are they all?
If they were truly saved, where are they all?
Why aren't they gathered together in the assembly and the church?
You know, if you've seen 100 people saved, if you've seen 2000 people saved, why is your
church still numbered in the 50s or whatever it is?
You could say the same to Jesus.
Jesus, if you had thousands flock into you, you've seen thousands saved and come to you
as the Savior, why is there only 120?
Where are they all?
I guess your ministry didn't work, Jesus.
Where is the Holy Ghost?
Where is the Holy Spirit?
Jesus doesn't seem like it's working in your church.
It's garbage.
You know, most believers aren't going to go to church.
That's just how it is.
The fact that you're here at church, the fact that you guys are here in a midweek service,
you're like rare.
You're like, you're even stranger amongst believers.
And then if you go soul winning, man, you're even more weirder.
You're even more rare.
But of course, by more rare, you're also more valuable.
So I don't really care about the size of a church.
The fact that you guys turn up week in, week out, you're here for midweek service, you're
out, you know, we're ready to go soul winning, ready to preach the gospel.
You are very valuable church members.
Yeah, I'd rather have a church of 120 than the thousands that flocked after Christ.
Living a Christian life is not easy, actually.
You know, it's quite hard.
And what I mean by that is the world gets in the way.
The cares of the world, the temptations, the chasing of riches, whatever it is, these things
will always get in the way of most Christians' lives.
So the Lord wants us to be fruitful.
The Lord wants us to have the power of the Holy Ghost be witnesses unto him.
But please remember, you're always going to be the fewer of the believers that are actively
doing this.
You say, what's wrong with the other brethren?
It's just how it is.
It's just a reality even in times of Christ.
Most believers are just not going to get plugged in and get together with the apostles and
be empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.
So what am I up to guys?
Which verse?
Verse number 13, 14, oh wait, I read verse number 15 where it says 120.
So Peter gets up, you know, in front of the 120, there's men, women there, there's children,
you know, there's got to be, verse number 16, men and brethren, this scripture must
needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake concerning
Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us and had obtained part of this ministry.
Now this man, that's Judas, purchased the field with the reward of iniquity.
That's what the silver that he sold Jesus for.
And fallen headlong, he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out.
That's the end of Judas Iscariot.
He betrays Christ.
We know that after he betrayed Christ, he hung himself, okay.
But what we get in this reference is a little more detail.
Not only did he hang himself, you know, if you put these pieces together, it appears
that he's hanging failed.
Maybe the rope snapped, maybe the branch, whatever it is that he tried to hang himself
on, broke, he falls headlong, okay, and his bowels break open, you know, and I guess all
his guts come out, okay, on this field, and that's how Judas actually died.
That's how he ended his life.
Verse number 19.
And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem, in so much as that field is caught
in their proper tongue, that is to say the field of blood, for it is written in the book
of Psalms, let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his bishopric
let another take.
All right, so Peter begins to quote from the book of Psalms.
There in verse number 20, he's actually referencing two different Psalms, and he's
combining them together.
So let's have a look at those two different Psalms.
Keep your finger there in Acts 1, and come with me to Psalm 69.
Come with me to Psalm 69, okay.
Psalm 69, as you're turning there, we're gonna look at that first reference.
Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein.
That's what we're looking for.
And we find it in Psalm 69 and verse number 25.
Psalm 69 and verse number 25 reads, let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell
in their tents.
So we see the Psalm refers to their, plural, their habitation, their tents, again in plural,
but when Peter quoted it, he quoted it singular, and let his habitation be desolate, okay.
So what we learn in the Psalm is, of course the Psalm is a reference to Judas Iscariot,
but the Psalm itself has a much broader picture of other wicked men.
But then Peter takes this Psalm, and says this is actually speaking of Judas Iscariot.
Now let's read a little bit more in this Psalm, because there are different views about Judas
Iscariot, whether he was saved, or whether he was unsaved.
Now first of all, Jesus Christ calls him a devil, that should tell you enough.
I mean, not every unbeliever out there is a devil, okay.
If Christ is calling someone a devil, for me that tells me that man or that woman is
a reprobate, because they've been, they're part, they're a child of the devil, they belong
to the devil as far as, you know, the spiritual life is concerned.
Christ also says about Judas Iscariot, you know, you can look at this in your own time,
that he did not believe on Christ.
Now some would say, well, when he sold Christ for the 30 pieces of silver, he repented,
and so because he repented, then he got right with God finally, finally, you know, and he's,
we're definitely going to see him in heaven.
Well look at this Psalm, which is about Judas Iscariot, Psalm 69, verse number 25, let's
read it again, let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.
So this is saying that, essentially, for Judas Iscariot, you know, when talking about
his habitation, this can definitely talk about his house, talk about the building that he
lives in, but this is also a reference that we're going to soon look at, a reference to
his own family, okay, but he continues in verse number 26, for they persecute him, the
him that is Jesus, for they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, so God the Father
smote his son, but they persecute him, they persecute Jesus whom thou hast smitten, and
they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
Add iniquity unto their iniquity, look at this, and let them not come into thy righteousness.
Don't let him come into your righteousness.
This was reprobate, he's not going to receive ever the righteousness of God in his life,
and he continues in verse number 28, let them be blotted out of the book of the living,
and not be written with the righteous.
So blot him out of the book, and don't let him be written with the righteous, what does
that tell you about Judas Iscariot?
The man was never saved, he did not lose his salvation, he never got saved, the man was
never saved, he was never a believer in Christ, even though he repented of his sin, he was
not a believer in Christ.
It's our belief on Christ that saves us, not our repenting of our sins that save us.
If you're still trusting in your attempts to turn from your sin to be saved, you're
not written with the righteous.
You need to get saved, you need to trust Christ in him alone, and his sacrifice alone as the
payment for your sins.
Now the other reference is in Psalm 109, let's turn there, Psalm 109, now Peter quoted it
like this, and his bishopprick let another take.
That's talking about his position as an apostle.
Let another man take his position, because they were twelve, and now they're eleven,
and so Peter's saying hey, the fulfillment of this prophecy needs to take place now,
we need to fill the twelfth spot.
And he's quoting from Psalm 109 and verse number eight, it says, let his days be few,
and let another take his office.
So the Psalm refers to the bishopprick as his office.
So the office of, Judas Iscariot was the office of an apostle.
Let another take his office.
Now let's backtrack a little bit, let's go to verse number six in the same Psalm.
Let's read about Judas Iscariot a little bit more.
It says he has set thou a wicked man over him.
This could be a reference to the high priest giving instructions to Judas Iscariot how
he ought to go and betray Jesus, okay?
And then it says, and let Satan stand at his right hand.
We know that Satan even entered Judas Iscariot when he betrayed Christ.
And when he shall be judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer become sin.
Does that sound like the words talking about a saved man?
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned, let him be damned.
Look, we're not condemned, those that believe in Christ, the condemnation is passed from
us.
But they're saying about Judas, let him be condemned, and let his prayer become sin.
Verse number eight, let his days be few, which it was, he killed himself, and let another
take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
So Judas was married, had kids, his wife was left a widow, his children were left fatherless.
And you can continue reading the Psalm in your own time if you want to know more about
it, okay?
But I want to show you that Peter takes these two Psalms, Psalm 69, Psalm 109, and puts
them together, and he says, look, this needs to be fulfilled now.
We need another to take his office.
So let's go back to Acts chapter one, verse number 21, Acts chapter one, and verse number
21.
So to me it's clear, not just from the New Testament, it's clear also from the Old Testament
references to Judas, the man was never saved.
The man died in his sin and went to hell.
Verse 121, wherefore, so Peter continues talking, wherefore of these men which have accompanied
with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.
So he goes, all right, we need to find a man who's been with us all the time.
They've been with us throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Verse number 22, beginning from the baptism of John, until the same day that he was taken
up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
So we see the criteria to be named one of the twelve.
You must have been with us from the time of the baptism of John to the time that Christ
was ascended to heaven, and he must have seen Christ resurrected from the dead.
So these are the qualifications needed to be one of the twelve.
Verse number 23, and they appointed two, Joseph called Basabas, who was surnamed Justus, and
Matthias.
So they look at their 120 and they say, well there's two here that have been with us from
the very beginning, okay.
Now these two men were not apostles, they didn't have the office while Christ walked
this earth, but they're saying which of these two men should we appoint to the office of
an apostle.
Now I want to pause here for a moment and talk about another topic that gets brought
up a few times.
What happens, because I believe I'm a biblical ordained pastor, I've gone through the proper
processes, I've been proven not just in one church but in several churches, in my ministry
in service to the house of the Lord.
I have very big question marks about my sinning pastor, I don't believe he's saved, let's
put it that way.
So what happens then?
You're ordained by somebody that was not saved.
And then people sometimes ask, well what about if I got baptized by someone that was not
saved?
Well I mean that question can, that's like opening a can of worms in many ways.
I can start saying well, because I personally believe that churches start churches, and
churches start churches, churches start churches, pastors are the pastors, pastors are the pastors,
and there's got to be that lineage.
Well I was ordained by a pastor, a man who held an office, who was ordained by a pastor
who held the office, who was ordained by a pastor who held the office, who was ordained
by a pastor who, and then I don't know anymore about that, okay.
I didn't follow the whole lineage, you know, endless genealogies or anything like that.
So what happens?
Let's say I do have a lineage of pastors that are ordained and eventually got to me at some
point, and he goes back solid for a whole 200 years let's say, a solid 200 years ordained
of pastors, and church plants one after another, but let's say 200 years ago, some man self-ordained
himself, like ordained himself, you know, he did not follow the process, like he's in
the lineage, right?
Does that mean everyone for the past 200 years that have gone through that process is not
a biblical ordained man?
Does that mean all the churches that were started down that line are not biblical churches
of Christ?
Those are the kind of questions that we, people start to ask.
And I know, I know of good pastors that were ordained by the most horrible men, it comes
out later on, like not just on some beliefs, but just horrible, wicked, even murderers,
like you know, don't know about it at the time.
What happens then?
Does that mean the church is not legit?
Does that mean the office is not legit?
Well when someone asked me that question, I often point to them to Acts 1, and the very
first question I ask is, it's clear that Judas was not saved, a reprobate, and yet he was
ordained by Jesus, and his office is so legit that it's prophesied that someone else must
fulfil that role.
It's legit.
And look, I believe, you guys know I teach about having a clear conscience.
When I wanted to get ordained as a pastor, I did not go and look for, okay, which man
is not saved, which man could be a reprobate, which man denies the trinity, and he might
ordain me, and I'll serve the Lord.
Man, if that was my goal, that'd be a disaster.
I don't recommend doing anything crazy like that.
How hard, you know, having a clear conscience before God, with everything that you know
that's before you, right?
With what you see and the brief history that you can look into.
You know, if you can check the boxes, this is a legitimate church planted by a legitimate
church planted by a legitimate church, and this man holds an office that was ordained
by a legitimate man holding the office, that was ordained by a man that was legitimately
holding the office, that was ordained by a man that was legitimately holding the office,
and I go, alright, let's get behind this lineage, and you know, Lord willing, I might
be ordained, and we can start a church.
I go forth with a clear conscience with God, not knowing what damage there might be somewhere
in that line.
Does that mean that it all means nothing today?
No, of course not.
And this is the best example that I believe we have.
Judas's office was legitimate.
He went through the proper process.
He went through the proper channels, and brethren, the Bible tells us there are going to be wolves
in sheep's clothing, and sometimes they're going to pop up in the lineage of offices
and church planting, but as long as we've gone into this with a clear conscience before
God, we have a biblical principle, we continue anyway, even if we think a man is unsaved
in that lineage, the office is still legitimate.
Now if someone walks away and says, I really want to be a pastor, but Pastor Kevin won't
ordain me, I'm going to find the most wicked men out there to ordain me, you've missed
the point.
You've missed the point.
You've got to have a clear conscience before the Lord God.
And if you're ordained by a man, you find out later on, he was not even saved, okay,
but he held an office, okay, you had a clear conscience, you were saved, you were just
looking to get baptized and follow the instruction that God's laid out, and you see the pattern
that ordained men baptized people, and you've gone with a clear conscience, and you've done
that, and then five years later, you find out the person that baptized me was not saved,
do I need to get re-baptized?
Keep a clear conscience, and you don't need to.
But if it bothers you that much, I'll baptize you again, it's fine, I'd rather you just
not have the doubts in your mind and in your heart, but I'll just tell you, the second
time you get baptized to clear your conscience, doesn't really count, the first time counts.
As long as you're saved and you did the right process, then it's fine.
So I like Acts chapter one for this very reason, okay, Judas's office was legitimate, and Christ
gave it to him.
So that tells us, you know, where we can, you know, feel safe and secure, that even
if somewhere down the track we find out, there was some wicked false prophet, you know, in
the lineage that eventually got us in this, where we are, it doesn't really matter anyway.
Okay, we're here to serve and be witnesses unto the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now let's continue then verse number 24.
So they've got, uh, Basabas and they've got Matthias, and verse 24, and they prayed and
said, thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou
has chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas
by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place, and they gave forth their lots,
and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Alright, so sometimes people ask me, Pastor, who do you believe the 12th apostle is, who's
the one that took the office over Judas Iscariot?
You know, I'll just point you to Acts chapter 1, Matthias did.
Okay.
Now, let me share some other thoughts though.
The book of Acts is a history book, okay, I understand that, okay.
Now we see what Peter is doing, but what we don't have in this chapter is God telling
Peter, do this.
We just have a historical telling that Peter did this, okay.
Many times in the books, the history books of the Bible, people are going to do things
that might be correct, and they'll do things that are definitely not correct, alright.
For example, when the kings took multiple wives, you read about that in the Old Testament,
okay, you read about that in the history books, even though God in his law told the kings
not to multiply wives, they were to have one wife, marriage is one man and one woman.
God lays that out even for kings, and then you read in the history books, where kings
or people like Abraham and other, you know, great men of God had multiple wives, do we
then turn around and say then God must be okay with polygamy.
No, we don't say that.
We say no, God's law is true, it's one man, one woman, and these men did wrong to take
multiple wives.
Men do wrong all the time.
So the argument many times is, with Matthias and this selecting of him, is that, well,
we don't really know if God chose Matthias here, or if Peter's just doing his own thing,
and then usually those that have that point of view would say, well, I believe it was
Paul the apostle who became the 12th apostle, became the 12th disciple, he took on the office
that once belonged to Judas Iscariot.
And the argument might be, and I've heard different sort of points of view, the argument
might be, well, when you continue reading through the book of Acts, it's Paul that
becomes the main character of that book.
And we barely hear, we don't, in fact, we never hear from Matthias ever again.
And so the argument there is, well, see, Paul is the one that Christ chose, but Matthias
is the one that Peter chose, or the disciples chose.
And I kind of, I can always understand where people are coming from with those views.
But you know, not only is Matthias barely mentioned in the Bible, but you've also got
other men who are definitely part of the 12 that are barely mentioned, such as, what's
his name, Lebaius, or Thedaius was another name that he had, Lebaius, do you guys know
much about him?
He gets selected, but you don't know much more about him.
Simon the Canaanite, or Simon the Zealot, I mean, he's chosen, but you don't really
know much about him at all.
He's never really mentioned, you don't really know about his stories or what he gets up
to.
What about James?
Well, we know about James, yeah, but James, the son of Alphaeus, we don't really know
anything about him.
So sort of that position that, well, we barely know about Matthias, therefore, he's probably
not the one.
Yeah, but I can say other names of the other 12 apostles that we don't know anything about
really, except they were chosen to be one of the 12, and they're never mentioned really
ever again.
Like, you barely see them do anything in the scriptures.
So I don't think that's a very strong argument.
But I often talk about, you know, when we share different points of view, I often talk
about the importance of standing on what the clear scriptures teach.
And I know we all amend that, we all agree with that.
But again, in my, and I'm sorry if I offend anybody, I'm not really trying to offend anybody.
But in my journey, in my Christian journey, I sometimes find that a strong people can
sometimes stand on a position, not based on what the Bible clearly is saying, but rather
on a strong argument.
This is a strong argument, I can't find any problems with this argument, therefore I'm
going to stand on that position.
Which I understand, we all have minds, and we all need to reason and read and think and
compare and all this stuff and, and I get it, I do it too, I do it too.
But if I had to choose between a strong opinion, or what the Bible states, clearly states,
then I'm going to go with what the Bible clearly states.
So for example, here we see that Matthias is numbered with the eleven apostles.
That's what the Bible says, that's just, that's what it says, so I'm going to go with the
Bible states there.
Now if someone says, no, no, no, but it was Paul, okay, where in the Bible does it state
that he was numbered amongst the eleven?
Or where in the Bible does it say that he took the office that belonged to Judas Iscariot?
There are no references, there are no references at all, okay.
There are strong arguments, you can make a strong argument for it, but there are no references.
But Peter might be making a mistake here, okay, but we don't have any scriptures that
tell us that Peter was making a mistake here.
Again that's just another opinion, that he was making a mistake here, do you see?
So could he be making a mistake?
Yes.
Because we also don't have the Lord telling Peter, do this, alright, we also don't have
that as well.
So then we start to wonder, there are different positions out there, where am I going to stand?
Pastor when you preach and you teach and you think and you look at the scriptures, why
is it that you stand on certain areas rather than other areas?
Well then after hearing all the different points of view out there, I then need to make
a certain decision and I realise it can maybe not be 100% certain.
And so usually when the Bible is not 100% clear or 100% certain, I'm happy to not be
100% certain or 100% clear, like I'm satisfied.
And then when I get to heaven I can be 100% clear about that, when I ask Jesus Christ
those questions.
But if I had to lean toward one position or stand closer to one position over the other
in this scenario, I would look at what is written, he was chosen, Peter you could be
in the wrong, okay, I'm willing to be in the wrong with the 11 apostles and what the Holy
Spirit decided to pen down for us rather than be in the wrong and say it's Paul based on
a strong opinion.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
If I had to choose, where do I want to stand wrong before God with a clear conscience of
the pastor?
Will it be that I'm going to stand on someone's strong opinion?
Which could be correct.
But I'm just saying if there's an element of error and we're going to stand on that
strong opinion or would I rather just err with the apostles and here's what you wrote
in the scriptures the Lord, you never said this was the wrong thing to do, you know you
don't say that it was Paul that actually took the office rather than Matthias, you don't
have anywhere that says Peter was doing this incorrectly, then I'm just going to stand
there and say pastor what does it matter, it matters zero.
But sometimes for people it matters a lot and they get very passionate, no this is the
position, this is what's right and wrong and it's like I get where you're coming from but
I'm going to stand on what I can read and you don't need an opinion here, you can see
here that the apostles numbered Matthias with the eleven and they weren't rebuked for it
so I'm fine with it and the Holy Spirit decided to make that chapter one of the action book
of the Bible, the Holy Spirit decided to make that chapter one of the book of Acts.
So brethren witnesses unto Jesus was a title for the sermon today, there's a lot of doctrine,
there's a lot of great things that we can take out of Acts chapter one and I'm looking
forward to going through this book chapter by chapter with you but witnesses unto Christ
the great commission, if we're going to talk away with anything like don't worry about
what's not maybe not 100% clear, let's focus on what is clear, that the Lord Jesus Christ
has given us the power of the Holy Ghost that we can be witness unto him, witnesses preaching
the gospel, the good news of his death, burial, resurrection on the sunny coast in Sydney,
Port Macquarie God willing, Melbourne maybe in a few weeks brother we'll find out if people
are going, some last minute plans brethren if you're able to go to Melbourne let me know
and we want to be witnesses unto Christ, that's the power that he's given us, let's pray.