THE “HUB” OF THE BIBLE

Presented by

Blake Brown

There are two chapters in the Bible that talk about “beginnings.” One of those is Genesis 1, which is the very first chapter of the Bible. It talks about the beginning of the whole universe! But that is not what I want to talk to you about today. I want to talk to you about the other chapter that tells us about “beginnings.” That chapter is Acts 2 in the New Testament. It has been called “the Genesis of the New Testament,” because it also tells us about the beginning of something.

But what is that something? It is the beginning of the Lord’s church! Acts 2 has also been called “the hub of the Bible.” What is a hub? A “hub” is the center of a wheel—like a wheel on a bicycle. All the spokes come out from the hub, and help to make the wheel strong.

Acts 2 is the “hub of the Bible” because it tells about the beginning of Christ’s church. The 39 books in the Old Testament were like “spokes” to go with the hub. Why? Because those books told us how God would one day send Christ’s church. The 27 books of the New Testament are also spokes to go with the hub. Why? Because they tell us important things that happened in the church after it began.

Christ’s church began in Acts 2. Peter preached a sermon—just like I am preaching right now. Peter told the people that they were sinners. They had killed Jesus, who was God’s son. The people knew they had sinned, and they felt bad. So in Acts 2:37 they asked Peter, “What shall we do?”

What did Peter tell them to do to be saved from their sin? Peter said in Acts 2:38, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

What was “the promise” Peter was talking about? It was God’s promise to save people from sin if they became Christians. Christians are people who are members of the church of Christ. Acts 2 explains that the church of Christ began when Peter preached his sermon. That is why Acts 2 is called “the hub of the Bible.” The things the Old Testament had talked about came true in Acts 2. And the rest of the New Testament tells us important things about the church that started in Acts 2.

In my next sermon, I would like to talk to you about the things the people in Acts 2 did to become Christians. Becoming a Christian is the most important thing we can ever do. Are you a Christian? If not, you need to be. Why? Because we cannot go to heaven if we are not members of Christ’s church. The church is where God keeps all His people who are saved.