Acts 8:4–25 | The Gospel Expands and Exposes

First Irving Sermons

Main Idea. The gospel expands past boundaries and into the hearts of people from different nations, and yet also exposes those who do not have genuine faith in the name of Jesus. 1. The Gospel Expands (4–8) 2. The Gospel Exposes (9–25) (3 things the gospel exposes from this text) 1. The Gospel exposes real hope (9–13) 2. The Gospel exposes authentic power (14–17) 3. The Gospel exposes sneaky counterfeits (18–24). Application. Recognize the difference between the repentance of attrition and contrition. “We can distinguish between two kinds of repentance: attrition and contrition. Attrition is counterfeit repentance, which never qualifies us for forgiveness. It is like the repentance of a child who is caught in the act of disobeying his mother and cries out, ‘Mommy, Mommy, I’m sorry, please don’t spank me.’ Attrition is repentance motivated strictly by a fear of punishment. The sinner confesses his sin to God, not out of genuine remorse but out of a desire to secure a ticket out of hell (or punishment). True repentance reflects contrition, a godly remorse for offending God. Here the sinner mourns his sin, not for the loss of reward or for the threat of judgment, but because he has done injury to the honor of God.” R.C. Sproul Takeaways. Repent and turn to Christ. Consider the difference between genuine faith vs. counterfeit faith from this text. The church must observe the lives of her people, both for the potential protection of the person and the protection of the church who bears Christ’s name. The gospel (still) brings great joy to the nations (v.8, 25).