Is Whitten on the Right Track? – Acts 2 (Pastor Jeff Shipley)

Now I want you to pay attention. It wasn't anything in Israel wasn't their military.

We are so blessed in this place. As pastors. And I'm gonna tell you what I mean by that I mean. That we have so many tools at our disposal when people come to us. So many tools. Well pastor, I I was raped.

Okay. I got someone you can talk to. Hey pastor. I was a beauty. Yeah, okay. Hey pastor. I've been in prison. Yeah, okay. We got a deacon like that. Hey, I. Everything that you could possibly experience.

It's not belittling your experience. But what it is is someone who can walk alongside you as you figure it out. And man, that's tough in the world today. Whitney I'm very proud of you. Every week Someone comes to me and says hey, man look, I I felt so.

I had a couple in my office last week and They were talking. He said man some dude walked up to me and said hey man I have I've seen you for a couple weeks, but I haven't come over and said hi I want to come over and say hi and it meant so much to him.

Visiting this place that someone took out of their time and recognized and didn't try to be all artsy fartsy churchy. You know, it's like hey man, I've seen you, you know, I want to come say hi to you guys.

That's that's a powerful thing in today's world some of the most loneliest people in the world are the ones that are surrounded by people and Their little hearts because of the insecurities and the lies that they've manifested in the scar tissue that they've generated.

Man, they are so isolated and alone in the midst of sea of people. That intimacy is a powerful thing. That peace is a powerful thing. We're going to be in Acts chapter 2 and Acts chapter 2 is a pivotal chapter in all of Scripture.

I know some people don't know this but the church is only 2 ,000 years old the church is only 2 ,000 years old. The church was not around during the time of Jesus. It was after Jesus when he ascended the Holy Spirit came down and that is when the church began in the book of Acts but particularly this passage we're going to read is highlights the Transformational power of the Holy Spirit now.

I know some of y 'all like going. Oh, yeah, whatever it listen if you've accepted Jesus Christ in your heart as your Lord and Savior and You have not been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit you look right here.

You are not a Christian. Okay, oh, you don't understand. I prayed Jesus in my he ain't no Labrador Redriever you to go come here boy. That ain't how it works if you truly are a child of God there will be a Transformational change that happens in your life.

You will understand Conviction. Oh, you'll fight against it. I did it. I fought against conviction man. You will not win if you're a child of God because it will get successively harder. It will get successively what you found joy.

And you will no longer find joy in and sin even though it will keep you there. And it's strong enough to hold you down for a little while when daddy says that's enough. It's gonna come up off you and you'll know the joy of your salvation again.

We see here in Acts chapter 2 a model church now. I always hear these little metro sexual hippie yuppie little Christians say something like, you know. You know, they're the dudes with the little skinny pants and dudes that drink frappe latte.

Whatever those things are man. Let me just help you with something. Drink black coffee, please. Okay, seriously, man, the world's getting fruity enough, but let listen listen the church. The church in Acts chapter 2 I hear him say.

Oh, we need to be like the New Testament Church. I don't want to be like those idiots. They've got the Holy Spirit. They saw Jesus Christ Rise from the dead had the Holy Spirit come upon them in a way that was brand new.

They had tongues of fire. They had a pyro show. Better than Metallica wind coming through and two chapters later. They're already idiots. Okay. That's not the mode or the standard we need to reach to what we here wouldn't need to reach to is what God has Set before us in faithfulness.

So how are we doing with that? How are we doing? Well, it's gonna take two things for us to measure number one. It's gonna take us looking at ourselves as Individuals because we're a family. We're as strong as our weakest link.

We got to look ourselves as individuals. But then we got to look ourselves as Corporately someone says well pastor. I'm not a member of this church. Cool. Sit there hear the Word of God. Maybe you realize that you ain't just a man.

But you ain't a Christian either and we can help you with that through the Word of God but I want to look at for a second about a Personal standard of where you need to be. Let's read Acts chapter 2 verse 37.

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart. The song just went through my head. Sorry. Shot in and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles brother, what shall we do? Guys. You have to understand that you need to start loving conviction and accountability.

If you are a believer in Christ, or if you're a wounded Christian. You should crave that accountability. I remember 15 years old I just got in trouble and again and I actually turned to my mom. I didn't my dad wasn't around.

I actually turned to my mom at this time. I said, I wish you would ground me. And I never thought I could do whatever I want. I'd stay out to three o 'clock in the morning. No problem as a 15 year old kid.

You know you kids that don't have that think you want it when you got it. You don't want it no more because it's costing you more than you really wanted to pay. You thought you could control sin. You thought you could stay in control.

Let me tell you something the conviction of God is a blessing for your life. The accountability of God's people is a blessing for your life. Peter had just got finished preaching his first sermon. Now you got to remember it wasn't but a couple of weeks ago.

He was sitting up in an upper room with the women. Like a little Nancy scared to death to go out in public because they just killed Jesus and they were looking for the disciples. Now the Holy Spirit shows up he walks out in front of God and everybody in the temple complex and says hey.

Let me tell you about Jesus Christ. He ain't care no more and it's not because he got tough. He got humbled by God and the Holy Spirit of God through him. Worked on him. What's conviction. Do let listen to the words.

They were cut to the heart. Take Peter for a second. It wasn't too long ago That Peter cut somebody else. Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. They come to arrest him. What's Peter do he pulls out his little sword cheek?

They come to arrest him. Does he hit one of the soldiers? No, does he hit one of the cops that are armored? No, who does he hit the poor slave holding a torch going? I don't know why I'm here. And here's the death blow of Peter.

It cuts his ear. How in the world are you. I mean, I don't even know how that works, right? Peter cuts his ear. But what Peter did in the flesh and out of emotion now submitted to the Holy Spirit. His words are now cutting hearts instead of flesh.

Christian where are you today with the Holy Spirit? Oh, man, the Holy Spirit are like this how effective in the Humility and the subjugation to the sanctification process of the Holy Spirit are your words?

How powerful are they? How are you ministering to who are you bringing? Accountability to or are you one of those so-called friendly Christians that sits and enables someone to continue in your sin? Have you ever said this?

Oh, well, none of us are perfect. That ain't helping nobody. They ain't helping nobody. Some of you moms in here. Some of you moms in here enable your kids to stay on drugs and alcohol and their promiscuity.

Because you want a friend instead of a child. You know what you're doing. You've signed in that kid over to a lifetime of misery guys. Conviction, it's personal. It has to start right there. Now. Let's look at the next thing verse 38.

The people ask what should we do? We know we have messed up. What should we do? What's Peter saying? He says this. Put on a suit and tie. Get a haircut and go down to your local first Baptist Church. Are you charismatic church or go to whatever church that will emotionally fill you but still leave you?

Spiritually vacant. No, it has nothing to do with religion or church guys. Let me tell you something religion and churches Are full of crap. They're not gonna ever do anything for you all but the church.

You see how many churches are there? There's only one people. There's only one that which has been bought back by the blood of Jesus Christ. Not a stupid building guys y 'all are in a gymnasium. Y 'all are in gymnasium.

Guys, it's not a building. See it says right here. Peter looked at him and said 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.

Say let's talk about that word repent cuz man it freaks some people out. Baptists have worn that word out my gosh. And it's good the first words of Jesus. Well, let's start with John the Baptist. The first words of John the Baptist were repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Jesus said repent for the kingdom of God is near. Peter says repent. Let's not miss that word and let's understand what it is. Repentance though is not feeling sorry for being bad. That's not feeling guys.

I'm speaking to this young generation right now. Your feelings are crap. If you use your feelings as a compass ladies. You're actually going to continue to believe the lies that come out of dudes mouth.

Baby nobody understands me like you. I don't know. I've never felt this way about anybody else. Right. You'll keep believing lies using feelings as a compass, I know this might sound weird. But our generation our nation is heading to a place where everything is run by feelings now.

I Feel like I'm a girl. I Guarantee you I don't care how much I feel that way. I Ain't putting on a skirt man, you know, I did you say happen, right? I'm not a girl. Am I baby? No, hang night. No girl.

She got 42 different flavors of creamer in the dadgum refrigerator. I just went. I'm gone, right? I don't like girly but What I'm saying guys is you cannot rely on your feelings. You got to rely on this repentance.

Repentance is a change of the heart and mind. Not a feeling of being sorry. How many of you are struggling with sin right now in your life? The rest of you are liars, okay, the rest of you liars, it's okay.

Hey, you're gonna be good candidates for First Baptist Church guys it's a change of your heart and mind not feeling and it means to change a Mind and a direction that here's where people don't understand.

Repentance is not doing something before you come to God. The two are synonymous, right people say I need to repent and turn to God, dude. You turn to God you just turned away from sin. Welcome to repentance.

That's what repentance is. It's not a feeling. It's a decision of the mind motivated by the Holy Spirit in your soul and your actions follow. After that, does that make sense? It ain't that hard Mississippi people.

Do y 'all understand? All right, then everybody should get it guys. It's not that difficult. But let me tell you else what this is, let me tell you something about repentance. Repentance is this for me in my life repentance is hope.

Here's what I mean, you see all them losers up here. They were just singing a minute ago. There's such losers man. I mean losers. Be addicted to stuff, you know. What weenies? Here's what repentance is.

It's the hope that you don't have to keep eating slop from the pig trough no more. It's that feeling. Oh, it's that decision and that knowledge to know that The grace of God Almighty is right here even for a loser like you.

Watch this. I am. I do this all the time, but there's a lot of new people here today. So walk with me. I am The Licensed ordained Senior pastor of Witten Baptist Church, man, you know, I'm saying There's a crack-smoking hoe on sycamore view right now right now.

Me and her are the exact same. I'm no better. I'm no better. God Saved me. I didn't find God. God found me and that repentance the power of it came from God. Not Jeff Shipley. Listen, you keep trying to clean your own self up.

Addiction folks. How well does that work? How many you know how many Sunday mornings I was going? How many times. How many times you get that jailhouse religion. How many times. But when you submit to God instead of doing it on yourself.

When that conviction hits and the power to repent hits all man. There's a real change that can take place because it takes place in here instead of trying to you reform your outside Jesus Christ will regenerate you from the inside.

Look at verse 39 look at verse 39. For the promise is for you and for your children and all that who are a far-off. Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. I Could preach 32 sermons on that verse right there.

God. It's so rich in doctrine, but I'll save it just for this 30 something years ago. I can never remember. I Went out to Fisherville Baptist Church and No, I wasn't 87 because I was in trouble in 87, but it was 88 89 somewhere around there.

I went out to first fish first Baptist Fisherville. And there was some white trash redneck as the youth pastor out there sitting right there. But anyways, I went out there and I went out there kind of with an attitude of What are you?

Church weirdos doing because you ain't Catholic so you can't be right. Okay, and I went out there and 45 minutes later. I was on my knees. Because the preacher said a whole bunch of stuff to him. I don't remember anything else He said to me, but I remember this he looked at me and said young man Romans 10 13 says for whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

You see I had created a world for Jeff Shipley a world based on lies. Intimidation a world based upon con being a con artist. To see in my mind because I was so insecure and I felt so alone if I built these walls and I built this Reputation.

Well, then no one could hurt me anymore. But man them things come crashing down after a while and you have to work way too hard to keep them up. And it just robs your soul and it robs everyone who touches you your children your spouses.

We Baptized three children today. I'm sorry young ladies. Young ladies, we baptized three young ladies. How'd they get baptized? How'd they get saved? That church and I ain't not church. Well that past ain't no pastor.

I'm gonna give you the two reasons because it was the will of God the grace of God and it was their family providing an example of repentance and submission. That brought those children to understand the power of the saving grace of God.

You see right here. It says for the promise is for you and for your children. Even those that are far off. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. Zoe's Grandchildren now have a greater hope to know the peace and grace of God and have less scar tissue on their souls.

When they finally come to know Jesus and they did before that family right there submitted to Christ. George you a stud boy because I I mean you just are and I know who you married to so that makes it even greater.

You are a awesome stud verse 40 and 41. It starts person with conviction repentance. It starts with understanding the inclusivity of the gospel. But it also starts with this a warning 40 and 41 it says this and with many others words he bore witness.

Same thing we're doing right now what they were doing 2 ,000 years ago. We're doing right here right now and Continued to exhort them. I'm exhorting you saying save yourselves from this crooked Generation, so those who received this word were baptized and they were added that day about 3 ,000 souls.

There's a warning with conviction. Let me explain to you what it is. You standing by yourself in this world? I don't care how many times a day you read your Bible at some point. It's gonna eat you up.

And here's how I know that because even the strongest Christian stumbles and falls. You ever heard a guy named David the Apostle Paul. All of them fell but without their family the real family. Holding them accountable and helping bind their wounds.

They're gonna stay on that ground. You see there is a generation People for your children and your grandchildren. They're seeking them out. There is on not just television and in music, but the very school systems you pay to send them to.

Are telling them they evolved from a butt-picking ape? I know that see it's not shocking anymore because you've bought into the lie. You've bought into stupid things like there are different races of people.

No, there's not it's called the human race. Wait a minute. Follow the science don't be that stupid anymore. Quit swallowing the pills. That society is trying to cram down you and your children's throat.

Start letting the Holy Spirit start convicting you again of no, this is wrong. And I need to speak out against it. We live in a society where the church has gone silent. Parents have allowed Madonna to raise their love.

I don't know who a modern Taylor. Oh my gosh. You know what really sad they let that in their home. Taylor Swift does not belong to football. God. It's like Kelsey makes a catch and I gotta look at some strumpet, you know.

Guys. Listen to me. Listen to me. Listen to me. The Word of God that I'm preaching you today is A word of repentance, but I ain't kidding you. It's a word of warning. You raise your family any other way, but the Word of God's way you're gonna have rebellious children.

You're gonna have a rebellious family and they're gonna be jacked up for Generations you don't believe me come to one of my family reunions. Well, they're all dead or in prison now. So you can't but what I'm saying is I'm telling you generational.

It'll get screwed up. Last point. Go from personal to corporate. Verse 42 read verse 42 with me. So these people get saved they repent. They come to Jesus and reflect them after heart and Lord and Savior and all that stuff.

Verse 42, what did they do afterwards and. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching the fellowship to the breaking of the bread in prayers. The word devotion here in the Greek. It's a verb. It means to be singular.

Reminded on a course of action. Well pastor, I can't do that. I get distracted. Anybody in here ever smoke. I ain't talking about weed just cigarettes. Besides me anybody smoke. All right good. When you were going home on a Friday and it was gonna be a weekend and you didn't want to get out.

Did something run through your mind grab that carton before you go home? And it didn't matter you didn't need no phone or Siri or a Secretary or anybody else to remind you see that craving. Reminded you Christians there are some of you in this room that need to get that craving again.

You have the desire to want the desire to be back on fire. And you sit there and you think a different church or a different style of music or a different style of preaching or whatever. He's going to give you that desire.

It ain't going to happen. Let me tell you what's going to give you that desire. It's going to give you that desire by actually trusting in God and that devotion will come through the teaching of the Word of God through the fellowship of other Believers from working and being a part of a ministry and then here's the last one.

Hooray, how's your prayer life? How many of y 'all pray at least two to three times a day? Man that's why I wouldn't be rocking. I Bet what wouldn't be rocking. Those of you that ain't shaming you. I ain't shaming you, but those of you that are wanting that little feeling.

When that Christian artist gets up here, and she like I just hurt myself. When hunters up here, and he's you know it's like Oh praise God forget that noise. Start devoting yourself now watch what they devoted themselves to watch to the Apostles teaching pastors.

There's five of you in this room. But oh six I forgot JC's here. There's six of you in the room. Be original in your own ministry. But be very unoriginal in the preaching of the gospel. Because the same gospel to save them is the same gospel that saves us.

So they they they focused on the teaching of the Word Of God not what I feel not what I think not what I believe because I'm an idiot. What is the Word of God say here's the second thing though? They absolutely were devoted to Koya Nia.

Have you ever said this I? Said it. I know Artie said it Billy. I guarantee your heathen butt said it. I Can worship God in the woods and the deer stand just like I can in the church. No because there's one thing really missing.

Especially with already a dead deer under the stand, but everybody out. There's another thing that's missing the church. See one of the ways we get stronger is we together. Okay, we together. Guys you can't get stronger on your own.

It's not gonna. I don't need nobody else all right go ahead and take your New Jack City attitude and go on and just get gone. But as far as this house is concerned. We're here to be all up in your business.

Because unless people are all up in your business your business will go sideways quick fast and hurry. You'll start believing stupid stuff like boys can be girls and girls can be boys. You'll start believing I'll pass so that never happened.

Go start looking up modern-day churches. Oh, yes, it can guys. Fellowship is important praise God. Here's the third one eating together. Wow, man, thank you Jesus in a couple of weeks. We gonna have big breakfast up in this John and we gonna sit, huh?

Okay, and we're gonna. We don't have tables with dead pig all over the place. Oh, it's gonna be good. Don't be good. Why do we do that. Because it's important to do that you see guys that looks more New Testament Communion than everybody's sitting here going.

Mm-hmm sure sure. It does. They all gathered on the side of a hill. Somebody bucket brought a bucket of KFC somebody else brought a bucket of this and they were sitting all you ain't got no huh. You know what?

It does it helps us learn as new believers and as mature Christians how to share what we have and white and serve each other. If you come up here, you're like I actually had a lady tell me this. Oh so many years ago, and she's been in church her whole life.

I Wanted to strangle her but I can't. I Wanted to lay hands on her in a very violent military proficient manner, but but She said this. I don't want to work in the nursery. I'm with my kids all week. I don't want to be with him no more.

Say the desire wasn't there, but Mike do you and Marissa work in the nursery? Yeah. That's part of the fellowship. That's part of the breaking of the bread. That's part of the prayers last thing. Verse 44 this really is the last thing verse 44 through 47 and all who now listen y 'all and all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and Distributing their proceeds to all as any had need and day by day.

Attending the temple together and breaking the bread in the homes. They received their food with glad and generous hearts. Praising God and having favor with all people and the Lord added to their number day by day.

Those who are being saved my last point is this. You want to know where you at? Personally corporately. Whitten where we at with this where we at with our radical generosity. You want to know the mark of a Christian is they're generous now listen to me.

Even before I was a Christian. I hated selfishness. I hated it. Okay, like You need to pass that around share that you understand what I'm saying. Okay. Now I'm being serious, you know, you didn't come up into my house and you didn't get taxed man.

You know, all right, but listen or pinch but listen listen this. Listen listen to this Christian Christian listen if you got a problem with generosity. You got a problem with sin. Now I know what some of you visitors up in here fittin to say all he fittin to talk about money.

Yep. Yep. Now I'm gonna tell you why because some of that money has turned into idols for you peoples. I'm gonna tell you a story about one of our pastors. One of our pastors I found out had 32 bucks in his savings account.

I Ain't talking about his checking account. 32 bucks. And so I got with a guy and I was like, hey, man, we need to hook this dude up a little bit, man. He a hurting unit next day. We're sitting around and we were talking about a person in need here at the church and This guy pulls out his wallet and Empties it and puts it on the table.

Now he didn't know that I knew. But I sat there and I looked at this guy. I was like man Jesus is alive in you. You see there's a generosity in which my wants needs and desires die for our people. Now here's what you need to do.

Wait a minute. The Lord just gave me a message something about over under Goldfinger Benelli. You know I'm saying new four by four now listen. Listen what the verse says they sold everything They had collectively and they gave what was the qualifying part?

Those in need Crackhead. Your need has to be a genuine need. For you to ask others to sacrifice what you're unwilling to do. I Have a guy in Africa that I minister to and He's a pastor and he's like man.

I don't know how we're gonna do it. I get messages every day from my church people talking about how they need this and need that. And and I don't know what to tell them. You know what I told them sell their phones.

Crackhead be sending you message on a phone. He got a phone. Okay, don't tell me you ain't got nothing and you spoke Michael Jordans in a cell phone Apple 3232 or whatever it is right don't be telling me you got a name.

But I promise you this it went in Baptist Church and some of you folk know what I'm talking about because you've been the recipients Of it you got a need up in this John your family take care of you. Yeah.

You know why not because we're great people. Because we've been converted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that's what used to be important to me. I ain't worrying about it no more. Listen to me for those of you atheists in here, or you're like You know more than everybody else.

Whatever you're compensating other shortnesses in your life. Listen to me. Listen to me. I Watch right here. I don't care about your stupid money. I Don't care because I that's between me and my God and me and my wife.

We straight with God in that department. All right, I ain't annual I have no idea who gives in this church and there's a rule here That we can't know because pastors got to answer the call no matter who calls and I know Jeff Shipley.

I know if dude right here. What's your name if Greg up here dropping $10 ,000 a week in a plate? And this redneck dropping a dollar fifty and they both call me at the same time saying I need help. I know who Jeff Shipley gonna answer to.

I'm just being real. I'm taking dude phone call. I'm putting him on hold, you know. He's listening to JC Penney catalog music on the phone. I'm answering his call. Okay? So that's why none of the pastors know anything and I don't want to know here's the other thing I don't care about your membership in making a big church.

I'll be honest with you. This is about as big as I can do. Okay, you people are driving me crazy. I'm in therapy and on drugs now. I can't take another 500 people. I don't want no mega church. Okay, I can't deal with it.

All right. This is about all I can do and still have my hobbies and be happy. Okay, and I know I'm saying that in a humorous way, but look at my eyeballs. I am NOT joking. I Don't care about your money or your membership.

Here's what I do care about. There is a reality in which has been super Lee covered in your mind veneered in your heart by the sin of your life in the sin of this world to believe that there is not a God and He's not coming back.

Crackhead you better get ready the Word of God said this is exactly what's going to happen and Shazam it's been happening. Oh, well pastor. You're kind of reading anything. Listen you go back and study the history of the nation of Israel.

Come back and talk to me. All right, and we'll see who's on crack. Well, I don't believe in God there is no God and I can prove it. I will give you a thousand dollars in cash to sit up in my office right now and tell me you proved to me.

There is no God. I'll give you a thousand. I'll peel them off, baby. You can you know why? Because there is a God. Watch this. How do you know that? Because I got 200 people's lives that I've seen changes in.

And no stupid religion or preacher could ever have made that happen. But the power of the Holy Spirit man. If you in this room and something wrong up in here, and you know, it's wrong. You know something ain't right.

Well pastor. How do I know you ain't got peace? You'll try to cover it with fancy religion and you'll pretend Right, but you ain't got no peace. You ain't got no peace. Oh. You'll cover it with drugs or codependent relationships.

You'll hang on to a person dearer than you'll try to hang on to Christ. But it's like ash in your mouth. It'll never satisfy your soul. I Am NOT offering you nothing. I Ain't got nothing to give you to change you.

What I am saying is I can show you In the Word of God what changed my life and the life of millions of people over the last 2 ,000 years. If you will come to the understanding that it's going to take you Repenting and submitting to something greater than yourself and then being collectively a part of something bigger than yourself.

If you're willing that's that's why I'm at pastor get your butt out of the seat. We're gonna be singing some music up here. Here's what you've done Pastors about done. It's gonna be all right. I know I see Baptists doing it in church.

I've been preaching 30 years. I call it the back chair conviction because man they'll and they'll look up at the screen or they'll look at the music guy and you could see the whites of the knuckles grabbing On to that pew or that chair in front of them because God is just boom.

Boom. Go go go. Break free and that sin is so sweet and you're like, yeah. But I'd have to give up and you're trying to use it like a balancing thing. And you're gonna end up in the same place. You've been here in the Word of God Resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit you that cut to the heart.

You'll sear it over and here's the bad thing about it. The more you do it The more you do it the tougher it gets to get through and you'll reach a point in your life. Well, you won't feel that conviction.

Maybe you hadn't felt it in a long time. Today's the first day. Listen to me. Do don't come to me or come to some stupid church. I ain't advertising no church here. You come to the Word of God. It'll change your life.

If you're in this place, you need accountability. You need a church. You need baptism. You need salvation. You need to help with it a sin that's eating you up. I'm gonna ask everyone to stand and as the pastor stand from front and we sing you come this morning.

It's God leads.