Pentecost Sunday: There Is More

Title: There is More

Theme: To show that there is more than just the gift of the Holy Spirit but there is also the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Text: Acts 2:38

Introduction

The Day of Pentecost for the Jew is a celebration of the Law. It is a celebration of the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) which establish God’s law in how we are to live.

The law is broken down in to the :

1. Moral Law: These are universal and timeless principles that reflect God's character and moral order. The Ten Commandments are the most prominent example of moral law, addressing issues of idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath observance, and ethical behavior towards others.

2. Civil Law: These laws governed the social and judicial aspects of Israelite life. They include regulations on property rights, restitution, and justice, as seen in Exodus 21-23. These laws were specific to the cultural and historical context of ancient Israel but reflect underlying principles of justice and equity.

3. Ceremonial Law: These laws pertain to the religious rituals and practices of Israel, including sacrifices, festivals, dietary restrictions, and purity laws. Detailed in books like Leviticus, these laws were designed to set Israel apart as a holy nation and to facilitate worship and atonement.

From https://biblehub.com/topical/l/law_in_the_old_testament.htm

The Law is what defined who Israel was and is. Without the law then Israel would not exist. It was not by what family you were born into. It was not by who you knew or what tribe you belonged to. It was by the law that the covenant was established and the relationship was kept.

This is what distinguished Israel from any other nation.

By the time of the New Testament the law had become controlled and misused by the religious leaders. The Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes had come along and turned the law into a system of salvation with no relationship. They had perverted the law for their own purpose and pride.

This is why John’s message was

Luke 3:10-14 So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" (11) He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." (12) Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" (13) And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." (14) Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."

"What shall we do?" they asked. The same question had been asked of John in Luke 3, to which the Baptist had replied, "If you have two coats, give one away. If you collect taxes, do not collect more than his due. If you're a soldier, do no man unnecessary violence." – Jon Courson Commentary on Acts 2.

John was calling the back to what the law was all about. It was there to change a heart and a life. Not there to earn salvation.

The New Covenant

Old Covenants: Edenic, Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, New Covenant.

Then came Jesus. Wow! That is a mouthful. This is what the church was established on. This is what Peter’s message is all about.

We call it the covenant of grace “God’s unmerited favor”. “Grace is the empowering of God enabling me to be what God created me to be and to do what He has called (destined for) me to do.” (from Grace Study by Darrel Rice)

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

This is the message that Peter was preaching here. A message of

Act 2:38-41 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repent:

To repent simply means to change direction. "You once thought Jesus was a blasphemer, a heretic, a dangerous individual," said Peter. "Change your mind about who He is." Gang, the gospel is not based upon people cleaning up their lives or getting their acts together. The gospel is simply based upon a change of mind concerning Jesus Christ.

Be Baptized: as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection, immersed.

Remission of Sins (“forgiveness of sins”)

Strongs

Original: a?´fes??

- Transliteration: Aphesis - Phonetic: af'-es-is

- Definition: 1. release from bondage or imprisonment

2. forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been

committed), remission of the penalty

- Origin: from G863 - TDNT entry: 09:29,9 - Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine