The Jesus Effect

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Relationships; Holy Spirit; Power; Boldness; A Witness / Acts 4:5–13

We are traveling in uncharted waters. There has not been such world wide suspension of normal life since World War II. Many folks sheltering in place, hunting for the basics, and fearing for the safety of themselves and their loved ones. Folks now more than ever are ready to hear the truth of the Gospel. Now more than ever we as believers must be ready to give the Gospel, but how can we communicate the truth with both passion and clarity?

Philippians 3:10 KJV
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

In today’s world of Smart Phones, tablets and instant Internet access, there are many things that we can “know.” If someone asks the questions, “how long is the Verrazano Bridge,” a nimble person with a 4 G connection and an Iphone can ask Siri, “How long is the Verrazano Bridge,” and they will get an almost instantaneous response. But if we had sitting here an 85 year old retired construction worker that spent 2 years of his life building the Verrazano bridge in his 20s we would get the right information, but we would also get it with great passion.

That’s what it means to “know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” It involves much more than repeating facts concerning Christ or the Bible. Knowing Christ is an intimate relationship with Him that changes your life.

Peter and John, Pastors on staff of the First Baptist Church at Jerusalem show us how to be effective witnesses of the power of the resurrection. Notice that they too were going through unprecedented trials, but because they had spent time with the Master, their audience felt the power of the resurrection, heard the good news of the Gospel, and saw the boldness of the believers. They had experienced the Jesus Effect.

Acts 4:5–13 KJV
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will feel the power of the resurrection.

Acts 4:10 KJV
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

The miracle was done not in their power, but by the name of Jesus Christ (cf. 3:16; 4:7, 12, 17–18). Though they had crucified Jesus, God had raised Him from the dead (cf. 2:23–24; 3:15).1

1 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 363.

As folks see you exhibit life where there was once death.

Ephesians 2:1–3 KJV
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

As the Same Spirit that Raised Jesus lives in you.

Romans 8:11 KJV
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will hear the good news of the Gospel.

Acts 4:11 KJV
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Psalm 118:22 KJV
The stone which the builders refused Is become the head stone of the corner.

At any rate, the verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus who is the “ideal” Israel (cf. Isa. 5:1–7; Matt. 2:15; 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; 1 Peter 2:7). The rejected Stone (Christ rejected by the nation in their crucifying Him) is the Capstone, the resurrected Lord.1

1 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 363.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will see the boldness of Spirit Filled Believers.

Acts 4:12 KJV
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

One way to salvation

John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

One way to life

John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:18 KJV
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 KJV
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

When you spend time with Jesus even His enemies will recognize it.

Acts 4:13 KJV
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

  In the Christian Reader, Ramon Williams writes that on April 28, 1996, a gunman walked into a crowded cafe in Port Arthur, Australia, and started shooting. Tony Kistan, a Salvation Army soldier from Sydney, and his wife Sarah were in the restaurant when the bullets began to fly. Courageously Tony stepped in front of his wife to shield her from the gunfire, and he was one of the first to fall. Thirty-four victims eventually died in the incident, including Tony Kistan. As he lay dying in his wife’s arms, he spoke his last words, “I’m going to be with the Lord.”

Those final words of faith were quoted by the Australian media and carried to the world. “At a press conference,” writes Williams, “Tony’s son Nesan, 24, explained why his father held this assurance and described his father’s dedication to the gospel. Hardened journalists and photographers were seen wiping tears from their eyes. In life, Tony had been a man who witnessed for his Lord to strangers and friends alike, and now in death, he had witnessed to others through his simple last statement.”


Being a witness for Christ in this evil world brings eternal purpose to even the most tragic and painful events.1

1 Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 609–610.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:11 PM March 28, 2020.

Treasure Hunt

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Prefer; Eternity; Worldview / Matthew 6:19–21

Last month, when musing about this time of year, I thought of March Madness, the beginning of a promising year for the Red Sox, upcoming graduation for our seniors, and the joy of spring. Within a few short days all of that has ended. We now assemble in what will probably be the last time we are together in this building for some time. WOW! What a mind bending shift of circumstances.

What was once important has drastically shifted. Who knew it would be all about the toilet paper! In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned his disciples not to get the priorities mixed up. This morning as we reflect on the truths of scriptures. Let see where our hearts are truly fixed… let us go on a treasure hunt. 

Avoid Crashing Stocks

Matthew 6:19 KJV

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 • Lay = store up / work hard to amass

 • Temporary Treasure

Proverbs 16:16 KJV

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

 • Corruptable

 • Unstable – not secure

Ecclesiastes 5:10–11 KJV

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

 • Money/ Material

 • Pleasure

 • Prestige 

Invest In A Sure Thing

Matthew 6:20 KJV

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 • Eternal Life

John 14:6 KJV

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 • Eternal Truth

Colossians 2:2–3 KJV

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 • Eternal Relationship

 • Lasting Legacy

I’d like to begin this morning with a story. It involves these men [photo of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs]. You probably recognize them: Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The two men who founded Apple Computer. Right? Well, no, actually that’s not completely accurate. Here is a photo of the original partnership agreement, dated April 1, 1976 [Apple partnership agreement]. As you can see, it has three signatures, not two. The first is Stephen G. Wozniak. The second is Steven P. Jobs. And the third is Ronald G. Wayne. Here’s a picture of him

[photo of Ronald G. Wayne]. Who is that, you may ask.

Ronald Wayne was the third co-founder of Apple, with a ten percent ownership stake. Remember that figure: ten percent. He wasn’t an engineer, but he had a significant role in the early days of the company: he designed the first Apple logo, he wrote the user manual for the Apple 1 computer, and in general he provided administrative oversight of the new venture. He was the unofficial adult in the room: he was in his forties at the time.

So why haven’t most of us ever heard of Ronald Wayne? Is he a wealthy recluse, staying out of the public eye while he sails around the world on his 300-foot luxury yacht? Perhaps he’s a philanthropist, distributing his millions to deserving charities. No. No, neither of those things is true. In fact, today Ronald Wayne is far from wealthy. Because just twelve days after these partnership documents were signed, he and the others signed a second document [Dissolution of partnership document]. And in this document, he gave up his ten percent stake, in exchange for eight hundred dollars. Eight hundred dollars.

Let me ask you, would you be willing to pay $800 for ten percent of Apple Computer today? So what happened? Well, Wayne had second thoughts. As a partner, he would have been liable for any debts incurred by the new company, and that was a risk. He had assets that creditors could come after if the company went broke. He also felt a bit out of his league with Jobs and Wozniak, these two whiz-kid geniuses. And so he bailed. Took the $800 check and parted ways with them. And the rest is history.

Now, just for fun, let’s calculate what Wayne’s ten percent stake in Apple would be worth if he had held on to it all these years. Apple today is worth about $800 Billion dollars. And so that ten percent stake in 1976 would today be worth about $80 Billion dollars. That’s right. The ownership stake that Ronald Wayne relinquished in 1976 for eight hundred would today be worth over eighty billion dollars. In other words, about a hundred million times what he sold it for. Just let that sink in for a moment. Now, for the record, Mr. Wayne says today that he doesn’t regret his decision, and that it was based on the best information he had at the time. So, he’s made his peace with it. But you have to suspect that more than once, over the years, he’s said to himself: “If only . . . “.

However, Ronald Wayne isn’t the only person who sold their Apple stock too soon. Apple went public on December 12, 1980. And for 23 years, the stock didn’t do much. [chart: Apple stock price IPO-2003]. A lot of people sold their stock during that time. But beginning in 2013, the stock really took off. Here’s a graph [chart: Apple stock since IPO]. What that all boils down to is this: an investment of one thousand dollars in 1980 would today be worth about $400 thousand dollars. An investment of $2,500 back then would be worth close to a million today. Why is there never a time machine around when you need one?

I don’t share that story to gloat about buying Apple stock in 1980. I didn’t. If I had, I would probably be spending my winters in a warmer climate than Cleveland offers. Maybe on my own private yacht somewhere. No, I share that story to urge you not to do what Ronald Wayne did when he sold his stake in Apple for $800 instead of waiting to cash in at $80 billion dollars. I’m urging you not to do what all those Apple investors did who sold early and missed out on returns of literally hundreds of times what they had paid. I’m urging you to follow the ultimate buy-and-hold strategy.

Are You Headed For Recession or Is Your Investment Secure?

Matthew 6:21 KJV

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Will you be remembered for the things you did or the things that you owned?

I was asked that question the other day and the asker simply asked me to name, in ten words or less, the one thing that I would be most remembered for. It really didn’t take me long to figure that one out. Seeing as I am one of the few people around these parts that travels around daily (and have done so for years) in an old Corvair, I felt compelled to make that my answer. Once I am long with the Lord there will be, no doubt, someone, somewhere, who remembers me by that label. “He drove a Corvair, didn’t he? You know–that car with the engine in the back?”

He drove a Corvair! You know, that didn’t sound so bad to me at the moment. I could have been remembered for my temper or my lack of finishing things. I suppose there could be a lot of things worse than owning a Corvair that one could be remembered for. Right?

Perhaps! But, the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me that this was my answer. This was something I owned, not something I did. Ultimately, wouldn’t being remembered for our deeds be more important than our possessions? What I can put in my life, cars, houses, collections of this and that, are all testimony to what I have acquired in life and say little about the things that matter most, the things that we do, not the things that “do” us.

I remember reading sometime back about a robbery that took place in London. Armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.” What a sad commentary on her values! (Our Daily Bread.)

The Bible tells us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Owning things is not a bad thing. Getting enjoyment out of a car, a home or even a hobby are not bad in and of themselves. But, when our lives become so focused on “what” we own as opposed to “what” we do, we are guilty of idol worship. When our lives revolve around what we can put in a box, whether that box be a safety deposit box or a garage, our values can be suspect. Life was never meant to be lived in a box. Seeking fulfillment in our obedience to God is really living “outside” of the box.

COVID-19 is a divine litmus test of what we really hold dear… it gives us a chance to examine our priorities and go on a spiritual treasure hunt… find your treasure… find your heart…. where did you find it?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:58 PM March 21, 2020.