Audio Sermons

Building Up the Church of Christ:

The Reason of the Hope that is in You

Life B-P Church Worship Service, 19^th November 2023

Text: Acts 21:37-22:24 

Introduction
We ought to always be ready to share our testimony of salvation with others and to point them to the amazing grace of Jesus to give us eternal life and a hope in Him.

“ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: ” 1 Peter 3:15

1. Give an answer
a. defence
i. ‘apologia’
ii. apologetics is a branch of Theology, dealing with the defence of the faith
b. To whom was Peter addressing?
• The suffering believers in Asia Minor (Türkiye 2021)
c. Why? Believers to
i. understand
• what they believe
• why they are Christians
• articulate their belief humbly, reflectively and biblically
ii. in order that they may be able to live victoriously in the midst of hostility
• without losing hope
• without becoming bitter
• while waiting for the realisation of the Christian hope, to be able to give an apologia for their Christian hope to every man who asketh them for the reason.
Lesson
This applies to us


2. What is the Christian hope?
a. “… asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15
b. predicated to Christ.
i. always in Christ
ii. never outside Christ
iii. in Christ endless hope; outside Christ, hopeless end.
c. Scriptural support
i. Rom. 1:16-17
ii. Rom. 5:1-2
“ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
[2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
iii. 1 Thessalonians, with its eschatological theme and focus on the second return of Christ, as the basis for the Church’s hope
iv. Titus
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
Titus 2:13
v. The Beatific Vision
1 John 3:2-3; Psalm 17:15; 1 Cor. 13:12

3. Courage and Conviction

a. not an empty profession of faith and hope
b. a possession of faith and hope
c. Courage and Conviction mark out the believer who possesses hope.
d. Crisis brings up the Christian’s character. He will live out his conviction.
e. Paul’s statements of conviction
• Romans 1:16 “ I am not ashamed of the gospel…”
• 2 Tim. 1:12 “ …I know whom I have believed…”
• Acts 20:24 “ …neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry…”
• 1 Cor. 9:16 “ For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! ”

4. Paul : A profile of courage and conviction
4.1 A narrative of Paul’s defence
a. Acts 21:37-22:24
b. “ Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence (apologia) which I make now unto you“
Acts 22:1

4.2 Turning points
a. Paul: Persecutor
• Acts 22:1-5

b. Paul: Believer
i. Acts 22:6-13
ii. Saul turned Paul
iii. Persecutor turned Believer

c. Paul: Preacher of the Gospel
i. Acts 22:14-24
ii. Called to go
“… The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest
• know his will
• see that Just One
• shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. V14

… be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard v15 .

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” v 16

Lessons
GO
a. Paul to the Gentiles
“ And he said unto me, Depart (go) : for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”
Acts 22:21

b. Isaiah to the Jews ( Isaiah 6 )
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. v8

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. “ v9

Isaiah 6:8-9

c. Believers
“ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Mark 16:15

My Trust
Lord, thou has given to me a trust
A high and holy dispensation
To tell the world and tell I must
The story of thy great Salvation
Thou might’s have sent from heaven above
Angelic hosts to tell the story
But in thy condescending love
On man, Thou hast conferred the glory
Let me be faithful to my trust
Telling the world the story
A B Simpson

Coram Deo
a. Go and tell
b. It is the Glory of giving an answer (a defence) to every man, who asketh you for the reason of hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.