June 2012

pastor's page

June 2012

3 iunie

Peter’s sermon from the Day of Pentecost has doctrinal, pedagogical, and homiletic characteristics. The experience of being baptized with The Holy Spirit, of which Peter was a part of along with the other apostles, made a difference between the Peter that hid before the Day of Pentecost and the Peter that preached the first public sermon after the Day of Pentecost. This experience changes people’s characters, perspectives, values, priorities, lives, and destiny.

What can we learn from the apostle’s sermon from the Day of Pentecost?

I. The Characteristics of Peter’s Sermon

a. Peter's sermon is confrontational: “You have crucified him... You have killed him"(Acts 2-23).

b. Peter's sermon is an explanation: “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth... given into your hands… You have crucified Him and slain Him by your lawless hands. But God raised... " (Acts 2:22a-24)

c. Peter's sermon is applied: “Brothers, what shall we do? Repent, Peter said to them, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:37b-38).

II. The Purpose of Peter’s Sermon

a. Proclaims the authenticity of the baptism of the Holy Spirit: “These men are not drunk as you suppose... But this is what was said through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days’, said God, ‘I pour out my Spirit…"(Acts 2:15-17).

b. Presents an explanation of the prophecies in the Old Testament: “But this is what was said through the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). Peter explains the Old Testament with the New Testament, thus confirming the basic principles of revelation – unity and continuity.

c. Exalts the divine Saviour: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. "(Acts 2:36)

III. The Effects of Peter’s Sermon

a. The listeners repent: “Repent, Peter said to them" (Acts 2:38 a).

b. The listeners were baptized in water: “...each of you be baptized... "(Acts 2:38b).

c. The listeners were baptized in the Spirit: “...and then you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38 c).

d. Integration into the local church: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day" (Acts 2:41).

Peter's sermon delivered at the Day of Pentecost exalts the Lord, honors the Gospel, confirms the experience of the Holy Spirit, reminds members of the church of the obligation to be baptized in water, thus forming quality members in the Church of God. The experience of the Day of Pentecost was divine and the preaching of Peter recalls this divine truth.

June 10

Our choices in life can be either good or bad. When converting and walking with God, we can choose to do so with “quality” or choose to have an indifferent manner. Although people are born with an approximately equal chance, they have the right to choose between doing good things and doing bad. When looking at the life and activity of Abraham, and his nephew Lot, we observe two types of faith, as well as two ways of reporting to God:
I.                   DIFFERENCES IN WORSHIP (Gen. 13:3-5)
No matter where Abraham set up his tent, he always made sure to set up an altar, where he could worship God. For Abraham, his tent represented his interest in family, while the altar represented his interest in God. Abraham’s philosophy was “a home, an altar”.
Lot has a house, but not just anywhere- he has a house in the city. He is not preoccupied with worship, but instead with possessions. Lot’s philosophy was “a home, a business”.
Two men, two ways of worship, two types of life.
II.                DIFFERENCES IN HOUSEHOLD AUTHORITY (Gen. 18:19;19:14, 32-35)
Abraham is appreciated by God as a parent/grandfather who has the authority to command to his children/grandchildren to be faithful to God.
Lot ruins his family, not having the authority to lead them to God. His in-laws do not respect his word, and he has an incestuous relationship with his own daughters. What a big difference in influence and example these two men have for future generations…
Two men, two ways of worship, two types of life.

III.             DIFFERENCES IN FRIENDSHIPS (James 2:23; Gen. 19:7)
The spiritual relationship between Abraham and God was so profound; the apostle affirms that Abraham was “A friend of God”. You communicate with a friend, spend time with a friend, and have many things in common.
Lot is friends with the sodomites; he is their neighbor and business partner. Just like Lot, the sodomites did not construct an altar; they did not worship or teach their children to be faithful to God.
Two men, two ways of worship, two types of life.
IV.              DIFFERENCES IN SPIRITUAL LIFE (Hebrews 11: 8-10; 2 Peter 2: 6-8)
Abraham comes across as a man who was fulfilled and peaceful, listening to God and being happy in his faith. His friendship with God, and the understanding and harmony in his family gave him peace, safety and satisfaction.
Lot comes across as a man who is frustrated and unfulfilled, a man that was “torturing his soul everyday”. His entourage was filled with sodomites, the company of the sodomites; the influence of the sodomites ruined his spirituality, family and honor.
Two men, two types of worship, two types of life… Even though both Abraham and Lot were saved, there was a huge difference in their faith and God saw the difference every day.

17 iunie

24 iunie