Acts 2

Acts

Part 2

"This is That!"

Last time in chapter 2:2-3 we closed out with looking at the two symbols for the Holy Spirit given on the Day of Pentecost--wind and fire.

The Spirit of God dramatically fell on the 120 gathered in the upper room, ushering in a brand new dispensation and the church's birthday.

Now, it says in verse 4:

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

The word for "filled" here is from the Greek word platho meaning "to fill to the limit, to your utmost capacity."

The same Greek word is used to describe the disciple's boats being filled with fish after Jesus's command to cast on the right side, or the wedding feast being filled with people in Jesus' parable.

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It says they "began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

There is hardly a more divisive issue in the body of Christ than that of tongues. I believe the Bible is clear that there are two kinds of tongues--earthly dialects as manifested on the Day of Pentecost, and a private prayer language.

The word here in Acts 2 is glossa which simply means "a tongue."

At Pentecost God supernaturally anointed the 120 with the ability to speak in an earthly dialect they had never learned. This is why all the people gathered for Pentecost said, "We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God" (2:11).

But then in 1 Cor. 14:2 Paul speaks of another kind of tongues:

"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries."

Notice, "no one understands him." So it can't be an earthly dialect like at Pentecost, or someone would be able to understand.

It is this kind of tongue Paul is talking about when he says, "I thank God I speak in tongues more than all of you" (1 Cor. 14:18).

The earthly dialect kind of tongue was a sign to unbelievers, but the private devotional kind of tongue is for personal edification.

"Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church" (1 Cor. 14:4).

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When this spiritual explosion took place, and they all heard the wonderful works of God proclaimed in their native tongue, the attention of the huge Pentecost crowd was turned fully onto the disciples, and Peter stood to preach.

After assuring them that they weren't drunk as some were alleging, Peter said:

16 "...this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Notice how Peter says that this outpouring they were witnessing was in line with Joel's prediction that it would happen in "the last days."

We tend to think that the "last days" began sometime during our lifetime, but no...the last days began following the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We modern day Christians are in the last of the last days!

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This prophetic fulfillment of Joel's would also be accompanied an outpouring of the Word of God and a flood of fresh revelation--"Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."

It would also be accompanied by a flood of salvation, "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Peter's sermon then went straight to the quick where he accused many of his listeners of being directly responsible for Jesus' crucifixion:

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross."

Now here we have one of the great paradoxes of Scripture--God's sovereignty verses man's responsibility.

Jesus was "handed over" to them by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge."

But they are still personally responsible for killing Him!

How can that be? Well, God knew that fallen man would do what they did to His Son, yet His sovereign plan was to allow them to do it.

Even so, God's sovereign foreknowledge does not absolve man of his personal responsibility--"You, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death..."

Here is the mystery of God's Providence--While Jesus' death on the cross was part of God's eternal plan, it did not in the least excuse the sin of Judas in betraying him, or of Pilate in condemning him, or of the Jews in crucifying him; nor did it at all infringe the liberty of their wills in acting voluntarily.

24 "But God," Peter continues, "raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."

Then Peter closes out his sermon with the real zinger:

Vs. 36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Now the crowd is totally convicted:

37 "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

38 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. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Notice the first word out Peter's mouth is "repent."

There is no salvation without repentance, which means to come into agreement with what God calls sin in our lives and asking His forgiveness for it.

Repentance is the first step in reconciliation with God--no repentance, no salvation.

And Peter says something that many latch onto who believe that water baptism is necessary for salvation.

"...be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;"

But there is nothing in baptism itself that can wash away sin. That can be done only by the pardoning mercy of God through the atonement of Christ.

Baptism expresses a willingness to be pardoned in that way, and is a solemn declaration of our conviction that there is no other way to obtain forgiveness.

Peter closes his altar call with the magnificent promise:

"...and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

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At the close of Peter's powerful Pentecost sermon, thousands were saved:

40 "And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them."

Next we see four things that marked the new baby church:

First, it was marked by truth:

42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine..."

The Holy Spirit was already beginning to fulfill Christ's promise that He would bring to the remembrance of the apostles all the teaching of Jesus. The early church put truth FIRST.

Second, it was marked by the 'tie', that blessed tie that binds us together in Christian love:

It says they continued together in " fellowship." John would later write in his epistle, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14).

So they walked in the truth, and in the tie, and the third mark of the early church was the table...

It says, "and in the breaking of bread..."

This refers to the Lord's supper, which they regularly observed per Jesus' command to "do this often in remembrance of Me" (1 Cor. 11:24).

The Lord's supper is really a companion ordinance to baptism...In baptism we show our death with Christ, in the Lord's supper we show His death for us.

So they were marked by the truth, the tie, the table, and fourthly, the throne.

It says they continued..."in prayers."

The name of Jesus opened up prayer opportunities never before known, for it gives to us instant access to the throne of grace!

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Look what happened around them as they continued steadfastly in the truth, the tie, the table, and throne:

We see first a sanctified people:

43 "Then fear came upon every soul..."

Then we find a spectacular people:

"...and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

Then we see a single people:

44 "Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common..." It was a single body, not divided, that cared for each other's needs.

And then finally a sacrificial people:

45 "...and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."

So they were a sanctified people, a spectacular people, a single people, and a sacrificial people...

Then next, they were a spiritual people:

46 "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart..."

Notice how the Bible describes true spirituality--By the temple and the table...The early church went to church and worshipped together, and they went to each other's homes for fellowship.

In other words, true spirituality transforms the normal and the mundane into something sacred.

And they were also a singing people...

It says they were known for 47 "praising God..."

This was one of the outstanding earmarks of the early church--they were happy. They had the joy of the Lord and it manifested in singing and praising God!

And finally, they were a successful people:

It says they had "...favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

Their outreach to the Jerusalem community was amazingly successful. And notice how the church grew: "...the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

This is the only way anyone can truly be added to the church. The Lord adds to its members those He saves. The Psalmist said, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it" (Ps. 127:1).

And the Lord was adding to them daily those who were being saved.

In a few short years this first church of the early church centered in Jerusalem would grow to tens of thousands. Jesus' church was off to a roaring start!

NEXT TIME: A lame man is healed and Peter preaches again!