In the last two weeks we’ve covered all four gospels, in fact last week I preached from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry all the way through his resurrection. I can honestly say I’ve never covered that much of Jesus life in only one sermon.

I want to remind you again as we do this 40,000 ft flyover of the New Testament:

Don’t get frustrated by the pace.

Try and see the connections

Enjoy your flight.

Pentecost (Part 1)

It’s an amazing thought to think that God so loved the world that He sent His One and only Son to pay the price of your sins, my sins, the thief’s sins, that whoever believed in Him might have everlasting life. Wait, the scoffer cries out, everyone is going to die.

Yes, but there’s the resurrection. Last week we remembered the Messiah and how Jesus was not what they expected. He even said that his purpose was to come and to die...

AND

He would rise again, three days later. We know the story. And we left off last week with what Jesus said to his disciples after he’s risen:

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matthew 28:20 (ESV)

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

I reminded you last week that all authority in heaven and on earth is with you always. There’s nothing we will face that we need to fear, the One in whom and by whom all things were created goes with us!

And so now we move out of the Gospels to the book of Acts, of Acts of the Apostles. Acts is authored by the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke, he was a historian of sorts. He wrote in the opening of his Gospel,

Luke 1:3 (ESV)

it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

He then opens his second book in much the same way,

Acts 1:1–3 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

For forty days after his death, he appeared to the remainder of the 12 apostles and to many others as well.

At one point his disciples ask him if he will now restore the kingdom of Israel. He responds:

Acts 1:7–8 ESV

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will be my witnesses and then we see concentric circles - Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth.

The Spirit coming on the people at Pentecost is known as the birth of the church. Let’s look a little deeper.

What we call Pentecost was a day of remembering when Israel reached Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. That is, fifty days after the angel of death passed over Israel, so it is celebrated 50 days after Passover. On the day the Israelites reached Sinai, God descended in visible glory and fire. God’s word had been revealed. The Israelites gathered at the bottom of the mountain were called to be witnesses of God’s mighty acts. This event is remembered in the Festival of Weeks.

So we have the Lord descending in fire. What happens at Pentecost?

Acts 2:2–3 ESV

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Remember how God confused the languages back in Babel? Suddenly there were all kinds of different languages so they couldn’t understand one another. Now in this moment, tongues of fire appear on each one of them, and their languages are not confused.

Acts 2:6 ESV

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

What God had divided into a multitude of nations he now gathers to pour out his spirit upon them and to hear them telling in their own languages the mighty works of God (v. 11).

Seemingly before our eyes we watch as Peter, the one who denied Christ three times prior to the crucifixion, is empowered in ways we hadn’t seen before. The one who denied being a disciple, who claimed not to even know what they were talking about in regards to Jesus - This fisherman now gets up and delivers a sermon quoting the prophet Joel, and echoing the words of Isaiah, testifying to Jesus fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the Messiah. He testifies that Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead was

Acts 2:23 (ESV)

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God...

This is not a reaction to anything we had done, it is “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God!

By the time we get to Acts 4, Peter is back in the high priest’s courtyard, the very place he had denied Jesus three times, but now he testifies that God raised Jesus from the dead and is alive. Jesus is the way of salvation, and the name by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This is the heart of the gospel message, and it’s given in the very courtyard where Jesus denied Christ. Now he stands as the rock upon which Jesus will build his church.

Peter is there with John proclaiming Jesus as Lord. He’s arrested by the Sanhedrin. It’s Gamaliel who speaks wisdom into the situation so that they might be released. Who is Gamaliel? He’s the teacher of the apostle Paul.

Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin and charged with blasphemy, for which he is stoned to death. Ironically his accusers laid their coats at Paul’s feet as they picked up their stones to execute Stephen.

And the church explodes. Martyrdom uniquely testifies to the death and resurrection of Christ. There have been more martyrdoms in the past one hundred years than in all previous centuries combined. That’s a fact. Think about that.

More people have given their life in the past 100 years defending the Gospel than in the previous 1900 years!

Paul had been sent to Jerusalem to receive a rabbinic education at the feet of Gamaliel at about 15 years of age, around 20 AD. No doubt he had heard of and perhaps even seen Jesus on various occasions. He distinguished himself among his peers, and devoted himself to the sect of the Pharisees. He later describes himself as extremely zealous.

Paul was extremely devoted to the Torah and the temple. Jesus was condemned to death for blasphemy against God, Torah, and the temple.

In his zealousness, Paul sets out for Damascus to persecute followers of the way. In his late twenties full of confidence, sure of his opinions, and eager to return to Jerusalem with honor, he sets out of Damascus.

Everything changes. At this point in Acts you can see a bit of a handoff happening, from Peter to Paul.

Remember Jesus words:

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Paul becomes the missionary to the Nations. Now I’m not going to get into all the historical individuals around at the time, but our book goes into it. Caligula is in Rome, then Herod Agrippa I rules Israel, followed by Claudius as Roman Emperor, and then we see Paul’s extensive missionary journeys. Three of them!

The power that I see here is that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them they become Jesus’ witnesses - “testifiers” - in Jerusalem, and then all of Judea and Samaria. Remember the Jews view of the Samaritans? You got glimpses of it in John 4 with the woman at the well, or in Jesus parable of the good samaritan in Luke 10. I encourage you to go back and read them and take into account the hatred the Jews had for the Samaritans. And not only in Judea and Samaria but to the ends of the earth.

Changed Hearts = Changed Lives

Last week I ended with the Jesus’ Great Commission, assuring us of two things:

All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Jesus.

Jesus is with you always.

Today I want to emphasize something different. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you WILL receive power

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,...”

Power? Power for what? Listen to what he says beyond that.

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

You will be my witnesses...

You will be my testifiers...

You will be the ones who tell...

Tell who? Tell others.

Jerusalem - your family and neighbors

Judea and Samaria - your community

To the ends of the earth - everyone everywhere.

Folks, we have the message. We have the way, the truth and the life. Don’t let others fall of the path, fall for a lie that leads only to death.

Changed Hearts = Changed Lives

If your heart has been changed, your life has as well. Let it show!

To God be the glory.