Sermon Tone Analysis

Crookedness is rotten:

Once came home from a family weekend - tornado touched down by brotherinlaws place; and our sunshade gazebo - bent and strewn across the yard… bright idea to rebuid on deckreinforced by brown pressure treated.plywood

shingle… what a pain everything slightly bent,..nothing squared…close in top - .

Crookedness is rotten.

Or think of Isaiah - pronated foot thisway.

one leg slightly longer…Marianne’s dad prosthetic limb…swings - shoulder, neck…it is all connected.

My ankle - run everything seems off = Crookedness is rotten!

This is also spiritually true - Jesus met with people and called them a “faithless and perverse generation” , he saw their unbelieving response and called them pointblank: “an evil generation”.

Every generation it seems criticizes the next, but Jesus and Peter’s criticism cuts much deeper - it is a spiritual criticism - that speaks to all who have not been un-bent deep within, through faith in Jesus Christ and His untwisting work - in his life, teaching, dying and rising, ascending to heaven, sending His pSirit - so gathered into a new generation!

Martin Luther - said our sin and skewed human nature - al of us - homosapien,homo -invictus?

Firstly, though ... damages ourselves and is a result of our inward selfishness that is so prevalent.

Curved inward warped!

Martin Luther used the.

Latin description, 'Homo in se incurvatus', to describe the sinner.

...

Result is death - corruption …But something happened in Christ - that changes allthis.

Early sermon allabout Jesus - evidenceisgift of the Spirit - thoguh remnants of oldlife - newlife,newsociety begun - NewAgebrokein.... Peter not mad at them - invitesthis crookedgenreation intosomething so wodnerful what is it?

Salvation and Lfe in Christ!

As we embark on the this series of Acts, recognize blueprint for experiencing and livng as peole of the NEW AGE - to experience grace forgiveness, new relationshiop with God, filled with his SPirit - Last week saw - need to be PRAYER< Comoing alnogside huymble - Scripture revealing leadership; but now we come to the heart of what wemust expeirience, what Keziah must experinece to be vital living , members of Christ’s NT CHURCH

Key Truth: We (with Keziah, and all who don't yet know Christ,)must be rescued from the old dry dying Christ rejecting-generation, to be built into the new vibrant People of God (as with faiht and repentnace, with baptism we call out to the God who is calling us! )

A. We live in a Christ-denying generation, born with a Christ-denying, self-exalting nature!

In other words - stuck in the old age born into it…

The Son of God Jesus Christ sentinto this world - to lead uis on the narrow way - out of the broad way that leads to destruction.

And many religious types … preventing people from coming and really walking with Jesus who is the way, truth and the life!

The Son of God Jesus Christ sentinto this world - to lead uis on the narrow way - out of the broad way that leads to destruction.

And many religious types … preventing people from coming and really walking with Jesus who is the way, truth and the life!

For these Jews - broke covenant rejected Messiah - like Scribes and Pharisees - road blocks on way.

jesus says

He says:

= think spirituality or merits of our own, our … but not turning to Christ… in self never will …Gentiles same thing!

= think spirituality or merits of our own, our … but not turning to Christ… in self never will …Gentiles same thing!

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Old World / New World - Keziah you me, all born into Old World - need Pentecostal change of heart…

= why cut to the heart - preaching of God's Word - conscience but special revelation ..

Here too - let law do its work - conviction of Holy Spirit - not just sin, not just sinful nature … but Rosaria Butterfield - live life as if I can define it, direct, don't need God to be God of my life - -

More, don't just need God's teaching, rules… live in a world, with a human nature (problem with the world is me), NEED A SAVIOUR

John Calvin - if someone about to walk off a cliff, don't see.. Hey watch out there… stop ,don't take one more step - responsibility to do that - ie.

Car seizure … jumped in … instead of outcome my cousin had - saved life….

Can't live just saying whatever - teenageer - each chose, take it or leave it no big deal -= Know God sent a rescuer into this world - starting new age - stop - baptism - subject to wrath, unless born again!

Part of the message of the covenant in baptism - it is a sign not only of salvation but also of the curse: think about it - baby and water - person under water, declare our dirt need for cleaning -

But more it declares something about our relationship to God!

NT compares baptism to the Red Sea Crossing - Israel’s baptism into Christ they receive a blessing by faith crossed, but it was also a curse to stubborn proud-hearted Pharaoh and allwho followed him - death in that baptism .

Destiny was changed from watery grave, by following the mediator of that covenant - paryticipated in the deliverance ...

SO too in Church’s baptism - our covenant mediator went through the curse on behalf of his people = baptism according to

means we share in the identity ofChrist - we die with himon the cross, we sahre the destiny of deliverance from the curse of death; faith in what Christ did I died to sin with Him!

Because share in his crucifixion I am delivered from being cut-off from God in his glorioius resurrection.

We get through to the other side - in New Life …

The apostle Peter says it is a sign of the curse too … bad news first, but deliverance if united with covnenat mediator. .

So baptism is picturing and signing and sealing real offer from God -to be part of that ark, to be part of that people - who get the New Age already …

And this water symbolizes a spiritual baptism that now saves us!

What is the inner reality it pointstothat Peter was calling them too… and Keziah,…and you and me, all who are far off from God? See that sign of the covenant for them.

Not just that Jesus can wash her sins away as she trust in him; but that Jesus can do so because in this New Covenant, he definitively took the sins of all who will trust in him, His people, upon himself - he is able to cleanse because - made antomene tmade an end to all our sin- bore the condemnation - … became the curse, to remove it from us ...

And this water symbolizes a spiritual baptism that now saves us!

What is the inner reality it points to that Peter was calling them too… and Keziah,…and you and me, all who are far off from God? See that sign of the covenant for them.

Not just that Jesus can wash her sins away as she trust in him; but that Jesus can do so because in this New Covenant, he definitively took the sins of all who will trust in him, His people, upon himself - he is able to cleanse because - made atonement made an end to all our sin- bore the condemnation - … became the curse, to remove it from us ...

Can only find out good news - if - this message of bad news - you are crooked Christ-rejecting nature -and I need someone to bear the curse for me, to bear my sins away!

Peter tells them the bad news.

You poor people "you are destroying yourselves" ie.

Hardest thing is watching someone implode, hit rock bottom… destruction bringing in their life - got to learn the hard way…

But when if it cuts you to the heart. .

Literally - if you call out, teach Keziah - What shall we do?

That brings us to the second step in our text - sense the tone of the end of Peter’s sermon - no hesitation to call us broken, crooked, - but like though condemned - message that we’re sick the diagnosis is good - if heed it - Christ came for Peter who denied .. heart of the message is to turn to this Christ!

B. Two Conditions for us to meet: repentance & baptism Spirit had already enlightened - order hard to discern - varies… all steps related to each other… But as faith and repentnace worked - like the key that unlocks the benfits God’s promised - key is faith and repentnace - the benefits are forgiveness & the Spirit!

Negative and positive aspect - need both - not just remorse, not just moral reformation- turning to a person - introduce living resurrectined ascended Jesus - not just story book figure - but made LORD and Christ she needs, can pray to … - Keziah no moral agency, spiritually unable to repent yet… calling to come… But unlike the Lord’s Supper which requires active agency - take eat - Baptism is something done to you!

But she is able to do the next - many of you have Be Baptized - very interesting that this condition in a different form - not you pl,but individualized, particularlized… what is baptism - your’s - id with Christ -idenitfy - kids two — earth shattering that jewsneed this - humiliatiing ; part and parcel with message of repent = live into a new idenity - can’t grow up in this crooked generation or stay in it - find new id in Christ…

But she is able to do the next - many of you have Be Baptized - very interesting that this condition in a different form - not you pl,but individualized, particularlized… what is baptism - your’s - id with Christ -idenitfy - kids two — earth shattering that jewsneed this - humiliatiing ; part and parcel with message of repent = live into a new idenity - can’t grow up in this crooked generation or stay in it - find new id in Christ…

Matthew Henry: Peter's call to repent is a "plank after shipwreck" = turning round of the whole man - forsake sin and self-sufficiency BUT WHY = embrace in personal faith and discipleship attach yourself ot the LORD Jesus Christ.

Shorter Catechism - true sense of sin and a grief and a hatred of sin - more than remorse, despair = turn from it!

… bound up with an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ …TURN TO jesus Christ always look to Him embrace by faith

What it means to be baptized into the name of Jesus Christ = not formula = triune; in the name of jessu Christ, means “in connection with the revelation he has made of himself!

Bpatism seals us with His Name and HIs Revelation - the forgigfveness the gifts the covenant - baptism is like the deed that says with faith you are entitled to this property.

Here is the sign and seal given personally to you.

Like coins minted, seal of a the emperor without not legal tender.

So too proimses given - signed with deal of Jesus Christ - well intentioned, totatlly reliable -

Interesting not a long period - between getting who Jesus is and publicly associating taking up identity with His body … it is a group thing too … it is a discipleship thing ...

It isn’t a magic thing, it doesn’t give you the reality without your personal faith - Called the Christian’s circumcsioins - since sign and seal of covenant on us and our children - that ratifies - the promises of the covenant in Christ - new covenant -

So these conditions of repentance and baptism = calling us and our children with faith in Christ - to live life of discipeship - Can’t be sperated to a life of onoing -repentance!

Whether new believer convert, or child of the covenant - when come into church family - God is saying - want you to have real curency with me - stilll have to cash it by faith yoruself - but real ground of assurance… confirming thing!

Application - for those who believe in Jesus, haven't yet become member in local body; young adult or teen - trusting in Jesus - can be saved without baptism - repentance and faith - that is expressed with baptism that are the conditions God creates within you that bring salvation , baptism wonderful gift - called in obedience to use to enter and then grow into this salvation - ongoing nature of our baptism - once but must travel with you - Interesting David Walters clearly sees catechizing extension of baptism… till these promises understoood - teaching everything…

Application - for those who bleieve in Jeuss, havne’t yet become member in local body; young adult or teen - trusting in Jesus - can be saved without baptism - repentnance and faith - that is expressed with baptism that are the conditions \god creates within you that bring salvation , baptism wonderful gift - called in obedience to use to enter and then grow into this slavtion - ongoing nature of our baptism - once but must travel with you - Interesting David Walters clearly sees catechizing extension of baptism… till these promises understoood - teaching everything…

Baptized the reality promised to me, that by faith I can live in the New Age Already with New liF ein Christ - = ongoing repentance - Luther … ought to call for first ime repentance, but also expect gradual ongoing - nuruture into the faith!

Larger Catechism: Every Christian consequently has enough to learn and to practice all his life in regard to baptism....

No greater jewel for body or soul - this mark; use you to teach reality water baptism point to… get spiritual relaity and live it all the days of their life… And when we see ourselves or others - walking in broad path of destruction - call to repentnance and to identify with Christ!!

But just as there are two things we must do, Peter also invites them to receive by repentance expressed through baptism, two things God will do

C. Two Blessings for us to live into: Remission of Sins & The Indwelling Spirit

Part of this tells us not just old baptism, nor John’s baptism of repentance -

Acts 2:Part of this tells us not just old baptism, nor John’s baptism of repentance - but a sign and seal of the covenant of what Christ did -

Acts 2:

But a sign and seal of the covenant of what Christ did -The repentance and baptism in Christ’s name is for the aim and pruprose - that remission of sisn will happen to you! Do you see that the aim,intention of our repenting of our identifying with Christ, and His church - is that our sins and our sinful nature would be dealt with.

Repentance and faith doesn’t do it in itself - but as by faith take hold of Christ and the forgiveness that baptism pictures, - blessing is given to you!

Lot of religion including contemporary Xnty that is about postiive feelings, esteem, God as blesser of yoru perosnal plans, and not about totally depraved sinners, being lovoingly wooed into new relationships , saved guilt truly dealt with, sin conquereed, and eternity with God and His peoole secured!

Lot of religion including contemporary Xnty that is about postiive feelings, esteem, God as blesser of yoru perosnal plans, and not about totally depraved sinners, being lovoingly wooed into new relationships , saved guilt truly dealt with, sin conquereed, and eternity with God and His peoole secured!

Lot of religion including contemporary Xnty that is about postiive feelings, esteem, God as blesser of yoru perosnal plans, and not about totally depraved sinners, being lovoingly wooed into new relationships , saved guilt truly dealt with, sin conquereed, and eternity with God and His peoole secured!

As a congreegation - Evyln - remission of sin - camping, visit the kid… new lease on life … Have you expereinceed that spiritually - remission of your sins - God sent them away - what Joel talking about how Peter started message - what your seeing now is Last Days - Spirit … everyone calls on name of the Lord saved, provided atonement -

Surprised how big a problem guilt,shame, is in people lives - craving for acceptance - to be totatlly and truly forgiven, accepted in the beloved -= live a new life - not performing, not hiding, not pretending - accept ed by God …truly live for him…

Really half of Christianity is justification - get it right, foundation .. never graduate from all ways buildling your idenity and Christianl iveing on ....

Listen how the OT prophesied New Covenant would go:

Live as new person if your sin has been removed from you, never ever be found again to be held against you! - as far as the east from the West.

Noly perosn ever get them again is God but he has dealt with them!

Must teach this sign and deal - so that Keziah and all of us - see the healing balm that Christ’s blood is to us - that it cleanses all our stains which not only defile our souls, but deform our lives - so we can’t present ourselves to God wihtout this forgiveness!