“The Church’s Foundation”
Acts 1:1-3
Sermon Series: “The Church”
Introduction: There are many people in our world today who actively oppose the church and many more who dismiss it as the outdated, irrelevant product of religious myths and fairy tales. Many of these people do this because they have created a false distinction between facts and faith and reject religious beliefs because they think only what can be proven by science can be accepted. However, the church was not founded on what people believed but on what they saw.
1. The Claim: The church is not built on religious beliefs but on the fact that Jesus is alive. Luke says that “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Andy Stanley writes, “In the beginning, the church was a gloriously messy movement with a laser-focused message and a global mission. It was led by men and women who were fueled not by what they believed, but by what they had seen. That simple fact sets the church apart from every other religious movement in the history of the world. After all, it wasn’t the teaching of Jesus that sent his followers to the streets. It was his resurrection. The men and women who made up the nucleus of the church weren’t simply believers in an abstract philosophy or even faithful followers of a great leader; they were eyewitnesses of an event.”
2. The Case for the Resurrection: What are some of these “many infallible proofs” that Luke referred to?
A. The fact that Scripture and the early church creeds were written so close to the time of the resurrection (which means there wasn’t time for legends to arise), and they claim the tomb was empty and Jesus appeared to His followers.
B. Many of His followers gave their lives not for what they believed but what they saw.
C. Peter preaching Jesus in Jerusalem less than two months after he denied Jesus, and the religious leaders opposing the church but not being able to produce a body to shut it up.
D. James worshipping his brother as God
E. The conversion of Saul the persecutor to Paul the follower and preacher of Jesus
F. The claim that the women discovered the tomb and were the first eyewitnesses to the risen Lord
G. The non-biblical, non-Christian historical evidence
H. Jews who were strictly monotheistic and revered Yahweh now worshipping Jesus as God.
I. The changes in their religion made by these Jews such as going from synagogue to church, worshipping on Saturday to worshipping on Sunday, abolishing the sacrificial system in favor of the ordinances of baptism and communion, law to grace, and a political Messiah to a spiritual Messiah
J. The lack of a compelling explanation that fits the facts other than the resurrection
3. The Implications of the Resurrection:
A. For the Church-How do you explain the church without the resurrection, and how do you deny the church in light of the resurrection?
B. For us personally-On the encouraging side, the resurrection of Jesus is a bedrock truth for us to stand on, it gives us purpose in living life and hope in facing death because it guarantees our resurrection, it guarantees our victory, and it gives us Someone to live for (1 Corinthians 15). On the other hand, it also challenges us because it requires us to get off the fence and either clearly trust or clearly reject Jesus! There is no middle ground with Someone who rose from the dead. How are you going to respond to the risen Lord?
