WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:26.079 I invite you to take your Bible this morning and open it to the Book of Acts. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:27.679 The Book of Acts. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:40.320 I want to clarify one item as you are getting your Bible or your device ready, and that is that there will be no Psalm 23 study tonight. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:44.479 So we will pick that back up again next Sunday night. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:49.600 We will have no live stream this evening for Easter evening. 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:55.840 This morning I want to pick up where we left off on Friday. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:02.719 So if you are not with us on Friday evening, I encourage you afterwards to go and listen to that. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:06.319 That will help fill out some of the details here for you. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:13.359 I'll do my best to fill you in as we go along so that it isn't completely foreign to you. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:29.280 But on Friday evening, we looked in Mark chapter 14 and chapter 15 about the testimony that condemned the Lord Jesus Christ, that sent him to the cross. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:42.879 Testimony is a word that means that there is someone who is speaking to give authentication to a fact, to something that happened. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:52.079 They are a witness to an event, to an element, and they are speaking about that and giving testimony to that. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:02:01.359 In the Gospel of Mark, we looked at the testimony that condemned Christ to death. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:09.439 And it was not the testimony of those that the chief priests brought together to bear witness against him. 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:15.360 It was his own testimony that sent him to the cross. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:17.680 That's the testimony that condemned him. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:25.280 And now I want to speak about the testimony that is confirming of that event. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:36.560 What is it that we see in the pages of Scripture that gives us confirmation as we gather together today before the Word of God that this is the truth? 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.599 That Christ did rise from the dead, that the tomb is empty. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:50.319 That's what I want us to notice this morning as we just really walk through many, many passages of Scripture together this morning. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:03:01.120 You know, I read a story in a commentary about an old English country church. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:08.560 There was a small village church that had an arch over the entry of its chapel. 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:13.840 And on that arch there were some words inscribed on the stone. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:18.240 The words were we preach Christ crucified. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:21.599 We preach Christ crucified. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:34.560 Several generations of pastors served that little village church for several generations faithfully, presenting a message of a crucified and risen Savior. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:45.439 But then another generation of pastors arose who thought that Christ crucified was kind of an outdated message. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.639 They didn't see the importance of his death. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:53.680 And so they focused instead on the example that Christ provided. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:04:02.080 Well, after some time, as the story goes, a vine began to grow up on the face of the building. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:06.719 And that vine eventually covered the word crucified. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:12.000 So that all that was seen was we preach Christ. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:19.199 And soon people began to be uncomfortable with the message of Christ. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:28.000 And so the church began to have messages on morality, on politics, on philosophy, and other popular issues. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:31.839 And as time went on, that ivy began to grow even more. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:41.519 And soon it covered up more words on the arch until the words that were seen, that were visible on that arch were the words we preach. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:05:01.680 Now I'm not in a position to verify anything of that story or to make statements about the veracity of it, but it is a compelling story because it fits with the progression of preaching in our modern churches. 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:11.439 That is so much the opposite of what we find recorded in the New Testament. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:14.639 Take, for example, Acts chapter 2. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:28.560 The very first sermon of the church, proclaimed by the Apostle Peter and recorded in Acts chapter 2, had this statement as its thesis. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:33.759 It's in Acts chapter 2, beginning in verse 23, if you have a Bible. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:46.000 It says, This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and you killed by the hands of lawless men. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:54.319 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:58.000 That's the very first sermon of the church. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:02.079 We preach Christ crucified and risen again. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:20.720 From its inception, the message, the testimony, the witness of the church has been that Jesus, who is the Christ, the Messiah, was crucified and was buried. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:25.279 And on the third day he was raised to life. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:28.480 That's been the church's message. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:34.480 That's been the intention for its message from the very beginning. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:42.160 That message was and is still today received in various ways. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:56.319 Increasingly, sadly, there are many in our modern world who have never even heard of Jesus, who is the Christ. 00:06:56.720 --> 00:07:02.720 Now, to those of us in the Western Christianized world, that seems astounding, but it's it's true. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.959 Even in our own country, the United States of America, that is increasing. 00:07:08.639 --> 00:07:15.920 The message of Christ crucified, buried, and risen is often received with skepticism. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:30.480 Now that shouldn't surprise anyone, as our faith is a belief system centered in faith, that assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things that we cannot see. 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:39.439 Some go even further than skepticism and simply reject the message of Christ crucified. 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:52.959 Rejectors exist, those who, for various reasons, refuse to exercise faith and trust in the crucified and risen Lord. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:55.360 And of course, there are those who are believers. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:11.279 This day of remembrance and worship and celebration of a risen and thus living Lord. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:31.120 Now I recognize that in this era of live streaming where every church is live streaming now, it seems, any one of those categories could be represented in our listeners. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:34.960 And I want to welcome you. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:39.919 And I want to encourage you to stay tuned in. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.679 Because I want to speak this morning to all of you. 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:01.759 And if you have chosen to reject the Christian faith, I encourage you, please stay with me. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:09.440 Because I want you to be informed as to what exactly you are rejecting. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:17.279 If you're a skeptic, I hope you'll stay with me so that you can have your skepticism confirmed. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:21.679 Or maybe even softened a bit. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:31.679 And if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, these are excellent times to retreat to our foundations. 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:35.600 What does it mean to be a Christian? 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:39.759 And upon what is our faith founded? 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:44.159 I want you to be confirmed and encouraged this morning. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:47.519 But it's not my words that are going to accomplish those desires. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:50.159 Nothing that I say or do can do that. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:54.960 I want you to see what the Bible says. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:00.240 Now, of course, that means that I'm approaching this with a presupposition. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:05.200 There's a foundation that already exists in what I'm about to say to you. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:12.799 Because this book, this book we call a Bible, makes a claim that it is without error. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.679 It makes a claim that it is without error because God wrote it. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:28.960 Yes, God used human authors, but he did that in a way to accomplish his record of his revelation of himself just as he wanted it. 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:34.240 And we don't have time this morning to walk through all of the proofs for that. 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:44.799 You just need to know that I'm beginning with that foundation, that I am beginning with a belief that this book is absolutely true. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:50.320 That the God it speaks of exists. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:56.000 And that what he says about himself can be trusted. 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:03.039 This book records the truth, God's truth, from a God who cannot lie. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:12.399 And so this book records the history of a man named Jesus who lived a relatively short life, somewhere around 33 years. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:14.559 He did many good things. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.879 He was an excellent teacher. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:23.200 He proclaimed to be the fulfillment of all of God's promises from the beginning to the end. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:35.759 He claimed to be the Son of God who came to redeem or to rescue his people from the condemnation of their sins against God. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:47.840 And his ministry was directed first towards his own people, the Jewish people. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:53.519 But they rejected him and sought for a way to be rid of him. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.559 That led to his death. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:04.480 If you were listening on Friday evening, you heard about the testimony that condemned Jesus to death. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:14.399 We looked at Mark 14 and 15, where we saw that the Jewish leaders couldn't even orchestrate false testimony against Jesus. 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:18.000 They couldn't get a bunch of liars together to tell the same lie. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:23.759 Try as they might, they couldn't rig the judicial system to be rid of Jesus. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:29.279 They sought out false testimony against him, but nothing worked. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:36.159 Try as they might, they could not find a way to condemn Jesus. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:45.360 That in itself points, I think, to the perfection of Jesus. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:48.000 Founded in his deity. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:58.000 But the testimony that finally sent Jesus to a Roman cross was his own testimony. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:05.759 In answer to the question, are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:11.440 Jesus said, Yes, I am. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:22.000 And the day will come when you will see me, the Son of Man, seated at the right hand of power, coming on the clouds of heaven. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:35.440 Way back in 1859, Scottish preacher John Duncan wrote of something that he called a trilemma. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:38.720 Here's what he wrote. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:51.600 Christ either deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or he was himself deluded and self-deceived. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:54.320 Or he was divine. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:58.240 There's no getting out of that trilemma. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:00.320 It is inexorable. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:19.840 Later, Watchman Knee wrote in his book, Normal Christian Faith, that a person claiming to be God has to be a lunatic, a liar, or, in fact, God. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:21.600 C.S. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:30.639 Lewis then popularized that triad in a 1942 lecture, and later he put it in print in his book, Mere Christianity. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:33.919 Jesus must be a lunatic or a liar. 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:37.200 If he is neither of those, then he must be Lord. 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:40.399 Here is Lewis's, C.S. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:44.320 Lewis's most popular statement of that truth. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:56.320 And I quote, a man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not simply be a moral teacher. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.399 Here's where it gets good. 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:10.960 He would either be a lunatic, that is the kind of person who believes he's a poached egg, or he would be the devil of hell. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:14.480 You must make your choice. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:25.759 Either this man was and is the Son of God, or else a madman, or something worse. 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:37.919 If you are a skeptic, or you've chosen to reject the message of the Bible, you must wrestle with that conclusion. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:45.279 This man, Jesus, claimed to be the son of the divine ruler of the universe. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:50.799 His claim wasn't an inferior one, but a co-equal claim. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:16:00.720 He claimed to be the vice regent of everything that exists, and that one day he will return in judgment of everyone who rebels against him. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:04.879 A dead man can't do that. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:13.360 That is the testimony of Jesus, and it was a testimony that condemned him to a Roman cross. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:20.159 He proclaimed it before human beings to whom he had submitted himself and his humanity. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:25.840 And his testimony about himself led directly to his death, and he knew it. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.519 And yet he walked that path anyway. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.679 He knew that they wanted him dead, and yet he made the statements that led to his death. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:37.360 Willingly. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:25.519 Everything happened on Sunday morning where some women and other disciples realized the tomb is empty, what's going on. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.920 Then Jesus met with some of his disciples. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:32.880 And that meeting is recorded in the Gospel of Luke. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:36.000 Now, Luke was a medical doctor. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.720 So he was quite educated, one of the most educated individuals of the ancient world. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:48.000 He was a very smart individual and intellect, and we can tell that from the way he wrote his book. 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:55.759 Luke, Luke records things very meticulously, and so he's a great historian. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:04.000 I want you to notice how Luke records that meeting between Jesus after his resurrection and his disciples. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.640 We see this in Luke 24, beginning in verse 44. 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:11.519 Here's how Luke records it. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:20.720 Then he said to them, that is Jesus saying to his disciples, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:26.720 That everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.480 That's referring to the Old Testament. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:37.920 The Hebrew Old Testament has three divisions the law, the writings, and the prophets, and so that's all going together there in Jesus' statement. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:42.319 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 00:18:42.559 --> 00:19:00.559 And he said to them, Thus it is written in the Old Testament that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:05.279 You are witnesses of these things. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:08.880 You are witnesses of these things. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:17.279 Just a few verses later, Jesus is taken away from the disciples as he ascended into heaven, where he is today. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:30.319 But here, Jesus, before his death, he gave testimony about himself, and now after his resurrection, he is preparing his followers for his absence. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:38.880 And he reminds them that just as he gave testimony about himself, now they are to give testimony about him. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.920 They are to be his witnesses. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:49.359 They are to give firsthand authentication of a fact. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:53.839 The fact that Jesus is alive. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:00.480 So the testimony is shifting from Jesus to the disciples. 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:05.279 Now, Luke, Luke wrote a two-volume work. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:15.279 The gospel is volume one, volume two is the book of Acts, and that's where I want to direct our attention for the remainder of our time. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:23.759 But it's important to remember that Luke records Jesus' specific statement to his followers. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:27.440 You are my witnesses. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:32.720 Now, in volume two, in chapter one, verse eight of the book of Acts, that is repeated. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.319 But this time as a directive from the risen Lord. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:39.920 You will be my witnesses. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:42.799 So he's repeating it. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:46.480 Luke is reminding us, this is what my first volume ended with. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:48.720 Now here's how the second volume is beginning. 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:50.160 Jesus is giving a directive. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.880 Go out and be my witnesses, give testimony of me. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:02.559 Acts chapter 2 is arguably the most important chapter in church history. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:17.759 I wish that every church history book would begin with Acts chapter 2, because it's the official beginning of the church, and it includes the very first sermon preached by the church, preached by Peter. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:30.240 Now I want you to notice what our historian, Master Luke, recorded about that very first sermon, Acts chapter 2, beginning in verse 29. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:46.480 Brothers, I say to you with confidence about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:59.359 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on the throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of Christ. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:06.720 That he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh seek corruption. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.000 This Jesus God raised up. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:17.440 And of that we are all witnesses. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:31.839 The very first sermon preached by the church after Jesus has ascended into heaven is carrying out the command to testify. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:39.359 Peter says, We are first hand witnesses of this fact. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:49.759 Now, a short time later, Peter and John were preaching in the temple in Jerusalem in chapter 3, and they healed a man. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:55.519 And after healing a man, they're dealing with all of the hubbub that comes as a result of that. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:06.240 Beginning in chapter 3, in verse 14, we read, You denied the holy and righteous one. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:09.519 And you asked for a murderer to be granted to you. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.720 That's Barabbas. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:17.119 And you killed, instead of killing Barabbas, you killed the author of life. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:22.799 Instead of killing the murderer, the one who took life, you killed the one who gives life. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:27.039 Whom God raised from the dead. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.240 To this we are witnesses. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.960 See what's happening? 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:41.039 They're obeying the command of Jesus, but they are testifying again and again and again. 00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:43.279 We saw him. 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.160 We have firsthand knowledge of this truth. 00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:50.400 Listen to us. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.680 It's our theme of testimony continuing on. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:01.759 Now that stirred up the religious authorities who brought Peter and John in for questioning. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:15.039 And after the questioning, the apostles were warned in chapter 4 to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus again at all. 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:29.440 Well, Peter and John answered in verse 19, well, whether it's right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than God, you must judge. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:37.839 For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:47.440 Do you see that theme of testimony, of being a witness, a firsthand witness of these things continuing? 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:54.160 These are witnesses who are giving firsthand knowledge of everything that they have seen and heard regarding Jesus. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.839 This is after Jesus is gone. 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.599 He's returned to heaven. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:02.160 And his followers are giving testimony to what they've seen and heard. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:24.559 If it wasn't true, if the tomb wasn't really empty, or if as the rumors that were circulated by the religious leaders were really true, if his body was simply stolen and put somewhere else, if they had not actually seen Jesus alive after his death, why continue this charade? 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:29.599 Wouldn't they have been proven wrong at some point? 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:36.000 We see all of this again in chapter 5. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:41.359 The apostles, you remember, are Jesus' witnesses. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:46.079 Well, they were arrested, again, for preaching. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:52.319 They had to obey God, they had to obey and testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.480 And so they were arrested for that. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:59.839 And in Acts chapter 5, verse 28, they are reminded of that. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:01.599 The authorities asked them, What's up? 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:04.319 We charged you not to do that, and here you are doing it. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.599 You're stirring people up. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:08.079 And here's how Peter responded. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:12.720 Peter and the apostles answered in chapter 5, verse 29 of Acts. 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:15.759 We must obey God rather than men. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:22.319 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:30.400 But God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:40.240 And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:46.720 Those religious leaders then want to kill the apostles. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:27:01.839 It's interesting that the reaction of the world at large is not to receive the testimony of firsthand witnesses, but to kill them. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:07.039 Just like they killed the one who gave testimony about himself. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:10.640 But here we have an additional witness, don't we? 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:16.720 The Holy Spirit, God's own spirit that has been given to those who believe in Christ. 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:20.559 He becomes a new witness in this scenario. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:31.359 But this theme of being witnesses who testify to the truth because they have seen and heard continues on, almost page by page, through the entire book of Acts. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:38.799 It's stated very clearly again in chapter 8 and verse 25 and chapter 9 and verse 15. 00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:46.880 There's many more, but it's here that I want us to look at chapter 10. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:50.400 Because chapter 10 is a change of sorts. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.720 There's a shift that's taking place. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:28:06.880 No longer would God's people be witnesses in Jerusalem and in their sort of county in Judea, and then in kind of their state and Samaria, but to the rest of the world. 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:14.960 And it begins with a non-Jewish man, a Gentile man named Cornelius. 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:20.400 Are we going to believe Cornelius? 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:28.160 That's sort of the unstated question going into this, because Cornelius is a respected, trustworthy man. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:30.640 He's an officer in the Roman army. 00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:36.160 He's a man who genuinely desired to know God and to follow him. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:40.559 And so God sent Peter to Cornelius. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:43.920 And you can read the whole chapter if you're unfamiliar with it. 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:49.039 The situation caused quite the ruckus in the early church. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:52.720 But our interest begins in verse 36. 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:55.920 Again, Acts chapter 10, verse 36. 00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:01.839 Peter introduced Cornelius and his family to Jesus. 00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:05.359 The one Peter said who is Lord of all. 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:12.960 Now apparently Cornelius was somewhat familiar with the religious happenings in first century Israel. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:19.920 Peter says in verse 37, you yourselves know what has happened throughout all Judea. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:22.079 So they're familiar with this. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:25.759 John the Baptist, he said, preached and baptized people. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:34.720 And then Jesus came, and Jesus in verse 38 went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:42.000 And we are witnesses of all that he did, both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:45.680 They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:49.599 But God raised him on the third day and made him to appear. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:57.440 Not to all the people, but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:07.920 And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:16.880 To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:24.720 And while Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:29.920 Christianity began small. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:37.680 It was confined to a very small pocket of territory, the city of Jerusalem. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:43.519 Then it spread a little bit more, and then it spread a little bit more, and then boom. 00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:45.359 It's all over the world. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:48.079 Why did that happen? 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:51.039 Well, we find some of the answers right here. 00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:58.480 It happened because of the testimony, because of the witness to the truth. 00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:03.839 Peter establishes for us who the witnesses are. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:10.640 He says Jesus appeared to many people whom he had chosen as witnesses. 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:18.559 Verse 41, he didn't appear to everybody, but to us who had been chosen by God to be witnesses. 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:24.799 We read in another place in Scripture that he appeared to over 500 people. 00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:34.960 These witnesses are then commanded to preach and to testify, to give testimony of the risen Christ. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.680 Well, what were they to say? 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:40.079 To what were they testifying? 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:43.279 Well, Peter makes it very clear to Cornelius. 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:44.720 He lays it all out. 00:31:45.119 --> 00:31:50.000 He says, first, they gave testimony to all that Jesus did, verse 38. 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:55.519 Well, these are firsthand witnesses, remember? 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.079 They saw what Jesus did, they heard what he taught. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:05.599 They are able to verify what he said because they were there. 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:11.359 That is likely the same content that we see in the gospel record in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:16.960 They testified, verse 39, to Jesus' death on a cross. 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:29.839 You remember that Jesus died in a very public way alongside a major thoroughfare that was going in and out of Jerusalem on one of the busiest, holiest days of Judaism. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:37.359 There's the potential for hundreds of thousands of people to have seen Jesus hanging on the cross that day. 00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:41.759 Testify of all that Jesus did. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:43.920 Testify of his death on the cross. 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:49.920 Testify in verse 40 that God raised him from the dead on the third day. 00:32:50.240 --> 00:32:51.440 There's your third item. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:56.559 All that Jesus did, Jesus' death on the cross, testify to Jesus' resurrection. 00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:02.160 Testify also in verse 40 that Jesus appeared to people. 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:06.880 He didn't just come out of the tomb and disappear. 00:33:07.359 --> 00:33:10.960 He appeared to people after his death. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:16.400 There's a fifth element of their testimony, and that is verse 42. 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:23.440 Jesus is appointed as the judge of the living and the dead. 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:34.240 The Jesus of the biblical record was genuine, was real, was substantive. 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:44.240 He lived a real life that impacted other human beings in ways that were beyond the normal abilities of human beings. 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:49.759 This Jesus died a real death. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:52.160 A death he did not deserve. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:54.799 Notice, they put him to death. 00:33:56.880 --> 00:33:59.200 A death on a Roman cross. 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:04.960 And there were many witnesses to his crucifixion. 00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.320 But death could not hold this Jesus. 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:15.599 For he was raised from the dead on the third day. 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:19.039 The tomb was empty on Sunday morning. 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:26.880 That's why we gather together as God's people on Sunday morning. 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:30.239 Every single Sunday is Easter morning. 00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:32.719 It's a reminder to us. 00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:34.880 This is the day. 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:41.199 It was empty before the women and the disciples arrived. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.800 It was empty before the stone was ever removed from the entrance. 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:55.679 This emptying of the tomb was the conquering of death. 00:34:57.199 --> 00:35:00.480 It was the conquering of the master of death. 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:04.960 It was the victory of the God of life. 00:35:05.199 --> 00:35:08.880 They put to death the author of life. 00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:10.639 How do you do that? 00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:14.880 He gives up his life and then he takes it back again. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:18.880 Because you cannot hold down the author of life. 00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:29.440 Scriptures say that it is impossible for death to hold him. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:34.159 But we should expect that of the author of life, shouldn't we? 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:40.639 Now, for many skeptics and rejectors, that is a major stumbling point. 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:44.719 But notice the care that our good Dr. 00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:47.599 Luke takes on our behalf. 00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:52.400 Over the course of 40 days, Jesus appeared to over 500 people. 00:35:53.599 --> 00:36:03.039 Imagine this as a courtroom trial with a parade of witnesses, one after another, giving testimony to the reality of the resurrection. 00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:13.760 Now you might be able to dismiss one or even two, or if you're a huge skeptic, you might dismiss three or four witnesses. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:23.199 But when 500 witnesses give testimony to an event that becomes very hard to dismiss with any kind of intellectual honesty. 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.719 But there's more. 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:38.719 Not only were their appearances testified to after the resurrection, but the reality of the resurrection was proven when Jesus ate and drank with many of the disciples. 00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:43.119 Let me tell you, apparitions don't consume food and drink. 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:48.079 Jesus said to his disciples, give me a piece of fish. 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:48.800 You have a piece of fish? 00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:49.440 Give me a piece of fish. 00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.159 You have something to drink? 00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:50.800 Let me let me. 00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:52.880 It goes in and it goes in. 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:55.119 You don't see it anymore. 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:57.039 Just like a human body. 00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:58.639 It was real. 00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:02.239 Jesus told his disciples, touch me. 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:13.119 He told Thomas, put your finger in my wrist where the hole is, put your fist in my side where the spear punctured me. 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:17.039 He gave them every reason to believe. 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:24.320 He confirmed the reality that the tomb was empty because he is alive. 00:37:26.400 --> 00:37:39.920 Now it makes sense as a logical conclusion that the one who was dead but is now alive because he has conquered death would then be fit to be the judge of all the living and all the dead. 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:47.199 Who else would be fit to be judge of the living and the dead, but the one who was dead and is now alive? 00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:52.880 Now, what do you do with that information? 00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:57.760 What do you do with that testimony? 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:03.199 This is why Christianity exploded. 00:38:03.840 --> 00:38:12.239 It's why it continues today and it will continue to spread until Christ returns in power and great glory, bringing judgment with him. 00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:18.400 But there's more here than the content of the testimony. 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:21.360 There's also the confirmation of the testimony. 00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:25.760 The witnesses all gave the same testimony. 00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:30.079 Witness after witness after witness after witness gave the same testimony. 00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:31.440 They said the same thing. 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:32.960 There's consistency. 00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:43.840 Remember how on Jesus' trial that we saw in our walkthrough on Friday evening, the religious leaders couldn't even get a handful of false witnesses to tell the same lie? 00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:49.519 Well, here we have many, many more witnesses telling the same truth. 00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:55.840 The testimony is confirmed by many witnesses. 00:38:56.480 --> 00:39:01.119 The scriptures tell us that testimony is to be confirmed by at least two or three witnesses. 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:02.400 What do we see? 00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:05.039 Well, it's not just one witness. 00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.360 And it's not just two. 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:21.920 If we put them together, what we see is that there's a group of witnesses who saw Jesus, who ate with Jesus, who drank with Jesus, who touched Jesus, who are witnesses to his resurrection. 00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:27.199 Peter also gives us another group, a second group in verse 43. 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:30.559 To him all the prophets bear witness. 00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:42.239 All the prophets in the Old Testament bear witness that everyone who believes in Jesus receives the forgiveness of sins because of their faith in him. 00:39:43.440 --> 00:39:46.159 Who can forgive sins but God alone? 00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:52.800 All of our sin is ultimately against the sovereign of the universe. 00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:56.800 He must forgive. 00:39:58.159 --> 00:40:05.360 But in his ultimate justice, he cannot forgive without payment being made. 00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:12.079 And so he makes a way by means of a cross. 00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:26.639 The way he forgives is through his own beloved son who died, who was buried, who rose again, and ascended into heaven. 00:40:27.599 --> 00:40:31.360 All the prophets bear witness to this, Peter says. 00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:34.800 So now we have two groups of multiple witnesses. 00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:40.159 The disciples and the apostles who were with Jesus and all of the prophets who wrote of him. 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:47.199 The amount of testimony being given to support and confirm the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is overwhelming. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:49.519 But there's more. 00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:51.920 Verse 44. 00:40:52.079 --> 00:41:00.159 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:05.119 You remember what we looked at in chapter 5, Acts 5, verse 32? 00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:10.960 There Peter said, and we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit. 00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:18.639 The Holy Spirit is a witness to the reality, to the truth that Jesus died, was buried, and came out of the tomb alive. 00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:24.400 And on the testimony of two or three witnesses, every truth will be confirmed. 00:41:27.679 --> 00:41:32.320 It seems that Cornelius had gathered quite the crowd to hear Peter speak. 00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:35.519 That was long before our days of social distancing. 00:41:37.519 --> 00:42:01.920 When all of those who were gathered heard, heard Peter, and they believed his testimony, his firsthand authentication of the truth, when they believed that what he said, that his testimony was the truth, the Holy Spirit instantly indwelled them, giving final confirmation to the truth and to their faith. 00:42:03.519 --> 00:42:08.079 Now, what do you do with all of this testimony? 00:42:10.239 --> 00:42:19.039 If you're skeptical, hear the confirming testimony about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. 00:42:19.440 --> 00:42:20.400 Hear it. 00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:27.760 Hear it and repent of your skepticism and believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. 00:42:33.519 --> 00:42:50.960 If you are one who has rejected the Christian claims, if you're one who has rejected those who predicted it, if you're one who has rejected the God who saw it, be sure you hear the testimony clearly. 00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:57.679 And that you hear it from hundreds of first hand witnesses. 00:42:58.960 --> 00:43:01.440 My friend, the tomb is empty. 00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:05.280 And this Jesus is alive today. 00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:07.840 There's proof. 00:43:08.079 --> 00:43:09.840 There's a lot of proof. 00:43:10.159 --> 00:43:23.679 And your rejection of the testimony confirming the resurrection of Jesus will not stop this same Jesus from returning with judgment. 00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:27.840 To judge the living and the dead. 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:37.280 So I encourage you, I beg you, humble yourself before Him and believe before your opportunity is gone. 00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:46.400 And then for those who are my brothers and sisters in the faith, what a hope we have. 00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:48.719 What a hope. 00:43:48.960 --> 00:43:58.639 Our faith is not founded on some uncertain elements that came along through the minds of individuals over the course of centuries. 00:44:00.400 --> 00:44:06.559 No, we believe in a Lord who condemned himself by his own testimony. 00:44:06.719 --> 00:44:13.199