HFL
APRIL 17, 2009
ACTS 2; 29-41
29“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,£ that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’£
36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
V47, And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH. WE HAVE SEEN THAT PETER WAS A PRINCIPLE CHARACTER IN THIS MATTER. IT WAS PETER WHO MADE THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. AND IT WAS B/C OF THE
TRUTH OF THAT STATEMENT THAT CHRIST SAID TO PETER I WILL GIVE YOU KGD KEYS. THE CHURCH CAME INTO BEING BY THE DESIGN OF GOD. IT IS HIS CHURCH. IT BELONGS TO HIM. HIS SON JESUS, PAID THE PRICE FOR THE CHURCH. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS MORNING THAT THE CHURCH CAME INTO BEING WITH POWER. THE CHURCH HAD BEEN PROPHESIED ABOUT. THE CHURCH BEGAN WITH BOTH PRAYER AND PREACHING.
TWO THINGS YOU SHOULD NOTE; 1. THE DISCIPLES WERE IN JERUSALEM WAITING, B/C THAT WAS WHAT JESUS HAD TOLD THEM TO DO. 2. PENTECOST WAS A JEWISH CELEBRATION. IT WAS TO CELEBRATE THE GIVING OF THE LAW, AND SECONDLY IT WAS DONE AT THE HARVEST OF WHEAT. THE CHURCH WAS BORN WITH POWER. ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, THE DISCIPLES WERE GATHERED IN AN UPPER ROOM. THEY WERE WAITING EXPECTANTLY. SUDDENLY, THE WHOLE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH A MIGHTY RUSHING WIND.
THERE WAS A SECOND MANIFESTATION. TONGUES OF FIRE CAME OVER THEM. GOD WAS DEMONSTRATING HIS AWESOME POWER.
THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK IN OTHER TONGUES. THIS WORD TONGUE, MEANT SPEAKING A LANGUAGE THAT THEY DID NOT ALREADY KNOW. IN JERUSALEM FOR THIS FEAST OF PENTECOST, WAS GOD FEARING JEWS FROM EVERY NATION UNDER HEAVEN. LET ME HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, THE WHOLE WORLD HEARD THE GOSPEL ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST. SO WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED TO EVERY NATION, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED.
THE DISCIPLES BEGAN TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGES OF ALL HE PEOPLES GATHERED THERE. THE PEOPLE COULD NOT COMPREHEND, “WE HEAR THEM DECLARING THE WONDERS OF GOD IN OUR OWN TONGUES.”, HOW CAN THIS BE? AS USUAL, SOME DOUBTED THE POWER OF GOD, THEY SAID, “THESE MEN MUST BE DRUNK.” GOD GAVE BIRTH TO THE CHURCH IN POWER.
THIS BIRTH OF THE CHURCH HAD BEEN PROPHESIED. PETER TOOK THE ROLE OF SPOKESMAN AND BEGAN SPEAKING. THESE MEN ARE NOT DRUNK, IT IS ONLY 9 AM. WHAT YOU SEE WAS PROPHESIED BY JOEL. “ I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT”
AND THESE WILL BE THE THINGS YOU WILL SEE. YOUR CHILDREN WILL PROPHESY, YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS, OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS, THERE WILL BE SIGNS AND WONDERS. EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.
PETER BRINGS THE MESSAGE HOME. HE WANTS THESE JEWS FROM EVERY NATION TO KNOW THAT THE REASON HE SPEAKS WITH POWER IS B/C HE IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT JESUS HAD PROMISED.
JESUS WAS APPROVED OF GOD. GOD’S APPROVAL WAS DEMONSTRATED AMONG THESE SAME PEOPLE BY MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS. THIS WAS GOD’S PLAN, AND WITH HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE, THAT JESUS BE HANDED OVER. TO SINFUL MEN, TO NOT JUST THE ROMANS, BUT ALSO TO THE JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS. THEY NAILED HIM TO A TREE, TO A CROSS. THEY PUT HIM IN A TOMB, BUT UNLIKE THE TOMB OF DAVID THAT YOU CAN FIND IN JERUSALEM, JESUS IS NOT THERE. HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.
YOU CAN POINT YOUR FINGERS AT THE ROMANS, BUT THE TRUTH IS, IT WAS YOU WHO NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS.
THE HAMMER WAS IN YOUR HAND, WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT. PETER TIES ALL THESE THOUGHTS TOGETHER WITH THIS. GOD HAS MADE THIS JESUS, WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST.
THEY WERE GUILTY, THEY UNDERSTOOD THEIR GUILT. IT PIERCED THEIR HEARTS. THEY KNEW THE TRUTH OF WHAT PETER HAD JUST TOLD THEM.
WHEN FACED WITH GUILT, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS, DEAL WITH IT OR IGNORE IT. IGNORING IT WILL ONLY MAKE IT COME BACK AGAIN LATER. SO THERE IS REALLY ONLY ONE OPTION AND THAT IS TO DEAL WITH IT.
THEY CRIED OUT, WHAT MUST WE DO?
PETERS ANSWER WAS, REPENT. TURN FROM YOUR SIN. AND BE BAPTIZED. THE RESULT IS TWO THINGS. FIRST, YOUR SINS WILL BE FORGIVEN. SECOND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THIS MESSAGE. THE MOST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER BAPTIZED ON ONE DAY WAS ABOUT 8. THANK GOODNESS IT WASN’T PETER DOING ALL THESE BAPTISMS BY HIMSELF. THESE PEOPLE RESPONDED AND AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THAT DECISION, THEY WERE GIVEN THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THERE SINS WERE FORGIVEN. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED. GOD STILL CALLS UPON PEOPLE TO ACCEPT JESUS, AND RESPOND IN OBEDIENCE TO HIM. TO BE IMMERSED IN WATER, BAPTIZED. WHEN YOU MAKE THAT DECISION, YOU GET THIS. YOU GET FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS. SECOND YOU GET THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, BOTH OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT.
