A Simple Presentation into The Book of ACTS - Chapter #1 - Bro. John "Ernie" Perez

Please continue this journey with us into "A Simple Presentation into The Book of ACTS, Lesson #1 as Bro. Ernie. continue with ACTS Chapter 1.  You can find the video presentation as well on our YouTube Channel.  This will also be included in our E3 School of Ministries curriculum for Ministerial Licensing. 

What does it mean to be sent by Jesus in the same way He was sent by the Father? This profound question lies at the heart of our exploration of the Book of Acts with Brother Ernie Perez.

The journey begins with historical context—Acts as Luke's "volume two," written between 80-90 AD after Jerusalem's destruction and the martyrdom of Peter and Paul. Brother Ernie expertly weaves together Jesus' final commands from all four gospels, revealing a consistent commission that would drive the early church forward.

At the core of this message is a revolutionary understanding: disciples weren't merely followers but replicators of Christ's ministry. "As the Father has sent me, so send I you." These words should both humble and empower every believer. The disciples couldn't begin their mission until they received power from the Holy Spirit—a principle that remains essential for effective ministry today.

Brother Ernie delivers a challenging critique of modern Christianity, noting that while "Christian" appears just three times in Scripture, "disciple" appears 269 times. "We have cultural Christianity, commercial Christianity, consumer Christianity," he observes, where programs and entertainment have replaced disciple-making. His provocative statement—"If we're not making disciples, then all we have is those things. We don't have a church"—invites serious reflection on what our gatherings have become.

The early church grew primarily through intimate, person-to-person discipleship. "Faith that is not on the move isn't faith," Brother Ernie reminds us. True disciples don't just accumulate knowledge; they reproduce Christ's character and mission in others.

Ready to move beyond cultural Christianity to authentic discipleship? Join us as we unpack how the Book of Acts provides the blueprint for believers who want to walk as Jesus walked—empowered by the Spirit and committed to continuing His mission on earth.

Ways to Give at www.m3mi.org...Thank you for your seed!  :)

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:13

Hey y'all, welcome to Simple Discipleship Unfiltered. I'm your host, Sister Diana. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey today. Can we be real? Being a Christian is not always easy, but you are not alone. So grab you a drink, grab you a snack. Let's open the word and see what Jesus has to say today. Hey, welcome to Simple Discipleship Unfiltered. I'm Sister Diana. Thank you so much for being with me today. Thank you for my peanut gallery that's here behind us. We are starting lesson one of a simple presentation of the book of Acts presented by our beloved Brother John Ernie Perez. Thank you so much for being with us, Brother Ernie.

Speaker 2 1:02

Well, it's good to be here and I appreciate the goodness of the Lord.

Introduction to Lesson One

Speaker 1 1:06

All right. So if you haven't gone and listened to, last week we did the introduction to this study and you can find it here on this podcast platform with all the others. You can also see the video presentation on our YouTube channel at Simple Discipleship, unfiltered, and we're also going to be offering that on our E3 School of Ministries for those who would like to get their ministerial licensing. So we're going to start today on the lesson one. Brother Ernie, do you want to kind of give us a prelude to what we're going to go into?

Speaker 2 1:46

Well, what we did last week is we talked about the writer Luke and about some gospel history on where the book of Acts comes from, and one of the things to remember, maybe, is that the book itself was written probably between 80 and 90 AD. It is, you know, nowadays in history they use the term CE, the common era. It is commonly believed that Peter and Paul were already martyred. The precise date of this writing isn't known. Personally, I believe it's after Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. For the prophecy that Luke recorded that Jesus gave in Luke, chapter 21, verses 20 through 24. Luke is one of the synoptic gospels, meaning that the gospel says several things in common, several stories.

Speaker 1 2:44

Yes, yes, all right. So we're going to go now into the video and, if you do have your Bibles, join in with us as we study this lesson one into a simple presentation of the book of Acts.

Speaker 2 3:03

Okay, okay, so with lesson one, there'll be a slight statement from last week and then we'll just carry on.

Speaker 2 3:14

If you would look in the book of Acts, turn there to chapter one. We're going to be talking about the first 12 verses in the book of Acts and making some comparisons there. Remember, the book of Acts is we could call it the gospel of St Luke, volume two, because he wrote both the gospel and the book of Acts. So let's look at Acts, chapter 1. We're going to read the first 12 verses. Okay, the former treatise have I made, o Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up. After that he, through the Holy Ghost, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me, for John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said ye, men of galilee, why stand ye gazing up into the heavens? This same jesus, which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in, like manners you have seen him go into heaven. Then they returned into jerusalem from the Mount of the Olivet, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

Speaker 2 5:49

Okay, so here's what we're looking at. Acts, chapter 1, verses 1 through 12, is a particular narrative, obviously, and it coincides with Luke, chapter 24, a much shorter reading, but we will go there. Luke, chapter 24. I know all the time people would like me to start reading off a tablet because it's quicker, but I love to turn the pages of my Bible. Yes, of my Bible.

Last Words of Jesus in Gospels

Speaker 2 6:31

Yes, so in Luke 24, these are the last words of Jesus, as Luke, via his research, learned. So we we've read them previously from Matthew and Mark. Now we're reading them from Luke, chapter 24, verse 44. These are the words Jesus says, which I spoke unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning me. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them thus it is written, thus it behoove Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Now catch this in verse 49. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on high. And when you look in the book of Acts, as we were just reading in the first chapter, jesus is saying to them. In verse four, luke writes it again Jesus says wait for the promise of the father, which saith he you have heard of me, for John, truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost many days hence. As you read down verses we already read they were to wait for the promise of the father. They weren't to do anything until they received the holy ghost. But you shall receive power after that. The Holy Ghost has come upon you. You're not going to get busy doing anything until you receive power. And that power comes when you receive the Holy Ghost. What's the purpose of that power? You shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in all Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. That was the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Speaker 2 8:37

Luke rewords the instructions that came from Matthew 28, 16 through 20. So if you look there very quickly, matthew 28. And I'll begin actually with verse 18. But put in your notes verses 16 through 20 to get a more complete reading. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. These are the last words of Jesus. These are the commands of Jesus as he's leaving. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them.

Speaker 2 9:24

Some translations say make disciples. Go, therefore, and make disciples, baptizing them in the name. What is that name? Verse 20, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you and, lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the world. That name is the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Last words of Jesus, according to Matthew.

Speaker 2 9:52

Now let's look at it. We've read it in Luke. Now let's look at it in Mark, mark, chapter 16. And start with verse 15. And start with verse 15. And he, that is, jesus, said unto them go ye into all the world. Preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is what baptized shall be saved. That he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up servants and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. And notice the little exit here that that mark, beginning with verse 19.

Speaker 2 10:44

So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into the cloud. That's what Luke wrote in the book of Acts, verse 1. And sat on the right hand of God and they went forth. They took what Jesus said and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs. Following what signs? The signs that Jesus prophesied in the previous verse.

Speaker 2 11:14

Now I want you to get something Matthew says go teach and baptize in the name, make disciples, and Jesus will be with you. Jesus, I'm with you always, even to the ends of the world, because all power is given unto me. You are going to go. We're going to see that going in the book of Acts. It is launched off of the command go Fulfill these actions, do these things. So, as we're reading Mark now, chapter 16, verses 14 through 20, in particular, we focused on Jesus telling them to go, preach the gospel.

Speaker 2 12:06

He that believes and is baptized will be saved. Why does it say and be baptized? Because he's got to agree with the gospel of Matthew, doesn't he and most scholars think Mark is the first gospel written and the synoptic gospels Matthew and Luke are so much like, share some of the same stories as Mark, because that was part of the research of the writers. Now you look at this Go preach, and he who believes and is baptized will be saved, will be saved. So if the book of Acts is not activities in response to these commands, what's the point of having it Now? Go preach. He that is baptized, believes and is baptized will be saved. And then he goes on to say signs will follow those who believe in the name of Jesus. One of those signs was they shall speak with new tongues. What happened in Acts, chapter 2, when the Holy Ghost fell for the first time? They spake in other tongues and prophesied. Fulfilling this prophecy. This was supposed to happen wherever they went. Now, not only does that happen, the Lord is received up in heaven. And finally, at the end of Mark, it says the word is confirmed with signs following.

Speaker 2 13:49

The book is called the Acts of the Apostles. We could accurately call it the actions of the Holy Ghost through the ministries of the apostles, because that's how God is moving. He is moving through the preaching of the word and through the sick being healed and through people being filled with the holy ghost. He is demonstrating salvation. In the book of acts, everything in the gospels is in parables, right?

The Command to Wait for Power

Speaker 2 14:20

Jesus didn't teach the people without a parable. Everything he said was either in parabolic form or symbolic form, unless it was the direct call to repentance. It was an object lesson. He taught with a parable, or like when he taught nicodemus with symbolic speech. And it's why the disciples would say to him explain to us the parables, tell us what they mean. When you get into the book of Acts there are no parables because the disciples were not sent to preach. In parables it was said go, preach the gospel. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved and these signs shall follow them that believe. So what we're looking for in the book of Acts is for these prophecies to be fulfilled. If they're not being fulfilled, then the book of Acts is not what it should be, because it is the Acts of the apostles. Didn't the apostles obey Jesus? Did they know what to preach? Did they know what to say?

Speaker 2 15:33

In the Gospel of St John, we're going to look at John, chapter 20 for just a moment. John chapter 20, we're going to read verses 19 through 31. Read verses 19 through 31 again, talking about some of the conversation jesus had before he ascended. Then, the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut not necessarily resurrection sunday, okay, she for first fruits. But after that, when the door was shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the jews, came jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them peace, be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the lord. They'd probably boy. We thought it was a ghost. It was a scary thing. Jesus just appeared in the midst, didn't knock on the door. Then Jesus said to them peace, be unto you. Now this is important Get the way.

Speaker 2 16:45

Everyone is remembering Jesus' last words and how it sunk in their heart. John's gospel is different because his relationship with jesus was different. It seems like he was jesus cup buddy on this earth. He thought of himself. Some people say like jesus younger brother, remember at the last supper, john the disciple. John was so young he was not embarrassed to lay his head on Jesus' chest, as though you, my big brother, and I'm young. Scholars think he was between the age of 12 to 17 when he began to follow Jesus. His actions now show that he was a young man. So look at what Jesus said to them. This is how John remembers it. He calls himself that disciple whom Jesus loved, as the father has sent me even so, send I you. This is why being a Christian, being a believer, being a disciple, is such a tall order. Jesus looked at them and said, in the same way, my father sent me into this world. What he sent me to accomplish, I'm sending you to accomplish. He was replicating himself in these disciples and they in turn, would go into the book of Acts. So their goal in obeying the command of Jesus would be then to replicate themselves again and again, and this is what brings great revival.

Speaker 2 18:21

In the book of Acts we read of a few places where, where thousands were saved, but mostly we read of how the preaching of the gospel touches one place and then it spreads everywhere. How does it spread? Through the believers? They have an anointing and they are exercising it. The apostles received a command from Jesus. As my father has sent me, that's how I am sending you.

Speaker 2 18:52

This is what makes me feel so small when I say I'm a Christian. What makes me feel so small when I say I'm his disciple. I have a calling, I have a ministry. We are to be doing what he did. And you remember when he sent out the 12 and then he sent out the 70. On the little trial runs he said go, heal the sick Freely. You have received freely, get preached the gospel he sent them.

As the Father Sent Me

Speaker 2 19:24

As he was sent, it was in preparation for when he would leave this world and the onus would be on them. Understanding. I have received the mission of Jesus Christ. He imparted to them his vision. We as a church want to receive that vision and that doesn't matter if you say you're an apostle, a prophet, whatever, if you're the church janitor, a Sunday school teacher, as the Father has sent me, jesus says to us, so send I you. That's why we're baptized in the Holy Ghost, to have that power, because we cannot accomplish those things via human intellect. Listen, if you get the chance to go to Bible college and get a degree in theology, that's great. You get your master's in theology, that's great. You get your doctorate, that's wonderful. Yeah, you become an expert in biblical archaeology, customs and languages of the bible, that's fabulous. But if you can't hear the voice of god saying to you as the father has sent me, so send I you. If we can't hear that voice. What have we done? This is the voice that propelled the writer of the book of Acts. As the Father has sent me, so send I you Now.

Speaker 2 21:07

John 21, the gospel of St John 21. Let me see reading. Let me see verse 24 and 25. This disciple which testified of these things, john, who wrote all these things and wrote these things. We know that his testimony is true. Nobody can challenge my testimony, says mark, as he's closing out this gospel. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose that even the world could not contain the books that should be written Now. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? There's another point I want to make here. It just flashed in my head, so give me a moment. I wish I had a better memory. I'm sorry. It's the end of verse 20. Verse 30. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples. They saw all kinds of things which are not written in this book, but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. So there's something about the declaration of the name of Jesus.

Speaker 2 23:12

Now let's look back at Luke's rendition of the writings once again. He talked about Jesus appearing in the midst of them. He opens their understanding, says in verse 46. Thus it is written. Thus it is behooved christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. We're back in luke 24 and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name, beginning at Jerusalem.

Speaker 2 23:42

These are the commands Jesus gave, and ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. You don't get to do anything. That's why the book of Acts begins in chapter two with the baptism of the Holy Ghost because you don't get to do anything until you are endued with power from on high. Because human ingenuity is not enough, education is not enough. If you become a part of all these different theological camps and you say this is the one I belong to and I have all this education, but when you're walking down the street, jesus cannot say to you go witness to that person, and you hear it. You can't hear the Spirit of God say greet that person and just be kind to them. Who are we fooling? God is not the God of degrees, though those things are helpful. God is our God and Jesus said John wrote it so clearly as the Father has sent me, so send I you. We are supposed to be accomplishing the things that Jesus accomplished Earlier. I said to you this is why I feel so small.

Making Disciples vs. Cultural Christianity

Speaker 2 25:19

Luke and his prophecy regarding Jesus had to be fulfilled. Jesus had to open their understanding. They had to get that repentance and remission of sins would be preached in Jesus' name. They couldn't do anything until the promise of the Father was sent upon them. They were told to wait in Jerusalem till you be endued with power from on high. In Acts, chapter 1, the waiting is going on. Jesus then blessed them and was carried into heaven, and they worshipped Jesus and the angel appeared to them.

Speaker 2 25:57

What y'all doing here? Jesus just gave you a command, terry. Wait for the promise of the Father. Why aren't you headed for the upper room? You got work to do. Your faith got to have feet.

Speaker 2 26:15

Faith that is not on the move isn't faith. Faith is like a river. It's not a pond. It's not stagnant, it's on the move. It produces good works. If faith is not producing, then I would say where is your faith? Isn't that what Paul is teaching in Romans and James is teaching? Faith without works is dead being alone. Don't you see how Abraham proved his faith? He had faith first, and faith compelled him to obey God, to be circumcised and to circumcise his household. Faith made him do that. Because he believed God, he was able to carry out the command.

Speaker 2 27:07

Listen, the church was not established so that we could have clubs and nice social gatherings and it is important that the church have an impact on the community, but the instruction was to go and make disciples. I don't care how many conferences you go to If, when we come home, we're not making disciples. What were we doing at the conference? Not making disciples, what were we doing at the conference? And just making disciples is not something that you do in mass. Conversion happens in mass making disciples happens between you and the person who comes to christ from your testimony. Think no, that's the pastor's job, oh, no, oh no, that's a job for the church, because the disciples, who were supposed to be replicas of Jesus, were supposed to replicate themselves in the rest of the world world. So we wind this up today with John reminding us that Jesus sends his disciples into this world the same way he was sent.

Speaker 2 28:32

And in Acts, chapter 1, there are some decisions that have to be made. A new apostle has to take the place of Judas and he has to be someone, since he's one of the original 12 apostles. He has to be someone who has walked with Jesus. Now, apostles today can't say you know that I spent three and a half years walking with Jesus. It just means they've received that calling to do that apostolic work. The 12 apostles, on the other hand, were the foundation that jesus would use and they were original.

Speaker 2 29:07

And so they chose in acts, chapter 1, not by voting. Look in acts, chapter 1, at verse 24. And they prayed and said thou, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen. That was a choice between Joseph and Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justice, and Matthias Say that he may be a part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas, by by transgression, fell that he might go to his own place, and they gave forth their lots. That's like drawing the short straw. It could have been done with stones, it could have been done with other items, but the one who got the colored stone or the short straw. They said that's the one Jesus has chosen. They all agreed we're going to trust God for this. We'll put all these rocks in a hat and the one who pulls out the blue rock without looking, they prayed God. You show us that they didn't vote.

Speaker 2 30:16

God's church in the book of Acts is not a democracy. The only time the saints choose elders is when they're doing it for the administration of church property. The apostles, the disciples, said you guys take care of that business. We got to take care of prayer and the ministry of God's word. We can't leave it.

Speaker 2 30:39

If you want to set up your church in apostolic fashion, release the pastor from having to pay the bills, release the pastor from having to take care of the building, release the pastor from having to do all these other things and charge the pastor with intercessory prayer, teaching, preaching, visiting the sick. Give him the opportunity, give her the opportunity to do that, because if they have to do all the church, be the church businessman. Understand the insurance, take care of all the utilities. Yeah, you want to clean the toilets? Huh, clean the floors? Look, I've done all those things as a minister, as a pastor.

Speaker 2 31:21

But the point is, if your church is of a size that you can take care of those ministries, do that and release the pastor to the ministry of God's word and to minister individually to the saints when need be. And you go out and do those things and reproduce Christians in yourself, give birth to sons and daughters in the gospel. The pastor is one person who cannot impact the community like you can. As we get into Acts, chapter 2, you're going to see this. You're going to see from the beginning, in spite of this great initial outpouring, that the way the church goes forward is from house to house, daily breaking bread, diving into the word of God. Thank you for your time today. Next week we'll begin with Acts, chapter 2.

Speaker 1 32:22

All right. Thank you so much, Brother Ernie.

Speaker 2 32:25

You're welcome.

Speaker 1 32:26

All right.

Speaker 2 32:28

I'm glad to do it, I am.

Speaker 1 32:30

I mean, it's exciting. It's exciting to delve into that, but I love that. You said that the church now Should be replicating the church of X. Right, Amen, and why don't we see that?

Speaker 2 32:49

Because we're all flawed and because, you know, there is such a thing, sad to say in our day and age, as cultural Christianity. People say I'm a Christian because grandma and grandpa were Christians. I'm a Catholic, but they never go to Catholic church. They've been to a mass all their life.

Speaker 1 33:08

Yeah.

Speaker 2 33:10

People say I'm a Baptist, but they've been in the building. Listen to me. To be a disciple is the calling you know. The word Christian is mentioned in the Bible three times. Is the calling you know? The word Christian is mentioned in the Bible three times. The word disciple is mentioned 269 times. Wow, why is the word of God so focused on the word disciple? The word Christian hey, it was first a curse word, it was first a derogatory term. Christians in, I guess, sometime late first century, second century, they begin to wear it as a badge of courage because it is a high compliment. You meant it as an insult, but you're telling me I'm like Christ, oh, hallelujah, that's a great thing.

Speaker 2 33:58

But now we've got what I would call cultural Christianity, commercial Christianity, consumer Christianity. Does the church have the right programs? Does it have a great music band, great singers? Are the speakers entertaining? How many different programs do they have? Do they have ministries for divorced and ministries for singles and ministries for widows? And do they have book clubs? Listen to me, we can have all those things and they could be good, but if we're not making disciples, then all we have is those things. We don't have a church.

Speaker 1 34:38

Right.

Speaker 2 34:39

We have a nice building. We have people who are trying to do well and trying to be good, but they're not trying to be disciples. We, as a church, must be striving to become his disciples. Yeah.

Closing Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

Speaker 1 34:57

Yeah, I love that. I love that. All right, y'all, we're going to close up today, but next week we're going to delve into that deep subject of Acts, chapter 2. And, like I said, if you haven't gone in and just listened to the introduction and now go back and listen to this lesson one, there's so much meat in there. That is where discipleship comes from, is in the word. If you're trying to have a relationship with Jesus outside of the word, it's just impossible Because you can't separate the two. You can't separate. He is the word. So thank you so much, brother Ernie.

Speaker 1 35:32

All right, so as we go, we close out, we always say that we want to go show some love, show some compassion, give mercy and go be Jesus today. Hey, sdu family, give mercy and go be Jesus today. Simply go to our website at wwwm3miorg, scroll to the More tab and select Contact Us. Also, if SGU has been a blessing to you, you can also go to our website and select Sow a Seed. There are several ways that you can give, whether it's Zelle Venmo Cash App or if there's an address to send a check or money order. All your gifts are tax deductible and we thank you so much for sowing your seed with us. I want you to remember this. A wise person once said that a person has given you their time. They've given you their most precious gift, because they can never, ever get it back. Thank you for sharing this day with me. We love you. We'll see you soon.