This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of “The History of Salvation” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 30, 1990.
About this sermon
Four keys for reading the book of Acts rightly get set out: it records the acts of the reigning Christ, the acts of the Holy Spirit, and truly the acts of the apostles, with its whole focus resting on action and activity rather than doctrine alone.
Sermon transcript
Tonight we are reading from Acts chapter five. We will be reading the first sixteen verses. Hear the word of God. But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? and to keep back some of the price of the land. While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your hearts? You have not lied to men, but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias fell and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. And the young men arose and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, telling her whether she had sold the land for such and such a And she said, Yes, that was the price. Then Peter said to her, Why is it then you have agreed together to put the spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out as well. And she fell down immediately at his feet and breathed her last.
And the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. great fear came upon the whole Church, upon all who heard of these things. And at the hands of the Apostles, many signs and wonders were taking place among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them, however the people held them in high and all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. And also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits and they were all being healed.
We are continuing our series on New Testament times this evening. We are in the book of Acts, and we’re taking a bit of a detour this evening. We will not be considering the first persecution, as is listed there for you in the bulletin, Rather, we will be considering a broader topic, namely things to remember about the Book of the Acts. That’s setting something of a tone for us as we then progress further in our series on New Testament times and reflect upon those things that will follow as we move through the Book of the Acts and also the rest of the New Testament canon. There are certain features of the book of Acts that we must bear in mind as we make our way through it, and I’m going to list for you tonight four items that I wish for you to keep in mind.
First of all, although this book is entitled—you can turn to the first page if you want—although this book is entitled The Acts of the Apostles, it might also be looked upon as the record of the acts of the risen Christ. This book may be looked upon then as the axe of the risen, exalted, reigning Christ. This brings before us an extraordinary truth that should register well upon our consciousness, one that too often does not seem to sink in upon us as it ought to do. That is this.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is alive and he is active. He is active in the affairs of his church and in the affairs of the world. Will you not see him at work? Do you not perceive his presence and understand him to be one who lives, one who is actively engaged in the life of his church and in the activities of the world?
They do have a certain prominence in this book. The Apostles are, to be sure, witnesses for Christ. They are witnesses for the living, active, reigning Lord. But they are even more dynamically His agents. Jesus has, in fact, promised to build his Church. Remember what he has told his disciples in Matthew 16. He will build his Church. The very gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. Jesus has then promised to build his Church, and now, as the risen, reigning Savior, he is about that work. Have you thought about his activity with respect to the church of which you are a part? Do you see this church as a testimony to Christ’s reigning activity? Are you conscious of it? Do you look past near appearances? Do you perceive things invisible? Do you sense His living presence and His activity in our midst?”
Now, there are instances in the Book of Acts where the living Christ asserts Himself directly You may recall the story of Saul of Tarsus, Acts chapter 9, where Saul is blessed by a heavenly vision. He sees the living Christ, just one who is thought to be dead, his disciples but fools. This one now Saul knows to be alive. He’s seen him. And that one says to Saul, why are you persecuting me? As you set out to persecute the church that is mine. There’s another instance later on you may recall. when Paul is at Corinth. A vision comes to Paul as Christ addresses him once more, telling him not to be afraid, for I have much people in this city.
The acts of the apostles is a record of the acts of the risen, reigning Christ. And the apostles, by their acts, by their activity, are but entering into the actions of the risen Christ. They are participating in his work, which is full and complete. Alright, that’s our first point. The Book of the Acts is a record of the acts of the risen, reigning Christ. But secondly, this book, although called the Acts of the Apostles, might also be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
Can it be doubted? Does not the third person of the Trinity have an extraordinary preeminence in this book? The person of the Holy Spirit is given great promise throughout. You may recall the beginning of the first chapter, how the Spirit is promised spiritual And then, in the second chapter, there is that coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
In fact, before we can call the apostles agents of the risen Christ, we must call the Holy Spirit, that agent, par excellence. He comes as the agent of the risen reigning Christ. He comes because of and in the power of the risen Christ, the risen Christ dispensing him from heaven, sending him into the world. So it is then with power that the Holy Spirit comes, and when he comes he brings life, he brings new life. The life that he brings is as if it were life for the first time, for what is taking place seems to be a new creation.
The people of God being formed, as it were, for the first time. There is then the Holy Spirit’s work as the New Testament assembly takes shape. there is, as it were, a glory cloud that is present with the Holy Spirit as evidence of his presence then for a new filling of God’s new temple, as tongues of flame and fire appear above the heads of the apostles and those who are gathered. In his power The Holy Spirit brings order, the order of the risen Christ, upon this new creation as the assembly takes shape, begins to take on its proper and appropriate form. An order for association and fellowship, an order for office and ministry, the patterns of which are beginning to emerge in the book of the Acts. will not be complete, the patterns will begin to form. They will begin to appear, to take shape, to assert themselves.
And by His power now, the Holy Spirit ministers comfort and encouragement to the Church. Behind the preaching of the Apostles is the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit, making that preaching effective. specifically as comfort now is ministered to the saints.
There was one marked out by the Holy Spirit, one Levite by the name of Joseph, whose name is also Barnabas. He’s called the Son of Consolation, the Son of Comfort. There is the comforting efforts of the Council of Jerusalem as their counsel goes out to the churches. throughout the world at that time. We read about it in the fifteenth chapter.
There is that comfort that is extended by the Apostle Paul to elders gathered along the shores near Miletus, a ministry of comfort that comes in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, this book can be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit, a dynamic testimony to the presence the power, the activity of the third person of the Trinity.
Jesus had promised to send the Spirit, had he not? Just as he had promised to build his church, he had promised to send his Spirit. That fact is emphasized by John in his Gospel. As our attention is drawn to that promise again and again, And now, as the risen, reigning Savior, Jesus has sent forth his Spirit, that Spirit of reality for us, we, not strangers to him, nor his ministry. So that we might see clearly that it is Christ’s power by which the church then is created, renders service, and grows. The acts of the apostles must be understood in terms of works in and by the Holy Spirit. And I might add that this theme also lies at the root of the message concerning election that we find strong throughout this book. As many as were appointed unto eternal life. They say they were added to the church. That remind you of anything. Why, that’s the fourth point of the five points of Calvinism, the irresistible grace of the Holy Spirit, operative, working, drawing, convincing, converting, according to God’s appointment, His plan, His purpose.
So the acts of the apostles, if you would think of them as the acts of the risen, reigning Christ who is alive, think of them as the act of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life.” Those are our first two points, but thirdly, we must deal with the fact that this book is, after all, called the Acts of the Apostles. Is it a mistake to call it the Acts of the Apostles? Well, not at all.
The risen Christ, who reigns, who carries out his ministry from heaven through his Holy Spirit, asserts himself into the affairs of the world, into the affairs of his church, with such servants as we find in the book of Acts. congregations of men and women, old and young. The risen Christ who reigns, asserting His power from heaven through His Holy Spirit, introduces Himself into the affairs of the world and into the affairs of His Church through servants such as we find in the Book of Acts. Jesus Christ is not simply pleased with men to dwell, but also by man to accomplish his will.
Focusing then upon the apostles, this book is rightly called The Acts of the Apostles. If we remember first, it is the record of the acts of the risen Christ and of his Holy Spirit. who are pleased to use the instrumentality of men. Now, it is at this point that we do well to grab a hold of an important fact. We have been speaking about apostles, those men who become useful in the hands of the in the reign of Christ for his church. These instruments that are now being used as we read through the account given here in the book of Acts. It is important for us to grab hold of an important fact. That there are yes. Abiding ministry. pattern of which we may perceive in the testimony here given us.
But then there is the temporary nature of that apostolic ministry that is plainly, clearly brought before our eyes. For the apostolic ministry, described as it is in the book of Acts, There is, to be sure, a permanent, since that ministry participates so directly in the activity of the risen Christ and of his spirit. And Paul, later on, as he writes to the church that is at Ephesus, will speak of that ministry as foundational, for the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. And does that foundational ministry continue to have mighty impact and effect in the church of our time, even though the apostles are long dead and gone? Yes, by all means. Are you a beneficiary of the ministry of the apostles? Is there a permanency to the ministry that they have rendered for the risen Christ and in the power of His Spirit?
The foundation that has been laid now, that ground-level foundation that has been laid, is, however, but once laid. It is not laid again and again. There are not many ministries that are foundational, there is this one ministry, the apostolic ministry, that is foundational. And its purpose is now to support the superstructure that’s built upon it in subsequent years. It is the foundation of the structure of which you are a part.
But at the same time, we are recognizing the permanence. For the ministry of the apostles, we must also recognize the temporary nature of that ministry. For we move, in point of time, from a period in which the apostles are bodily present with the Church, to a time in which they are no longer bodily present. Have you seen an apostle recently? Well, of course, there are those walking around today who are claiming such an office for themselves. In fact, there are many who say that they have seen and greeted and spoken to apostles in the flesh. But we are compelled, as we read through Acts, to recognize the temporary quality of that apostolic ministry as we move from a period in which the apostles are bodily present to a time in which they are not. Nor is it necessary in the providence of God for them to be bodily present. And because this is true, the Book of Acts, then, is a book of transition. It is meant to be a book of transition.
Failure to grab hold of this, failure to understand it, has landed the Church in all sorts of difficulties. Many difficulties that are abroad even in our time. Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement, for example, have become shipwrecked at this point.
They have contended that the speaking-in-tongues experiences, the miraculous ministry of the apostles, and the direct revelations from God in Christ, all found in the Book of Acts, are currently prescribed, if not commanded, for the Church. and the only church with power, the only church that pleases God in our time, is that church that manifests all of these things.
If you are not then speaking in tongues, if you are not privy to miraculous ministries, if you are not one who has received direct revelation from God in Christ, then your profession of faith is highly suspect, if not bogus altogether. But there are others, not to pick upon Pentecostalists and Charismatics solely, For there are those who would look at the book of Acts as a book that prescribes exact and finished forms of order. Catholics and Episcopalians believe that as they look upon the apostolic office as it functions in the book of Acts, they have the justification for the diocesan and hierarchical systems of church government. For how are we to understand the activity of the apostles, unless it’s along the order of bishops?
We don’t dare leave ourselves out. Even Presbyterians have overstated their case when they have claimed that their particular governmental church system has sprung full grown from the Book of Acts. That you can chronicle it, you can chapter and verse it, right here from the Book of Acts. But you see, the Book of Acts is a transitional document. And this book, together with other biblical testimony, is meant to direct us beyond the charismatic and miraculous era of the Church’s beginning, and either take us beyond those immature times with respect to the government of the Church to a more mature time when things are settled. As far as Church government is concerned, then, the Book of the Acts is a directional document pointing us toward the Spirit’s will concerning the order for the Church. We will see suggestions of that order as we move through.
As the Apostles themselves give way to ordained ministry, There will be the composite office that appears in Acts 6. No, we don’t justify the office of the deacons solely out of Acts 6. In fact, we see many offices in Acts 6. Think of those spoken of ordinarily as deacons. We have amongst the seven that are ordained in that text Stephen and Philip. Are they merely deacons? No, they are evangelists. They go out and preach and teach. They are more than deacons.
The suggestion of the ordained ministry then is found in text like that, but it’s not full grown yet. We’re still in the developmental period. We look at the Council in Acts 15, and we think we have the justification, pure and simple, for Presbyterian government and order. It is suggested there, it’s not full grown yet.
The pattern is there, it’s pushing us further on to a state of maturity, and we believe that state of maturity has been reached, of course, in the Presbyterian system. But the Book of the Acts is a transitional document, and we must not forget that. If we say that it is a document suggesting to us final forms and orders, then we are bound to pursue the charismatic and the Pentecostal conviction with regard to this document. We may well end up being Episcopalians in our view of church government.
There are other matters that we must keep in mind. I might say in this regard, parenthetically. It is when Presbyterianism has placed all of its eggs in the basket of the Book of Acts that it has gotten into deep trouble. Tremendously deep trouble. For what do Presbyterians hold?
Presbyterians hold that there is a continuity that moves from Old Testament to New Testament and back with regard even to matters like church government. So if you’re going to develop a biblical doctrine of church government, you can’t suddenly dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant. So it is the whole of Scripture that informs you as you come to the matter of church government that our forefathers have made some tragic mistakes. in the middle of the eighteenth century, again in the nineteenth century. They have suggested to us that if we are to have a biblical base for our position with respect to church government, it must come exclusively from New Testament considerations. And having made that judgment, they have short-circuited the genius of Presbyterian interpretation of Scripture as a whole. We are not just New Testament saints. We are biblical saints. We don’t throw our Old Testament away. We hold on to it. Well, close parenthesis. That’s our third point. Finally, this book is, in fact, not just the acts of the apostles, but the acts of the apostles. You get my emphasis.
In you specifically are actions and activity. the actions and activities of these Apostles as they are, in fact, the motions of the risen Christ in and by His Holy Spirit. Now, think of this for a minute. This means that Christ the Holy Spirit, the Apostles, are engaged in a common program for action. Take your cue from the Book of Acts with regard to the ministry of the Church. There will be other considerations that you must take into account. You must deal with the Holy Scripture, but be sensitive to the ministry of the risen Christ, of the Holy Spirit, and the Apostles as they are in concert, engaged in a common program for action. Learn from that. This is my plea with regard to the Psalter. This is my plea.
Will the Church know how to sing a rite? Will it know how to form its hymns? They will not do it a rite unless they do it upon the foundation that is laid in the Word. They form their hymns and their songs of praise the throne, the power, the vision, the grandeur, the glory of the Psalter that has been given us by God. Now, I am not in favor of exclusive psalmody. You know that. Neither is this Church. But the Church goes wrong when it dismisses the Psalter as its foundation for its enmity.
And similarly, when you take up the book of the Acts, if you dismiss this book, you have cut yourself off, it seems to me, from that joint testimony of Christ’s Holy Spirit and the apostolic band concerning the common program for action. And as you read through the book of the Acts, you must be impressed. by the fact that we have something here that is magnificently sublime.
I’m going to say this, and I know that I’ll be misunderstood. Peter and John and Paul have class. And I mean that in the best spiritual sense, and to be honest with you, I have no interest in participating in programs of actions that are generated by spiritual barbarians. And I am telling you that the Church of our time is overrun by spiritual barbarians. Now what’s the difference? Well, I know one of them.
Men of spiritual class never lose sight of the glory of God. Spiritual barbarians are always interested How different the program presented for us in the book of the Acts from those recently described by one wonderful minister from the PCA who described the current activities and programs for actions as those dominated by numbers, nickels, and noise. So, this program that is in view is, first of all, sublime. It brings before us the greatness of God, the matchlessness of Christ, the superlative excellence of the Holy Spirit, and the pricelessness of Christ’s Church.
There is a seriousness with respect to the activities. We are not engaged in frivolousness. Again, I will be misunderstood. The church is not a weekend retreat, folks. It’s not a picnic. It’s not one glorified Sunday school picnic. Are people being struck down for their sin at Sunday school picnics? Ananias is. Sapphira is.
And yet there are those now who would trivialize the Church, her ministry, her activities. The whole tone of the Book of Acts then is glorious and profound. And in it, the church, her ministry and the character of her God are never reduced to the level of the trivial and the merely remedial. We’re going to enable people to get on and get along and cope and survive. Here is the high plane. that always keeps before us the crucified Christ. Is that a serious matter? The holiness of the Holy Spirit. Is that a serious matter? The kingdom of God. In fact, the program for action.
From Christ, his Holy Spirit engaged in by these apostles can actually be expressed as the defining of the kingdom of God. Yes, that kingdom is now defined by the spread of the word from Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish world, to Rome, the center of the Gentile world. It is now defined not by one nation, but by the inclusion of all nations as the entire world is touched by the message of God and His Christ. It is now defined not in terms of an inheritance here in a plot of ground in a corner of the Mediterranean world. It is rather defined in terms of an inheritance realized in the Holy Spirit and as one that transcends the order of this creation. This is what Paul says in Romans 14, verse 7. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace.
The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.