The Church of Christ in a wicked world.

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, 26^TH APRIL, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: The Church of Christ in a wicked world.

             “Ijo Kristi ninu aye buburu.”

TEXT: Acts 2:40

“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, be saved from the perverse generation.”

“Ati oro pupo miiran ni o fi njerii ti o si n fi gba won niyanju wi pe, E gba ara yin la lowo iran arekereke yii”

Christians cannot change the wicked or perverse generation by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by approaching it with lives and words already transformed and burning by the power and fire of the Holy Spirit. The early Church had none of the things we rely on for success today, yet it greatly and positively affected and influenced its world. The early Christians through the power and fire of the Holy Spirit won multitudes to Jesus Christ and planted many Churches throughout the then Roman (Gentile) world. Of course, it is the evangelical activities of the early Apostles, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that is written in the book now called “THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES” which many scholars saw as the “ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,” because all the works done in the book were done by people who were ignited by the Spirit of the Living God. The good news here is that the same power of the Holy Spirit is available to us (the Church) today. It is available to make us more effective witnessing Church for Christ. The better we relate with the Holy Spirit and experience his power, the better we will understand his ministry of transformation (Jn. 16:13-14). Then the more active we shall be in social action and welfare of our people.

The Church of Christ in a wicked world is that Church which is fully involved in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. A Church which is fully alive and sensitive to what is going on around it. A church which does not conform itself to the worldly pattern, but always ready to transform its world. This is the type of Church shown in Acts Chapter Two. This chapter in Acts helps us to comprehend the work and place of the Holy Spirit in the Church. It contains the record of the Church’s encounter with the Holy Spirit and the life of the Church after its encounter with the Holy Spirit. There are four obvious stages in the life of the early Church in Acts chapter 2. They are:

1.   The Church waiting in obedience for the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1)

2.   The Church in true worship of the Most High God with boldness, satisfaction and lasting joy (Acts 2:2-13)

3.   The Church witnessing to the cruel/wicked people and the lost (Acts 2:14-41) This third experience and ministry of the early Church is the focus of today’s message.

4.   The last but not the least is the Church walking and working in the Spirit (Acts 2:42-47)

The witnessing Church in a perverse or wicked world: Immediately after the Pentecost experience, Peter who was filled with the Holy Spirit started to address his audience, not in different tongues, but in the normal Aramaic language which they understood. In short, it was a message given by a Jewish Preacher to fellow Jews (Acts 2:14, 22, 29, 36) during Jewish holy day. His message centered on the resurrection of the Jewish Messiah Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified. The contents of Peter’s message on that great holy day can be divided into 3 main parts:

1.   His explanation of what happened when the Holy Spirit had come (Acts 2:14-21): He made it clear that the joyful worship of the believers (Apostles) and speaking in diverse languages was not the result of too much wine, but evidence of the out pouring of the Holy Spirit on the followers of Jesus Christ. It is true because no Jews could be drunk early in the morning especially on a Sabbath or holy day since no orthodox Jew could eat or drink before 9am on such a day when the Holy Spirit came down. The Holy Spirit broke the barrier and age long believe that it is meant for some class of people. It was poured out on about 120 followers of Jesus Christ, men and women who were ordinary Jews. It was indeed the dawning of a new age in which God would bring to completion his plan of Salvation for human beings. The good news now is that Jesus had finished the great work of redemption and “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21). Even you and I.

 

2.   His explanation on how the great work of redemption happened: Jesus Christ resurrected and is alive (Acts 2:22-35): Here Peter told the truth about the suffering, crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and then called on his audience to believe on Christ and be saved. He gave them 4 proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as follows:

a)   He pointed to the person of Jesus Christ as his first proof. Jesus was a real human being from Nazareth who performed many signs and miracles. He even raised the dead and no fault was found in him (Acts 2:22, 3:6; 4:10) He was a man who had God’s hand upon his life. With him all things are possible. He has the ability to resurrect.

b)   The second proof was the prophecy of David (Acts 2:25-31) Peter quoted Psalm 16:8-11 which certainly could not apply to David who was already dead, buried but did not resurrect. Truly David wrote about Jesus Christ that the Messiah would not remain in the realm of the dead or his body in the grave where it would decay.

c)   The witness of Christ’s followers was the third proof. (Acts 2:33) After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to many of his disciples and at different occasions. A case study is his appearance to the 2 disciples on their way to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. He commissioned them to give witness to others that he was alive (Acts 1:3,22)

d)   The Presence of the Holy Spirit was the fourth proof of Christ resurrection (Acts 2:33-35). Remember that Jesus Christ had promised that after his departure, he would sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 15:26, Acts 1:4) Certainly, if Jesus is dead, he cannot send the Spirit to his disciples on the Pentecost day, therefore he must be alive.

 

3.   His explanation of why Jesus Christ died, resurrected and sent the Holy Spirit: to save sinners (Acts 2:36-40): Peter, the mouth piece of the first Church made it clear that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, whom the Jews killed, God has made him Lord and Saviour of the whole world and in his name all human beings must worship God (Phil. 2:9-11; Acts 2:36). Peter then told them how to be saved; they had to repent of their sins and believe on Jesus Christ. They also needed to show the sincerity of their repentance and faith in Christ by being baptized (Acts 2:38). It did not end there, the Apostles continued their exhortation as seen in Acts 2:40 urging the people to trust Jesus Christ for their Salvation and never to continue in the way of a “Crooked generation” which was under condemnation (Matt. 16:4; 17:17; Phil. 2:15) After this hard and powerful undiluted message, about 3,000 people repented, believed in the resurrected Jesus and were saved. The number of people of impact and spiritual influence increased and a great revival began (Acts 2:41). The new church started to walk and work in the Spirit (Acts 2:42-47) as follow:

a)   Fellowship of the brethren began

b)   Teaching (Discipleship) followed

c)   Communion (breaking of bread together)

d)   Prayer (Public and Private)

e)   Communal living

f)    Love in action.

They adopted life style which made people of their generation to see them as Christ followers, people who were like Christ and thus called them “Christians” (Acts 11:26). The early Church set a new pattern of life for their generation; a life of love, sharing, generosity, brotherhood and sisterhood, and set a standard for communal living.

The “We-feeling” of Africa came into full manifestation among the early Christians even though they were not Africans. Their social action and welfarism were second to none. They did all these and dismissed poverty from their new community, no one was too rich and no member of this new community was poor; everyone had things according to his or her need. (Acts 2:44-45).

Brethren, remember that Christians are members of a new community which was inaugurated by the resurrected Christ on the Pentecost day. They are people, who though live in the world, are not of the world (John 17:14-16) Christian are people called out of the darkness and wickedness of the world (1Pet. 2:9-10) into the light of his presence. They are transformed men and women called to participate in the transformative ministry of our God (Rom. 12:1-2) Members of the new Church of Christ are changed and saved citizens of heaven called to be instruments of change in the wicked and perverse world. If I may ask, what are we doing at this global trying period to make Christ real to people of the world? What is the impact of the Church in the face of this pandemic attack on the world? Please note that the Church is the final hope of the world. Let us use the present situation and condition of this wicked world to revive it and bring people to repentance. Let us through our proclamation, deeds and signs to bring the world out of its wickedness unto Christ for total Salvation. We have to do this today; tomorrow may be late. You are an instrument of change, I am an instrument of change, we are all instruments of change in this world, but let the change begin with us now.

Let Us Pray

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

Chairman OS-CAN.