WHY CAN’T THE CHURCH BE MORE LIKE A ROLLING STONES CONCERT?

You know, 20,000 fans! A packed stadium! A great time to be had by all! Singing, celebrating, dancing, and having a great time! And yet, most of these people don’t go to church every week…but they PAID money to come to the concert; sit on the GROUND; and watch a group of old men on the stage HUNDREDS of feet away play the same songs they listened to in their CD player on the way to the concert! What gets these people so excited about, that the church, overall, can’t seem to connect with? Why don’t these people want to come to church? What is it these people love about this concert?”

 Here are my thoughts: 

They can be themselves 

They can dress any way they want to. 

They can act any way they want to, as long as it was legal. 

They can smoke, drink, and curse. 

They can meet new people of the opposite sex and leave with them. 

They can re-connect with old friends. 

They can sing at the top of their lungs and no one can hear them 

They can forget their terrible day at the office and with the kids. They can dance. 

They can sit back, chill, and allow some grooving tunes and the words to the songs minister to their soul, and no one is going to ask them to do anything! 

So… If we KNEW this is what UNCHURCHED people were looking for, would we be willing to offer it in the church? 

Does that make you uncomfortable? 

That’s my point. If the church is going to reach unchurched people, we are going to have to get a little bit more uncomfortable! 

We are going to have to CHANGE the way we think about church! 

How? 

By changing the way we think about Jesus! 

In fact, go back through the list: THESE people were the ones Jesus hung out with the MOST! He accepted them! He loved them! He partied with them (remember water into wine?!). 

Yes, He was different! But He didn’t expect non-believer to act and think like believers before He became their friends. 

Are you willing to do that? 

Is your church willing to do that? 

Repentance, water baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit form the foundation for individual Christian lives as well as the foundation of the Church that Jesus is building.

Many Christians today think of salvation primarily in terms of heaven and hell. Their primary purpose for becoming a Christian is to escape hell. That is a good reason to be reconciled to God, but that is not the only reason Christ saves people. Peter’s “many other words” did not deal with heaven or hell. He dealt with overcoming the present evil generation. Stressing the beginning of the journey and not the journey itself gives Christians a wrong focus and emphasis. And, of course, the one mandate Jesus left the Church — to go into all eh world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

As Peter spoke, Rome was rapidly declining. The Jews had lived under the oppressive rule of Rome for 100 years. Immorality and darkness surrounded them. Now God was telling them how to overcome that evil generation and avoid the judgment that was surely coming upon them. 

Believers today also need to overcome while living in the midst of an evil generation. They need to avoid being deceived by the present age. Tens of thousands of backsliders in the world today have not been able to live according to  Peter’s “many other words” and have fallen back into deception and sin.

Believers in the first church stood on a foundation of repentance. They validated their faith by obeying Christ’s command to be baptized in water. They received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were baptized in the Holy Spirit and moved in supernatural gifts and power. As a result, they enjoyed salvation and eternal life — a now relationship with the Lord and their heavenly Father (John 17:3). They did not have an experiential or doctrinal separation between the elements of this foundation in their thinking. They accepted the foundation simply and completely. A properly laid foundation leads everyone to experience these things. 

The Church today has been weakened by the separation of these foundational elements. “Do I have to be baptized in order to go to heaven?” “Do I have to be filled with the Holy Spirit?” Do I need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?” It can all be yours, the entire New Covenant package! Why settle for anything less?

Once the foundation of repentance has been laid the next step is for a person to be baptized by immersion in water. The reason: Baptism in water is the initial sign that a person has repented and believed in Jesus. The New Testament refers to it as the “baptism of repentance” (Luke 3:3). Baptism reveals an obedient attitude toward Christ and His Word “… baptism, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God (1 Peter 3:21). A person who really has repented will not say, “I know Jesus has commanded me to be baptized, but I’m not ready to do it yet. I’ll get around to it some day. It’s really not that important.” When a person repents, he agrees with God, including what God has said about baptism.

The Williams New Testament translates Acts 2:38 as follows: “You must repent — and, as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ — that you may have your sins forgiven.”

While Peter commanded all of his listeners as a group to repent, he charged them as individuals to be baptized. “Let each one of you be baptized,” he said. Each one of them had to determine whether to enter into covenant relationship with Jesus Christ through baptism. Each one had to make his own decision.

Jesus set a pattern by insisting on His own baptism when He announced His New Covenant mission. 

Matthew 3:13-15 “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented.”

Water baptism is the sign of the New Covenant. 

Baptism is to the New Covenant what circumcision was to the old covenant. It is the outward sign that someone has entered into a covenant relationship with the Lord.

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Romans 2:28-29 “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.’

Peter declared converts must be baptized “in the Name of Jesus Christ.” Baptism in the Name of Jesus means “to the account of Jesus” or “with reference to Jesus.” To be baptized in Christ’s Name means by His authority, acknowledging His claims, subscribing to His doctrines or teachings, engaging in His service (ministry), and relying only on His merits, grace and power. At baptism, a believer enters an alliance with Jesus.

The pattern in Acts shows baptism consistently followed repentance. 

Acts 2:41 “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized.”

Acts 8:12 “But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”

Acts 8:36-38 MEV “As they went on their way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he commanded the chariot to halt. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.”

Acts 9:17-18 “Then Ananias went his way and entered the house. Putting his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you came, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. And he rose up and was baptized.”

Acts 10:47-48 “‘Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these, who have received the Holy Spirit as we have?’ So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 16:15,32-33 “When she and her household were baptized, she entreated us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and remain there.” And she persuaded us … And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his household. In that hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds. And immediately he and his entire household were baptized.”

Acts 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise, be baptized and wash away your sins, and call on the name of the Lord.”

Water baptism symbolizes the dying to sin and rising to righteousness. 

“Be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38). 

The word remission means strongly dismissed, delivered from captivity, forgiven, pardoned. Forgiveness comes as a result of being convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin and responding with godly sorrow and repentance (see 2 Corinthians 7:8-10). This repentance with godly sorrow and turning away from sin (dying to sin) is then symbolized by immersion in the act of baptism in water. 

Paul pointed out the significance of baptism in dealing with sin. The following passages best illustrate his understanding.

Romans 6:3-4 “Don’t you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.”

Colossians 2:11-13 “Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body. And when you were baptized, it was the same as being buried with Christ. Then you were raised to life because you had faith in the power of God, who raised Christ from death. You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.”

Repentance is not just an emotional response. 

It can be emotional but is not always so. It means people have heard God’s Word and discovered that their thinking has been contrary to His Word. When they decide to change their thinking to conform to God’s thinking, they have repented. When they find God’s revealed truth on any subject, they repent and change their minds to conform to God’s mind.

Luke 7:29 “When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John.”

John 3:33 “Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5 “This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering…”

It is a radical change of mind, away from sin and self and toward God.

Repentance is not just the conviction of sin.

Godly sorrow precedes repentance.The Holy Spirit caused listeners in Jerusalem to be “cut to the heart.”

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

They were convicted of their sin but had not yet repented. People may be in a worship service, in the presence of the Lord, and their hearts are pricked (convicted). They realize their sinfulness before a holy God and may even find a way to express that feeling. But if they walk out without changing their thinking and the direction of their lives and continue to do whatever the Lord has convicted them of, they certainly did not repent. False repentance is a self-centered sorrow over the consequences of sin. Sorry that they got caught.

Repentance is not just reformation.

Repentance involves reformation because a truly repentant person will turn around and start over in demonstrable ways. However, if God is not involved in the reformation, and if reformation is not based on the work of the Cross, then it is not repentance and ultimately it will fail. The determination to do better, “turning over a new leaf,” and self-help programs do not constitute repentance. 

Repentance is not just being religious.

Many people think they must act religious if they repent, so they learn religious jargon, a religious pose, and a religious tone of voice. Anyone can go through the motions, attend a dynamic local church, learn praise choruses, raise his or her hands, shout “Hallelujah,” and still not repent. 

Repentance is not “only believes.”

Repentance is more than a new metal attitude. It is more than accepting the truth about Jesus and His Kingdom. True repentance always includes a transformation of the entire life of the individual. It leads to observable changes in their life. John the Baptist expected to see evidence of repentance. He said:

Luke 3:8,11, 13-14 “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham … And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise … And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Repentance focuses on the root of sin — the attitude behind the sin — and not on a specific sin. The repentant person must focus on the condition of his heart before a holy God. He must be more than sorry for the rotten fruit in his life — that he got drunk or committed fornication.

An unrepentant person is committed to going his own way and doing his own thing apart from God. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Isaiah agrees: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, ever one, to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

True repentance is based on the recognition that man has sinned against God and has broken fellowship with Him.

Peter preached to law keepers on the Day of Pentecost. They were trying to follow the Mosaic Law and keep the Judaism of their day. But the root of their sin was the fact that they had rejected Jesus Christ. They devoted their lives to studying the Old Testament, but they rejected the One who fulfilled the Old Testament. When Peter preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to them, they realized they had sinned and were separated from God. It is no wonder they said, “What shall we do?”

True repentance recognizes human responsibility to turn from sin.

The Gospel must turn men and women from the sin of unbelief. After agreeing with the Gospel and trusting Christ for salvation, new believers must begin lives of simple obedience to The Living Word, Jesus, and the written Word, the Bible. 

For the Church to regain its life-giving qualities it must correct the foundational truths that it once believed and preached and go back to correct biblical teaching thus laying the proper foundation. This is happening in major ways around the world today as Jesus corrects the foundational teachings of His Church and bring it back into line with biblical truth. One key to a proper foundation is “repentance.”

The apostle Peter first announced the foundation’s blueprint on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The Feast of Pentecost was also called the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest in the Old Testament (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Leviticus 23:15-22; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10,16). It was one of three major religious events in Israel’s sacred calendar. And, the fact that this particular feast was focused on the harvest is important to note as the Church was born on this special feast day to “go into al the world and make disciples” bringing in a continual harvest of souls for Jesus. 

The feast celebrated the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the birth of natural Israel as a covenant nation. Now, on natural Israel’s anniversary, spiritual Israel, the Church, was born as the New Covenant nation. 

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

The feast drew large crowds. Devout Jews from all over the world as well as proselytes* to Judaism attended it. Acts lists people from fifteen nations and regions. At 9:00 in the morning thousands of them heard strange sounds coming from a house. Amazed and perplexed, they stopped to inquire. While some mocked, Peter stood up — perhaps on an upper balcony — and preached his first sermon under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Peter pointed to Christ’s supernatural life and ministry, which had been seen by people who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding districts. He used Psalm 16:8-11 to support his claim that Jesus is the Messiah — Lard and Saviour. And that Jesus rose from the dead. Then he declared:

Acts 2:32-33 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”

The resurrected, exalted Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, was now pouring out the Holy Spirit on all flesh as the Father had promised through the prophet Joel.

Joel 2:28-32 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.”

The New Covenant age, the age of the Holy Spirit (also known as the Church age), had dawned upon the world. The Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of the people listening to Peter and convicted them of their sins. The Bible tells us that they were cut to the heart because of what they had done. Prophecy had been fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah, whom they had rejected and crucified, and now they were convicted (see John 16:8-10 for the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation).

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

A new day had come and a New Covenant offered salvation,. Peter gave everyone hearing the news about the earth-shaking offer a chance to respond to it. He called everyone within the sound of his voice to lay the New Covenant foundation in their lives. He called them to repent, get baptized in water by immersion, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

* proselytes … a person who has changed from one opinion, religious belief, sect, or the like, to another; a convert.