11/04/2023
EASTER CONFERENCE 2023 DAY 2
EXCERPT FROM THE SERMON
We have said that the word repent is a change of mind first of all. So repentance is a message that a man hears and has a change of heart.
Apostle Paul in his letter to Titus talks about the "renewing of the holy ghost"
Tit 3:4-5 KJV
⁴But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, ⁵Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
That renewing of the holy ghost is repentance itself.
It is that message of repentance that brings the renewal.
The change of mind is to believe.
A man might have a morally good character, but if he doesn't believe in that message of Christ, he is not saved.
From Acts 3:19, we saw that Peter taught before he said "repent", Jesus upon his resurrection taught his disciples for 40 days!
He taught them till they believed.
Luk 24:25-28 KJV
²⁵ Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁶ Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
In verse 44
Luk 24:44-48 KJV
⁴⁴ And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake 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. ⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: ⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
So Jesus taught them the message before they went out to preach that message of repentance.
Repentance is that remission of sins!
You can't ask someone to change their character first before they can receive the remission of sins.
Their mindset is what should change first, they must first believe!
In acts 3:19 when Peter says
¹⁹ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
The repentance is the conversion, it is the message that we preach.
The word blotted out means to TAKE AWAY COMPLETELY.
The resurrection of Christ is the presence of God. In the resurrection, we have a present reality.
So Acts 3:19 shows us that the blotting out of sins is that "times of refreshing" that came out of the presence of the lord( the resurrection)
In acts 3:6, peter referred to Jesus' s earthly details, calling him "JESUS OF NAZARETH". He did this to show that Jesus is very much around. Just as he was present in Peter working miracles, Jesus is present in the believer today working through us.
The resurrection is the greatest miracle that ever happened. All other miracles, signs and gifts point to the resurrection.
We can't talk about the power of God without talking about the resurrection.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE POWER OF GOD ON DISPLAY!
The Pharisees thought they killed Jesus,but they were wrong. Instead many Jesus's arose out of his resurrection.
Many men like Peter, John and all the other disciples had Christ working through them.
In 1 Corinthians 15, apostle Paul talks about the gospel as the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In verse 13 he hinges salvation and forgiveness of sins on the resurrection of Christ saying….
1Co 15:13-14 KJV
¹³But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
Then in verse 17
¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
So we can rephrase this to say:
If Christ truly resurrected from the dead, then we who are believe are no longer in our sins.
Glory to God!
We are dead from sin, and alive in Christ, and Christ works through us to preach the gospel, and work miracles.
Mar 16:19-20 KJV
¹⁹So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. ²⁰ And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
We are that right hand of God, the ressurected Jesus works through us!.
Glory to God!
