Class 22 looks at our response to the gospel.
The Old Testament, this Portrait of God that we have been painting, has been leading up to two things.
1. The Christ, who is Jesus
2. The new Kingdom, which is the church
If someone knows Who Jesus is and what His Kingdom is, if someone knows even more about the Bible than we do, but they don’t submit to King Jesus and get added to the kingdom, the church, what good does it do them?
What good does it do them if they don’t keep reading to see if anything is required of them?
So, what should we do? How do we enter the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:8-13) and receive those blessings?
God provided the plan for the ark. Noah had to build it and enter it.
God provided the plan for the Passover lamb. Israel had to kill it and apply the blood.
God provided the plan for the bronze serpent. Israel had to build it and look on it.
God provided the plan for the Promised Land. Israel had to fight for it and go in.
God provided Jesus. We must respond to Him.
The story of Jesus cannot end at the cross. The cross demands a response.
Jesus has come! The kingdom/church has come! What should I do about it?
The answer to that is the book of Acts.
New outline blank: Acts 1-28 – How we become Christians
Even before the cross, people responded to the teaching of John the Baptist and Jesus by asking, “What should I do?,” because the gospel always demands a response.
Two kinds of conversion descriptions mentioned in Acts.
1. Summary conversion statements (where Luke tells us people were converted but does not give many details).
2. Detailed conversion accounts (where Luke gives significant information about how people responded to the gospel).
Summary conversion statements in Acts
Luke records many conversions without giving a full narrative.
Acts 2:47 – The Lord added to their number day by day.
Acts 4:4 – About five thousand men believed.
Acts 5:14 – More than ever believers were added.
Acts 6:7 – Many priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 11:21 – A great number believed and turned to the Lord.
Acts 13:12 – Sergius Paulus believed.
Acts 13:48 – Many Gentiles believed.
Acts 14:1 – Many Jews and Greeks believed.
Acts 17:4 – Many Thessalonians obeyed.
Acts 17:12 – Many Bereans believed.
Acts 17:34 – Dionysius, Damaris, and others believed.
Acts 18:8 – Crispus believed with his household.
Acts 28:24 – Some in Rome were persuaded.
Even just by combining the summary phrases you can see what every single person did: Persuaded, believed, turned, obeyed, added
Detailed conversion accounts in Acts
Luke gives significant information about how people responded to the gospel.
Acts 2:14-41 – The Jews on Pentecost
Acts 8:4-13 – The Samaritans
Acts 8:13 – Simon the Sorcerer
Acts 8:26-39 – The Ethiopian Eunuch
Acts 9:1-19, Acts 22:3-16, Acts 26:9-20 – Saul of Tarsus (Paul)
Acts 10:1–11:18 – Cornelius and His Household
Acts 16:11-15 – Lydia
Acts 16:25-34 – The Philippian Jailer
Acts 18:8 – The Corinthians
Acts 19:1-7 – The Twelve Men at Ephesus
The Gospels reveal Christ. The book of Acts shows people responding to Christ. When you put it together, what did they do?
They heard the word, believed it, repented of their sins, confessed Jesus as Lord, and were baptized for the remission of their sins.
We asked, “What did you do to become a Christian?” Did it match up with what they did, in the order they did it? If not, is there “one thing you lack?”
The cross does not eliminate our response. The cross makes our response possible.
If you don’t receive the word and obey, what good is it for you, all that God has done?
If you need to respond in obedience to Jesus, will you do it today? Email us at study@housetohouse.com and we will help.
Next week: What does King Jesus’ kingdom look like?
Notes and PowerPoint from each week will updated here every Wednesday.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13ivIpulPiveVbO8__EvN0x0Yw1ww-n1e?usp=drive_link
