Friendship with Christ, Part 2

A Christ-centered Sermon

Text: Acts 2:22-36 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: On Pentecost Sunday, Peter preached the first Christ-centered sermon. From it, we learn how all gospel ministers must preach if they are to be faithful witnesses of Jesus. Christ-centered sermons reveal the person of Christ, magnify the work of Christ, show how real sin requires a real Savior, and give glory to the Triune God.

How the Triune God Saves Us

Text: Ephesians 1:3-14 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: The Trinity is the most important biblical truth at the heart of our Christian faith, and yet one of the most undervalued and overlooked. On Trinity Sunday, we pause to reflect more deeply on the majesty of our Triune God as Paul expounds upon this mystery in the beginning of Ephesians. From start to finish, the plan of redemption is accomplished by the Trinity in perfect unity, so that our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—would receive all blessing and honor, praise and glory!

The Spirit Spreads the Message of Jesus

Text: Acts 2:1-21 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: What is the gift of tongues? What does it do, and is it still for Christians today? Many questions and preconceived ideas about tongues are brought to this passage in Acts. What actually happened on that day of Pentecost, and what, if anything, does it teach us today? On this important day in redemptive history, we see that Jesus poured out his Spirit to empower the apostles to spread the gospel message to all people, so that what Joel prophesied would be fulfilled: "that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Jesus Builds the Church’s Foundation

Text: Acts 1:12-26 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: After Jesus ascended into heaven, the eleven apostles with the rest of the company of believers gathered in the upper room to pray. Peter tells them the time has come to select a replacement for Judas to bring the apostles back to their full number. Through prayer and the casting of lots, God selects Matthias and brings the number back to twelve. In doing so, King Jesus restores the apostleship, lays the foundation of the church, and prepares them for their work of witness-bearing in the world.

The Ascended King

Text: Acts 1:9-11 | Speaker: Levi Bakerink | Description: After Jesus called his disciples to their ministry of witness-bearing and promised them the coming power of the Holy Spirit, he ascended into heaven before their eyes. The ascension can often be overlooked but it is an important point of our faith and a great benefit to us. Because in it, we have an advocate before the Father, we have our own flesh as a pledge of our heavenly inheritance, and from heaven Jesus pours out his Spirit upon his people. All these great benefits are ours as we wait for his return—the same way he ascended he will come back one day.