Atos 2
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 2
Cole - Fire brings both heat and light. The heat of fire consumes the dross, purifying those who come in contact with it or destroying those who have no gold in them. The heat of fire also pictures the zeal that should mark believers, who are to be hot, not lukewarm, in their devotion to Christ (Rev. 3:15-16). The light pictures the illumination that God brings to those in spiritual darkness....Down through church history, the sovereign Spirit has moved unseen as the wind, where He wills, to bring revival. Invariably, it starts with the church, purifying God’s people, igniting their cold hearts with a renewed passion for knowing God and burning off the dross of the world that had contaminated them. Through them, it spreads as the gospel is proclaimed and the Spirit imparts new life in Christ to dead sinners. Through His mighty Holy Spirit, God does what no humanly orchestrated “revival” could ever do. He brings lasting change by regenerating and purifying dead sinners so that He is glorified as people recognize His mighty deeds. Such revival is clearly a sovereign act of God, not the result of any human effort or planning. We should be praying that God would graciously send such a revival on our land! (The Meaning of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13) NET Bible translates this passage as "tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them" and explains that "The precise meaning of diamerizomai in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous." Tongues (100)(glossa) refers to literal organ that aids human speech, figurative use of the tongue in speaking a language, such as foreign languages not learned through normal means by the speakers. In the present passage it appears that they saw what looked like tongues on fire that were separating and distributing to rest on each of the 120 persons in the room. It appears that the fire-like vision was one great "flame" that then separated into individual "flames," each person having the "flame" on them. These tongues were like fire, but they were not fire. What is being described is in a very real sense a vision, a visual sign. This reminds us of the OT picture seen by Moses on Mt Sinai when he beheld "the bush (that) was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed." (Ex 3:2) There is clearly a play on words between tongues like a fire and speaking in other tongues (Acts 2:4), and the common link is that both are associate with the Holy Spirit, much like the fact that the both the Hebrew (ruach) and Greek (pneuma) words for Spirit are also translated wind (or breath). Adam Clarke is probably correct when he says "The tongues were the emblem of the languages they were to speak." James Montgomery Boice on ruach and pneuma - You can’t say that properly without a strong sound of breath: it is pronounced ru-aaah. So what is true linguistically—that the word means both “breath” and “spirit”—is also conveyed sensually. It is the same with the Greek word pneuma and with the Latin word spiritus. So there is not one of these three great ancient languages in which a person could even say the word for “spirit” without an audible breath sound. (Acts: An Expositional Commentary) Distributing (1266)(diamerizo from dia = through + merizo = to divide) means literally to divide (as Jesus' garments - Mt 27:35, Mk 15:24, Lk 23:34, Jn 19:24), in a figurative sense of a kingdom divided (Lk 17:17, 18), of families divided by being forced to choose for or against Jesus (Lk 12:53). It is interesting to note that diamerizo is used in the context of diving the nations at Babel, Moses writing “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance (Lxx = "divided the nations" diamerizo), When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel. (Dt 32:8) Comment - So at the Tower of Babel God divided men into nations by confusing their languages. At the Feast of Pentecost God broke down the national or racial barriers for now all believers are one in Christ Jesus. A T
Atos 2
Cole has an additional note on the association of the Spirit and wind - In Ezekiel 37+, God commanded the prophet to prophesy to the winds to breathe on a valley of dry bones. When he did so, the breath of life came into them. God explains that He will put His Spirit within His people and they would come to life (Ezek. 37:9-14). In John 3, Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the need to be born of the Spirit. He explained, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Acts 3:8). The Holy Spirit, like the wind, is a mighty power, but we cannot see Him. We can only see His effects. One of His most powerful effects is when He imparts spiritual life to those who were dead in their sins. (The Meaning of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13) Lehman Strauss on the wind and the Spirit - Wind is one of the emblems of the Spirit. The Greek language has but one word for “wind” and “spirit,” and they mean the same thing in that language. We shall cite two biblical illustrations which show the spiritual analogy between the wind and the Spirit. In Ezekiel 37, we have the prophet’s vision of the valley of dry bones, a prophecy which has to do primarily with Israel. Ezekiel was taken by God to see a valley filled with dry bones. Then God said to him, “Son of man, can these bones live? . . . Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” (Ezekiel 37:1-10). These four winds, which the prophet calls breath, are the divine breath of the Holy Spirit, the breath that caused the first man to live, when “the Lord God formed man of the dust of ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). It is further testified to by Job, where he says, “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (Job 33:4). When the Lord Jesus explained to Nicodemus about the operation of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, He said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). The wind is a symbol of power, of life. It is not static. It stands for the Holy Spirit, the mightiest of all powers, apart from which no sinner, dead in trespasses and in sins, can ever be born again into the family of God. He is the energizing power that quickens men today. Apart from Him men remain spiritually dead.....The believer who is empowered for service must lose confidence in self (PETER PRE-PENTECOST) and depend wholly upon the Lord (PETER POST-PENTECOST).(Pentecost and the Holy Spirit) Spurgeon on The Instructive Symbols of the Holy Spirit There were two such symbols that were made prominent at Pentecost. There was a sound “as of a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2), and there were “cloven tongues like as of fire” (Acts 2:3). Take the symbols separately. The first is wind—an emblem of Deity and therefore a proper symbol of the Holy Spirit. Often in the Old Testament, God revealed Himself under the emblem of breath or wind; indeed, as most of you know, the Hebrew word for “wind” and “spirit” is the same. The Greek word is the same; when Christ talked to Nicodemus, it is not very easy for translators to tell us when He said “spirit” and when He said “wind.” Indeed, some most correctly render the original all the way through by the word “wind,” while others with much reason have also used the word “spirit” in their translations. The original word signified either the one or the other or both. Wind is, of all material things, one of the most spiritual in appearance. It is invisible, ethereal, mysterious; hence, men have fixed upon it as being the most nearly akin to spirit. In Ezekiel’s famous vision, when he saw the valley full of dry bones, we all know that the Spirit of God was intended by that vivifying wind which came when the prophet prophesied and blew upon the withered relics until they were quickened into life. “The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind” (Nah. 1:3), thus He displays Himself when He works. “The LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind” (Job 38:1), thus He reveals Himself when He teaches His servants. Observe that this wind (NOTE THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT A WIND BUT "LIKE" A WIND) on the day of Pentecost was accompanied with a sound—a sound “as of a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2)—for although the Spirit of God can work in silence, in saving operations He frequently uses sound. I would be the last to depreciate meetings in which there is nothing but holy silence, for I could wish that we had more reverence for silence, and it is in stillness that the inner life is nourished. However, the Holy Spirit does not work for the advancement of the kingdom of God by silence alone, for “faith cometh by hearing” (Rom. 10:17). There is a sound “as of a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2) when the Word is sounded forth throughout whole nations by the publishing of the Gospel. The sound came on this occasion, no doubt, to call the attention of the assembly to what was about to occur, to arouse them, and to fill them with awe. There is something indescribably solemn about the rush of a rising tempest; it bows the soul before the sublime mystery of divine power. What more fitting as an attendant upon divine working than the deeply solemn rush of a mighty wind. With this awe-inspiring sound as of a mighty wind, there was clear indication of its coming from heaven. Ordinary winds blow from this or that quarter of the skies, but this descended from heaven itself. It was distinctly like a downdraft from above. This sets forth the fact that the true Spirit, the Spirit of God, neither comes from this place, nor can His power be controlled or directed by human authority. But His working is ever from above, from God Himself. The work of the Holy Spirit is, so to speak, the breath of God, and His power is evermore in a special sense the immediate power of God. Coming downward, therefore, this mysterious wind passed into the chamber where the disciples were assembled and filled the room. An ordinary, rushing, mighty wind would have been felt outside the room and would probably have destroyed the house or injured the inmates if it had been aimed at any one building. However, this heavenly gust filled but did not destroy the room; it blessed but did not overthrow the waiting company. The meaning of the symbol is that as breath, air, or wind is the very life of man, so is the Spirit of God the life of the spiritual man. By Him are we quickened at the first; by Him are we kept alive afterwards; by Him is the inner life nurtured and increased and perfected. The breath of the nostrils of the man of God is the Spirit of God. This holy breath was not only intended to quicken them but to invigorate them. They took in great draughts of heavenly life; they felt animated, aroused, and stirred. A sacred enthusiasm came upon them because they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and, girded with that strength, they rose into a nobler form of life than they had known before. No doubt this wind was intended to show the irresistible power of the Holy Spirit. Simple as the air is, and mobile and apparently feeble, set it in motion, and you feel that a thing of life is among you. Make that motion more rapid, and who knows the power of the restless giant that has been awakened. See, it becomes a storm, a tempest, a hurricane, a tornado, a cyclone. Nothing can be more potent than the wind when it is thoroughly roused. Yet, though the Spirit of God is despised among men so much that they do not even believe in His existence, let Him work with the fullness of His power, and you will see what He can do. He comes softly, breathing like a gentle zephyr which fans the flowers but does not dislodge the insect of most gauzy wing, and our hearts are comforted. He comes like a stirring breeze, and we are quickened to a livelier diligence. Our sails are hoisted, and we fly before the gale. He comes with yet greater strength, and we prostrate ourselves in the dust as we hear the thunder of His power bringing down with a crash false confidences and refuges of lies. How the firm reliances of carnal men, which seemed to stand like rocks, are utterly cast down! How men’s hopes, which appeared to be rooted like oaks, are torn up by the roots before the breath of the convincing Spirit. What can stand against Him? Oh, that we may but see in these latter days something of that mighty, rushing wind which breaks the cedars of Lebanon and sweeps before it all things that would resist its power. (From his book "Power for You") Acts 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. distributing themselves: Acts 2:4,11 Ge 11:6 Ps 55:9 1Co 12:10 Rev 14:6 as of fire: Isa 6:5 Jer 23:29 Mal 3:2,3 Mt 3:11 Lu 24:32 Jas 3:6 Rev 11:3 they rested on each one of them: Acts 1:15 Isa 11:2,3 Mt 3:15 John 1:32,33 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Amplified And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. ESV And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. KJV And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. NET And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. NIV They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. NLT Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. YLT and there appeared to them divided tongues, as it were of fire; it sat also upon each one of them, THE CHURCH AFLAME! And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves - The conjunction "and" suggests that this visual sign was contemporaneous with the audible sign. Signs point to something and in this case point to the fact that Jesus had sent His Spirit to baptize these believers.
Atos 2
Cole: The Meaning of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13 The meaning of Pentecost is God’s equipping His church with the power of His Spirit so that He will be glorified among the nations. God’s purpose at Pentecost was to equip His church with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit so that we would be His witnesses to all the nations, resulting in His eternal glory. I want you to ask yourself these questions as you think about this purpose: (1) Is my focus on God’s glory in all things? Did I even think about that as I went through my week? Did it determine how I resisted temptation or how I spoke to others? (2) Is my passion that the nations would glorify God through the gospel? If my heart is not on world missions, it is not in tune with God’s heart. (3) Is my daily life consciously dependent on the Holy Spirit? Would I have missed Him if He had withdrawn from me this past week? Do I lean on Him for purity of life and power to obey God? (4) Is my daily desire to bear witness of Christ to those who are lost and perishing? The power of the Spirit isn’t given just to make me happy. It is given to make me holy so that my life and my words bring glory to God as I bear witness to His saving grace. That should be the meaning of Pentecost for you and me. Spurgeon describes "The Immediate Effects of the Descent of the Holy Spirit" Because these symbols were not sent in vain, there were two immediate effects: the first was filling, and the second was the gift of utterance. I call special attention to the first, namely, filling. “It filled all the house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2), and it did not merely fill the house but the man: “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:4). When they stood up to speak, even the ribald mockers in the crowd noticed this, for they said, “These men are full,” and though they added “of new wine” (Acts 2:13), they evidently detected a singular fullness about them. We are poor, empty things by nature and useless while we remain so. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Where the Spirit of God is truly at work, He first fills and then gives utterance; that is His way. Oh, that you and I were at this moment filled with the Holy Spirit. “Full.” Then they were not cold and dead and empty of life as we sometimes are. “Full.” Then there was no room for anything else in any one of them! They were too completely occupied by the heavenly power to have room for the desires of the flesh. Fear was banished, every minor motive was expelled, and the Spirit of God, as He flooded their very beings, drove out of them everything that was extraneous. They had many faults and many infirmities before, but that day, when they were filled with the Spirit of God, faults and infirmities were no more perceptible. They became different men from what they had ever been before; men full of God are the reverse of men full of self. Out of a full church, the world will receive salvation but never out of an empty one. The first thing we want as a church is to be filled with the Holy Spirit; the gift of utterance will then come as a matter of course. The next Pentecostal symbol was utterance. As soon as the Spirit of God filled them, they began to speak at once. It seems to me that they began to speak before the people had come together. They could not help it; the inner forces demanded expression, and they had to speak. So when the Spirit of God really comes upon a man, he does not wait until he has gathered an audience of the size which he desires, but he seizes the next opportunity. He speaks to one person, he speaks to two, he speaks to three, and he speaks to anybody. He must speak, for he is full and must have vent. When the Spirit of God fills a man, he speaks so as to be understood. The crowd spoke different languages, and these Spirit-taught men spoke to them in the languages of the countries in which they were born. This is one of the signs of the Spirit’s utterance. If my friend over yonder talks in a Latinized style to a company of fruit sellers, I will warrant you the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with him. If a learned brother fires over the heads of his congregation with a grand oration, he may trace his elocution, if he likes, to Cicero and Demosthenes, but do not let him ascribe it to the Holy Spirit, for that is not after His manner. The Spirit of God speaks so that His words may be understood; if there is any obscurity, it lies in the language used by the Lord Himself. The crowd not only understood, but they felt. There were knives in this Pentecostal preaching, and the hearers “were pricked in their heart” (Acts 2:37). The truth wounded men, and the slain of the Lord were many, for the wounds were in the most vital parts. They could not make it out; they had heard speakers before, but this was quite a different thing. The men spoke flames, and one hearer cried to his fellow, “What is this?” The preachers were speaking flames, and the fire dropped into the hearts of men until they were amazed and confounded. Those are the two effects of the Holy Spirit: a fullness of the Spirit in the ministry and the church and, next, a fire ministry and a church on fire, speaking so as to be felt and understood by those around. Causes produce effects like themselves, and this wind and fire ministry soon did its work. We read that this “was noised abroad” (Acts 2:6). Of course it was, because there had been a noise “as of a rushing mighty wind” (Acts 2:2). Next to that, we read that all the people came together and were confounded. There was naturally a stir, for a great wind from heaven was rushing. All were amazed and astonished, and while some inquired believingly, others began to mock. Of course, they did. There was a fire burning, and fire is a dividing thing. This fire began to separate between the precious and the vile, as it always will do when it comes into operation. We may expect at the beginning of a true revival to observe a movement, a noise, and a stir among the people. These things are not done in a corner. Cities will know of the presence of God, and crowds will be attracted by the event. This was the immediate effect of the Pentecostal marvel. (From his book "Power for You") W H Griffith-Thomas - Points to Be Pondered 1. The meaning of Pentecost. (i) The Spirit on them. (ii) The Spirit in them. (iii) The Spirit through them. 2. The message of Pentecost. (i) Distinct from conversion. (ii) Intended for service. (iii) Proved by results. 3. The secret of Pentecost. (i) Singleness of aim ("one accord") (v. 1). (ii) Preparedness of spirit ("continuing in prayer") (Acts 1:14; 2:1). (iii) Willingness of life ("began to speak") (v. 4). 4. The preaching of Pentecost. (i) Its matter—a personal Christ. (ii) Its manner—clearly, completely, convincingly. 5. The Church of Pentecost. (i) Its life expressed—in truth, power, love, (ii) Its life explained—Christ for them, a Saviour accepted; Christ in them, a Friend experienced; Christ through them, a Master manifested. (The Acts of the Apostles: Outline Studies in Primitive Christianity) Spurgeon (Morning and Evening) - “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” —Acts 2:4 Rich were the blessings of this day if all of us were filled with the Holy Ghost. The consequences of this sacred filling of the soul it would be impossible to overestimate. Life, comfort, light, purity, power, peace; and many other precious blessings are inseparable from the Spirit’s benign presence. As sacred oil, He anoints the head of the believer, sets him apart to the priesthood of saints, and gives him grace to execute his office aright. As the only truly purifying water He cleanses us from the power of sin and sanctifies us unto holiness, working in us to will and to do of the Lord’s good pleasure (Php 2:13+). As the light, He manifested to us at first our lost estate, and now He reveals the Lord Jesus to us and in us, and guides us in the way of righteousness. Enlightened by His pure celestial ray, we are no more darkness but light in the Lord (Eph 5:8+). As fire, He both purges us from dross, and sets our consecrated nature on a blaze. He is the sacrificial flame by which we are enabled to offer our whole souls as a living sacrifice unto God (Ro 12:1+). As heavenly dew, He removes our barrenness and fertilizes our lives. O that He would drop from above upon us at this early hour! Such morning dew would be a sweet commencement for the day. As the dove, with wings of peaceful love He broods over his Church and over the souls of believers, and as a Comforter He dispels the cares and doubts which mar the peace of His beloved. He descends upon the chosen as upon the Lord in Jordan, and bears witness to their sonship by working in them a filial spirit by which they cry Abba, Father (Ro 8:14-15+). As the wind, He brings the breath of life to men; blowing where He listeth He performs the quickening operations by which the spiritual creation is animated and sustained (Jn 3:8, 6:63). Would to God, that we might feel His presence this day and every day. Alan Carr - Through preaching people may be convinced of truth, but they will remain mere corpses until the Spirit of God breathes upon them. Undoubtedly, this is why our Lord told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were spiritually endued with power from on high, Luke 24:49+. Then came the day of Pentecost when there was “a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,” Acts 2:2, and at once their preaching ministry was vitalized. As they spoke, dead men and women came to life. This is still God's method of bringing the purpose of the Gospel to fulfillment. It is our obligation to see that we not only preach with divine urgency, but pray with divine fervency. We must be satisfied with nothing less than the outpouring of the Spirit of God. The world of lifeless, useless, and hopeless men and women will never be changed unless the Holy Spirit breathes upon the preaching as well as upon the people. Let us pray for the Gospel, the preachers, the teachers, the churches, the missionaries, and the witnesses. Let us pray with fervency that God will honor His Word, breath on the lost and draw many to Jesus Christ for salvation. Unless He draws them to Himself, they will never be saved (John 6:44). It is our responsibility to tells them, and it is our responsibility to pray with urgency that they might be saved. May God give us eyes to see the condition of the lost. May He give us ears to hear their cries. May He give us a heart that feels their pain. May He help us see them like He sees them, so that we will develop the kind of burden for them that dwelt in Him. William Lee said, “It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be-which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.” Steven Cole - Last Sunday, Marla and I listened to a powerful sermon by John Piper, which he gave to 50,000 college students. He began by telling of two elderly women who had given their “retirement” years to go to Cameroon for the sake of the gospel. They had been killed when their brakes gave out and their car plunged over a cliff. He asked, “Was that a tragedy?” He answered, “No, that wasn’t a tragedy. Let me tell you about a tragedy.” He cited a Reader’s Digest article about how many Americans are taking early retirement so that they can pursue their own pleasure. One couple had bought a yacht and spent their time sailing off the coast of Florida, collecting seashells. Piper said, “Now, that’s a tragedy!” Can you imagine this couple standing before God at the judgment and saying, “Here’s our seashell collection, Lord”? God’s purpose at Pentecost was to equip His church with the mighty power of the Holy Spirit so that we would be His witnesses to all the nations, resulting in His eternal glory. I want you to ask yourself these questions as you think about this purpose: (1) *Is my focus on God’s glory in all things? Did I even think about that as I went through my week? Did it determine how I resisted temptation or how I spoke to others? (2) *Is my passion that the nations would glorify God through the gospel? If my heart is not on world missions, it is not in tune with God’s heart. (3) *Is my daily life consciously dependent on the Holy Spirit? Would I have missed Him if He had withdrawn from me this past week? Do I lean on Him for purity of life and power to obey God? (4) *Is my daily desire to bear witness of Christ to those who are lost and perishing? The power of the Spirit isn’t given just to make me happy. It is given to make me holy so that my life and my words bring glory to God as I bear witness to His saving grace. That should be the meaning of Pentecost for you and me. (The Meaning of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13) Adrian Rogers (from his sermon entitled "The Church Aflame" on Acts 2) I want to mention tonight four or five things that are the ingredients of "A Church Aflame"—a church that will make an impact on this community, or any community. And, the very first thing is what I'm going to call supernatural power. What happened there on the day of Pentecost? God gave a demonstration of the power that He had promised in Acts 1:8: "But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you" (Acts 1:8). Now, I want to say that this power was visualized, this power was vocalized, and this power was vitalized. A. Visualized Power 1. Sound of Wind Now, first of all, it was visualized. There sat upon every man's head a flame of fire. They looked like 120 human candles with a flame just flickering above every man's head. And, there was in that building the sound of a cyclone, like a tornado, on the inside—wind and fire. Now, this was a visualization of this power. The sound of the wind was a symbol of the Spirit; because Jesus equated the Holy Spirit with the wind. In John 3:8, Jesus said, "The wind bloweth where it willeth, and thou hearest the sound of it, but canst not tell from where it cometh, and where it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). This wind was an emblem, a symbol, of God's Holy Spirit. Thank God for the wind. That wind comes from the heavens. That wind moves at its own will—it is commanded by nobody. It is mysterious. And, yet it operates according to fixed laws. And, wind is the symbol of the Holy Spirit of God. A preacher was going to preach on the wind being an emblem of the Spirit of God, and he said, "Who really would know the most about the wind?" And, he said, "I know who I'll talk to. There's an old sea captain down here, and he sails by the winds, one of those old schooners." And, he went down, and he talked to him. He said, "Captain, tell me everything you know about the wind." He thought he was going to get a long speech, but the captain said, "To tell you the truth, I know very little about the wind. It's so mysterious." But, he did say, "I'll tell you what I do know: I know how to set my sails." And, I thought, "Oh God," when I heard that, "that's what I want. I don't want to be able to understand the Holy Sprit. Who can? But, I want to know how to set my sails when the wind of God's Spirit blows." Thank God for that wind. 2. Sight of Fire There was the sound, in verse 2, but then also there was the sight—the sight in verse 3: "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues as of fire" (Acts 2:3). Fire also is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because fire spreads and fire consumes. It was said of John the Baptist that he was a burning and shining light. There can be no shining unless there's burning. And, our Lord wants to consume our lives for His glory. Fire warms. God forgive our cold services, if we have them. Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, went into a church and sat down. Nobody greeted him. The song service was absolutely as dead as a wedge; it sounded like a couple of calves dying in a hailstorm. Everything was cold. The minister was cold. Nobody knew who Robert Burns was. But, Robert Burns picked up a hymnal—somebody found it later—and he wrote in the back of that hymnal: As cold a wind as ever blew, A cold church, and in it but few, As cold a minister as ever spoke— You shall all be hot before I come back! (In Lamington Church by Robert Burns) He put that in the hymnal and left it. Oh, dear friend, fire warms. I believe in a warm service. I'll tell you something else that fire does: Fire purges. It cleanses. It purifies. Something else that fire does: Fire illumines. It gives us light. Another thing that fire does: Fire energizes, and our great engines are run by fire. Now, all of this is telling us that the Holy Spirit is symbolized by wind and by fire. And, so first of all, we see this power visualized; or if you'd rather, we see this power symbolized. B. Vocalized Power But, then not only was it visualized, it was also vocalized. Notice, if you will now, beginning with verse 4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). Now, this was miraculous and inexplicable. Those 120 disciples began to speak in foreign languages. Now, remember: there were people there from all over the known world. There were people who did not have common languages. It was a polyglot. And, yet there, 120 disciples began to speak in languages that they were not familiar with. This was not nonsensical gibberish. This was not nonsensical sound. They were known languages. Notice in verse 5: "And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language" (Acts 2:5). Now, what was this? This power was vocalized as a sign gift to the Jews. Now, I want you to understand that tongues are given for a specific purpose—as a sign to the Jewish nation. Now, if you don't mind writing in the margin of your Bible, just write there: 1 Corinthians 14:21, 22. The Apostle Paul explains this when he says, "In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me"—"this people" means the Jews—"saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe..." Tongues are not signs to God's people about anything. Sometimes people say, "Oh, if you speak in tongues, then that's a sign that you're spiritual." No, tongues are not signs to God's people about anything. "Wherefore, tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not; but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them who believe" (1 Corinthians 14:21-22). Now, what does that verse tell us? That God gave on the day of Pentecost a sign that would confirm the gospel to the Jews. Now, speaking in tongues is mentioned three times in the Book of Acts, and we'll see it as we go through the book of Acts. Each time, when the act of speaking in tongues is mentioned, Jews are present and unbelieving Jews are in the background. As we study this gift, we see that it was a temporary gift. The Apostle Paul said, "whether there be tongues, they shall cease" (1 Corinthians 13:8). Now, you can argue when they will cease or when they have ceased, or you can say that God still does that. But, I'm telling you that the Bible says that tongues will cease of themselves. That was a transitional thing and a temporary thing. Sometimes people have the idea that today, if you're spiritual, then you will speak in tongues. Well, let me say that if you do speak in tongues, and it is biblical tongues, then it will be a foreign language that you've never learned, and somebody that knows that language will be able to understand it. But, let me say this, dear friend, and I don't want to be misunderstood, because I believe many wonderful, wonderful people believe contrary to what I believe about this, and I love them—they're my brothers and sisters in Christ. But, the real mark of spirituality is not speaking in tongues. The most carnal church Paul had majored in that gift. The real mark of spirituality is controlling the one tongue that you do have. Really, that the law of kindness and love is in your mouth, and that that tongue is used to glorify Jesus, to praise Jesus, and to preach the gospel of Christ. But, now God is doing something here, because He's inaugurating a new age. And, so this power was visualized. And, then this power was vocalized. But, those were incidental things. God is only inaugurating things again. But, there are even people who today say, "Oh, we need to repeat Pentecost." No, we don't. And, no one ever has. If you repeActs ated Pentecost, then not only would you have the tongues, but you'd also have the flames of fire. Not only would you have the flame of fire, but you'd also have the cyclone. Do you understand what I'm talking about? We're not repeating Pentecost. We don't need to repeat Pentecost any more than we need to repeat Bethlehem or Calvary. Bethlehem was God with us. Calvary was God for us. Pentecost is God in us. Thank God for all of those things. We're not trying to repeat them but to thank God for them, because we're going to enjoy them. And, I'm going to receive the truth of Bethlehem, Calvary, and Pentecost and live by it. C. Vitalized Power So, that brings me to the next thing. Not only was this power visualized and vocalized, but it was also vitalized. If you will, look now at the real miracle in verse 4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4). Now, ladies and gentlemen, that is what men, women, boys, and girls need today: to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. And, I hope and I pray that you are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Now, as I told you this morning, the baptism was once for all. That is an accomplished work for every child of God. You cannot be a child of God without having the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for the Apostle Paul says, "For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13). And, if you are saved, then you have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You're not told to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit—you're told to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18: "And be not drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). Actually, there are a number of works of the Holy Spirit. For example, there is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? The baptism of the Holy Spirit is that act of God in which He places you into the Body of Christ—when you are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, when you get saved. If you're saved, then that's happened to you. 1 Corinthians 12:13, all right? And, then there is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Not only does He place you into the Body of Christ, but He also comes into you, to live in you. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). Now, some people will tell you, "Well, you can get saved, and then, later on, you receive the Holy Spirit." Oh no. It's impossible to be saved without receiving the Holy Spirit. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." By the baptism of the Spirit, you're placed into the Body of Christ. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is when Christ comes into you. And, then there's the sealing of the Holy Spirit, in which you are sealed into Christ: "After ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). I wish that I had time to talk about all of those things, but let me tell you that those things, dear friends, just tell us that, once we are children of God, we're children of God forever; because these are acts of the Holy Spirit of God, never to be withdrawn. The baptism, the indwelling, and the sealing of the Spirit of God, tell us that we are a part of the Body once and for all. Now, those things are done and accomplished in the heart and life of a Christian. But, the filling of the Spirit is not. The filling of the Spirit is conditional. And, it depends upon you—your receptivity, your surrender, and your faith. And, you are filled with the Spirit to make weaklings into witnesses. On the day of Pentecost, 120 disciples led 3,000 to Christ. Today, 3,000 can't even lead 120 to Christ. And, the reason is that we've not understood the fullness of the Spirit. There's one other act of the Spirit. There's the baptism of the Spirit, the indwelling of the Spirit, the sealing of the Spirit, the filling with the Spirit, and then, there's the anointing of the Spirit. What is the anointing? Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, as the Bible says. At His baptism, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, that was not when He was filled with the Spirit. Jesus was already filled with the Spirit. Do you think that Jesus lived thirty years without being filled with the Spirit? Of course not. Why, if John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, would his Lord be less? No. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit from His childhood, but He was anointed with the Spirit when His ministry began. What is the anointing? The anointing is a special touch for a specific task. And, if you have a specific task to do—to preach, to sing, to witness—then pray, "O God, I know, Lord, that you dwell in me. Now Lord, fill me. Take every part. And, O God, anoint me. Anoint me, O God. Let that unction, that power, be on me." In a country church, a preacher asked a deacon to dismiss everyone in prayer. The deacon prayed, and in the midst of that prayer, he said, "Lord, unctionize our pastor. Unctionize our pastor." And, the pastor didn't exactly like that prayer. He met the old deacon at the church door, and he said, "Deacon, that was a good prayer that you prayed, but you asked God to unctionize me." Then he said, "What does that word unctionize mean?" The deacon said, "Reverend, I ain't sure what it does mean; but whatever it means, you ain't got it." Friend, whatever it means, I want it. I want that anointing in my heart and in my life. The Power Of Pentecost Read: Acts 2:1-17 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me. —Acts 1:8 A pastor I know and love is discouraged. Although he is diligent in prayer and works hard, his church remains small while a new congregation nearby is rapidly developing into a megachurch. Yet when I think of the alcoholics, drug addicts, and sexually immoral people he has led to the Savior and a new way of life, I see him as one who witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit. Because of what happened on the Day of Pentecost (described in Acts 2), we tend to associate the Holy Spirit’s presence and power with amazing phenomena and large numbers. We forget that a little later the same people filled with the same Holy Spirit were rejected, flogged, imprisoned, even executed. But through it all they were powerful witnesses! The Holy Spirit’s presence and power can be evidenced in a dynamic preacher who attracts great audiences. But it is seen as well in the volunteer who carries on a one-on-one prison ministry, in the person who witnesses to a co-worker or a neighbor, and in the Sunday school teacher who faithfully teaches week after week. The power of Pentecost is not especially reserved for the highly gifted. Rather, it is available to all believers in Christ who want to serve Him. God’s guidance and help that we need day to day Are given to all who believe; The Spirit has come and He is the source Of power that we can receive. —Branon The power of God’s Spirit gives power to our witness. Acts 2:5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. KJV Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now there were Jews living in JerusalemActs 2:1; 8:27; Exodus 23:16; Isa 66:18; Zech 8:18; Luke 24:18; John 12:20 devout Acts 8:2; 10:2,7; 13:50; 22:12; Luke 2:25 from every nation under heaven Dt 2:25; Mt 24:14; Luke 17:24; Col 1:23 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Now there were Jews (ioudaios) living in Jerusalem - Some interpret this to mean these Jews were visiting pilgrims while others interpret this to mean these were Jews living in Jerusalem who had previously lived in foreign lands. The point is that the speaking to be described in Acts 2:6ff was directed to a Jewish audience, both pilgrims (as there undoubtedly were given the fact that it was the Day of Pentecost) and permanent inhabitants. Utley combines these two interpretations - There were (1) probably pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean area who had come to Jerusalem for Passover and stayed until Pentecost or (2) permanent residents who had moved from somewhere outside of Jerusalem (cf. use of the word in Acts 4:16; 7:24; 9:22, 32). Alexander on living in Jerusalem - The word translated dwelling does not of itself denote either permanent or temporary residence, but rather the act of settling or beginning to reside, as in Matt. 2:23; 4:13; 12:45; Luke 11:26; Acts 7:2, 4, whether the subsequent abode be temporary, as in Heb. 11:9, or permanent, as in Acts 9:32; 17:26, and often in the book of Revelation, where it is a favourite expression for the general idea of inhabitation. There is nothing therefore to confine the word here to Jews who had come to end their lives in Jerusalem, as they have done in all ages, or to such as had come merely to attend the feast. The special reference, if any, would be naturally to the latter. All that is expressly said, however, is that there were then present at Jerusalem, either as visitors or constant residents, representatives of every nation under heaven. NET Note - The verb katoikeo normally means "reside" or "dwell," and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently. Living (2730)(katoikeo from kata which intensifies the meaning of the verb oikeo = dwell, reside in, inhabit as one's abode from oikos = a house) means literally to settle down (be at home, dwell) in a place so to take up permanent abode or residence.
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Cole - Note that not all responded positively, even though this was a “Class A” miracle. Even miracles will not convince mockers, who do not want to submit their lives to the Sovereign God. The Book of Acts is a record not only of might conversions, but also of fierce opposition to the preaching of the gospel. We should expect the same response. But we know that our God will triumph, that every knee will someday bow to Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11). (The Meaning of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13) Warren Wiersbe on full of sweet wine - It is interesting that the mockers should accuse the believers of being drunk, for wine is associated with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18). Paul relates the two in contrast, for when a man is filled with strong drink, he loses control of himself and ends up being ashamed; but when a person is filled with the Spirit, he has self-control and glorifies God. Strong drink can bring a temporary exhilaration, but the Spirit gives a deep satisfaction and a lasting joy. (Bible Exposition Commentary ). Johann Bengel said that this mocking can be equated with " “the world (which) begins with ridicule; then afterwards it proceeds to questioning (Acts 4:7); to threats (Acts 4:7); to imprisoning (Acts 5:18); to inflicting stripes (Acts 5:40); to murder (Acts 7:58).” Derek Thomas - We should pray for the Spirit’s work to be made clear in our own lives. “Come, Holy Spirit. Come into our hearts and dispel the unbelief and coldness that so often mar our relationship with our Father in heaven. Reveal to us through the Scriptures how much our Savior loved us. You are the same Spirit who dwelt in him while he was on earth. You know him better than anyone else knows him. Draw us to his feet that we may once more fall before him in adoration and love. Amen.” (Acts: Reformed Expository Commentary). Acts 2:14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. KJV Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: Taking his stand with the eleven Acts 1:26 Raised his voice Isa 40:9; 52:8; 58:1; Hosea 8:1 Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem Acts 2:22; 5:35; 13:16; 21:28 Give heed to my words Acts 7:2; Dt 27:9; Pr 8:32; Isa 51:1,4,7; 55:2; James 2:5 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PETER PREACHES TO A PREPARED PEOPLE All the phenomena that transpired in Acts 2:1-13 was preparation of the people to hear Peter's sermon, and specifically to answer the question the crowd posed in Acts 2:12 “What does this mean?” It was a great sermon because of its content (filled with exposition of OT Scriptures), because it was Christ centered (every sermon should point to Jesus Christ), because it was clear, understandable and because it had practical application to the listeners. But - Term of contrast. This should always illicit a question as you study the text - What is being contrasted? Notice that the mocking immediately precedes Peter's response to rise and speak. Peter will refute the mocking taunt. This reminds me of the requirement Paul mentions for an overseer who is to be "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." (Titus 1:9) Peter - Peter is petros, which means a large stone and is the translation of the name "Cephas" the Aramaic word for rock, the name Jesus first gave to Simon ("hearing") who was called Peter (see Mt 4:18, John 1:42). John
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Cole - I have read that the number one fear that people have is the fear of speaking in public. It ranks ahead of the fear of death! The fear of speaking in public would increase if a person knew that he would be speaking to a hostile audience. Add to that the fact that the audience is not just a small group, but at least five to ten thousand hostile people, and you must address them without a public address system! To make matters worse, you have made a fool out of yourself just weeks before in such a manner that many in your audience would have heard about it. And, you have no time to prepare your message. The opportunity presents itself and you’re on—without any notes! Such was the situation facing Peter on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:14-41 The Sermon that Launched the Church) Joseph Addison Alexander - Though informal, (Peter's sermon) is perfectly consecutive and even symmetrical in structure. It first repudiates the charge of drunkenness (Acts 2:14); then shows what had occurred to be the fulfilment of a signal prophecy (Acts 2:15–21); and then demonstrates the Messiahship of Jesus (Acts 2:22–36.) (Acts 2 Commentary) Thomas
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Cole says that "Often, a touch of humor can disarm your critics long enough to gain a hearing. If you are called on to preach, your introduction should grab the attention of the audience and make them want to hear the rest of what you have to say." (The Sermon that Launched the Church) Peter is saying in essence "These men are not drunk with wine. Listen to what they are saying (Acts 2:13 = "speaking of the mighty deeds of God”) and watch how they are behaving and you will see that when they are not controlled by "spirits" but controlled by THE Spirit!"
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Cole - Peter’s main point is not the particular form that the outpouring of the Spirit took (ED: JOEL MAKES NO MENTION OF TONGUES BUT ONLY THAT THE SPIRIT WOULD BE POURED OUT), but rather that He was poured out “on all flesh.” (on all mankind) Not just the prophets or rabbis, but even sons and daughters would experience this outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2:17). Not just the older men, but also younger men would know the Lord and His will (“visions”). Not just the wealthy, but even bondslaves would know the fullness of the Spirit. Not just men, but also women would have the Spirit. As the apostle Paul later taught, “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). No believer today lacks the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (The Sermon that Launched the Church Acts 2:14-41) But - Term of contrast. This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel - The KJV says "This is that." The pronoun this refers to the events occurring on this feast day. So this (Pentecostal phenomena) is that (Prophecy from Joel). Peter explains that what they are witnessing is not drunk men but an alive Bible, with the Old Testament prophecy from Joel 2:28-32 being partially fulfilled before their very eyes and ears! Peter was simply explaining that the events that were transpiring were in accord with what had been foretold. In so doing Peter affirms his belief in the authenticity and authority of the Old Testament writings. In his sermon, Peter is being moved by the Holy Spirit to speak boldly and authoritatively from God! I like the phrase through the prophet Joel which gives us the picture that the prophets (and all the men who wrote the Bible) were conduits through (Greek = dia) whom God spoke to mankind. Peter's experience of understanding the OT passages he explains in this sermon undoubtedly allowed him to confidently (inspired by the Spirit) later write "no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:21+) We see this same pattern of God speaking through His human messenger in Luke 1:70; 18:31; Acts 1:16, 3:18, 21; 28:25. As an aside Peter's quote from Joel (Joel 2:28-32) represents the same 5 verses that the Hebrew Bible places in a separate chapter, Joel chapter 3. Interesting! Ray Stedman makes an interesting observation - It is important also to notice that in this quotation of Joel there is no mention at all of tongues. Is that not strange? Peter says, "This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel," but Joel does not mention tongues. Instead he refers to another gift of the Spirit, the gift of prophecy. Prophecy is the ability, in power, to declare the Word of God, to tell forth the Word of God. It will be manifested by young men and old, even servants and obscure people. They shall be equipped by the Spirit to tell forth the Word of God with power. That will be the mark of the age, he says. The emphasis is not upon tongues at all, not even upon gifts, but upon the Spirit who gives the gifts. The age will begin, Peter says, with the pouring out of the Spirit. It will end, Peter indicates, by the sun being turned into darkness, and the moon into blood. (What is This?) Steven Cole - He did not have a Bible in book form, since books as we know them were not yet invented. And he did not unroll several scrolls to the right text so that he could read these verses. Rather, he recited them from memory! If you want to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ, you must memorize certain Scriptures that explain the gospel. You will not always have a Bible handy to look up the verses. (The Sermon that Launched the Church) (See importance of Memorizing His Word) I would add that if you have memorized His Word you will be much more likely to "always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence!" (1 Peter 3:15+). Derek Thomas adds that "This is fundamentally important for us to understand: the Bible writers of the New Testament were deeply conscious of continuing the story of redemption that had begun in Eden....Peter, then, provides us with a model of what preaching is: exposition of God’s written Word (See expository preaching) with a view to applying it to the present and preparing us for the future. Such preaching has the blessing of God upon it." (Ibid) John
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Cole - Peter did not know how soon these judgments would take place (since Joel does not indicate such). He was not claiming that they had been fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost; rather, he is saying that these things would precede “the great and glorious day of the Lord.” Since the prophecy had begun to be fulfilled, as evidenced by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it is reasonable to assume that the rest will come to pass in due time....Revelation 6:12+ predicts these same signs when the Lamb breaks the sixth seal during the Great Tribulation. Thus the literal fulfillment still awaits that time just prior to the return of Christ when He will judge the whole world. Acts 2:20 'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. KJV Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon into blood - Isa 13:9,15; 24:23; Jer 4:23; Amos 8:9; Mt 24:29; 27:45; Mark 13:24; Luke 21:25; 2 Peter 3:7,10; Rev 6:12; 16:8 Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come - Isa 2:12-21; 34:8; Joel 2:1; 3:14; Zeph 2:2,3; Mal 4:5; 1 Cor 5:5; 1 Th 5:2; 2 Pe 3:10 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MORE OMINOUS COSMIC SIGNS The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon into blood - Some commentators see this as an allusion to the darkness falling from 12-3 PM on the day of Jesus' crucifixion (Mt 27:45, Lk 23:44, 45), but that simply does not make sense as this description is of a future event not a past event (will be turned = future tense). Furthermore, there is not a Gospel passage that even remotely describes the turning of the moon into blood. ESV Study Bible (borrow) comments that "The darkened sun and bloody moon, whether literal or symbolic, indicate the final consummation of the earth. Peter included the full prophecy (ED: Of Joel 2:28-32) even though not all of it was yet fulfilled." Does the moon literally become blood? If we compare Scripture with Scripture, this is almost certainly a metaphorical description for John writes "I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood" (Rev 6:12+ = "the whole moon became like blood;") As Darrell Bock says "At the end of his speech, Peter will use the coming of judgment as an appeal for the people to repent and thereby experience the blessings of the new era. People must remember that they are accountable to the living God, and so an appeal to judgment is an appeal to reality as Peter sees it." (Baker Exegetical Commentary - Acts). Jesus also predicted cosmic upheavals in the last of the last days preceding His glorious return... Mt 24:29-30+ “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30+ “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come (See diagram above) - The Day of the Lord is the last seven year period, the Tribulation, which precedes the return of the Messiah and which terminates the Last Days. As we have said, the Last Days beginning with Jesus' first coming and end at His Second Coming. Reginald Showers gives an excellent descriptive definition of the Day of the Lord - The Day of the Lord refers to God’s special interventions into the course of world events to judge His enemies, accomplish His purpose for history, and thereby demonstrate Who He is—the sovereign God of the universe. (Borrow Maranatha, Our Lord Come: a definitive study of the rapture of the church - excellent) Cornerstone Biblical Commentary - God's work "in the Last Days" also includes heavenly wonders and earthly signs. These are the conditions right before the conclusion of human history, which comes with the arrival of the "great and glorious Day of the Lord." Signs on earth, particularly scenes of bloodshed and destruction, will mark the unsettling and ever accelerating fraying of the national and international social fabric. Wonders in the heavens also will be unsettling: an eclipsed sun (Joel 3:15; Amos 5:18-20; Zeph 1:15; Luke 21:25-26) and a blood red moon, possibly the result of earthquakes (cf Rev 6:12+). The natural order's being out of joint will not only mirror the world's moral order, so long out of joint at the hands of sinful humankind, it will also presage the inevitable end: divine judgment in the Day of the Lord (Isa 13:6, 9; Ezek 30:3; Zeph 1:14-15). The significance of this Pentecost event, then, is its decisive inauguration of the last days, which offers the promise of salvation blessings now (Acts 2:21) and will conclude with the Judgment Day of the Lord. For now there is hope; there is still time. The Lord promises that anyone who calls on His Name will be saved by him (note the divine passive; cf. Acts 2:36-40, 47; 4:12; 16:30-31). (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – Volume 12: Luke and Acts) Related Resource: The Last Days Day of the Lord - on site discussion Including discussion of when it begins. Day of the Lord - offsite What is the day of the Lord? - summary from Gotquestions Acts 2:21 'AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.' KJV Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Acts 9:11,15; 22:16; Ps 86:5; Joel 2:32; Mt 28:19; Ro 10:12,13; 1 Cor 1:2; Heb 4:16 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SALVATION CENTERED ON THE NAME OF JESUS! Peter's invitation from God is in one sense an answer to the prophet Habakkuk's prayer uttered some 600 years earlier when he prayed "In wrath remember mercy." (Hab 3:2+) Peter had just spoken of coming days of God's great wrath at the end of this age, but now he follows with a gracious offer of God's mercy to provide a way to escape His wrath. Perhaps it was passages such as this which prompted Peter to write (inspired of course by the Spirit) "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9+) And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Every human ever born in Adam is born with the "sin virus" (Ro 5:12+, cf Ro 3:23+) and deserves the just judgment of God which is eternal punishment in hell! Ouch! The truth hurts! But praise God for passages like Acts 2:21 which provides a means of escape. In a word, whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Joel 2:32+ “And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls. Comment - This has to be one of the greatest promises in all of Scripture! All of us who have been delivered from the wrath to come (1 Th 1:10+) by grace through faith, have experienced Jehovah's supernatural salvation on the day we called on the Name of the LORD Jesus Christ, our Deliverer. And here in Joel 2:32 a Jewish prophet is speaking to Jewish hearers and telling them that they too can be delivered from the wrath of the Day of the LORD by their Strong Deliverer. And in fact 1/3 of the nation of Israel will respond and call on Messiah's Name (see Zech 12:10-14+, Zech 13:1+, Zech 13:8-9+ and compare with Ro 11:26-27+) Romans 10:12; 13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” Spurgeon on Acts 2:21 - What a blessed door of hope is this! What a window, letting the light of heaven shine into the darkest despondency! Whosoever shall address himself to God by repentance, by faith, by prayer, shall be saved. Calls on (1941)(epikaleomai = middle voice of epikaleo from epí = upon + kaléo = call) literally means to call upon and was often used in secular Greek to refer to calling upon deity for any purpose, especially for aid.
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Cole - While many in our day deny that miracles can occur, they are basing their denials on the assumption that God does not exist, contrary to much evidence in creation. In the mornings National Public Radio has a program called “The Pulse of the Planet,” which is totally naturalistic and evolutionary. Ironically, their motto is that they are bringing you “the miracles of science.” (ED: THAT WAS IN 2013, NOW THEY HAVE REMOVED "MIRACLES" AND SAY "SOUNDS OF LIFE ON EARTH") I would like to ask them, “How does science perform miracles?” What they are presenting are the miracles of God as seen in His creation! The miracles that Jesus did, attested by many eyewitnesses, including His enemies (John 11:47), authenticate Him as Lord and Christ. Is is surprising that Acts 2:22 "together with Acts 10:36–39 are the only passages in the Acts speeches which say anything about Jesus’ pre-crucifixion ministry. It is noticeable here that the feature picked out is his miracles, signs and wonders (more balanced in Acts 10:36–39), in echo of the Joel prophecy (Acts 2:19)." (Dunn - Acts of the Apostles) Jesus (2424)(Iesous) means Savior (Mt 1:21) and is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua). Zodhiates adds that "In the Gospels, our Savior is designated by the name of Christ alone in nearly 300 passages; by the name of Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus less than 100 times, and by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ less than 50 times. Prior to His resurrection, He was designated as Jesus Christ; after His resurrection, He is often referred to as Christ Jesus (Acts 19:4; Rom. 8:1, 2, 39; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; Gal. 3:26, 28; Eph. 2:6, 7, 10, 13; Phil. 3:3, 8, 12, 14; Col. 1:4, 28; 1 Ti 1:12, 14, 15; 2 Ti 1:1, 2, 13; 1 Pe 5:10, 14)." (Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament) Nazarene (3480)(Nazoraios from Nazara = Nazareth) describes an inhabitant of Nazareth and as in this passage is used to describe Jesus. In the plural nazoraios is used once to describe Christians (in a derogatory sense) (Acts 24:5+) This was in the inscription on the Cross (Jn 19:19). Zodhiates adds that "In Mt 2:23, we find the expression "He shall be called a Nazarene," i.e., according to the meaning of the Hebrew word netser (05342), "he shall be called a shoot" or branch. This is in allusion to such passages as Isa 11:1+; Isa 53:2+ and Zech 3:8; 6:12, but here also it implies reproach from the contempt in which Nazareth was held." (Ibid) Nazoraios - 13x in 13v - Nazarene(9), Nazarenes(1), Nazareth(3). Matt. 2:23; Matt. 26:71; Lk. 18:37; Jn. 18:5; Jn. 18:7; Jn. 19:19; Acts 2:22; Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10; Acts 6:14; Acts 22:8; Acts 24:5; Acts 26:9 A Man attested to you by God - The NLT says "God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene." NIV has "Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you." Attested (more below) gives a great word picture for one nuance of this verb is that God "exhibited" Jesus or "put Him on display" (like 1 Cor 4:9). The Greek word attested also conveys the idea of offering proof (cf Acts 25:7), so Jesus of Nazareth was a Man proven by God to be Who He claimed to be. Notice also the phrase to you, which suggests that at least some of the Jews in the audience had personally witnessed some of the supernatural acts of Jesus that proved Who He was! A T Robertson agrees commenting that Jesus "wrought His miracles by the power of God in the midst of these very people here present!" (Word Pictures in the New Testament - Acts 2) With miracles and wonders and signs - McNeal says these are "Events which unmistakeably involve an immediate and powerful action of God designed to reveal His character or purposes. "The supernatural feats of Jesus during His life on earth were specifically given to prove He was the Messiah the Jews had been expecting. And Peter proceeds to prove it by speaking (in order) about Jesus' life, His death, His resurrection and His exaltation. Attested (584)(apodeiknumi from apo + deiknumi = to point out, cause to see) means to cause something to be known as genuine, to cause it to become displayed in a manner accessible to or observable by the public. In Acts 25:7 Paul says that serious charges were brought against him which his accusers "could not prove (apodeknumi)." So here the idea of apodeiknumi is to show by argument and so to prove, which is the same sense as Peter intends to convey here in Acts 2:22. Jesus was shown to be Who He claimed to be! Apodeiknumi in Acts 2:22 is in the perfect tense which speaks of an action in the past have continuing effect in the present. Jesus' miracles happened in the past but when one reads about them with eyes of faith (opened by the Spirit), the "effect" of those miracles continues to impact the reader. In short, Jesus' miracles displayed Him or proved Him to be truly God. But Satan always seeks to counterfeit the truth and so this same verb is used by Paul to describe the Antichrist (Man of Lawlessness) who one day will take "his seat in the Temple of God (IT WILL BE REBUILT!) displaying (apodeknumi) himself as being God." (2 Th 2:4+). Paul speaks of himself as an apostle exhibited by God (1 Cor 4:9). Vine states that in 1 Corinthians 4:9, it is a technical term for the exhibition of the gladiators. John
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Cole - Peter shows that Jesus was not killed because He was a victim of His enemies. He was killed because God predetermined before the world began that Jesus would die as the Savior of His people. Isaiah 53:10+ prophesied, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.” And so rather than invalidating Jesus as Lord and Messiah, His death actually validated Him, since it was a fulfillment of God’s eternal decree. (The Sermon that Launched the Church) David G. Peterson remarks, “God’s foreknowledge (Gk. prognōsis) means more than his ability to anticipate the future. It is another way of talking about his determination of events in advance, according to his own plan.” (The Acts of the Apostles) Now we see the mysterious juxtaposition of God's sovereignty (His predetermined plan and foreknowledge) and man's responsibility (culpability in this case). So while God set the plan of redemption in motion even "before time began" (2 Ti 1:9NET+), men are still held responsible for their volitional (willful) choices. you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless (anomos) men and put Him to death - First Peter incriminates the Jewish listeners! Peter does not soften the charge. He lays the guilt squarely on his hearers! Talk about bold (Spirit enabled boldness - cf Acts 4:31+) confrontation! Can you imagine the audience beginning to squirm? Now of course they did not physically, literally nail Jesus to the Cross, but they made it possible by crying out to Pilate, "Crucify, crucify Him!" (Lk 23:21+) even though Pilate thought Jesus was innocent and sought to try to release Him (Lk 23:22, 23, 24+). Roman soldiers drove the nails, but Israel’s leaders demanded His death, and the crowd consented. Here human responsibility and divine sovereignty converge — men acted freely and wickedly, yet all unfolded under God’s eternal purpose. The Holy One was slain by godless hands, yet through that death, salvation’s door was opened. By the hands of godless men - "By the hands of" is Hebraistic for "by means of." Next, Peter incriminates the godless Gentiles, aka, the pagan Romans, especially the Roman soldiers but also by implication Pontius Pilate (cf Acts 4:27). Steven Cole adds "Without violating their will, God used evil men to accomplish His eternal purpose, but those evil men were responsible for their crime. No one can blame God for his own sin." Godless (Lawless) (459)(anomos from a = without + nomos = law) means literally without law and thus lawless. Recognizing no law in 1Ti 1:8. In the present context anomos refers to not so much to those who transgress the law, but those who either do not have, do not know or do not acknowledge the law, which describes the Gentiles. TDNT writes that anomos "has the objective sense of “having no law” and the subjective sense of “paying no heed to law.” The Jews often use the term for the Gentiles with some vacillation of sense." How fitting hat the title the "lawless one" is given to the man of sin, the consummate "lawless one (anomos)," the Antichrist, "whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming." (2 Th 2:8). NET Note on anomos - refers to non-Jews who live outside the Jewish (Mosaic) law, rather than people who broke any or all laws including secular laws. Specifically it is a reference to the Roman soldiers who carried out Jesus’ crucifixion. Longnecker - Gentiles are frequently referred to in Jewish literature as “wicked” (e.g., Jub 23:23–24) and “lawless” (e.g., Pss Sol 17:11, 18; cf. 1 Cor 9:21), either because of their actual sins or simply because they did not possess the Mosaic law. (EBC) And put Him to death - Peter did not flinch when he says you (Jews) killed Jesus. You murdered Him! Peter made similar indictments later in Acts (Acts 2:36; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 7:52; 10:39; 13:28)
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Cole - Their address, “brethren,” shows that their hearts had been softened. To be “pierced to the heart” shows their feelings of deep anguish as they realized that they were guilty of killing their own Messiah. The Holy Spirit stabbed them with conviction of their terrible sin....The conviction of sin is often the missing note in our evangelistic efforts. We are too quick in trying to heal people who do not realize that they are mortally ill. We need to use God’s holy law to show sinners their desperate condition. Only after they feel that should we apply the promise of God’s grace in the gospel. Guzik on What shall we do? writes "Peter gave them something to do. This means that we must do something to be saved, we must do something to follow Jesus; it doesn’t just “happen.” Peter did not say, “There’s nothing you can do. If God saves you, you’re saved. If God doesn’t save you, you’ll never be saved.” Though it was true that only God could do the saving, the people had to receive through repentance and faith, faith leading to action such as baptism. The first thing Peter told them to do is repent." (Acts 2 Commentary) Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. KJV Acts 2:38 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. Repent Acts 3:19; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; Mt 3:2,8,9; 4:17; 21:28-32; Luke 15:1-32; Luke 24:47 each of you be baptized Acts 8:36-38; 16:15,31-34; 22:16; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21 in the name of Jesus Christ Acts 8:12,16; 10:48; 19:4,5; Mt 28:19; Ro 6:3; 1 Cor 1:13-17 you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:16-18; 8:15-17; 10:44,45; Isa 32:15; 44:3,4; 59:21; Ezek 36:25-27; Ezek 39:29; Joel 2:28,29; Zech 12:10 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries REPENT AND RECEIVE FORGIVENESS Peter said to them, Repent - Peter's proclamation calls for application. They had asked Peter what to do and he does not give them suggestions, but a clear command to Repent. The command is in the aorist imperative which calls for immediate obedience. This command conveys a sense of urgency. Peter is saying in essence "Do not delay! Do not put this off! Do not procrastinate! Just do it! And do it now!" Kistemaker on repent - The imperative repent implies that the Jews turn from the evil they have perpetrated, have an intense abhorrence for the sins they committed, experience a complete turnabout of their lives, and adhere to Jesus’ teaching....Repentance signifies that man’s mind is changed completely, so that he consciously turns away from sin (Acts 3:19). Repentance causes a person to think and act in harmony with Jesus’ teachings. The result is that he breaks with unbelief and in faith accepts God’s Word. According to Louis Berkhof, true repentance encompasses three elements: intellect, emotion, and volition.
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Cole - First Peter calls upon them to repent. There are many in our day who argue that repentance has no place in salvation; rather, all a person must do is believe in Christ. Repentance, they say, comes later. If so, Peter botched the Gospel! The fact is, repentance and faith are flip sides of the same coin. You cannot have true saving faith without repentance. Others minimize the definition of repentance, saying that it means simply to change your mind about who Jesus is. Certainly it includes that, but it is more than that. I. Howard Marshall writes, “The word indicates a change of direction in a person’s life rather than simply a mental change of attitude or a feeling of remorse; it signifies a turning away from a sinful and godless way of life” (ibid., p. 80). Faith in Jesus Christ is implicit in repentance." (Borrow The Acts of the Apostles : an introduction and commentary) (from The Sermon that Launched the Church) Beloved, if you are one who minimizes the need of repentance in salvation, you need to realize that repentance is repeatedly a component of the apostle's message in Acts... Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 5:31 “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Acts 8:22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. Acts 11:18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” Acts 13:24 after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. Acts 17:30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, Acts 19:4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” Acts 20:21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. "This word (repent) was the message of the Baptist, of Jesus, of Peter, of Paul, this radical change of attitude and life." (Word Pictures in the New Testament - Acts 2) Repent (3340) metanoeo from meta = with, among + noeo = to think, exercise the mind <> from nous = mind - see study = metanoia) means to have another mind. In essence make an "about face," turning 180 degrees from the direction you had previously been walking in your unrepentant, unregenerate state! Metanoeo means to change one's mind in respect to sin, God, and self. To turn to God and from sin (Luke 15:7,10 = "one sinner who repents", cf a perfect illustration of repentance in 1Th 1:9-note). Repentance is not an intellectual decision but a change of mind that issues in a change of behavior. This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Cor 7:8-11); but sorrow for sin, though it may cause repentance, is not repentance. Darrell Bock writes "the point is that repentance involves a reorientation of perspective, a fresh point of view. When dealing with God's plan, it means to see that plan in a new way and to orient oneself to it. Luke demonstrates the fruit of repentance expresses itself concretely (Lk 3:10-14). Repentance expresses itself in life, especially in how one treats others." There can be no genuine conversion without genuine repentance. Luke's uses of metanoeo - Lk. 10:13; Lk. 11:32; Lk. 13:3; Lk. 13:5; Lk. 15:7; Lk. 15:10; Lk. 16:30; Lk. 17:3; Lk. 17:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 8:22; Acts 17:30; Acts 26:20 God uses at least four factors to prompt repentance - (1) The knowledge of God's Truth should prompt repentance (Mt 11:21-24 - where Chorazin, et al refused to repent at the Truth; cf Lk 16:30-31+ which also illustrates the sufficiency of the Truth to prompt repentance.) Note the deadly deception - one can have Truth (as well as #2 sorrow) without true repentance! Beware! (2) Sorrow for sin can lead to repentance (2 Cor 7:9-10+), but sorrow per se should NOT be confused with true repentance. E.g., Judas felt sorrow (remorse - Mt 27:3) for betraying Jesus but he did not repent of his horrible sin. Had he repented Jesus would have forgiven him! Amazing grace! (3) God's kindness prompts (leads to) repentance (Ro 2:4+) - the corollary thought is that true repentance is a gift of the Spirit! (4) Fear of final judgment (as discussed in Acts 17:30,31+) can motivate one to true repentance. Indeed, realization that there is no other way of escape but through Jesus, should cause any "rational" person to repent. Repentance is not an act separate from faith, but saving faith includes and implies the true change of mind which is called repentance. For those of us who are already believer, we need to be aware that repentance is not just an event at the time of our conversion, but represents an ongoing lifestyle -- we sin daily, and sometimes we get caught in a "rut" (habit) of sin, and so we are daily in desperate need of God's gracious gift of repentance. In the parable of the two sons, our Lord Jesus Christ gives a beautiful illustration of what true repentance looks like (Read Mt 21:28-31 = notice second son changed his mind and his behavior!). As Albert Barnes rightly put it "False repentance dreads the consequences of sin; true repentance dreads sin itself." Amen or Oh my! Do you (I) truly hate the sin that so easily entangles us and is a scandal in Heaven, being an affront to the Holy God?! C H
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Cole - Much modern evangelism tries to make becoming a Christian as easy as possible. We dodge the issue of sin. We don’t talk about the cost of discipleship. We wouldn’t dare call on people to make a radical break with their culture. But Peter called them to repentance and baptism. For a Jew to be baptized was a traumatic thing. They generally looked on baptism as a rite for Gentile converts or for notorious sinners, not for “good” Jews (Longenecker, p. 286). But Peter preached boldly, God worked inwardly, and the church was launched, 3,000 strong! Peter’s message in a nutshell was: Since God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ who will judge the world, sinners must repent. John
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Cole - Years ago I was reading Charles Simeon, a great Anglican preacher from the early 19th century. He stated that he had three aims in his preaching: to exalt the Savior, to humble the sinner, and to promote holiness. I thought that those were clear, godly aims, and so in a sermon, I shared that those were my aims, also. I was somewhat startled when a woman who had been on staff for 25 years with a Christian evangelistic organization came up to me and said, “I don’t agree with those aims. We don’t need to be humbled. We need to hear more how we are made in the image of God.” Her comment reflects the man-centered focus of much modern evangelism. But the point of biblical evangelism is not to make people feel good about who they are or to feel that God loves them just as they are. Rather, it is to show them who Jesus Christ truly is, the Lord of the universe, the Christ of God who offered Himself for our sins and who was raised from the dead. It should show them who they are, sinners who crucified the Son of God, who are in danger of His impending judgment. It should show them God’s great mercy, that if they will repent and call on the name of the Lord, He will save them from His judgment. It should show them the need to live in obedience to Him, no matter what the cost. Acts 2:41-47 Outline of Passage 1. A saved membership (41) 2. A steadfast membership (42) 3. A sacrificial membership (44-5) 4. A serving membership (46) 5. A spirit-filled membership (47) A "Well" Church Read: Acts 2:41-47 They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. —Acts 2:42 Pastor and author Greg Laurie says that churches are “well” when they practice these activities: W-orship E-vangelize L-earn L-ove Like the early church, we should be active in these ways today. Worship. We must meet together for fellowship, communion, prayer, and praise (Acts 2:42,47). God is to be the focus of all we do in His church. Evangelize. As we share the Word, the Lord will add new believers to the church (v.47). We can all take part in spreading God’s Word by developing a friendship, by giving someone an article about the gospel, or by sharing some Scripture verses with a stranger. Learn. We must continue learning sound doctrine taught by qualified leaders (v.42). The Bible is filled with instruction for living, and we should take every opportunity to learn from it, apply it to our lives, and teach others. Love. We are to share with whoever has need, and enjoy the fellowship of other believers regularly (vv.45-46). A church whose members worship, evangelize, learn, and love will be a “well” church, effective in the community, and appreciated by “all the people” (v.47). Churches grow when people pray And pastors preach the Word, When love for Christ sends out the call To those who have not heard. —D. De Haan A world in despair needs churches that care. Just Another Sunday? Read: Acts 2:41-47 They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. —Acts 2:42 Early on a sunny Sunday afternoon after church, I headed out for a walk around the neighborhood. A man was trimming his grass along the sidewalk, and we greeted each other with the usual “Hello, how are you?” In a negative tone, he replied, “It’s just another Sunday.” Later, I wondered what he had meant by that. Was he saying, I’m just doing my chores—going through the motions? Sometimes even church attendance can become a matter of merely going through the motions on just another Sunday. For the believers in the early church (Acts 2:41-47), joining with fellow believers was a source of excitement. That was when the church first started and everyone was a new believer—so they were bound to be enthusiastic. But what about us? What can we do to make each Sunday special? Go with the anticipation of meeting with God. While He is with us all the time (Heb. 13:5), God is with us in a unique way as we gather with others who know Him (Matt. 18:20; James 4:8). Bring your burdens and praises to Him. Go to learn about God. We may not learn something new every week, but we can always be encouraged by the truths of God’s Word (Ps. 119:105). Expect to hear from Him. Go to fellowship with others. We need each other in this Christian journey. Encourage others, challenge them in their faith, and pray for them (Heb. 10:24-25). Lord, give us a renewed enthusiasm of heart for attending church, so that it won’t be just another Sunday. If you want to be spiritually fed, go to church with a hunger for the Word. Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. KJV Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching Acts 2:46; 11:23; 14:22; Mark 4:16,17; John 8:31,32; 1 Cor 11:2; Gal 1:6; Eph 2:20; Col 1:23; 2 Ti 3:14; He 10:39; 2 Peter 3:1,2,17,18; 1 John 2:19 to fellowship Acts 4:23; 5:12-14; 1 John 1:3,7 to the breaking of bread Acts 20:7,11; 1 Cor 10:16,17,21; 11:20-26 to prayer Acts 1:14; 4:31; 6:4; Ro 12:12; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2; He 10:25; Jude 1:20 Acts 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Priority of Expository Preaching - Steve Lawson THE MARKS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH Acts 2:42-47 gives us the prototypical pattern of a Spirit filled church (there was not enough time for sin to infest the body and quench the work of the Spirit). See excellent summary by Tom Nettles - Empowered by One and the Same Spirit. See also article on the Spirit Filled Church. W A Criswell - In this passage one sees the pattern which seems to have become normative for Christianity. People heard and received the word of God; they followed this with confession and public baptism; then they united in the fellowship of the church, continued in the apostles' doctrine, remained in fellowship with the brethren, and frequently observed the Lord's Supper and prayer as a part of responsible church life. Church membership was a privilege granted to those who had experienced genuine conversion followed by believer's baptism. Such membership is indeed a privilege and responsibility, not a right. (Believer's Study Bible) Life Application Bible Commentary - Books about church planting, church health, and church growth are popular. Seminars about the church abound, with pastors and church boards eager to copy the techniques of a successful pastor or a fast-growing congregation. The following paragraph is a snapshot of the church a few days old. At Pentecost, after the coming of the Holy Spirit, the gathering of 120 exploded! In one day three thousand people came to faith in Christ. Now what do they do? This handful of verses provides a concise summary of what the early church was about; it provides a model that can be applied to the modern church, as well. Luke had just described the growth of the church in numbers, but now describes the critical aspect of the growth of the church in Christ-likeness. They were continually devoting themselves - The imperfect tense means this was ongoing, occurring over and over, again and again. And notice the first "target" at which their "devotion" aimed? Not praise and worship songs (as wonderful as they are), but the pure milk of the Word of God. They were indeed "like newborn babes newborn babies, (longing) for the pure milk of the word, so that by it (they might) grow in respect to salvation (1 Peter 2:2+). They had "tasted the kindness of the Lord" (1 Pe 2:3+) in having received salvation and the gift of His Spirit. The "tastes" of the world sadly have a way of diluting out the taste of the kindness we all experienced when we knew that we knew Jesus as our Savior. But that had not yet happened to this first church. Note well - no intake of the Word, no growth in Christ-likeness! It's that simple/profound! Notice that this single-minded, steady focus was not just regarding teaching, but included fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. And to reiterate, they did not casually, passively, half-heartedly, every once in a while do these things...they steadfastly, single-mindedly pursued this course of action. Are those our priorities as a Christian? The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing! Amen. So they were a Learning people, a Loving people, a Worshiping (communion, worship) people and a Praying people. Those are the main things. If you don't have these, you cannot have a church. How are we doing? Are we a learner, a lover, a worshipers and truly a person of prayer? J
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Cole: Snapshot of a Healthy Church --A healthy church is marked by continual devotion to the Lord, to His people, and to His work in the world. Many years ago, John Stott met a group of Christian students in Argentina who had visited all of the Protestant churches in their city, but could not find any that satisfied them. They had dropped out of the church. He asked them what they were looking for that they could not find. He was startled when, without realizing what they were doing, they went down the list of Acts 2:42 in order. They said that they wanted a church where the pastor faithfully expounded the Bible and related it to where they lived. They were looking for warm, loving, caring, supportive fellowship. They sought a sense of the living God and His greatness in worship. And, they were looking for compassionate outreach (in Christianity Today [6/12/81], p. 21). No church is perfect and none will come close this side of heaven. But as we continually devote ourselves to the Lord through His Word and through worship, as we devote ourselves to the fellowship of His people, and as we devote ourselves to His work in the world, He will use us to glorify Himself. I challenge you to be fervent in your devotion to the Lord and to His church, so that He uses us to reach many in this city and around the globe for His glory. Paul Apple's conclusion If you don’t have these 4 contributors to church momentum, you tend to stall out I. (Acts 2:43) SUSTAINED CREDIBILITY II. (Acts 2:44-45) SOLIDARITY IN SACRIFICIAL SHARING III. (Acts 2:46-47a) SANCTIFIED COMMUNITY – EXPRESSED IN CHURCH WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP IV. (Acts 2:47b) SOVEREIGN GROWTH Ps. 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house (GOD'S PART) they labor in vain who build it (MAN'S PART)” – not said by Solomon to discourage the nation but to encourage them to focus their hopes for experiencing blessing and prosperity on the Lord; we need to seek the Lord’s face for these 4 contributors to church momentum ... but we also need to be opening our wallets to share, witnessing as we have opportunity, joining together in glad fellowship and praising the Lord for what He is doing in our midst (Acts Commentary) How to Keep Your Spiritual Fire Burning Adrian Rogers Take your Bibles, God's holy word, and turn to the second chapter of the book of Acts. Now as you're turning to the second chapter of the book of Acts, may I tell you that a New Testament, spirit-filled church is a mighty weapon in the hands of a holy God and the pattern for that church is found in the book of Acts and I want to read several verses in Acts chapter 2. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and it appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it set upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance." We're going to be thinking tonight on this subject, how to keep your spiritual fire burning. And this is so important in this day and in this age. Never in my ministry have I had people giving more attention to spiritual things than this time in which we're living. It is seeming as if, it seems to me as if the world knows it doesn't have the answer and one more time the world is looking to the church and they're wondering do we really have the answer. And friends, we do. We're more than a religious snooty country club with a steeple hiding behind stained glass windows. We are the church of the living God. Now the passage that I just read to you took place on a Jewish feast day called Pentecost. For fifteen hundred years the Jews had kept this feast of Pentecost, but there was never another just like this. It took place fifty days after Passover and what they would do is this—they would take wonderful grain and they would crush it and make flour out of it and then they would take that flour and mix it with oil and the priests would bake that flour mixed with oil into two loaves of bread. Now, you know that oil represents the Holy Spirit and the wheat represents the church of the living God. There were two loaves there on the day of Pentecost because now all of those individual grains were becoming one loaf, but there's both Jew and Gentile becoming one new body. A hundred and twenty disciples on the day of Pentecost went up into an upper room as individual grains of wheat, but they came together at Pentecost and we have the birthday of the church and it was a wonderful illustration that now something new, something supernatural was happening. The Holy Spirit was coming in great power to abide in the church. On that day also they sacrificed on the day of Pentecost and the old Jewish feast day seven lambs and two rams and one young bull were all sacrificed that day. That is, there were ten animals that were sacrificed. Ten is the complete number and I believe that pictures the complete, perfect blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now God is teaching a lesson here and it's full of symbolism and so this mighty power that came on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the infant church, it's symbolized several ways. First of all, it was symbolized by sound. Look if you will here again in verse 2: "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind." There've been two tornadoes in my life and I can attest to what everyone says, it does sound like a freight train. The sound of a rushing mighty wind. One time in Florida Joyce and I were asleep in the middle of the night and I'm a sound sleeper. When I put my head upon the pillow it's a light sound, but I woke up and looked in the back yard and I've never seen anything like that, the grass was lying down flat and there was that sound, that roar, and we ran to get the children away from the windows, but by that time the sound had passed on by. We looked out in the backyard and two mighty oak trees were lying down flat, but not a shingle was lifted on our house, thank the Lord. And that tornado passed by and I've often thought of the sound of a mighty rushing wind. And wind is an emblem of the Holy Spirit of God. As a matter of fact, Jesus taught us that, remember, in John 3:8. He says the wind blows where it will. You can tell from where it comes or whither it's going, but you can hear the sound thereof. And wind therefore is an emblem of the Holy Spirit of God because it comes from heaven, it moves at its own will. It is commanded by nobody except God Himself. It's mysterious. We don't know from whence it comes or where it goes, and it is invisible but very powerful. What a wonderful emblem of the Holy Spirit of God. There was the symbolism of the sound and then the symbolism of the fire. Look again if you will in verse 3, "And there sat upon every head clove—and appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them." They looked like human candles. Can you imagine a hundred and twenty people with a flame, just flickering over their heads, just like that, that, that fire upon each head. And the fire also is an emblem of the Holy Spirit. Just like wind, it has its special significance. Fire spreads, fire consumes, fire warms, fire purges, fire illuminates and fire energizes. And so you have wind and fire. There is fire and wind to spread it and it sat upon each of them. It sat upon the apostles and it sat upon the lowliest believers because there was no no super saints. This was to be a universal thing. The wind and the fire. And so first of all, this power was symbolized, but then this power was vocalized. Look if you will now in verse 4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance." They are speaking now with strange languages, languages that they have never learned. Well, I think it's important that we just continue to read this. "They spake with other tongues," and the word tongues means languages, it's a Greek word glossa, and so speaking in tongues is called glossa-lalia, "as the spirit gave them utterance." Now this was not something they'd learned, it was something that the Holy Spirit of God did. "And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews," now underscore this because tongues are primarily assigned to Jews to Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and they were con—confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." By the way, this was a known language, not an unknown language, they all heard them speak in their own language. When you go to the book of First Corinthians and it speaks of an unknown tongue, read it carefully, because the word unknown is italicized and it means that's not in the original. The translators put it in there to try to make it read more clearly, but there they obfuscated the meaning. They heard them speak, everybody's hearing them speak in their own language, "and they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak not Galileans?" By the way, the Galileans were the hillbillies of that day, basically were thought of as backward and unlearned. "How we hear every man in our own tongue where we were born? Parathions and Meads and Elomites and the brothers of Mesopotamia and in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pompos and Asia and Pergia and Tampilia, and Egypt and all the parts of Libya, round about Cyrene and strangers of Rome, Jews or proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues," that is in our languages, "the wonderful works of God and they were all amazed and were in doubt saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine," that is they're drunk. So the power that was symbolized by fire and by wind is now also vocalized and they're beginning to speak in languages they've never learned. Now again I want to remind you this was primarily a sign to the Jews. Put in your margin First Corinthians 14:21, 22. Paul was explaining to the Corinthian church about tongues and he says, "In the law it is written with men of other tongues and with other lips will I speak unto this people," he's talking now about Israel, "to this people, and yet for all that they will not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." So tongues are a sign to unbelievers. Sometimes people think that speaking in tongues is a sign that you're filled with the Holy Spirit. No, speaking in tongues is not a sign to God's people about anything. Speaking in tongues is a sign to unbelievers, primarily this people—that is the Jews. Tongues are mentioned three times in the book of Acts and every time they're mentioned, Jews are present and unbelieving Jews are in the background. Now the true mark of spirituality is not that you speak in a foreign language or speak in an unknown tongue. The true mark of spirituality as I said last week is that you control the one tongue that you have. That's serious. I mean I'm deadly serious about that, I'm not trying to be funny. If you are filled with the spirit, the fruit of the spirit is love. The Corinthian church was carnal and divided and childish and immature and they were making merchandise of the what they thought was the gift of tongues, but it was not of God. Now there is a biblical gift. The biblical gift of tongues is a language known by others but unknown by the speaker. It is a miracle gift primarily to convince unbelieving Jews. This power was symbolized by wind and fire. This power was vocalized as they're speaking in strange languages that they've never learned. And then this power was actualized. Go back again if you will to chapter 2 and look in verse 4. And here is the key: "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit." This is the abiding miracle of Pentecost. Sometimes people say we need another Pentecost. Well be careful, huh. You think we need another Pentecost? We couldn't have another Pentecost without an indoor cyclone and tongues of fire sitting on everybody's head. It's not another Pentecost that we need. We don't need another Pentecost anymore than we need another Bethlehem or another Calvary. Bethlehem is God with us, Calvary is God for us, Pentecost is God in us. We need to enjoy Bethlehem, enjoy Calvary, enjoy Pentecost, but Pentecost was a special day, it was the birthday of the church. And the miracles that were given—the mighty rushing wind and the flames of fire—these things were illustrative of the mighty power, the filling of the spirit of God. There are four distinct words of the Holy Spirit and I want you to pay attention to what they are. First of all, there is the baptism of the spirit. Jesus said, "Ye shall be baptized for the Holy Spirit not many days hence." That's before he ascended to heaven. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what we're talking about. When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and these individual grains now have become one loaf they are baked together by love, they have become one, just as those of us in this congregation are not many, and they are one. Paul tells us about that—this is the baptism of the spirit. Put down in your margin First Corinthians 12:13, "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body." That's the baptism of the Holy Spirit, when many become one, "for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been made, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For by one spirit are ye all baptized." Now, every so often somebody will ask you, Have you received the baptism of the Holy Ghost? And they might mean by that, Have you had some esoteric experience. If you are saved, you have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. When you become a child of God, you are placed by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ and that is the baptism of the spirit. It doesn't happen to some and not to others, for this verse of scripture says, "For by one spirit are ye all," the Greek language literally says, "for by one spirit have ye all been," every one of you, "baptized into one body." Every child of God has the baptism of the Holy Ghost. There is not one scripture, not one scripture that ever commands a New Testament Christian to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not one. If I'm wrong, stand up and prove it. Not one. No we were commanded to be filled with the spirit, we are already baptized with the spirit the minute we receive Christ. "For by one spirit have ye all been baptized into one body." That is the work of the Holy Spirit of God that takes many of us and makes us one when we get saved and are placed into the mystical body of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Then there is the indwelling of the spirit. He also says we've been made to drink into one spirit. He now comes into us. He lives in us and dwells in us. Jesus said in John 14, "When the comforter is come, He will abide with you forever." He dwells in me, he lives in me, he is the abiding possession of every child of God. Some people have the erroneous idea that you get saved and after you get saved, later on, subsequently, you may receive the Holy Spirit. Put it down big, put it down plain, put it down straight, if the Holy Spirit is not in you, you are not even saved. There's no such thing as getting saved and later receiving the Holy Spirit. Acts chapter, excuse me, Romans 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. It so be that the spirit of God dwell in you." And then Paul says, "If any man has not the spirit of Christ, he's none of his." You don't belong to him. If you don't have the Holy Spirit of God, how do you call yourself a Christian, because Christ is not in you. How's Christ to come into you except by the Holy Spirit? Do you think Jesus in his body is literally going to come into you? I mean his physical body is in you? No! The only way that Jesus can be in you is through the Holy Spirit. And if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If Jesus is not in you, you're not saved. The only way that Jesus can be in you is by the Holy Spirit. Do you understand that? So by one spirit we're all baptized into one body, that's the baptism of the spirit. When we're placed by the spirit into the body of Christ, but then, thank God, the Holy Spirit is into us, we've all been, all have been made to drink into one spirit. So there's the baptism of the spirit, there is the indwelling of the spirit, and then, thank God, there is the sealing of the spirit. Now what happens there is this. That once you are put into the body of Christ, you are sealed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit of God. Put down Ephesians 1:13. Paul speaks of Jesus and he says, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Over in the book of Esther we read that the king's seal no man can break. The king has put a seal upon you, and that seal is not to be broken. You were signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit of God. It means a finished transaction. In biblical days when there was a deal done, there would be a stamp called the seal, of melted wax, it was affixed to a document and it means It is done, it is finished, it is paid in full, and we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. There's the baptism of the spirit, there's the indwelling of the spirit, there is the sealing of the spirit, and there is fourthly the filling of the spirit. Now we're going to dwell more about the filling of the spirit. Acts 2:4 says they were all filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Now that is the abiding miracle of, move aside the symbolism, move aside the embols, the embols, embols, emblems, move those aside and understand what the abiding miracle is—it's in verse 4, "And they were all filled with the spirit." Now I've told you, there's no command in the Bible for you to be baptized in the spirit, but there's a definite command for you to be filled with the spirit. And that is in Ephesians 5:18. The Bible says, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit." I don't want to be too technical, but I want to tell you that is the imperative mood and if I were to tell you, Get up out of here and leave this place right now, it's imperative that you do it, do it. That's not a suggestion, that's imperative. And the Bible says, "Be filled with the spirit." It's imperative. That means this is not just something nice, this is something necessary. This is not just simply a blessing to enjoy, it is a command to obey. And it is passive in voice. It doesn't say uh, get filled, it says be filled. That is, it's something that God does, it is supernatural. Be filled with the spirit. It is plural in number. It literally says be ye being filled, all of you. The apostle says the promises to you and your children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call. Everybody is to be filled with the spirit, not just the pastor, not just the evangelist, not just the choir leader, we're all to be filled with the spirit, young and old, when you're saved, when we're filled with the spirit, when we are saved, he comes into us as resident, but when we're filled he becomes president. He comes not only to abide, but to preside in us. And so we are to be filled with the spirit. Now, the filling of the spirit is conditional. The filling of the spirit comes when we meet God's conditions and the filling of the spirit comes to turn weaklings into witnesses. And Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that, "Ye shall receive power when that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me." Now, among the illustrations of what the Holy Spirit does, he's like wind and he's like fire. There's a fire and there's wind to spread it. Now I told you tonight that I want to talk to you about how to keep your spiritual fire burning and I want to remind you of what fire does. Because the Holy Spirit of God is to your life what fire is. And fire illuminates. I want you to write these things down now. The Holy Spirit is the illuminating fire of God. Fire gives light. The light that's shining down on us is coming tonight from fire, whether it's the light of the sun, the light of a candle, or the incandescent light, whatever it is, fire is light. And the Holy Spirit of God is there to illumine you. It was the Holy Spirit of God that gave the scriptures and as a matter of fact you can read in Acts 1:16, you're right there in the neighborhood, just look at verse 16 and you'll see, "Men and brethren, the scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake." Who was speaking when David wrote the Psalms? The Holy Ghost. This is illuminating fire. And not only did the Holy Spirit give the scriptures, the Holy Spirit helps you to understand the scriptures. When I prepare a sermon, I soak it in prayer, I pray and say, God, give me understanding. But Jesus said in John 14:26, "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things." The Holy Spirit is the teacher, he teaches us. "And so bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have commanded you." And so the Holy Spirit is the illuminating fire of God. And the Holy Spirit is the consuming fire of God. Not only does fire illumine, but fire consumes. Put this scripture down, Hebrews 12:29, "Our God is a consuming fire." And it is the Holy Spirit of God that burns away the dross of sin. This week when I was studying I came across an interesting passage. It's in, Isaiah 4:4, don't turn to it, but listen to it. He's talking about the time when God is going to come in mighty power on the nation Israel, but here's what it says. "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning." God is going to purge away sin from Israel with the spirit of burning. That is the Holy Spirit of God. Now, when I was a younger preacher, I so desired to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and I had an erroneous idea. I thought if I could be pure enough, if I could be holy enough, if I could be clean enough, then God the Holy Spirit would fill me. If I could only live victorious, then I might be filled with the Holy Spirit. I had it 180 degrees backward. I could never be clean and be pure until I was filled with the Holy Spirit of God. You know sometimes we have the idea that being filled with the Holy Spirit is an attainment. It is not. It is receiving a gift from God, very much just like you were saved. You know, you know how the bankers are—if you can go to the banker and prove that you don't need any money, he just may loan you some. Sometimes I had the idea, Dear God, if I can just prove to you that I am good, supernatural enough, pure enough, holy enough, good enough, then maybe you'll fill me with the Holy Spirit. No, dear friend, I need to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God because I don't have what it takes. Now that doesn't mean that I can cling to my sin and expect God to fill me, but it does mean that the only way that I will ever be victorious over sin is to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God is the illuminating fire of God. The Holy Spirit of God is the consuming fire of God. The Holy Spirit of God is the transforming fire of God. Another propensity here, of fire is that fire transforms and what fire does, it transforms whatever it is burning into its own likeness. It turns whatever it's burning into the fire itself and the fire just transforms. You put a poker even in the fire and let it stay in the fire and if the poker stays long enough in the fire, you look at it and the fire will be in the poker. When you are with the Lord Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, you are being transformed from glory into glory and because the Holy Spirit of God is the transforming power of God, fire not only consumes, it transforms. And then the Holy Spirit is the empowering fire of God. Fire gives power. Remember Acts 1:8, "And after that ye shall receive power and after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you." Don't you want power in your life? Do you know what's wrong with so many churches? No fire. And because there's no fire there is no power. Can you imagine a factory, everything in this factory is perfect, I mean all of the machinery's in place, there are mighty wheels and great pistons and conveyor belts and chains and hoists and everything is there in the factory, but the factory is cold and dead and nothing is happening. Somebody says, Well maybe we need to put some stained glass windows in the factory, maybe we need to put a steeple on top of the factory, maybe we need to put a big sign out in front of the factory. Maybe we need some robed choirs in the factory, then somebody says, wait a minute, there's no fire in the boiler, that's what we need, is a fire in the boiler. There's where the power comes. And so many churches today, they have everything except fire—fire is power. "They shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you." Rationalism and ritualism and traditionalism and formalism will not do it. It's not form, it's not facts, it's not fashion, it's fire. The Holy Spirit is the empowering fire of God. And then, folks, the Holy Spirit of God is the attracting fire of God. The Bible says here in the second chapter of the book of Acts, when these things began to happen, it was noised abroad. Something was so supernatural that people came and they wanted to see what was happening. One thing about a fire is you don't have to advertise it. A fire, it advertises itself. I was preaching in Brooksville, FL, the First Baptist Church of Brooksville, FL, many years ago, I was a college student and it was a rainy night and we were supposed to be having a revival meeting, but it was just a handful of people there because it was raining. And I wept and preached and poured my heart out, but not very much happened. Somebody kinda put their arm around my shoulder and said Well, Adrian don't worry, it's a, it's a rainy night and you can't expect folks to come on a rainy night. As I was walking outside that church, I heard a clanging and a siren and a fire truck went by and another fire truck went by and then the fire chief with his sirens screaming went by, and I looked down about a half a mile from the church and I saw a red glow on the horizon. I got in my car and I went down there and myself and a number of other foolish people were standing out in the rain watching a house burn. And I thought to myself, There's a much bigger crowd here standing in the rain watching this house burn than there was inside this church where I was preaching, and I've never forgotten it. You don't have to advertise a fire. Folks, if Bellevue ever really gets on fire from God, really on fire with the Holy Spirit of God, we're going to see people come here in ways that propaganda, personality, and advertisement we won't need that. We're just going to have the supernatural fire of God. People are going to come. Do you know that John Wesley used to say this, he said, "If I'd just set myself on fire, people come to watch me burn." and I, fire has power. Too many of us are reading the Bible like it's a math book rather than a love story. By the way, if dead wood starts fires I know a lot of churches that are ready to burn. These early Christians, they had, they had a fire that water couldn't drown and swords couldn't kill and jails could not hold. All of this is the fire of God and that's the reason on the day of Pentecost God gave these great emblems of wind and of fire. Now I'm not talking about wildfire and I'm not talking about painted fire. I'm talking about real fire. Sometimes when you talk about getting on fire, people are afraid we're going to become fanatics. In an average church, there's not much danger of that. It'd be like putting a culvert and a policeman around a graveyard to keep a wild demonstration from breaking out from those who sleep there. And I also believe this. I believe the reason that the cults are getting many of the members of Bible-believing churches is because there's an empty place in people's heart. They want something that is real. They want a passion, they want a fire. Now I've just mentioned all of the things that fire does and you need to keep the fire burning in your heart, because this church is not going to stay on fire until the members, pastor and people and staff and deacons, until we ourselves are on fire. So I want to give you four things. By the way, that's all introduction, that's all just introduction, seriously, seriously. I'm not going to keep you that long, but all that's just introduction. Now we're getting to the sermon. All right now, here's the sermon. I want to give you four things—three of them negative and one of them positive—if you would keep the fire burning. And they all deal with the Holy Spirit who is the spirit of fire and the spirit of burning. Number one, principle number one. Don't lie to the Holy Spirit. Don't lie to the Holy Spirit. If you lie to the Holy Spirit, you're playing with fire and you're going to get burned. In Acts chapter 5, let me give you an example of somebody who lied to the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 5 I read this: "But a certain man named Ananias and Sapphira his wife sold a possession and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it." That is, she was in on the deal. "And brought a certain part and laid it at the apostle's feet." They were having a love offering, see, and so she brought it and laid it at the apostle's feet. "Then Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" Just underscore that, to lie to the Holy Ghost. "And to keep back part of the price of the land. While it remained, was it not thine own, and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" That is, you didn't have to give it, nobody twisted your arm. "Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost." That means he died, the ghost was the spirit that was in him. "And great fear came upon all them that heard these things, and the young men arose, wound him up and carried him out and they buried him." They carried this man out of the church service. Now what had happened was this. There was a great wave of revival that was sweeping the early church and the number of disciples, as we preached last Sunday night, was being multiplied. First there was addition and then there was multiplication, and the devil wanted to cause division and subtraction. The devil wanted to get into the arithmetic also, and so what he did he he began to work through the people in the church, particularly Ananias and Sapphira. He'd already tried to stop the church by persecution and he found out that only made it to grow, so Satan said, If I can't stop them, I'll join them and I'll work from the inside, and so he got into the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira, as we're going to see. Now what caused Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Ghost? The root of their sin was pride. Now listen to me. It's pride that causes you to lie to the Holy Ghost. The root of their sin was pride. There was a man named Barnabas who gave an exceptional love offering gift and people were grateful for it. But Barnabas didn't do it to show off, but Barnabas was not ashamed to let it be known what he'd done. The Bible says we're to let our lights so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our father which is in heaven. And what Barnabas did was a spontaneous show of love. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to get in and bask in the glow of that, so they sold a piece of real estate, told everybody they were going to give everything they received to the Lord. Now they didn't have to do it. Peter said, It was in your power, you didn't have to give anything, you could've given part, but don't lie and say that you've done something that you've not done. The reason that they did this simply was pride. They wanted to be praised, they wanted to be petted, and nothing puts a man more in jeopardy in spiritual things than pride. There's nothing that'll put out your spiritual fire quicker than pride, because the Bible says that God resists the proud and he gives uh, he gives grace to the humble. The Holy Spirit of God has poured out the spirit of grace upon people who are humble. Now the root of their sin was pride and the fruit of their sin was pretense. They pretended more than they had. They wanted credit. Again, I wanted to say that it's not that they refused to give—that was in their power, Peter said. But they were acting as hypocrites. Read the Bible and you're gonna find out that Jesus Christ reserved his sternest words for hypocrites. Frankly I had, I had to search my heart before I could preach this message. I mean on my knees. I had to ask myself, Adrian, do you pretend to be more holy than you are? Are you telling people things that you don't believe, or even worse, things that you do believe and don't practice? You see, that'll put out the fire. There's pride that leads to pretense and I believe that many of our churches are filled with that. I've seen congregations stand and sing I surrender all, all to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give, and frankly, that's a lie. They have not surrendered all, they have not given all freely to the Lord Jesus Christ. We sing, Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold. Well how many congregations do you believe really mean that? Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold, they withhold it with all our might. I've seen congregations sing on Sunday mornings, Faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to thee till death. You ever sing that? And don't even come back Sunday night. I mean, they'll stay home to watch the Sunday night movies, but they will sing on Sunday morning, faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to thee till death. That's hypocrisy. It's lying to the Holy Spirit. Now, who caused that? Well Peter said to Ananias and Sapphira, Why hast Satan put in your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? It's a strategy of Satan to sabotage the spirit of revival. Again, I say, he tried intimidation and persecution. That didn't work. The cause of Christ has been hurt far more by hypocrites within the church than by enemies with—outside the church. Now listen to me. I'm talking about how to keep your spiritual fire burning. If you lie to the Holy Ghost, you're playing with fire. It is serious to tell a lie to anybody. More serious to tell a lie to a judge, thrice serious and much more than that to lie to the Holy Spirit of God, to lie to God. It's not only serious, but folks, it's foolish. Let me tell you why it's foolish. Because the Holy Spirit was there when the deal was made, the Holy Spirit was on the inside, the Holy Spirit knew everything. You can't fool God. Abraham Lincoln said you can fool some of the people all the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. You can't fool God any of the time. I mean, why do you try to lie to God? It's serious, it's foolish, and, and, well you say, was God capricious when God struck Ananias dead and later Sapphira dead? No, God had warned them. As a matter of fact, he said, "Why hast Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" That means that the Holy Spirit of God had been speaking to them, because he is the illuminating fire of God. Their error was an intentional area—error—it was willful and it was inexcusable and God made them a generation excuse me, God made them an example to the coming generations. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't strike hypocrites dead today in the churches? Why did he strike Ananias and Sapphira dead? Why doesn't he strike the hypocrites dead in our churches today? Because God took certain individuals and he made them an example. Let me give you some examples of examples. Jude chapter 7, "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities round about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." How does God feel about sodomy? How does God feel about sexual perversion? Go see Sodom and Gomorrah. He left Sodom with its smoking ruins as an example. Then in First Corinthians 10:10, 11. How does God feel about murmuring? "Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition, for whom the ends of the world are come." When God killed those people in the wilderness with poisonous serpents, why doesn't he kill people who murmur today with poisonous serpents? God has given an example. Why did God strike Ananias and Sapphira dead? Why doesn't he strike every hypocrite dead? God has given the example. We need to learn, we need to be on guard against hypocrisy. Ask yourself this question: Is there any hypocrisy in me? Am I pretending a devotion to Jesus Christ that I don't really have? Are you going in and out among your brethren, serving as a deacon, serving o n the staff, singing in the choir? I mean, think about what Debbie sang tonight. Oh, the glory of your presence. Would she not have been filled with folly and foolishness if she were not enraptured with the glory of his presence? I mean, you think about it. Would I stand and sing a song, Oh, the glory of your presence, and sing that to entertain or to have somebody say, What a beautiful voice? I don't believe this about this young lady. I believe she meant every word that she sang, but would it not be foolish to do that? Choirs are so foolish. Folks, listen in the choir, listen to your pastor. You are not there to lead the church in worship. You're there to lead the church by worship, by worship. When you worship in front of us, then we worship because you are worshiping and setting the example in worship. Don't sing what you don't know, I mean what you don't mean, that's hypocrisy, that's lying to the Holy Ghost! And you're playing with fire. Number one, don't lie to the Holy Ghost. Number two, don't grieve the Holy Spirit. Now if you grieve the Holy Spirit, you're going to dampen the fire. Well what grieves the Holy Spirit? Unconfessed, unrepented of sin in your life. Turn this time to Ephesians 4 and look if you will in verse 25: "Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil." That is, don't give a beachhead or campground to the devil. "Let not him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the things that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may administer grace to the hearers." Now watch verse 30 "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." He says here don't grieve the Holy Spirit and then he he prefaces that and follows that with a litany of sins—sins of the flesh, sins of the spirit, everything from malice to an unforgiving spirit. And he says this grieves the Holy Spirit of God. Now, when you grieve the Holy Spirit of God, you dampen the fire of God. You see, the spirit of God is burning love. He is passionate love. The word grieve is a love word. Did you know that you can only grieve somebody who loves you? You can only be grieved by somebody that you love. You think about it and see if I'm not true. When the neighbor's kids do wrong, that vexes you. When your kids do wrong, that grieves you. There's a difference. You see, only is a person grieved if they love the person who's doing wrong. I have been grieved by people when they do wrong, so grieved. Somebody told me a while back about a preacher who'd fallen into immorality. I'm not ashamed to tell you, when I heard it, I fell to my knees and I wept like a baby. I could not stop crying. When I heard about what this man had done because I loved him, I admired him, and I am grieved. Now the Holy Spirit of God loves us so much that when we have filthy sin in our hearts and in our lives, unconfessed, unrepented of sin, that grieves the spirit of God and it dampens the fire. Look up here and I'm gonna tell you something. As I stand before you tonight, I don't have any unconfessed, unrepented of sin in my life that I know of. I would be a fool, a fool to try to live the Christian life while harboring sin in my heart and in my life. You say, Well who do you think you are, some—no! That's normal Christianity. That's not abnormal. Don't get the idea that we're all supposed to have our pet little sins. Yes, we fail, yes we stumble. That's the reason why he says, Be ye angry and sin not and don't let the sun go down upon your wrath. Get it right! Don't harbor that sin, don't go back to bed with that sin, don't wake up with it. I'm so grateful that I can wake up in the morning and not carry the baggage of yesterday's sin into the, into this new day. How wonderful to start a day clean and pure and to lift your hands and to praise the Lord and not grieve the precious, blessed, Holy Spirit of God who loves us so much that his heart is broken with unconfessed sin in our lives. Now, if you want to keep the fire burning, listen, if you want to keep the fire burning, don't lie to the Holy Ghost. Don't pretend something that you're not. If you want to keep the fire burning, don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, don't lie to the Holy Spirit. Number three, don't quench the spirit, don't quench the spirit. First Thessalonians 5:19 says, "Quench not the spirit." Now if you quench the spirit, you'll just put the fire out. We need that fire, that illuminating fire, that energizing fire. We need that purging, cleansing fire. The Holy Spirit is sent by God the Father to guide us, to lead us. He gives us fire to light our path, and we need to be very sensitive to the spirit of God because he is so easily quenched. There've been times in my life I'm afraid that I've quenched the spirit of God. The spirit of God has spoken to me and I've not obeyed the spirit of God. I can remember a time with deep remorse the first little church I ever pastored. I had told the Lord I will talk to every person in this town that I can about you. I will go to at least every house and I had worked and worked and worked and worked and there was one house kind of down the road a long distance and the Holy Spirit seemed to be moving my heart saying, Go to that house. And I said, Well I've done enough and I won't go. I was driving later down the street. I saw a woman coming, driving in her automobile, both hands in the air, her hands were not even on the steering wheel, she was screaming at the top of her voice. I pulled over and asked her what was wrong. She pointed to the orange grove there in front of that very house and said, He's dead, he's dead. I went into that orange grove and there I saw that man with a high-powered rifle that he'd put up to his head and reached up and pulled the trigger and there he was—his body was already blue and he was there, rigor mortis had come where he'd gone out in that, in that field and shot himself. I can see that scene in my mind right now and I wondered, Did I quench the spirit? That was the one house I did not go to. And that has stayed with me all of these days. Don't lie to the Holy Ghost. Don't quench the Holy Ghost. Don't grieve the Holy Ghost. When God's spirit speaks to you, be quick, my soul, to answer him. Be jubilant, my feet. Is God speaking to you about something? Somebody you need to get right with, some money you need to give, some restoration you need to make, some witness that you need to bear? Then do it, do it, because you can put out that flame, you can quench the spirit. Now listen. Don't lie to the Holy Spirit, don't grieve the Holy Spirit, don't quench the spirit, but let's come right back to our verse again in Acts 2:4, "Be filled with the spirit." They were all filled with the spirit. Now remember again Ephesians 5:18, "Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit." Now don't get the idea that you are a vessel and the Holy Spirit is some sort of liquid power that he pours into you like you would fill a jug. No, no, no, no. You are a temple and to be filled with the Holy Spirit means that he has the key to every room. That, that uh, First Corinthians 6:19, "What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which you have of God?" Have you given him the key to every room, to every closet? How are you filled with the spirit of God? Just be completely committed, where the spirit is Lord there's liberty. Just simply say, "Here I am, Lord, take my life, every ounce, every inch, every nerve, every fiber, every possession. It is yours, I give you the key to every room, every closet, complete commitment and continual control." When this verse of scripture, the one thing I left out when I told you that it was the imperative mode and passive voice and plural in number it is, it is in the, it is in the present tense—it means it is continual action. Actually means being filled is what it says. Be being filled. Uh, Why does he say don't be drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit? Why didn't he say don't steal but be filled with the spirit? Why didn't he say don't commit adultery but be filled with the spirit? How does a person get drunk with wine? He's speaking here not only in contrast but in comparison. How does a person get drunk with wine? He drinks. How does he stay drunk? He has to keep drinking. Be being filled. He's talking here in comparison. Be, just constantly be being filled with the Holy Spirit of God. It is, it is the present tense, continual action, as we are letting God's Holy Spirit fill us. So how are you filled with the spirit? Well, there's complete commitment, there's continual control as we are drinking and letting him have his life I us, and then there is constant claiming. You're saying, Lord, I claim your power right now. That's what I did on my knees before I came out here to preach this message. I know the message has been longer tonight than normal, but listen to me. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down. On the day of Pentecost the disciples went out. On the day of Pentecost the lost came in and God was glorified by that New Testament church. Now folks, we've been out here ten years and God has blessed us. I want the fire to burn brighter and greater than it has ever burned, are you with me, are you with me? That's going to, that's going to start in you, teens up here in the choir, high schoolers, it's going to start in you. I want you when you go to school tomorrow to let the fire burn. Choir, I meant what I said. You don't lead the church in worship, you lead the church by worship as you worship God. I want all of our deacons to understand that the requirement for being a deacon is first of all, be spirit filled. I want every staff member not to lie to the Holy Ghost. I want every staff member not to grieve the Holy Ghost. I want every staff member not to quench the Holy Ghost, but to be filled with the spirit. And the promise is unto you and to your children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call. Folks, let's keep the fire burning. Thank God there's the fire and there's the wind to spread it. My heart almost jumps out of my chest when I stand here on a Sunday morning and see this building filled twice and I think, My God, what would happen if everybody who comes on Sunday morning were a spirit-filled believer and would let Holy Ghost fire burn in them? Would you say, by God's grace, I will be at least one, I will by the grace of God. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Lord God, I pray that you will help us, that we will learn to let you have your way. Come, Holy Spirit, be continually cleansing and filling me and fill us individually and corporately. And oh, father, help us not to play games, not to pretend, not to lie to the Holy Spirit, not to grieve the Holy Spirit and not to quench the Holy Spirit, but to be filled. Thank you, Lord, Amen. DEVOTIONALS RELATED TO THE SPIRIT IN ACTS 2 Acts 2:1-11 The Power Of Pentecost By Herbert Vander Lugt You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me. —Acts 1:8 God’s power was dramatically displayed when the Holy Spirit came upon a small band of Christ’s followers on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:2-4). Those present heard a roaring sound like a strong driving wind. Flames like fiery tongues hovered above their heads, and they proclaimed God’s wonderful works in languages they had never learned. Many of us wish we could have a similar experience today. But we tend to overlook the fact that the power of Pentecost was given so that we could be witnesses for Christ (1:8). Since that great day, the Holy Spirit has been transforming lives through the witness of believers. The testimony of those first-century Christians led thousands to faith in Jesus Christ. Our problem is that we like the spectacular. But we don’t need to see the phenomena depicted in Acts 2. God uses our witness to open the eyes of others to the truth of the gospel. The same Holy Spirit who was revealed in the first century resides in us today. We are now living witnesses of the power displayed on the Day of Pentecost. Praise God for His Pentecostal power! But don’t neglect the reason it was given. Instead, show the Lord your gratitude by using that power to share the gospel. The power of our witness comes from the power of the Spirit. Acts 2:1-2, 4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind. . . . And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-2, 4). WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT In his diary Jim Elliot wrote, "Am I ignitible? . . . Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be a flame." The disciples went through emotional burnout. The trial, the crucifixion, and the burial nearly snuffed out their flame. The resurrection and forty days with Jesus served as a bellows, but the fire still flickered. Then the Holy Spirit came like a mighty wind, and they became human infernos. The Holy Spirit participated in creation, empowered Old Testament people, revealed God's Word to the prophets, and played an important role in Jesus' birth; but He never came for a permanent stay until Pentecost. Since then He has made His home in every believer and makes God's firepower available to us all. The greatest evidence of His work may seem to many the most mundane: He grows spiritual fruit. That does not seem as exciting as starting spiritual fires. But His fruit is characteristic of Christ's life, and so He works at reproducing the best life ever lived in each believer. Like the oil of the olive used in lamps, the juice of this fruit lights the Christian life. Unlike Jim Elliot, most of us would prefer to hear the Holy Spirit yell, "Lights out!" so we could get some rest. Instead, as a battle commander, He cries, "Fire!" Acts 2:1-8 The New Harvest By Mart De Haan They are the firstfruits to the Lord. —Leviticus 23:17 I was visiting a friend in a Midwest farming community during harvest season. Huge combines churned through his fields, depositing soybeans into waiting wagons. My friend leaped onto one of the wagons to check out his “firstfruits.” What he saw was encouraging. Despite the worst corn crop in 40 years, the soybeans gave him reason to thank God for a good harvest. Pentecost, which we remember today, has its roots in an agricultural setting. Fifty days after Passover, Jewish farmers celebrated the Feast of Weeks (Lev. 23:15-22), in which they recognized the hand of God who gave the crops. Centuries later, the Lord chose the Day of Pentecost to celebrate a new harvest. Fifty days from Passover, the Holy Spirit came on a small group of believers and moved through Jerusalem, bringing in a different kind of crop. These firstfruits were men, women, and children added to the church (Acts 2:38-46). Pentecost’s historical farming connection reminds us that a world of lost souls is ready for harvest (John 4:35). As believers in Christ, we are God’s fruit, but we are commanded to be His farmers as well. Are we helping to bring in the new harvest? There’s surely somewhere a lowly place In earth’s harvest fields so wide, Where I may labor through life’s short day For Jesus, the crucified. —Gabriel Without the Holy Spirit there would be no harvest. Acts 2:1-21 The Best Consoler By David C. McCasland John 14:16-21,24-27 I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. —John 14:16 When two uniformed men came to my door on Memorial Day afternoon, I thought they were collecting for charity. Instead, they told me that my sister and her husband had been killed in an accident earlier that day. Just over a year after that shattering event, our church choir sang “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” (“Come, Holy Spirit”) on Pentecost Sunday (Whitsunday). It brought a wave of peace over my still-aching soul. One verse says: “Thou best of Consolers, sweet guest of the soul, sweet refreshment. In labor, Thou art rest; in heat, the tempering; in grief, the consolation.” On Pentecost Sunday, many churches celebrate the Holy Spirit’s coming in power on the disciples (Acts 2:1-21). But the Spirit came also as the Comforter promised by Jesus: “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). The Spirit lives within each Christian, bringing the peace of Christ along with encouragement and alleviation of grief. Pentecost and Memorial Day seldom fall next to each other as they do in 2004. But the “sweet guest of the soul” is always with us on any day we remember our loved ones who have died. In grief, the Spirit is our consolation, the light of our hearts, the giver of everlasting joy. O spread the tidings 'round wherever man is found, Wherever human hearts and human woes abound; Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come! —Bottome In every desert of trial, the Holy Spirit is our oasis of comfort. Acts 2:1-4 Shakespeare’s Translation? By Dennis Fisher 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. —2 Peter 1:20 Some have speculated that William Shakespeare helped translate the King James Bible. They say that he inserted a cryptogram (a message written in code) while he translated Psalm 46. In this psalm, the 46th word from the beginning is shake and the 46th word from the end is spear. Furthermore, in 1610, while the King James Bible was being translated, Shakespeare would have been 46 years old. Despite these coincidences, no serious evidence supports this theory. Some people also claim to have found hidden meanings when interpreting the Bible. Certain cults will cite a verse out of context, only to lead someone into heretical doctrine. Some quote John 14:16, for example, and say that the “Helper” refers to their “new revelation.” When compared with other Scripture, however, the Helper whom Jesus sent to us is obviously the Holy Spirit (John 16:7-14; Acts 2:1-4). The apostle Peter wrote, “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20). To interpret a biblical passage accurately, we must always consider the context and compare it with other Scripture. This respects the clear meaning of the Bible without trying to find hidden meaning in it. God’s Word does not have secret codes That need a special key; It’s understandable and clear, With truth for all to see. —Sper The best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture itself. Acts 2:1-8 Our Comforter By Dennis J. De Haan I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [Comforter], that He may abide with you forever. —John 14:16 A seminary student was writing a term paper about confession of sin. At one point he intended to type, “When we confess our sins, He takes away our guilt.” But when he came to the word guilt, he hit the letter q by mistake. This made his sentence read, “When we confess our sins, He takes away our quilt.” He turned in the paper without noticing his error. When the paper was returned, the student grinned as he read the marginal note from the professor: “Never fear, little one, you’ll never freeze, because God gave us a Comforter.” Jesus said the Comforter (or Helper) would come and abide with us forever (Jn. 14:16). Since the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) the Holy Spirit has been carrying on His ministry in the lives of believers. Here are some of His comforting activities: He guides us into truth and brings glory to Christ (Jn. 16:13-15). He assures us that we are God’s children (Rom. 8:16). He helps us pray (Rom. 8:26-27). He gives us hope (Rom. 15:13). He teaches us spiritual truths (1 Cor. 2:13). He equips us to serve other believers (1 Cor. 12:4-7). He makes us Christlike (2 Cor. 3:18). He strengthens us (Eph. 3:16). We can face this day with confidence because of the Comforter’s ministry in our lives. O spread the tidings 'round wherever man is found, Wherever human hearts and human woes abound; Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound: The Comforter has come! —Bottome The Christian's heart is the Holy Spirit's home. Acts 2:1-11 The Power Of Pentecost By Herbert Vander Lugt You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me. —Acts 1:8 God’s power was dramatically displayed when the Holy Spirit came upon a small band of Christ’s followers on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:2-4). Those present heard a roaring sound like a strong driving wind. Flames like fiery tongues hovered above their heads, and they proclaimed God’s wonderful works in languages they had never learned. Many of us wish we could have a similar experience today. But we tend to overlook the fact that the power of Pentecost was given so that we could be witnesses for Christ (1:8). Since that great day, the Holy Spirit has been transforming lives through the witness of believers. The testimony of those first-century Christians led thousands to faith in Jesus Christ. Our problem is that we like the spectacular. But we don’t need to see the phenomena depicted in Acts 2. God uses our witness to open the eyes of others to the truth of the gospel. The same Holy Spirit who was revealed in the first century resides in us today. We are now living witnesses of the power displayed on the Day of Pentecost. Praise God for His Pentecostal power! But don’t neglect the reason it was given. Instead, show the Lord your gratitude by using that power to share the gospel. The power of our witness comes from the power of the Spirit. Acts 2:1-11 Mysterious Invisibility By Bill Crowder Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. —Acts 2:2 Across the United States and around the world, we often experience the dramatic effect of something no one can see. In 2011, for instance, several US cities were devastated by tornadoes that blew apart neighborhoods and business districts. And during each hurricane season, we are shocked as winds of more than 100 miles an hour threaten to destroy what we have built. All of this is the result of an unseen force. Sure, we see the wind’s effects (flags flapping, debris flying), but we cannot see the wind itself. It works in mysterious invisibility. In a sense, this is also true of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, when believers experienced the filling of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, “suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:2). That wind was a tangible demonstration to those early Christians that the unseen Spirit was at work in their lives. And He still works in our lives today! If you are a follower of Christ, be encouraged. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in your life (Gal. 5:22-23), forms believers into one body (1 Cor. 12:13), and assures you of God’s presence (1 John 3:24). The Holy Spirit is a powerful Person in our lives—even though we can’t see Him. Silently now I wait for Thee, Ready, my God, Thy will to see; Open my heart—illumine me, Spirit divine. —Scott The Holy Spirit works powerfully, though invisibly. Acts 2:1-21 Our Helper By David C. Egner The Father . . . will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. —John 14:16 When I taught in a Christian college, I directed travel-study tours of Europe. Before I left for the first tour, I was somewhat apprehensive, but I knew that a Christian brother, Sotos Boukis, would be assisting us during the 7 days our group would be in Greece. I was relieved to discover when we arrived at our hotel that he was there waiting for us. His knowledge, guidance, and personal assistance were invaluable. It gave me great peace of mind to have him with me. Jesus instructed, encouraged, and knew His disciples intimately. When He told them He was leaving, He promised to send “another Helper” (Jn. 14:16). He was telling them they would have a person like Himself to assist them. So on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to indwell all believers and gave them the same individual attention, though unseen, that Jesus had given His disciples. The Holy Spirit is not some mystical force but a personal Being who lives within every follower of Jesus Christ. He is our teacher (Jn. 14:26; 16:13) and our power for witness (Acts 1:8). Let’s thank the Lord Jesus that He has given us our personal Helper. Holy Spirit, all divine, Dwell within this heart of mine; Cast down every idol-throne, Reign supreme and reign alone. —Reed We're never without a helper because we have the Spirit within. Acts 2:1-13. TODAY IN THE WORD W. W. Moseley had a burden for China. So the young British minister set out to translate the Bible into Chinese. Language experts told him it couldn’t be done, but Moseley refused to give up. One day in the British Museum library, he came across a Chinese manuscript containing portions of the New Testament! Moseley’s discovery drew fellow Britisher Robert Morrison, soon to be the first Protestant missionary to China. Morrison copied the manuscript, took it with him to China, and used it to translate the book of Acts, and then other portions of Scripture, into Chinese. No language barrier can keep the Creator of language from making Himself known! On the Day of Pentecost, God would give a powerful witness to the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. The marvel of Pentecost is the supernatural coming and miraculous enabling of the Holy Spirit. The first witness to Pentecost was not words, but wind and fire. In the original language, the words for “wind” and “spirit” are closely related. The blowing wind speaks of the Holy Spirit’s power; fire signifies the presence of God. As for the gift of tongues (v. 4), these were languages known to the hearers but not previously known to the speakers. That simple fact is often overlooked or ignored in the confusion that surrounds much modern-day teaching on the ministry and gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is not to deny the Spirit’s power or sovereignty. Could He reproduce the miracle of Pentecost? Of course—He is God! But Pentecost was certainly a unique event: the birthday of the church. As such, it need not be repeated. While we are right to seek the Spirit’s power and filling today, the purpose of Pentecost has been fulfilled. Acts 2 is an example of a principle you’ll want to keep in mind this month. Acts is a transitional book, bridging the old and new covenants, showing how the focus of God’s program moved from Israel to the church. TODAY ALONG THE WAY The curiosity and confusion of the crowd (vv. 7-13) reminds us of people’s confusion about spiritual things today. Spirituality is a popular topic, but there are as many varieties of “religions” as there are cable TV channels! Are there people in your world who are searching for spiritual reality? They often reveal their need in what they say around the office or in casual conversation over the back fence. I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? - Jeremiah 32:27 TODAY IN THE WORD The word unique is badly overused, but it’s the right word to describe the events that unfolded on the day of Pentecost. Since unique means “one of a kind,” it applies only to persons, things, or events that have no equal. The perfect example is Jesus Christ in the flesh, God’s “one and only Son” (Jn. 3:16). Pentecost was also unique as the birthday of the church. The church’s “birthday gift” was the coming of the Holy Spirit in a dramatic display of power to live inside believers, in fulfillment of Jesus’ promise (Jn. 14:15-17). Also in fulfillment of this promise, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell a person at the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 12:13). Paul’s statement also shows that the Spirit’s baptism unites Christians together in the body of Christ. The miraculous events of Pentecost capture all the attention--and it was a miraculous day. God provided a witness to the new work He was doing. The first witness to Pentecost was not in words, but in wind and fire. The words for wind and spirit are closely related in the Greek language. The blowing wind speaks of the Holy Spirit’s coming in power; fire in the Bible often signifies the presence of God. It was also miraculous that the believers could praise God in languages they had not learned. The fact that the gift of tongues in Acts 2 was known human languages is confirmed by the word “language” (vv. 6, 8). We are not denying God’s power or sovereignty when we say Pentecost is unique. Could God reproduce the miracle of Pentecost? Of course; He’s God! But the purpose of Pentecost has been fulfilled. Our calling today is to seek the Spirit’s power and filling (Eph. 5:18). Acts 2 is an example of a principle we need to keep in mind this month. Acts is a transitional book, bridging the old and new covenants, showing how the focus of God’s program moved from Israel to the church. Many of the events we will read about in Acts are unique to that transitional period of time. Grasping this principle will help avoid a lot of confusion as we go along. APPLY THE WORD The curiosity and confusion of the crowd at