The Living Message of Christianity: Hope and Salvation

 

Summary

In the book of Acts, we find the authoritative account of the origin of the Christian Church. This evening, I want to emphasize the importance of understanding the true nature and message of Christianity, as it is the only message that can provide peace, rest, and hope for individuals and the world. The greatest tragedy today is the confusion surrounding Christianity and the Church. If everyone truly embraced Christianity, many of the world's problems would be resolved. The Church's message is not about human opinions or traditions but about the actions and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a dead religion or a mere tradition; it is the living, active work of God.

The Church is not a human institution or a national entity; it is a community of believers united by the presence of God. Christianity is not about what we do; it is about what God has done and continues to do. The God we worship is not an unknown or abstract force but a personal, living God who reveals Himself and acts in history. The message of Christianity is about God's intervention in the world, His concern for humanity, and His provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. This message is not confined to a particular class or type of person; it is for everyone who recognizes their need for salvation.

The essence of Christianity is the proclamation of the wonderful works of God. It is about God's active involvement in the world, His creation, and His ongoing work of redemption. The Church's message is not about human efforts or philosophical ideas but about the miraculous, supernatural action of God. It is a message of hope and salvation for all who call upon the name of the Lord. Christianity is not something we control or understand fully; it is a divine mystery that transforms lives through the power of God.

Key Takeaways:

- Christianity is not a human invention or tradition; it is the living, active work of God. The Church's message is about the actions and teachings of Jesus Christ, not human opinions or traditions. [05:02]

- The God of Christianity is not an abstract or unknown force but a personal, living God who reveals Himself and acts in history. This God is actively involved in the world and concerned for humanity. [21:22]

- The message of Christianity is about God's intervention in the world and His provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is a message of hope and redemption for all who recognize their need for salvation. [39:06]

- Christianity is not confined to a particular class or type of person; it is for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. The message of the Church is not about human efforts or philosophical ideas but about the miraculous, supernatural action of God. [56:31]

- The essence of Christianity is the proclamation of the wonderful works of God. It is about God's active involvement in the world, His creation, and His ongoing work of redemption. This message is not something we control or fully understand; it is a divine mystery that transforms lives through the power of God. [36:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Introduction to Acts 2
- [01:02] - Purpose of Studying Acts
- [02:21] - Urgency of the Christian Message
- [03:28] - Confusion About Christianity
- [05:02] - The True Message of Christianity
- [07:02] - The Centrality of Jesus Christ
- [08:25] - The Role of the Apostles
- [09:56] - The Action of God
- [11:13] - What Christianity is Not
- [16:52] - Misconceptions About Christianity
- [21:04] - The God of Christianity
- [29:32] - The Positive Message of Christianity
- [34:23] - God's Active Involvement
- [39:06] - God's Concern for the World
- [45:03] - God's Deliverance
- [51:42] - The Purpose of God's Actions
- [56:31] - The Universality of the Message
- [59:13] - Conclusion and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 2:1-21
2. Genesis 1:1
3. John 3:16

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Observation Questions:

1. What significant event is described in Acts 2:1-21, and how does it relate to the origin of the Christian Church? [00:09]

2. According to the sermon, what is the primary message of Christianity, and how is it different from human opinions or traditions? [05:02]

3. How does the sermon describe the nature of God in Christianity, and how does this contrast with the concept of an "unknown God"? [21:22]

4. What examples from the sermon illustrate God's active involvement in the world and history? [34:23]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon suggest that understanding the true nature of Christianity could resolve many of the world's problems? [03:28]

2. In what ways does the sermon emphasize the importance of God's actions over human efforts in the message of Christianity? [09:56]

3. How does the sermon challenge the notion that Christianity is only for a particular class or type of person? [56:31]

4. What does the sermon imply about the role of divine mystery in the Christian faith, and how should this influence a believer's understanding of God? [55:15]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your understanding of Christianity. How does it align with the sermon’s emphasis on God's actions rather than human traditions? [05:02]

2. The sermon suggests that many people have a wrong conception of Christianity. How can you help clarify the true message of Christianity to those around you? [11:29]

3. Consider the idea that Christianity is for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. How can you make your faith more inclusive and welcoming to others? [56:31]

4. The sermon describes God as actively involved in the world. How have you experienced God's active presence in your life, and how can you be more aware of it daily? [34:23]

5. The sermon challenges the notion of Christianity as a dead religion. How can you ensure that your faith remains vibrant and alive? [12:15]

6. Reflect on the divine mystery of Christianity. How can embracing this mystery deepen your faith and trust in God? [55:15]

7. The sermon emphasizes the miraculous and supernatural nature of God's work. How can you remain open to experiencing the miraculous in your own life? [54:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Christianity as the Living Work of God
Christianity is not a human invention or tradition; it is the living, active work of God. The Church's message is about the actions and teachings of Jesus Christ, not human opinions or traditions. This understanding is crucial because it shifts the focus from human efforts to divine action. The essence of Christianity lies in recognizing that it is God who initiates and sustains the faith. It is not about adhering to a set of rules or traditions but about experiencing the transformative power of God's work in our lives. This perspective invites believers to engage with their faith as a dynamic relationship with a living God who is actively involved in the world. [05:02]

Isaiah 43:19 (ESV): "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: In what ways have you seen God actively working in your life recently, and how can you respond to His ongoing work today?


Day 2: The Personal God of Christianity
The God of Christianity is not an abstract or unknown force but a personal, living God who reveals Himself and acts in history. This God is actively involved in the world and concerned for humanity. Understanding God as personal means recognizing His desire for a relationship with each individual. He is not distant or detached but intimately involved in the details of our lives. This personal nature of God is evident in His historical actions and His ongoing presence in the world. Believers are called to respond to this personal God by seeking to know Him more deeply and by trusting in His active involvement in their lives. [21:22]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God today, acknowledging His personal involvement in your life?


Day 3: God's Intervention and Salvation
The message of Christianity is about God's intervention in the world and His provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is a message of hope and redemption for all who recognize their need for salvation. This divine intervention is not limited to a specific group but is available to everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. The hope offered by Christianity is rooted in the historical reality of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, which provides a foundation for faith and a promise of eternal life. Believers are encouraged to embrace this message of salvation and to share it with others, recognizing its power to transform lives. [39:06]

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV): "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of hope and salvation, and how can you share it with them today?


Day 4: The Universality of Christianity's Message
Christianity is not confined to a particular class or type of person; it is for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. The message of the Church is not about human efforts or philosophical ideas but about the miraculous, supernatural action of God. This universality means that the gospel transcends cultural, social, and economic barriers, offering hope and redemption to all people. Believers are called to embrace this inclusive message and to reach out to others, regardless of their background, with the love and truth of the gospel. This perspective challenges Christians to see every person as a potential recipient of God's grace and to act accordingly. [56:31]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate the inclusive nature of the gospel in your interactions with others today?


Day 5: Proclaiming the Wonderful Works of God
The essence of Christianity is the proclamation of the wonderful works of God. It is about God's active involvement in the world, His creation, and His ongoing work of redemption. This message is not something we control or fully understand; it is a divine mystery that transforms lives through the power of God. Believers are called to be witnesses to these works, sharing the story of God's intervention and redemption with others. This proclamation is not just about words but about living lives that reflect the reality of God's transformative power. Christians are encouraged to be bold in their witness, trusting that God will use their testimony to draw others to Himself. [36:00]

Psalm 105:1-2 (ESV): "Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!"

Reflection: What specific work of God in your life can you share with someone today to encourage them in their faith journey?

Quotes



I am here and I am a preacher of the gospel because I believe that this is the only message under Heaven tonight that can give anybody any peace or rest of mind and of heart and of conscience. It's the only thing that can rarely enable one to live and to be more than conqueror. [00:02:25]

The greatest tragedy of all the tragedies in the world tonight is the confusion about Christianity, the confusion about the Christian Church, her nature, her task, and her message. This to me is beyond any comparison the greatest tragedy of all, for it is clear if only everybody in the world tonight became truly Christian, most of the problems that beset us would immediately disappear. [00:03:25]

The great message of the church is as Luke puts it here at the very beginning about the Lord Jesus Christ. The former treaties have I made o theophus of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day when he was taken up into heaven. That's the message. [00:06:51]

Christianity is not dead religion. This is the first point we've got to have clear in our minds. Shall I put it like this to you, the greatest enemy of the Christian truth has always been religion, always, and that is as true tonight as it has ever been at any other time. [00:12:05]

Christianity is not a state religion. It's not an official religion in any sense at all, but that's the idea that many people have of it. That's what they think of the church and of Christianity. Their thought of the church is simply to think of what happens on certain great and ceremonial occasions. [00:13:02]

Christianity is not confined to a certain type, a certain class of person, but by definition that isn't true. By history, it isn't true. Very well, there I put the negatives before you. Let me turn to the positive. What is Christianity? What is the Christian Church? What is her message? [00:29:22]

The first thing that should strike anybody who reads the Bible, such a chapter as this or any other, is this: that you start with the Living God. You don't start with men. What's the first verse in the Bible? It's this: in the beginning God created. God, you start with God, and the whole book is dominated by God. [00:29:32]

This is the message of Christianity, and I am convinced that this is the essence of all our troubles today. The trouble with this world today is that it doesn't believe in God, and so much of our evangelism goes wrong because it starts with the Lord Jesus Christ. You mustn't, my friend, you must start with God the Father, God the Creator. [00:30:20]

God is a living God. Now I could give you almost endless illustrations of this point. Wasn't that the very thing which the Apostle preached to those people in Athens as we find it recorded in this 17th chapter? The Apostle, we are told here, and the term is such an interesting one, while Paul waited for mathan, his Spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city holy given to idolatry. [00:32:25]

The great message which we have to preach tonight is this: that this is not only God's world, but that God hasn't abandoned it. It's in a terrible mess. It's been in a mess since men rebelled against God and fell in the Garden of Eden, and all our troubles have come out of that. [00:38:06]

This is the god that Christianity preaches. He came down into the garden in the cool of the evening. This is God. This is the only God. This is the Living God. This is the true God, a God who was concerned, so he comes down and he speaks to men and he exposes his evil and he punishes him, but he gives him a promise. [00:39:06]

The message of the Christian Church is a proclamation to men fumbling, stumbling even at noon day in darkness, trying to solve their problems and to understand the mystery of life. It is a proclamation to them that this is God's world, that God has made it. It hasn't just evolved. In the beginning, God, and he created. [00:36:00]

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Transcript
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