WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>This time, any children ages four to eight can be dismissed to our children's church downstairs.

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<v Speaker 1>They're waiting for you right at the door there.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's go down and have a nice time of studying the Bible together, bible together.

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<v Speaker 1>As we return again to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, I am reviewing some of the main ideas that we've already been through when I left off at Acts, chapter 12 and 13.

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<v Speaker 1>Need to review it a little bit here and there because a lot happened before Acts 12 and 13 and I need to bring us up to speed.

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<v Speaker 1>If you'd like a sermon outline, didn't get one, just raise your hand, I'll just be happy to give you one Now.

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<v Speaker 1>The man went to his doctor about an unusual problem and the doctor said well, why don't you explain it to me in detail?

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<v Speaker 1>And the man said well, when I got up this morning I put on a pair of white gloves and I started to call my wife Minnie.

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<v Speaker 1>Then, on my way to work, I couldn't help but singing hi-ho, hi-ho.

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<v Speaker 1>It's off to work, I go.

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<v Speaker 1>And then at work I called a guy dopey, another guy grumpy.

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<v Speaker 1>It's so strange, chuck, what's wrong with me?

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<v Speaker 1>He said oh, that's easy.

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<v Speaker 1>You're having Disney smells Now, as strange as that is.

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<v Speaker 1>In the book of Acts, luke tries to explain this weird new religion to his friend Theophilus.

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<v Speaker 1>It was so new they don't even have a name for it.

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<v Speaker 1>In the first century Christianity was hard to understand, hard to explain.

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<v Speaker 1>The first century Christianity was hard to understand, hard to explain.

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<v Speaker 1>It began as a sect within Judaism and Christianity's leader and initial followers were all Jews.

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<v Speaker 1>Luke begins his explanation with the eyewitness testimony of the apostles that claimed they saw Jesus risen from the dead and, as we talked about last time, the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christianity.

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<v Speaker 1>If he didn't rise from the dead, you know, let's go do something else.

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<v Speaker 1>If that's a fact which I believe it is from eyewitness testimony and all the rest we've talked about then we need to take it very seriously.

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<v Speaker 1>But even a few eyewitnesses aren't enough to explain the rapid and explosive growth of Christianity in the world during the first century and how it continues to grow all over the world today.

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<v Speaker 1>And I believe what we come to today we see the key to understand Christianity's explosive growth was due to the fulfillment of a promise Jesus gave his original disciples before he ascended into heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>That promise we touched on last time was to send the Holy Spirit to everyone who believes in Jesus, who then transforms and empowers them to be Jesus' witnesses in the world.

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<v Speaker 1>You've already heard this verse today, but here's, at the beginning of the book of Acts, jesus said to his disciples you will receive power when the Holy Spirit's come upon you and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in Judea and all Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.

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<v Speaker 1>And of course, the Holy Spirit descended on believers at Pentecost in Acts chapter two.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to review two main points that we learned that happened at Pentecost today the descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

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<v Speaker 1>The descent of the Holy Spirit, if you remember, was nothing short of dramatic, miraculous, as a sign of God's power and the beginning of something brand new in the world.

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<v Speaker 1>There were four visible signs that accompanied those who believed in Jesus, who were filled with the Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>The first was there was a where the believers were were.

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<v Speaker 1>They were in a room inside a house, and a gale-forced wind starts blowing in the house where they're sitting Acts 2, 1 and 2,.

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<v Speaker 1>When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place and suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

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<v Speaker 1>It's inside the house, they're not outside.

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<v Speaker 1>First sign Gale Force Wind where they're sitting.

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<v Speaker 1>What does that mean?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, as we talked about, it means that when you believe in Jesus, something comes upon you from outside you.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus described the Holy Spirit as a wind.

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<v Speaker 1>You feel Something comes from heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>The point is, when the Holy Spirit fills you, you don't make that happen.

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<v Speaker 1>It happens to you.

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<v Speaker 1>You encounter a power from outside you that comes into you.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the first sign, this violent wind.

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<v Speaker 1>The second sign of the descent of the Spirit were these tongues of fire that appeared on each believer.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 3 of chapter 2,.

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<v Speaker 1>There appeared to them tongues as a fire distributing themselves and they rested on each one of them, each believer.

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<v Speaker 1>In the Old Testament, when God's glory presence showed up, usually it was in the form of fire.

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<v Speaker 1>He shows up as fire the burning bush, mount Sinai and so on, and in the wilderness a pillar of fire, so on.

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<v Speaker 1>At Pentecost, the tongues of fire on every believer in Jesus was a sign that God is with them.

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<v Speaker 1>The Holy Spirit came upon them and God was now in them and with them.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a sign that that happened in fulfillment of Jesus' promise.

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<v Speaker 1>Then the third sign of the Holy Spirit was those who had the tongues of fire.

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<v Speaker 1>They also began speaking in tongues, talking to people who were there in their own language, without prior learning a language.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me read the passage Acts 2, verses 4 to 8.

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<v Speaker 1>They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

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<v Speaker 1>Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven during the known world.

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<v Speaker 1>At that time, and when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were bewildered because, listen, each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language, not gibberish, not wild wagging the tongue.

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<v Speaker 1>They heard words in their own language.

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<v Speaker 1>They were amazed and astonished, saying why are not all these people Galileans, and how is it that we each hear them in our own language, to which we were born?

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<v Speaker 1>This gift of tongues was not gibberish or prayer tongues or some other thing.

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<v Speaker 1>This was.

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<v Speaker 1>These was actual languages.

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<v Speaker 1>And what are they talking about?

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<v Speaker 1>They're sharing Jesus with people next to them the gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>Sharing Jesus with people next to them, the gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>That's why God wanted them to speak from nations from everywhere.

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<v Speaker 1>Keep in mind the diversity of the people who were there.

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<v Speaker 1>Luke tells us in verses 9 to 11, these are the places that were represented.

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<v Speaker 1>These are the places that were represented Parthians, medes, elamites, mesopotamians, judeans, cappadocians, pontus, asia, phygeria, pamphylia, egypt, libya, cyrene, romans, cretans and Arabs.

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<v Speaker 1>Jews from 16 different countries had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Old Testament feast of Shavuot, called Feast of Weeks.

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<v Speaker 1>A little explanation the Hebrew word Shavuot means seven and the Feast of Weeks was celebrated seven weeks after the Passover.

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<v Speaker 1>50 days after the Passover, they gathered for this feast in Jerusalem, called Shavuot.

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<v Speaker 1>Pentecost is the Greek word for 50, 50 days after the Passover they're gathering there for that.

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<v Speaker 1>At Pentecost, people understood the gospel in their own language.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a miracle, it was unique.

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<v Speaker 1>This was a sign that every believer in Jesus has been given a gift from the Holy Spirit that empowers them to minister God's presence and share the gospel to other people.

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<v Speaker 1>Exactly the fulfillment of Acts 1.8.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll receive power and you'll be my witnesses.

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<v Speaker 1>This first presentation of the gospel it's very interesting was preached to the world in every language at once.

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<v Speaker 1>The fourth sign is most curious the first sign of the Holy Spirit when he fills you.

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<v Speaker 1>As the people are looking on, it looks like you're drunk Acts 2.13, the people observing him.

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<v Speaker 1>They're drunk.

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<v Speaker 1>People have just been filled with the Spirit and remember we talked about this.

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<v Speaker 1>They weren't drunk with alcohol, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>Being filled with the Holy Spirit is like being drunk, because they were filled with a fearless joy.

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<v Speaker 1>They were too happy to care about what people thought.

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<v Speaker 1>They were too happy to be afraid of anything.

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<v Speaker 1>That means being filled with the Holy Spirit is being so joyfully obsessed with the gospel of Jesus that you want to tell others about his wonderful salvation.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's exactly what they did and that's what Peter continues to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Next, the people watching this.

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<v Speaker 1>They said what does all this mean?

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<v Speaker 1>The wind, the fire, the tongues?

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<v Speaker 1>And Peter answers them with a sermon, quoting Joel.

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<v Speaker 1>And Joel indicates that these signs are fulfillment of God's promise of salvation.

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<v Speaker 1>When Joel says in Joel 2.32, peter quotes everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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<v Speaker 1>This is about his salvation.

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<v Speaker 1>These signs are pointing to it.

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<v Speaker 1>Peter then goes on to explain the good news of the gospel that Jesus has fulfilled for God to give us salvation.

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<v Speaker 1>Basically summarizing, he said God sent Jesus, who was nailed to a cross and put to death, but God raised him from the dead and put an end to the power of death.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what God has made Jesus, both Lord and Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>After they heard the sermon, the text says they were cut to the heart and asked their second question what shall we do?

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<v Speaker 1>Peter's answer Acts 2.38,.

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<v Speaker 1>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.

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<v Speaker 1>So what is Peter asking them to do?

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<v Speaker 1>After they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ?

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<v Speaker 1>He tells them repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>The word repent, metanoia in Greek, means to change your mind.

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<v Speaker 1>Change your mind and then do what is right.

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<v Speaker 1>Change your mind.

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<v Speaker 1>What are they being asked to change their mind about?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, if you look at the context, it's pretty clear.

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<v Speaker 1>They are being asked after hearing the gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>They are being asked to change their mind about Jesus, whom they just crucified.

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<v Speaker 1>You thought he was a phony, a blasphemer.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh no, he's not.

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<v Speaker 1>God made him Lord and Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>Change your mind about who he is.

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<v Speaker 1>Repent.

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<v Speaker 1>He just went through what they did to Jesus.

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<v Speaker 1>Peter just told them that the Jesus they just crucified, god has made him Lord and Christ meaning Messiah.

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<v Speaker 1>They need to change their mind about Jesus and believe in him as Messiah and be baptized as his name, to sign about Jesus and believe in him as Messiah and be baptized as his name to signify that they believe in him.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what baptism is all about.

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<v Speaker 1>Baptism doesn't save you.

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<v Speaker 1>Believing in Jesus saves you and you get baptized.

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<v Speaker 1>To say, I believe, 3,000 people believed in Jesus and were baptized then and received the Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>By the way, I'm wondering as we talk about this do you need to repent of how you're thinking about Jesus?

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<v Speaker 1>What do you think?

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<v Speaker 1>He's just a great teacher or a great miracle worker?

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<v Speaker 1>Change your thinking.

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<v Speaker 1>He's the Son of God, god in the flesh, who died for your sins.

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<v Speaker 1>So when you come to him, everyone who calls on him will be saved.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the whole basis of Christianity.

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<v Speaker 1>As a result of those 3,000 believing in Jesus, oh, they repented.

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<v Speaker 1>They really saw.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, we killed the Messiah.

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<v Speaker 1>As a result, the church of Jesus Christ was born, which Luke explains.

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<v Speaker 1>Next, luke tells us that all these new believers were drawn together Acts 2.44,.

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<v Speaker 1>All those who believed were together and had all things in common.

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<v Speaker 1>Why were they drawn together?

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<v Speaker 1>Just remember what happened.

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<v Speaker 1>Why were they drawn together?

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<v Speaker 1>Just remember what happened?

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<v Speaker 1>Because they were not only baptized by water, they were first baptized by the Holy Spirit when they believed.

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<v Speaker 1>Acts 2.38, repent Each one of you, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive.

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<v Speaker 1>Receive, not earn, not be worthy.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when believers share in the Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>The Apostle Paul makes the point later on in 1 Corinthians a book you should read, by the way, and not avoid makes the point that those who share in the Holy Spirit become one body in Christ, the body of Christ, the church.

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<v Speaker 1>1 Corinthians, 12, 12 and 13.

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<v Speaker 1>Paul says for even as the body is one, yet it has many members, and all the members of the body though there are many are one body.

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<v Speaker 1>So also is Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>And here's why Verse 13,.

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<v Speaker 1>For by one spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>We were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, pagans or whatever.

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<v Speaker 1>You believe in Jesus and you receive the Holy Spirit you get, you're part of this, whether slave or free, we are all made to drink of one spirit and it's the spirit that draws us together.

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<v Speaker 1>If you have the spirit, you will be drawn to other believers who have the Spirit too.

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<v Speaker 1>It's part of the dynamic of the Christian life.

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<v Speaker 1>A mark of the Holy Spirit is that those who are filled with Him are drawn together to become the temple and dwelling place of God together.

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<v Speaker 1>Paul goes into that in Ephesians 2, which we even sang about this morning, verses 18 to 22.

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<v Speaker 1>Paul says for through him, jesus, we both have our access to one spirit, to the Father.

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<v Speaker 1>So then you're no longer strangers and aliens.

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<v Speaker 1>You're fellow citizens with the saints and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, meaning people us in whom you also are being built into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>We're drawn together because the Spirit is drawing us together.

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<v Speaker 1>If you don't have the Spirit, you know getting together, I don't know I'm going to go do something else.

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<v Speaker 1>He's put in believers a desire to be with other believers because we are now one.

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<v Speaker 1>We're part of this spiritually organic person called the body of Christ, person called the body of Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>We are told also that this first church was drawn together and they were devoted to six very important things.

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<v Speaker 1>Together, they were devoted to the apostles' teaching Acts 2, 42 to 45.

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<v Speaker 1>They were devoted to fellowship.

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<v Speaker 1>Together, they were devoted to the breaking of bread, which most likely breaking of bread there means they were gathering together to worship the Lord and taking up communion together.

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<v Speaker 1>As part of that Breaking of bread, they were devoted to prayer.

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<v Speaker 1>Together, they were devoted to each other, having all things in common.

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<v Speaker 1>Having all things in common and as we continue in Acts, we see that they were devoted to reaching others with the gospel of Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>And that will take us all the way to chapter six.

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<v Speaker 1>Acts 2, 46 to 47 ends the Pentecost event by saying day by day, with one mind, in the temple, breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness, sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord was adding to their number, day by day, those who were being saved.

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<v Speaker 1>They were devoted to reaching others.

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<v Speaker 1>How did they do that?

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<v Speaker 1>By being witnesses in their home of Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 1>They witnessed with their life.

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<v Speaker 1>The people they met were attracted to the gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>They were joyful and had favor with.

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<v Speaker 1>They witnessed with their words, sharing the gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>They witnessed with their good works, serving others.

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<v Speaker 1>They were trying to reach.

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<v Speaker 1>At Pentecost, every single Christian, every single believer, moved from being a ministry consumer to a gospel proclaimer, under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>What does the filling of the Spirit and the birth of the church mean for us?

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<v Speaker 1>First, it means we need to have the Holy Spirit in us to live a life of joy and fearlessness for the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>God gives us the Holy Spirit and we receive the Holy Spirit when we turn to Jesus and believe in him to save us from eternal death.

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<v Speaker 1>I love how the Apostle Paul describes that event in each person's life.

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<v Speaker 1>In Ephesians 1, 13 to 14, to the Ephesians church he says 13 to 14, to the Ephesians church he says you know what here's, what here's, let me.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me review what happened to you and, by the way, these are Gentiles.

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<v Speaker 1>These, he says to them.

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<v Speaker 1>In him, christ, you also have, after listening to the message of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, which is what God sent Jesus to take your place and take your punishment for your sins so that when you push your trust in him.

00:23:22.345 --> 00:23:35.560
<v Speaker 1>He gives you a gift of eternal life and the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins wiped out the gospel you heard that.

00:23:35.560 --> 00:23:43.910
<v Speaker 1>You heard the gospel of your salvation, having also believed it.

00:23:43.910 --> 00:23:53.628
<v Speaker 1>Yes, when you believed it, you were sealed in him, in Christ, with the Holy Spirit of promise.

00:23:53.628 --> 00:23:56.438
<v Speaker 1>That's the dynamic.

00:23:56.438 --> 00:24:04.136
<v Speaker 1>The Holy Spirit's given to you as a pledge, a down payment of your future eternity with Jesus.

00:24:04.136 --> 00:24:06.480
<v Speaker 1>Just a down payment.

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:12.630
<v Speaker 1>He's going to stay with you till you either leave this earth or he comes back.

00:24:12.630 --> 00:24:14.622
<v Speaker 1>The Holy Spirit's never going to leave you.

00:24:14.622 --> 00:24:20.767
<v Speaker 1>You're the down payment, you're the pledge that he's going to keep that promise and you're going to be with him forever.

00:24:20.767 --> 00:24:30.734
<v Speaker 1>He's given us a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of his glory.

00:24:30.734 --> 00:24:32.938
<v Speaker 1>The view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of his glory.

00:24:33.018 --> 00:24:36.844
<v Speaker 1>So the first question is do you have the Holy Spirit in you?

00:24:36.844 --> 00:24:38.906
<v Speaker 1>Have you been born again?

00:24:38.906 --> 00:24:41.750
<v Speaker 1>This is extremely important.

00:24:41.750 --> 00:24:46.219
<v Speaker 1>This is very serious stuff.

00:24:46.219 --> 00:24:59.599
<v Speaker 1>Listen, if there's anybody here not sure of that, not sure you really understand the gospel, not sure you really understand the transaction that's being made here with believing in Jesus, then come and talk to me.

00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.643
<v Speaker 1>Come and talk to Pastor Dennis or one of the elders.

00:25:01.643 --> 00:25:08.555
<v Speaker 1>Don't live and say I'm not sure, Don't do that, this is too important.

00:25:09.217 --> 00:25:14.234
<v Speaker 1>Listen, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 8 Don't do that, this is too important.

00:25:14.234 --> 00:25:23.207
<v Speaker 1>The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8 that we don't really belong to Christ if we don't have his spirit in us.

00:25:23.207 --> 00:25:25.891
<v Speaker 1>Listen Romans 8, 9 to 11.

00:25:25.891 --> 00:25:31.781
<v Speaker 1>If anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.

00:25:31.781 --> 00:25:43.106
<v Speaker 1>Wow, but if Christ is in you, though the body's dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

00:25:43.106 --> 00:25:51.570
<v Speaker 1>If the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you.

00:25:51.570 --> 00:25:55.451
<v Speaker 1>He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you.

00:25:55.634 --> 00:25:57.963
<v Speaker 1>Do you have the Holy Spirit?

00:25:57.963 --> 00:26:17.784
<v Speaker 1>Peter just explained how you have the Holy Spirit Comes by repenting of the way you may be thinking of Jesus as maybe just a help for you.

00:26:17.784 --> 00:26:20.884
<v Speaker 1>No, he's your savior, he's Christ.

00:26:20.884 --> 00:26:37.423
<v Speaker 1>And then, believing in him, placing yourself based on his promise to save you and give you eternal life, you believe that he's telling you the truth.

00:26:37.423 --> 00:26:40.221
<v Speaker 1>I'll give you eternal life and forgiveness of sins.

00:26:40.221 --> 00:26:46.122
<v Speaker 1>If you believe in me, do you have the Holy Spirit?

00:26:46.122 --> 00:26:47.659
<v Speaker 1>Are you born again?

00:26:47.659 --> 00:26:50.471
<v Speaker 1>Are you born again?

00:26:59.015 --> 00:27:03.140
<v Speaker 1>Second, it means that the Holy Spirit gives everyone who believes in Jesus a desire to be together.

00:27:03.140 --> 00:27:11.330
<v Speaker 1>Now there are several ways we're together here at West Sub Sunday morning obviously most obvious way we gather together to worship the Lord Jesus, the Father, the Holy Spirit.

00:27:11.330 --> 00:27:24.194
<v Speaker 1>We sang about them this morning, but anytime we gather at other times we gather in community groups.

00:27:24.194 --> 00:27:31.595
<v Speaker 1>The point is, the Holy Spirit is drawing us together.

00:27:31.595 --> 00:27:35.234
<v Speaker 1>You may say I don't like being around people.

00:27:35.234 --> 00:27:41.894
<v Speaker 1>I know what that feels like.

00:27:41.894 --> 00:27:51.804
<v Speaker 1>But challenge yourself what would the Spirit of God want me to do In relation to other believers in the church?

00:27:51.804 --> 00:27:59.647
<v Speaker 1>So assembling with others who share the Holy Spirit is called the church.

00:27:59.647 --> 00:28:12.046
<v Speaker 1>Third, it means that the Holy Spirit gives everyone who's believed in Jesus I believe with very same devotion to the six things.

00:28:12.145 --> 00:28:27.759
<v Speaker 1>The first church was devoted to Teaching the Word of God, fellowship together, worship and sharing, communion together, praying together, serving one another, reaching others with the gospel.

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.723
<v Speaker 1>It's right there.

00:28:28.723 --> 00:28:38.301
<v Speaker 1>That's what the Holy Spirit desires and if he's in you.

00:28:38.301 --> 00:28:44.106
<v Speaker 1>Somehow, god is trying to foster those things in you.

00:28:44.106 --> 00:28:50.295
<v Speaker 1>At West South, we want to emphasize all of them in our ministry together.

00:28:50.295 --> 00:28:57.295
<v Speaker 1>At West South, we want to emphasize all of them in our ministry together.

00:29:10.174 --> 00:29:14.642
<v Speaker 1>These things are also, by the way, a great way to evaluate your current spiritual state before God, before Jesus, the Holy Spirit, beginning with do you have the Holy Spirit?

00:29:14.642 --> 00:29:19.588
<v Speaker 1>Do you have a desire to be together with other Christians in a church?

00:29:19.588 --> 00:29:26.037
<v Speaker 1>I'm convinced, if you look at the scripture, the Spirit leads.

00:29:26.037 --> 00:29:28.239
<v Speaker 1>No lone wolves in Christianity.

00:29:28.239 --> 00:29:34.171
<v Speaker 1>None lone wolves in Christianity, none.

00:29:34.171 --> 00:29:36.058
<v Speaker 1>I could worship by myself out in the.

00:29:36.058 --> 00:29:36.801
<v Speaker 1>That's not biblical.

00:29:36.801 --> 00:29:41.584
<v Speaker 1>He draws us together wherever we are.

00:29:41.584 --> 00:29:50.960
<v Speaker 1>And are you devoted to these same six things that we understand?

00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:55.259
<v Speaker 1>The Holy Spirit's devoted to For us, for our sake?

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:58.227
<v Speaker 1>I hope so.

00:29:58.974 --> 00:30:06.901
<v Speaker 1>Again, if you have any questions about any of these things, feel free to talk to me, talk to Pastor Dennis, talk to one of the elders.

00:30:06.901 --> 00:30:08.680
<v Speaker 1>We would love to help you.

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:10.460
<v Speaker 1>That's why we're here.

00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:14.476
<v Speaker 1>Let's pray.

00:30:14.476 --> 00:30:22.837
<v Speaker 1>Father, thank you that because Jesus died for our sins, rose again and ascended into heaven, you sent your Holy Spirit to be with us and seal us.

00:30:22.837 --> 00:30:26.502
<v Speaker 1>Seal us who believe in him.

00:30:26.502 --> 00:30:37.326
<v Speaker 1>We thank you that the Holy Spirit does plant a desire in us to be in fellowship together, to worship together, to pray together, to serve one another.

00:30:37.326 --> 00:30:48.941
<v Speaker 1>And we just ask you, lord, fill us with your spirit, please give us a fearless joy to be your witnesses of the gospel to those who need Jesus.

00:30:48.941 --> 00:31:10.666
<v Speaker 1>And we pray now, as we come to this close of this service, that you would just fill us with your spirit, fill us with the sense of your joy in us, the spirit's joy in us, and allow us to walk out of here ready to do your will, as you open doors for us to do what's next.

00:31:10.666 --> 00:31:13.044
<v Speaker 1>We pray in Jesus' name, amen.