The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

THE FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH (Acts 4:1-22)

THE FIRST PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH (Acts 4:1-22)

As believers we are to obey those that God has placed in power over us, whether they be Caesar, or Nero, or our current leaders.  Yet, there are times when Caesar so abuses his power as to command that we do something morally or spiritually wrong.  That is where the believer must draw the line, even at the cost of death.  The believer must respectfully, but firmly, refuse to obey the commands of human authority when it defies the laws of God.  And when the time comes, and it will come, that we are prohibited from preaching and teaching the name of Jesus, that is when we must refuse to obey the command of the rulers placed in authority above us.  

Peter does just that as he proclaims to the Sanhedrin, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  This was Peter’s and John’s reply when they were commanded by the religious leaders to stop teaching in the name of Jesus.  They declared that they would continue to teach, preach, and heal in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, no matter the cost.  

It is not by the name of Confucius, Buddha, or Allah, that a lost person can find salvation; not even by the name of one of the great heroes of the Bible, not Abraham, or Moses, can a lost person find salvation.  Only in the name of Jesus can salvation be found.  Jesus is the world’s only Savior. 

John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
KJV

The law can’t save you. Religion can’t save you, and there is absolutely no ceremony that can save you. You cannot get to Heaven through the pope. You cannot stand before God clothed in the robes of righteousness by doing more good works than bad works.  Your friends and family cannot pray you into heaven.  You cannot buy your way out of darkness and an eternity in Hell.

There is only one way to get rid of Satan’s darkness, and that is the light of the Word of God, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God.  We have victory in Jesus because no force on the earth, or below the earth, can stand against the mighty majesty of His name.  When you come to Jesus for salvation, it is His blood that wipes away your sin.  It is His blood that provides eternal life for you.  

Click on the play button to hear a message about the first persecution of the church that would dare to teach about the gospel message found in the name of Jesus.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE SECRET TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE (Acts 3:1-21)

THE SECRET TO A BEAUTIFUL LIFE (Acts 3:1-21)

Today’s message is about the miracle of the healing of a man that had been crippled from his birth.  When this man was born, and his father and mother took him and examined him, they noticed that something was not quite right with the little baby’s feet: his anklebones had not developed, nor his little feet. Somehow, they were not made whole, like feet should normally be for a little baby. 

And this little boy never learned to walk. When other boys would go out to skip, run, and play, he couldn’t. Later on, when other men went to work, there was no work that he could do. All that they could do was to take this man every day and put him down there at the gate to the temple, the gate that was called Beautiful. He had his little tin cup there, and as people would come and go to worship, he would cry out, “Baksheesh! Baksheesh! Alms! Help the poor! Help the poor!” And people would drop their pennies and their coins into his tin cup. Day after day, that is the way he lived. People would come and go, and he was right there at the gate of the temple.  And here is this man just outside that Beautiful Gate, because he cannot enter through it.  That is because Levitical law said that a deformed man could not enter past that gate.  So, here he was, on the wrong side of a beautiful life. He is just outside the gate, and he’s crippled.

Now, if you want a beautiful life, then I want you to picture yourself on the wrong side of the gate. Picture yourself, spiritually, as a cripple—unable to walk the walk of God, unable to work the work of God, unable to enter into the worship of God—on the wrong side of the gate. Picture a new life. Picture a gate gloriously beautiful.  Picture yourself on the wrong side of that gate, and you can’t enter in without a miracle. I want you to picture the Lord Jesus Christ who was in Simon Peter that day. I want you to picture Him coming by you today and looking down at you, and I want you to picture today Jesus reaching down to you with a nail-pierced hand, taking you by your right hand, raising you up, spiritually giving you a lift that will last, and giving to you the power to enter in through the gate to the ports of God.  That is what this miracle is all about. God wants to give you a new life, today. He wants to make something beautiful of your life. 

Click on the play button to hear a message on the secret to a beautiful life.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

JESUS IS OFFERED TO THE NATION (Acts 3:1-26)

JESUS IS OFFERED TO THE NATION (Acts 3:1-26)

The message today is about the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah by the Jews.  As we talk about this, I want you to remember something.  The lesson focuses on the people of Jerusalem, because in the days immediately following the Day of Pentecost, that is where the church, the true body of believers, began. But this message is just as applicable to the people in the world today.  This message is about the rejection of Jesus Christ, and there are people all around us who have made the decision to do exactly that, to reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The Jews had bullied Pilate into crucifying the Son of the living God, even though they had Jesus walking among them, performing miracles, and still they rejected Him.  Yet, it is my sin that forced Jesus to go the cross.  The lost people of today, when they look upon a surrendered believer, they can see the light of Jesus Christ walking among them, and yet they reject the Prince of Life who is the author of the miracle of the new creation which is that believer.   

It is important that you understand that nothing that I am going to say today should make you feel in some way less responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  For it was your sin and mine that Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for.  He willingly chose to lay down His life for a lost and hopeless world.  Each one of us is just as responsible for the death of Jesus Christ as the Jews who were standing in front of Peter.

The events of Pentecost would have been the talk of all of Jerusalem.  There were people speaking in tongues, and a peasant fisherman preaching with power the word of God.  They had to be asking themselves, “How could this be happening?  What does it mean?  Is it true, as some have said, that we killed the Messiah?  No, that is not possible.”  The Holy Spirit has planted the seed of questions, and now He seeks them out to place a decision about Jesus Christ before them.  

Click on the play button to hear a message on how the choice between eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven, and an eternity in the Lake of Fire without God, depends on the decision you make about accepting or rejecting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

GOD'S PATTERN FOR A CHURCH (Acts 2:22-26, 22-47)

GOD’S PATTERN FOR A CHURCH (Acts 2:22-26, 33-47)

Our lesson today is about “God’s Pattern for a Church.” I believe this is important for us to understand because a New Testament church—a Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, Christ-honoring church—is a mighty tool in the hands of a holy God. And God’s pattern is found right here in the book of Acts.

Now, I believe in my heart that God is giving the church one last mighty urge for the revival of all revivals before the night of all nights comes. I also believe that the world is looking at us one more time. They have tried everything—every form of government; every kind of leader; every excess of pleasure; everything that money can buy, that hearts desire, that minds can conceive—and they have found that nothing satisfies. And they are wondering one more time, do we have the answer? And the answer is yes! But when they look at us, I wonder what they’re going to see.

Nietzsche was a cynic, an atheist; an ungodly, lascivious man. He looked at the church; he considered Christianity. Do you know what he said? He said, “If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, then you’re going to have to look a little more redeemed.” Now, you think about it. This world gets their idea of Jesus Christ not from the Word of God—because they don’t read it; they get it from us.

In today’s lesson, I’m going to give you a description of a church triumphant.  Now, I believe that we could all agree that a Christian church exists for the purpose of magnifying Jesus through worship and the Word, and moving believers in Jesus toward maturity and ministry, and making Jesus known to our neighbors and the nations.  And the overarching theme of our church should be Making Jesus Known.  

Click on the play button to hear a message that tells us that by God’s grace and for God’s glory, we need to be in the business of making Jesus known by living supernaturally. We cannot do it naturally; but there’s enough power in heaven. If we’ll wait for the anointing, if we will learn the Word of God, if we will be obedient, then we can see our world impacted for Jesus Christ.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE PERSON OF PENTECOST (Acts 2:1-5, 12-19, 38)

THE PERSON OF PENTECOST (Acts 2:1-5, 12-19, 38)

The title of the today’s lesson is “The Person of Pentecost.”  And of course, that person of Pentecost is the Holy Spirit of God.  I said it that way because it is important that we understand that the Holy Spirit is a person. Never, ever, speak of the Holy Spirit as a thing, as an influence—a mere influence—an “it.” Some people speak of the Holy Spirit with the impersonal pronoun “it.”  That would be inappropriate to do so for any person, let alone the Person of God.   

If someone were to leave here today and try to describe my appearance to someone, I hope that they wouldn’t say something like, “It wore a dark polo-shirt and jeans today.” I hope they would at least give me enough deference to use a personal pronoun when they refer to me, because I am not merely a thing, an influence; I am a person. And, God the Holy Spirit is a person; 

And, having said that, I want you to notice with me four things about the Person of Pentecost, and I pray God that He will use Himself, the Holy Spirit, to etch and to burn this message into your heart and help you to live in that Pentecostal power that God wants us all to have.

The first thing is that “The Person of Pentecost is a Possession to Be Received.” That is, God is going to give you the Holy Spirit. The gift is the Spirit Himself. When you repent, when you receive Christ Jesus as your personal Savior, when you are saved, when you are born again, you receive God’s gift, which is the Spirit Himself. And that happens immediately when a person is saved.

The second thing is that “The Person of Pentecost is a Power to Be Released.” These verses speak of the power that is going to rest upon those who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the purpose of the Holy Spirit: to give power to people who do not have power.

The third thing is that “The Person of Pentecost is a Presence to Be Revealed.” People come to see a fire.  You let a church get on fire for God; you let us get right with God, and I’ll tell you that the Holy Spirit of God is going to attract the people.

The fourth thing is that “The Person of Pentecost is a Person to Be Recognized.” The Holy Spirit will continue to bless to the degree that we continue to say that God is responsible for the power in our lives, that the Holy Spirit is the business of transforming weak, stammering, people into His people doing His work.  

Click on the play button to hear a message on the Person of Pentecost.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

CONVICTION AND REPENTANCE (Acts 2:37-47)

CONVICTION AND REPENTANCE (Acts 2:37-47)

Conviction is the Holy Spirit’s first work in a human heart. For the person who does not know Jesus as their Lord and Master, the Holy Spirit’s message is a single message, a very simple message, yet it is such a difficult message to accept.  The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of the judgment to come. Then, the Holy Spirit convicts of the nature of sin, of the need for righteousness, and of the nearness of judgment.  

Next, the Holy Spirit makes people see their personal accountability before God for what they have done, and in particular their rejection of Jesus Christ.  This is important to understand because it is not the amount, or kind, of sin in our life that condemns us; it is the fact of sin in our life that condemns us.  But even more importantly, we will not be judged and sent to an eternity in hell because of our sin.  We will be judged and sent to an eternity in hell because of our rejection of Jesus Christ and the light of salvation that He has provided to us through the Holy Spirit.  

Man does not work toward salvation.  Salvation is the work of God. The choice of God was our salvation.  When we are born, we are hopelessly lost.  It was the choice of God to provide His Son as our only hope for salvation.  Our only decision, our only action, is to accept Jesus and the salvation that He has provided for us.  When a sinner repents of his sins and believes in Christ, it is because God has brought him to do so through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.  Men do not turn from sin to God of their own initiative.  God must move them if they are ever to do so.  This includes the work of all of the good “agencies”, the church, the Christian witness, evangelism, and the social environment God has chosen to put us in, like being born of a Christian family, and in a Christian nation, but most of all it includes the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit.  

It is the Holy Spirit that convicts the lost person of the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ.  It is not true that a sinner in and of himself repents and believes, and then God enters into the process in forgiveness.  God seeks the sinner.  God was in the process from the beginning, He established the plan of salvation, and then He works to bring about repentance and faith.  Our decision is to yield to a God who draws us to Himself, or reject Him.  We seek Him because He first sought us.

Click on the play button to hear a message on the work of the Holy Spirit of God in bringing salvation and eternal life to whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH (Acts 2:25-36)

JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH (Acts 2:25-36)

In our message today, we continue listening to the first sermon of the new church age.  It was preached by a Holy Spirit filled and anointed Peter whose purpose was to convict the Jewish people of the terrible crime that they had committed.  For they had rejected and crucified the promised Christ, the Messiah that they had been waiting on for so long.  Now, Peter was offering them an opportunity to come to that Messiah for repentance and forgiveness.  Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost, in front of thousands of Jews from all over the world.  The Jews had just witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the 120 disciples speaking in the various tongues of their homelands.  They had come to celebrate the feast of Pentecost and instead they had witnessed a miracle.  Their reaction was one of confusion and mockery.  As he stood up to begin his sermon, Peter responds to the questions of the Jews by using Scripture.  Something they were very familiar with.  He proclaims that they should not be surprised by these events, as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is similar to those events prophesied by Joel that will take place in “The day of The Lord,” which refers to the Great Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then, Peter starts to build his case for the proof that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah:  First, he proclaims that Jesus was a recognizable Messiah.  Jesus had performed miracles unlike anything ever seen before in the history of the world.  This was evidence that He had been approved of by God.  He was the one who had fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets.

Next, Peter proclaims that Jesus was a rejected Messiah.  The crucifixion of Christ had been foreknown by God from the foundation of time.  When God acted in creation, He had also acted in redemption.  But this did not excuse the rejection of the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, by God’s people.  

Then, Peter proclaimed the best news of all, that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah.  Jesus was alive, He could not be left in the grave.  Peter declared that it was impossible for God to have left Jesus in the grave. Jesus died for our sins, but He was sinless.  He arose in victory. 

Click on the play button to hear a message on the wonderful truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS (Acts 2:4-24)

THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS (Acts 2:4-24)

We certainly have seen a full list of Biblical doctrine in the messages over the last few weeks.  For we have seen the disciples wait on the Holy Spirit, and then we have seen them regenerated by the Holy Spirit, baptized by the Holy Spirit, sealed by the Holy Spirit, gifted by the Holy Spirit, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and then filled with the Holy Spirit, when it arrived with a display of awesome sound and awesome sight.  The disciples went up into that upper room a group of individuals, and then came down as members of one body, changed by the Holy Spirit into new creations as the body of Christ.

We continue the same pattern this week as we get to see the Holy Spirit speak through believers who have surrendered to the will of God, who are now filled with the Holy Spirit and are allowing Him to work through them.  

Now, I believe that if you were to ask most lost people and, unfortunately, a great many believers, if the Holy Spirit had ever spoken to them, the answer would be “No” and then they would give you this look like maybe you were crazy, or in need of some serious counseling.  In fact, most people don’t even believe the Holy Spirit exists.  But, of those groups that do believe that the Holy Spirit of God exists, many think of Him as only a mystical force or energy that moves around the world like wisp of wind.  Now, it is certainly true that the Holy Spirit does have force and energy, but He is also a Person, just as is the Father, and the Son, and one of the characteristics of a person is that they speak.

Since this is true, what does the Holy Spirit say?  Jesus gave us the answer to that question when He announced the coming of the Comforter.  He tells us that the Holy Spirit testifies of Him.  He tells us that Jesus is alive, that Jesus loves you, and that Jesus died for your sins.  But, there is much more.

Click on the play button to hear a message on what the Holy Spirit has to say to you, and through you.  It is a message that will embolden you to share the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

KEEPING YOUR SPIRITUAL FIRE BURNING PART II (Acts 2:1-4)

KEEPING YOUR SPIRITUAL FIRE BURNING, PART II (Acts 2:1-4)

If we are to live the victorious Christian life, then we must have the spiritual fire of God’s Holy Spirit burning brightly in our lives.  We are absolutely powerless to be in God’s will without the Holy Spirit.  

Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit:

It spreads: Fire begins small, but it can devour a forest or destroy a city. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit begins as small spark in the heart of a lost person, and then it spreads, from person to person as the new believer tells of his wonderful salvation.

It burns:  Everything fire touches is transformed into fire.  The fire of the Holy Spirit transforms your old sinful nature into one that is righteous before God.
 
It purges: Fire sterilizes and kills germs, disease, and all impurities.  The Holy Spirit convicts the lost person of the sin in their lives, baptizes them into the body of Christ, and purifies them with the blood of Christ.

It illuminates: We take for granted the light that comes from the flip of switch, yet for thousands of years, fire was man’s only source of artificial light.  It allowed men to work and walk in a dark world.  In the same manner, believers walk in a world dark with sin.  It is the Holy Spirit living in their hearts that speaks to them, provides discernment to them, and illuminates the mind of Christ for them.

It warms:  Fire provides heat and comfort in a world full of cold and ice.  Jesus promised the disciples a Comforter.  The Holy Spirit is the Comforter to the believer in a cold, hard, world that has no love for them or their faith.  He comforts us when we are in trials.  He empowers us when we need Him most.  He enables us to live the Christian life.

It smolders:  Men can resist and quench ordinary fire, but the fire of the Holy Spirit can never be put out.  Once the fire of the Holy Spirit is in your heart it will never leave you.  But, you can make it inoperative in your life.  If you allow unrepented sin in your life, it will smolder quietly in the heart of the believer, ignored, and then suddenly begin to spread again. 

Click on the play button to hear a message on the four things that you must do to keep the spiritual fire burning in your life.  

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

KEEPING YOUR SPIRITUAL FIRE BURNING, PART I (Acts 2:1-4)

KEEPING YOUR SPIRITUAL FIRE BURNING, PART I (Acts 2:1-4)

We are going to be teaching today on this subject: “Keeping Your Spiritual Fire Burning.” And this is so important in this day, and in this age.  It seems to me that the world is searching for an answer to the questions they have about the meaning of life, and the truths about right and wrong.  Some are looking to the government for handouts to make them happy.  Some are looking to the educational institutions to make them happy.  Some are looking to their friends to make them happy.  Some are looking to religion for happiness.  But they will not find it in any of those places.  They will not find true happiness and fulfillment, until they find the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him their Lord and Savior.  

On The Day of Pentecost, God created the church, the body of true believers to share His gospel message of truth and eternal life.  It is through this church that the Holy Spirit has all the answers that people are looking for.  We are that church, the church of the living God.

Click on the play button to hear a message on how The Holy Spirit is the empowering fire of God. Fire gives power. Do you know what’s wrong with so many churches? There is no fire. And because there is no fire, there is no power. 

Can you imagine a factory where everything in this factory is perfect? I mean, all of the machinery is in place, there are mighty wheels, and great pistons, and conveyor belts, and chains and hoists, and everything is there in the factory, but the factory is cold and dead, and nothing is happening. Somebody says, “Well, maybe we need to put some stained glass windows in the factory. Maybe we need to put a steeple on top of the factory. Maybe we need to put a big sign out in front of the factory. Maybe we need some robed choirs in the factory.” Then somebody says, “Wait a minute. There’s no fire in the boiler. That is what we need, is a fire in the boiler. That fire is where the power comes from.” And so many churches today, they have everything except fire. Fire is power. Jesus said, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”  You see rationalism, and ritualism, and traditionalism, and formalism, will not do it. It is not form. It is not facts. It is not fashion. It is fire. The Holy Spirit is the empowering fire of God.

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.