Obeying the Gospel: A Call to Faith

 

Summary

In the passage from Acts 5:29-32, Peter and the apostles stand before the Sanhedrin, declaring their commitment to obey God rather than men. This declaration is not just a defense of their actions but a profound statement about the nature of the Christian faith. The apostles are witnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim these truths. This is the essence of Christianity: not a mere philosophy or set of teachings, but a proclamation of historical facts and their divine significance.

The apostles' message is clear: the gospel is not merely to be heard or admired; it is to be obeyed. This obedience is not about following a set of rules to earn God's favor, but about responding to the grace offered through Jesus Christ. The gospel demands a response of faith, a turning away from self-reliance and sin, and a turning towards God in repentance and belief. This obedience is a submission to the truth of the gospel, allowing it to mold and shape one's life entirely.

Sin, at its core, is disobedience to God. It is a rebellion against His authority and a refusal to live according to His design. The gospel calls us to recognize this rebellion and to repent, acknowledging our need for a Savior. Jesus Christ is that Savior, exalted by God to offer forgiveness and new life to all who believe. The call to obedience is a call to faith, to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and to live in the light of His resurrection.

The gospel is a command from God, as binding as the Ten Commandments. It is a call to believe in Jesus Christ, to accept Him as Lord and Savior, and to live a life transformed by His grace. This obedience is not a burden but a response to the love and mercy of God, who has provided a way of salvation through His Son. To obey the gospel is to enter into a relationship with God, to become a part of His family, and to live with the hope of eternal life.

Key Takeaways:

- The essence of Christianity is not a set of teachings or philosophies but the proclamation of historical facts about Jesus Christ and their divine significance. The apostles were witnesses to these events, empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the truth of the gospel. [04:28]

- Obedience to the gospel is not about earning God's favor through good works but responding to His grace through faith. This obedience involves a complete submission to the truth of the gospel, allowing it to transform one's life. [09:18]

- Sin is fundamentally disobedience to God, a rebellion against His authority. The gospel calls us to recognize this rebellion, repent, and turn towards God in faith, acknowledging our need for a Savior. [22:14]

- The gospel is a divine command, as binding as the Ten Commandments. It calls us to believe in Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Savior, and live a life transformed by His grace. This obedience is a response to God's love and mercy. [34:50]

- To obey the gospel is to enter into a relationship with God, become part of His family, and live with the hope of eternal life. This obedience is not a burden but a joyful response to the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. [51:36]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Acts 5:29-32
- [01:02] - The Apostles on Trial
- [02:41] - The Essence of Christianity
- [04:28] - Witnesses of Historical Facts
- [06:00] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [08:00] - Obedience to the Gospel
- [09:18] - The Nature of Obedience
- [11:39] - The Essence of Sin
- [14:00] - The Command to Repent
- [22:14] - Sin as Rebellion Against God
- [30:59] - The Gospel as a Command
- [34:50] - Belief as Obedience
- [45:18] - The Call to Faith
- [51:36] - The Transformative Power of the Gospel

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Acts 5:29-32

Observation Questions:
1. What was the main reason Peter and the apostles gave for their actions when they stood before the Sanhedrin? [00:10]
2. How did the apostles describe their role in relation to the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection? [03:31]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the Holy Spirit in the apostles' testimony? [05:00]
4. What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between obedience and receiving the Holy Spirit? [07:40]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon define the essence of Christianity, and why is it important to view it as more than just a philosophy or set of teachings? [04:28]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that obedience to the gospel differs from following a set of rules to earn God's favor? [08:16]
3. How does the sermon explain the concept of sin as rebellion against God, and why is this understanding crucial for repentance? [22:14]
4. What does the sermon mean by stating that the gospel is a divine command, and how does this impact the way we should respond to it? [34:50]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you had to choose between obeying God and following human authority. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience? [00:10]
2. The sermon emphasizes the transformative power of the gospel. In what areas of your life do you feel the need for transformation, and how can you invite the gospel to shape those areas? [51:36]
3. Consider the idea that sin is fundamentally disobedience to God. How does this perspective change the way you view your daily actions and decisions? [22:14]
4. The sermon calls for a response of faith and repentance. What steps can you take this week to turn away from self-reliance and towards God in faith? [38:25]
5. How can you actively live out the command to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in your daily life? What practical changes might this require? [34:50]
6. The sermon suggests that obedience to the gospel is not a burden but a joyful response. How can you cultivate a sense of joy in your obedience to God? [51:36]
7. Identify one area in your life where you struggle with obedience to God. What specific action can you take this week to align more closely with His will? [08:16]

Devotional

Day 1: Christianity as Historical Proclamation
The essence of Christianity is not merely a collection of teachings or philosophies but a proclamation of historical facts about Jesus Christ and their divine significance. The apostles, as witnesses to these events, were empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the truth of the gospel. This truth is not just to be admired or acknowledged but to be lived out in obedience. The gospel is a call to recognize the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the pivotal events in human history, events that demand a response of faith and transformation. [04:28]

Acts 2:32-33 (ESV): "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing."

Reflection: How can you actively bear witness to the historical reality of Jesus in your daily interactions this week?


Day 2: Obedience as a Response to Grace
Obedience to the gospel is not about earning God's favor through good works but responding to His grace through faith. This obedience involves a complete submission to the truth of the gospel, allowing it to transform one's life. It is a call to turn away from self-reliance and sin, and to turn towards God in repentance and belief. This transformation is not a burden but a joyful response to the love and mercy of God, who has provided a way of salvation through His Son. [09:18]

Romans 6:17-18 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

Reflection: In what specific area of your life can you practice obedience as a response to God's grace today?


Day 3: Recognizing Sin as Rebellion
Sin is fundamentally disobedience to God, a rebellion against His authority. The gospel calls us to recognize this rebellion, repent, and turn towards God in faith, acknowledging our need for a Savior. Jesus Christ is that Savior, exalted by God to offer forgiveness and new life to all who believe. This recognition and repentance are essential steps in the journey of faith, leading to a life transformed by the grace of God. [22:14]

1 John 3:4-6 (ESV): "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him."

Reflection: What is one area of rebellion in your life that you need to bring before God in repentance today?


Day 4: The Gospel as a Divine Command
The gospel is a divine command, as binding as the Ten Commandments. It calls us to believe in Jesus Christ, accept Him as Lord and Savior, and live a life transformed by His grace. This obedience is a response to God's love and mercy, not a burden but a joyful acceptance of the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. To obey the gospel is to enter into a relationship with God, become part of His family, and live with the hope of eternal life. [34:50]

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 (ESV): "For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."

Reflection: How can you more fully embrace the gospel as a command in your life, and what changes might this require?


Day 5: Entering into Relationship with God
To obey the gospel is to enter into a relationship with God, become part of His family, and live with the hope of eternal life. This obedience is not a burden but a joyful response to the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to live a life transformed by His grace, to experience the fullness of life that comes from walking in His ways, and to share in the hope and promise of eternal life with Him. [51:36]

Ephesians 2:18-19 (ESV): "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with God and embrace your identity as a member of His family?

Quotes

We are his Witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him. Now I'm anxious this evening to deal with that last part of the statement. [00:57:36]

Christianity is the reporting of these things and the significance of these things. This is what it is not a teaching not a mere Theory not an idea not a point of view but the recording and the preaching of facts facts of history and their meaning. [04:24:00]

The gospel is something which is to be obeyed. Now let's be clear about this so is also the Holy Ghost which God hath given to them that obey him. Some people misunderstand this and think it means this that if you obey God if you keep the Commandments if you give a if you live a good life you will receive the reward. [08:08:00]

The gospel is not merely to be listened to the gospel is not uh something that you and I may enjoy listening to that can be done you know there are things about this gospel which may make one admire it tremendously but you know the gospel is not even to be admired ired is to be acted upon. [15:07:00]

The essence of sin is Disobedience to God and this is the thing we are tending to forget at the present time what is sin well the Bible defines sin as the transgression of the law it is breaking God's law what is sin sin is a men not conforming to the mold in which God made him. [22:14:00]

The gospel is exactly what the apostles here stated to the Sedin listen they said you're telling us to stop preaching you're telling us not to teach anymore in the name of this man or to do anything more in his name we must we can't keep silent why God has commanded us we ought to obey God obey God rather than men. [32:32:00]

The gospel also is therefore a command the gospel is a command from God as much as the Ten Commandments does that come to you as a surprise it shouldn't the gospel is the command of God he commanded men to go out and preach it he commands men and women to believe it as much as you have your ten commandments. [34:50:00]

The first command is to repent, isn't it? You remember how the Apostle Paul was preaching in Athens it's described later on in the 17th chapter of this epistle inde this is his message in its Essence Paul stood in the midst of Mill and said you men of Athens I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. [38:18:00]

God commandeth all men everywhere to repent what does it mean it means that you stop for a moment and think again it means that you stop living from day to day and H to mouth being governed by what happens to you living as if you'd got an endless lease on life and that you never got to die you stop you think you meditate. [40:29:00]

The gospel which means this you see that you believe this record this witness of these men that Jesus of Nazareth was none other than the only begotten Eternal Son of God we are his Witnesses of these things so is also the Holy Ghost which God has given to them that obey him obey what well obey the message Mage concerning him. [46:03:00]

The gospel is to be obeyed because it is what God has done for you is holding before you it is what God commands you to believe. [59:38:00]

Obey this gospel you'll know your sins forgiven you will know that you've got new life in you you will lose the fear of death and the grave you will have new strength and power you will become a child of God and you'll have a hope of eternal glory in his eternal glorious presence. [59:57:00]

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Transcript
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