- Third Sunday of Easter
- Acts 2 v36-41
- Verse 41 - 3,000 were baptized. What was it that made this religion spread so quickly?
- First christians were fearless martyrs. Peace in facing death.
- Christians were more inclusive than other religions, especially toward the poor and oppressed.
- Christians loved better than others, including those outside the faith
- Why did the early Christians do these things?
- a "burst of energy" which is what we're looking at over the past few weeks - the resurrection of Christ and the Holy Spirit empowering the church.
- Verse 36 - Declaration that Jesus is the Messiah
- "whom you crucified"
- Matthew 27 Pilate asks "Which Jesus do you want?" Acts 2:36 "This Jesus"
- Since then, we make Jesus to be who we want. We choose Jesus who looks like us physically, politically, idealogically.
- "Nailed to the cross" - in this state, Jesus is "saving our sins" but incapable of ruling us (our Savior, not our Lord).
- Verse 37 - Christ lives again