The Anthem of the Apostolic Church

The blog you're about to read is the message that I preached at Revival Center this past Sunday, Easter Sunday. For the past 3 weeks, on Wednesday night Bible Study, I have been teaching a series from (Hebrews 2:1-4) about our Great Salvation! (I hope to have the sermons posted over the next day or two.)

While I was teaching/preaching last Wednesday night I made a statement regarding "the Message of Acts 2:38" being "The Anthem of the Apostolic Church" and it just clicked! Out of that Bible Study the idea for the message was born and after a little research this is what developed...

To begin I'd like to give you the definition of the word "anthem." The definition of the word “anthem” is a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism; a piece of sacred vocal music, usually with words taken from the Scriptures; a hymn of praise or loyalty.

So an "anthem" is sung out of "devotion to" or "loyalty" of something. (Keep that in mind.)

When the word “anthem” is used, everyone probably thinks about our National Anthem. As an American, if there is anything taken more seriously than the US flag, it's possibly the national anthem. The Star-Spangled Banner accompanies just about every major American function. Hearing it sung stirs the emotions, especially of those who’ve served, but brings a sense of pride to everyone who is proud to be an American. But, listen to the words and it tells of a moment in US history when the war with the British was being fought and of one man's relief in seeing the US flag still flying after a vicious bombardment.

The War of 1812 had been a particularly nasty conflict with the British. They had burned down the Capitol and White House in Washington, and were set on taking the port of Baltimore, which was protected in part by Fort McHenry. After an initial land attack had been thwarted, 16 ships of the British fleet positioned themselves for a massive attack on the fort.

Before the fleet came within canon range, two Americans, Colonel John Skinner and a lawyer and part-time poet by the name of Francis Scott Key, had gone out to one of the British ships. They had come to negotiate the release of Dr William Beanes, a friend of Key who had been seized following the attack on Washington. The British agreed, but all three had learned too much about the forthcoming attack and were detained by the British until it was over.

The attack started on September 12th, 1814, and continued for the next two days. Skinner, Beane and Key watched much of the bombardment from the deck and, through the nights of the 12th and 13th they caught glimpses of the star-shaped fort with its huge flag - 42ft long, with 8 red stripes, 7 white stripes and 15 white stars, it had been specially commissioned to be big enough that the British could not possibly fail to see it from a distance.

In the dark of the night of the 13th, the shelling suddenly stopped - through the darkness they couldn't tell whether the British forces had been defeated, or the fort had fallen. The only time the flag could be seen was during those seconds when it was momentarily lit by bombs the enemy hurled at the small fort. As long as the two men and their third companion Colonel John Skinner could see the flag flying, they knew there was still hope that their Nation had survived. Now the bombardment had stopped and there were no flashes to light the sky and reveal that flag still waving proudly. Perhaps, in fact, that flag no longer waved.

Francis Scott Key, along with his companions, strained his eyes towards the fort, willing them to pierce the darkness and find the red, white and blue banner still waving proudly over Fort McHenry. He prayed for the rays of dawn to pierce the sky and reveal the sight that would signal the survival of his countrymen, perhaps indeed of his Country itself. Slowly the hours dragged on.

So intense was the final bombardment that the early morning dawn was filled with smoke and the odor of burnt gunpowder. So thick was the curtain of smoke, that by 8 A.M. even the morning sunshine could not reveal whether or not the flag still waved. Then quiet returned. Mr. Key watched as the British ships began to withdraw. Had the fort, badly weakened by the enemy naval bombardment, finally fallen to the British ground troops?

A breeze began to move across the water's surface and the smoke of battle began to shift ever so slightly to reveal patches of blue sky. And then, in the distant blue there appeared new colors....red and white....brief glimpses of the two-feet wide stripes of the Star Spangled Banner. Then a star appeared in the daytime sky, then another....then fifteen stars in the daytime. What a welcomed site they were. Mr. Key's heart swelled with hope, and pride in the men who had so valiantly fought through the night to keep that flag flying. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew an envelope and began to write his thoughts:

"O, say! can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

"And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say! does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Just as moving as our National Anthem is to those proud to be an American, the Anthem of the Apostolic Church stirs my emotions and makes me proud to be an Apostolic! Like Paul, I can stand here today, “NOT ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ: for it IS the power of God unto salvation to EVERY ONE that believeth!” (Romans 1:16)

Every time I hear “the Message” of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ it stirs up my emotions! Every time I hear somebody quote “ACTS 2:38” it gets me excited because it’s “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

When the church was born in the Book of Acts it records that “they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine.” One translation said that they were “DEVOTED” to the Apostolic Doctrine, which means for thousands of years the Apostolic Church has had a certain Anthem that has been sung by generation after generation and that Anthem is still being sung today!

The message of the death, burial and resurrection is NOT just an Easter message…it IS THE MESSAGE!

(1 Corinthians 15:1-4) says that I can stand on the gospel because "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

The Gospel is THE MESSAGE whether it's Easter Sunday or NOT! Because of His death, burial and resurrection our sins can be forgiven, washed away and we can be made new through the power of the Holy Ghost! The Gospel IS the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and we all have the opportunity to experience the Gospel when we Repent, are Baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues! (Acts 2:38)

(1 Corinthians 1:18/ KJV) says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

The Anthem still calls for those who are lost to REPENT of their sins and allow the Blood of Jesus Christ to forgive and set free! Jesus said in (Luke 13:3), “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (2 Peter 3:9/ KJV) says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

(Luke 24:47/ KJV) Jesus says, “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations…”


The Anthem still calls for Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ so your sins can be washed away!

(Galatians 3:27/ KJV) says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17/ KJV) says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus said in (John 3:3, 5/ KJV) that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

It DOES matter HOW you are Baptized? (Matthew 28:19/ KJV) says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

IF it didn’t matter HOW you were Baptized Paul would NOT have re-baptized John’s disciples in (Acts 19)!

(Acts 19:1-6/ KJV) says, “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”


The Anthem STILL promises to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by talking in tongues!

Jesus said in (John 3:3, 5/ KJV) that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

(Acts 2:1-4/ KJV) says, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

(Acts 2:38-39/ KJV) says, "38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Just as Paul wrote in (Galatians 1), I won’t to REMIND you today that there is NO OTHER GOSPEL! There’s ONLY ONE Gospel and that’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It is the death, burial and resurrection! It is ACTS 2:38 and it’s STILL “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

Every time we hear the Gospel preached; every time we hear ACTS 2:38 quoted it ought to bring us to our feet because it IS “The Anthem of the Apostolic Church!”

(Acts 2:38) says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”