God & Man, We Are Together, but still not perfect like Him, WORK OF THE SPIRIT Brought Together, Shaken Up, Prepared For Our Purpose: To Be The Body Of Christ, His Presence in this world, and to through the power of the Holy Spirit: EXPAND HIS KINGDOM.

Recap: Spirit Given, Lame Beggar Healed, Gospel is Preached, Opposition pushes back, More Gospel Preached, and More Threats/Warnings given to the church to NOT preach about Jesus.

4 Needs Of The Church As We Pray For Boldness

#1: We need a posture of surrender to our Sovereign God (24-28)

Value of praying together (or in one accord): Listened to each other, they valued the same things, and they were united in vision, mission, and values.

This word Lord is not the usual word for Lord in the New Testament; it is the Greek word despotes. It was a word used of a slave owner or ruler who has power that cannot be questioned. They prayed with power and confidence because they knew God was in control.

John The Baptist: I must decrease, & He must increase.

Don’t miss that: Peter believed that the words of King David, recorded in Psalms 2, were actually the words of the Lord God, said by the mouth of King David. Peter had a high view of the Holy Scriptures.

Psalm 2-> David quote

Why do the Gentiles rage

and the peoples plot futile things?

26 The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers assemble together

against the Lord and against his Messiah.

Servant Mindset -> Humility

Sovereignty Focus -> Peace

#2: We need to regularly ask for opportunities to speak the word boldly. (29)

Consider their threats-> You handle it Lord. We trust you. You are sovereign. We are not.

Grant that-> give us regular opportunities to connect with people and share the truth of God’s Word, and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

#3: We need to build faith that God is able to accomplish anything. (30)

What did the early church believe God would accomplish:

A. Healing

B. Signs & Wonders

Summed Up: The early church had confidence that God could transform anyone or anything according to His Will.

How can we have this confidence? Our faith can be LIVING but should also we regularly under CONSTRUCTION.

How do we build our faith?

5 D’S of Faith Building

-Discover

-Decision

-Discipleship

-Depend

-Declare

#4: We need to be shaken & filled with the Spirit. (31)

Assembly: The value of the gathered church. Christian culture today has devalued the gathering. We need to be a part of the resurgence of placing a high priority and value on assembling together. Cf. Hebrews 10:24-25

24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. –Hebrews 10:24-25 CSB

Shaken: the place where they were assembled was shaken…

Physically: God’s affirming of their sincere hearts, and assurance that He heard their prayers and is with them.

Spiritually: God’s movement within our hearts and minds through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Shake Up Conviction

Fill Up Provision

Power Up-> Completion

COMPLETION CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK THROUGH HIS LIFE ON THIS EARTH. SO THAT WE WOULD BE MADE COMPLETE.

PEACE-> SHALOM FOUNDATION FOR BOLDNESS

4 Powerful Gifts For Us To Advance The Kingdom

God has given us the gift of His grace--not only to save us from our sins---but to empower us to Advance His Kingdom.

-Boldness: Parresia-> FREEDOM & CONFIDENCE.

Goal: To frustrate the powers of darkness, where at the meeting of demons they don’t know what to do, because their plans to lead astray are not working! What are we going to do with these Christians?

Key: We cannot deny it.

Q: What’s the undeniable evidence?

Listen to what Paul wrote regarding the resurrection of Jesus:

1 Corinthians 15:1-7a

Miracles: A man who was miraculously healed (the purpose of the signs and wonders: validation of the early church). He was right there in front of them!

-Catch 22 For Sanhedrin, & other accusers present: They broke no law, yet it was not to their advantage to send them away to teach and heal in the name of Jesus

-Solution?: More threats…More bullying…In reality? NOTHING.

That’s all the enemy has…empty threats. Because of Christ’s resurrection, He has already won, and darkness has been defeated. We can trust in God as He moves in the hearts and lives of people and creates more undeniable evidence that the opposition cannot deny.

CHANGED BY THE WORD…

Not only that, but these men and women of the early church were CHANGED by Jesus. TRANSFORMED. Through surrender to Him, faith in Him, cleansed of their sins, and received a new heart/identity. They were born again.

UNABLE TO STOP SPEAKING:

We cannot but speak: Peter and John must speak of the things which they had seen and heard. They had to, not only because of the inner compulsion of the Holy Spirit, but also because of the command of Jesus: You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem (Act 1:8).

When Jesus comes into your life and changes your heart, you CAN’T HELP but obey. It’s always work, but spiritual disciplines & ministry becomes something you are compelled by the Spirit of God Himself to do, through the gifts and power He has distributed to you.

That driven obedience comes only through the Spirit’s power.

You cannot hype yourself up enough. Hype is empty. It will fade.

The Spirit’s power will endure. You will bear fruit.

You will crave the things of God more.

You will fall in love with serving Him daily.

The opposition couldn’t stand…WHY?

WORSHIP. Genuine worship was breaking out.

God worked and moved, and people lifted up their voices to exalt their God in praise for what He has done.

He has given us an audacity/boldness, undeniable evidence, the Spirit’s power to help us with DRIVEN obedience, that overflows into DYNAMIC WORSHIP.

4 Truths About God that lead to 4 Corresponding Truths About Us.

1.) God Knows Us Intimately (1-6)

The verb “search” means “to examine with pain and care.” Jewish people used this word to describe digging deep into a mine, exploring a land, and investigating a legal case.

God knows our actions, our thoughts, our motives, our words, our locations, everything!

You encircle Me: (surround me) -> You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. -> this HEBREW word for encircled means “to guard a valuable object,” God’s knowledge and guidance are for your protection.

**Even though we are created to BE KNOWN, we are also prone to HIDE.

2.) God Is With Us Constantly (7-12)

Authorial Context: A Shepherd wrote this Psalm. God is revealed as a Shepherd to His People. Jesus came as “The Good Shepherd,” and does not lose His sheep! Why? He is always with you.

Joshua 1:5 I will never leave you or forsake you.

Matthew 28 Jesus final words: Lo, I am with you always!

V. 8-> Whether you are at the highest heights right now, or the lowest lows, IT DOES NOT CHANGE HIS PRESENCE.

HE IS THE CONSTANT. (Hebrews 13:8) -> The Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever.

V. 10-> Even There!

David was so assured of the constant presence of God’s hand of love and care that not even death and the grave could separate him from God’s love – as Paul would later write in Rom 8:38-39. In fact, God’s right hand – His hand of skill and strength – would hold David no matter what may come.

V. 10-> LEAD ME.

HOLD ON TO ME.

Even the night God’s presence with David was like a constant light in the darkness. As the pillar of cloud illuminated Israel in the wilderness (Exo 13:21), so with God’s presence the night shines as the day.

3.) God Made Us Wonderfully (v. 13-18)

God as our Creator: You are hand crafted Heb. Embroidered. Custom Made.

V. 14-> Made in His Image: IMAGO DEI. We were made remarkably and wondrously because God has made us IN HIS IMAGE.

The only appropriate response to this glorious doctrine is PRAISE.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God: David was filled with amazement and adoration by considering how God knew and cared for him.

Just the fact that someone is thinking about you strengthens the relationship.

The Bible is not just God’s instructions, but HIS THOUGHTS. He knows our thoughts; they are precious to Him. His thoughts ought to be precious to us. He shares His heart with us. His Wisdom with us. The level of which they are precious are the level to which we live them out! We cannot simply KNOW his thoughts, but TREASURE them and LIVE THEM to a world that desperately needs to KNOW GOD.

4.) God Judges Righteously (19-24)

Longing for righteousness and justice, NOT A SELFISH HATRED. (19-22)

Oh, that You would slay the wicked: David abruptly shifted from a spirit of wonder and adoration to intense prayer against the wicked and against bloodthirsty men. It wasn’t primarily because these men opposed David, but because they opposed God: for they speak against You wickedly.

David’s adoration filled him with zeal for God’s honor.

David was undeniably God’s partisan. He wanted to be on God’s side, and therefore even allowed himself to hate those who hated God.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: David came to the God of perfect knowledge and constant presence knowing He was also a God of love, and could be trusted to search him and to know him at the deepest levels. This is also an admission that God knew David better than David knew himself, and that he needed God to search and know him.

Try me and know my anxieties: David wanted God to examine him and look for worry. Such anxieties could be evidence of unbelief or misplaced trust.

See if there is any wicked way in me: David opened his soul completely before God, asking if there were any unknown or unperceived sins.

Lead me in the way everlasting: Trusting the God of complete knowledge and constant presence would bring David to everlasting life.

Sermon notes will be posted asap

Sermon notes will be added

Q: How do you know God is at work in a church?

Devoted to the Essentials (42)

4 Pillars Of Devotion For the early Church:

Aware & Amazed By God’s Activity (43)

**Celebrate→ If we’re going to accomplish these God-sized goals, it’s going to be because of the execution of a God’s sized Mission, and commitment to a God-sized vision. -> MOVE.

Unified In Vision & Mission (44)

Generous & Other’s Focused (45)

Hospitable & Authentic (46)

Do not underestimate your ability to reach others for Jesus by simply inviting them into your home to share a meal.

aphelótēs (a-fel-ah-tays) -> (derived from 1 /A "not" and phelleus, "stony ground") – properly, without rocks (the opposite of phelleus, "rocky land"), i.e. smoothness (a level plain); (figuratively) what is uncomplicated and unencumbered, i.e. without hindrances or stumbling blocks.

Worshipful & Grace Filled (47a)

Growing & Effective In Leading Other’s To Jesus (47b)

Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Why would you share all that about your get-together without inviting someone?

We do this in regards to our faith. Tell people facts about Jesus. Serve others. But no invitation to come and follow Him.

A Gospel Message Without An Invitation Is Just A Lecture. We must declare the truth, and INVITE people to respond. We are not called to lecture, we are called to proclaim the truth and to participate in God’s work to save people from their sin/His judgment.

**Biblical Preaching contains a please to respond: an invitation

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Questions accompany --> genuine conviction

What do they ask?: What must we do??-->

4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing[a] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? -Romans 2:4 CSB

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off…….as many as the Lord our God will call.”

40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

4 Questions:

1. ) Have you experienced conviction of your sin? What is your next step?

2. ) Have you genuinely repented of a life centered around sin?

3.) Have you placed your faith in Christ, and been made right with God through Him?

4.) Have you made a firm resolve to proclaim the gospel, no matter the cost?

5.) Have you made your faith public by following Jesus into the waters of baptism?

“Taking A Stand” The First Sermon

What Happened? The Spirit Had Come (14-21)

⦁ Peter stood up: contrast with his cowardice just weeks earlier (wouldn’t even identify with Christ). The Presence of Jesus and the Power of His Spirit gives us the courage and anointing to STAND UP for the gospel.

⦁ At the heart of great preaching is a genuine heart for the people. The best testimonies are accompanied by a genuine concern for the recipients of that testimony.

i. (Peter) introduces the first of three Old Testament passages Peter will quote: Joel 2:28-32, Psa 16:8-11, and Psa 110:1.

Let’s look @ v. 16-21->

⦁ Joel mostly prophesied about judgment that was coming to ancient Israel. Yet in the midst of the many warnings of judgment, God also gave several words of promise – promises of future blessing, like this one that announces an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

⦁ Joel’s words furnish the explanation of this first Pentecost, though this does not finish their fulfillment.

v. JOEL 2:28-29 mark the beginning of the end of the world and the establishment of God’s Kingdom Joel 2:30-31.

NOW BUT NOT YET:

So Joel 2:28-32 is not fulfilled here in Acts 2 but is fulfilled in a “NOW, BUT NOT YET,” fashion.

⦁ We get a glimpse of the end times here: Signs, Wonders, Blood, fire, Smoke, no sun or moon, darkness and blood. God’s wrath against sin will come. He is a Righteous Judge and will have His Holy Vengeance.

The inhabiting of His Spirit, and the inauguration of The Spirit’s activity through the Church, The Body of Christ, who is going to bring His Kingdom to earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

How Did It Happen? Jesus Died & Rose (22-35)

⦁ Highlighting of Jesus’ humanity and divinity. The hypostatic union.

⦁ Setting up an indictment Foundation was God’s Sovereignty & Omniscience.

Crucifixion: -> 50 days after.

⦁ (though**) God’s determined plan -> Gk. Horizo appointed or designated. Not merely fated but ASSIGNED TO CARRY OUT A MISSION.

⦁ You used You nailed You killed. You are responsible.

⦁ Jesus raised (v. 24) The power of the Father is linked to the power of the Son. God raised Him-> The Father Via the Spirit’s Power who is inextricably linked to work within the Trinity. The power is at work in concert because IT IS THE SAME POWER.

⦁ 24b Death could not hold Jesus -> Jesus’ Power and Might NOT POSSIBLE for death to hold him. BECAUSE HE. IS. LIFE.

⦁ John 1:5 The light was in the world, and the darkness did not overcome it

v. 27 Your Holy One was not David, but Jesus!

Your Holy One: Jesus bore the full wrath of God on the cross, as if He were a guilty sinner, guilty of all our sin, even being made sin for us (2Co 5:21). Yet, that work was an act of holy, giving love for us, so that Jesus Himself did not become a sinner, even though He bore the full guilt of our sin.

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see decay: Because Jesus bore our sin without becoming a sinner, He remained the Holy One, even in His death. Since it is incomprehensible that God’s Holy One should be bound by death, the resurrection was absolutely inevitable.

v. 28-> The paths of life & true joy is found in Christ alone! In His Presence!

⦁ Jesus is The Son Of David (fulfillment of the Davidic Cov. 2 Samuel 7). -> v.30

⦁ It is a verifiable fact: JESUS ROSE FROM THE GRAVE. -> v.32

⦁ The Resurrection = We are all witnesses of this.

Let’s move to the doctrine of the Ascension:

⦁ In this Psalm, King David – by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – recorded that Yahweh, Israel’s covenant God (The LORD), spoke to David’s Lord (my Lord) as God. Peter used this to show that the Messiah, who is the focus of Psalms 110, is in fact Divine – He is God.

⦁ Psalm 110:1

⦁ WHERE IS JESUS NOW? SEATED Jesus is at the right hand of the Father!

⦁ Jesus took the position of supremacy over the entire universe!

⦁ God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Messiah.

⦁ Jesus has been VINDICATED by the Father through the power of the SPIRIT.

Scene 1: The Church Waiting For The Spirit (2:1)

What is the day of Pentecost?:

The Day of Pentecost: This was a Jewish feast held 50 days after The Feast of Firstfruits. It celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest.

Their prayers did not bring about Pentecost—but it prepared them for a powerful move of God!

Uniqueness of Pentecost: They were about to experience a once-for-all event that will not be repeated. The Church may regularly experience a filling and overflow of the work and activity of the Holy Spirit, but…

"we would not ask for another Pentecost any more than we would ask for another Calvary." –Wiersbe.

Scene 2: The Church Worshipping The Lord (2:2-13)

The Spirit came (2-3)

Difference in Spirit’s Activity throughout human history….

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” –John 14:16-17

We must understand this passage in light of this biblical context.

When you isolate passages from their biblical context, miss the symbolism, and over apply passages in a hyper literal way, you end up with false teaching.

The WIND FROM HEAVEN (audible): The Breath Of God

The FIRE FROM HEAVEN (visible): The Presence of God

Tongues of fire: Symbolized the powerful witness of the church to the people.

The Spirit baptized (1:5)

Remember the prophecy of the baptism of the Spirit we talked about a couple of weeks ago? Let’s look at Acts 1:5 for a reminder…

5"for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

The Spirit filled (4)

-Ephesians 5:18 be filled with the Spirit.

-This is not about having MORE of the Spirit, but about the Spirit having MORE of us!

-When you are Spirit filled, We walk according to the Spirit. Spirit Led. -> The Fruits of the Spirit grow.

Being filled with the Spirit means that you are living under the power, influence, and wisdom of the Spirit of God. (Romans 8/Gal. 5)

The Spirit spoke (5-13)

A crowd came together

Praising God-> not preaching the gospel. -> Magnificent acts of God!

Used KNOWN LANGUAGES, not an “unknown tongue.” -> v. 6 & 8 HIS OWN.

We must assume that unless instructed elsewhere in Scripture, that the instances of speaking in tongues in other biblical passages are an identical experience. Believers praising God in the Spirit, in languages that are known.

Another Great Reversal: (Gen. 11:1-9) -> Acts 2.

Babel: Confusion-Not able to understand one another

Pentecost: Clarity-Men heard different languages and understood what was being said about God, and praised HIM!

Babel: Pride-Scheme designed to praise men and make a name for men.

Pentecost: Humility-Glory was brought to God!

Babel: Judgment-God judged mankind and scattered the people

Pentecost: Grace-God’s blessing united the People and brought them together.

Overview: How to Discern God’s Will

-So how do we know what God wants? Vs. Just what we want? How do we make important decisions with His Will in mind?

-United In Prayer with the Saints: (12-14)

-Abiding in God’s Word (15-22)

-Sold Out to God’s Will (23-26)

United In Prayer with the Saints: (12-14)

-FIRST mention of what the disciples who had witnessed the resurrected Jesus were found doing, and where they were found doing it.

-Upper Room: they knew the upper room was the perfect place to wait.

Why?

-They had been there (or somewhere similar) with Jesus.

-They were safe in the upper room, obeying–waiting to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.

-So, what were they doing in the upper room?

they were continually united in prayer —with all the fellow believers and worshipers of Jesus.

-Don’t miss the corporate nature of prayer→ different than our hyper-individualized culture.

- Community was at the heart of God, and at the heart of those who had been changed by Jesus.

The Problem: They were concerned with replacing Judas in the lineup of the original 12 disciples.

-They were also rightly concerned with the advancement of the gospel.

-We should weigh our decisions by whether or not the Kingdom of God and His Gospel is advanced or hindered.

--They had an important decision to make, SO THEY PRAYED.

-Prayer is not asking God to bless what we have decided is good but pleading with the Lord to be gracious to us by giving us discernment, and those around us discernment, in what would be wise and glorifying to Him.

Abiding in God’s Word (15-22)

There is no better way to know and carry out God’s will than to LIVE. ABIDE. IN HIS WORD.

-The people who know God’s will the best know His Word.

We are not just planting a church but are in the middle of a movement in the making. That’s not normal!

-SCAN -> GOD’S WORD.

-SUFFICIENT

-CLEAR

-AUTHORITATIVE

-NECESSARY

God has revealed everything necessary for our redemption & sanctification.

Want to know his concealed will? Start with His revealed will.

-We learn specifically about The Holy Spirit of God that HE is the ultimate author of Scripture, with men as His mouthpiece.

-“Book of Man” objection→ No, it is God’s book

Recap of Judas: (Mt. 27:1-5) Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of 30 pieces of silver.

-is filled with remorse

-returns the 30 pieces of silver back to the lead priests and elders.

-acknowledges his sin, and betrayal of “an innocent man.”

-takes his own life by hanging himself.

-Jeremiah 32:6-9 is fulfilled.

- Psalm 69:25 is applied to Judas. Psalm 109:8 is used as the rationale for finding a replacement for Judas.

-These Psalms have in view wicked traitors who are enemies of God’s King. Peter basically says Judas fits the bill.

-Again-we should look to our Bibles to make sense of this dark, confusing world we live in. The Word is truly a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path.

-By filling Judas’ office, the church was acknowledging and valuing the need for key eyewitness testimony to the gospel in the days immediately following Jesus’ departure.

-They valued the apostolic role, which was to provide immediate authoritative leadership from those who had been WITH JESUS in the flesh!

Sold Out to God’s Will (23-26)

Jesus→ Luke 22:42

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me — nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Certain of God’s Sovereignty → You know everyone’s hearts

Completely consumed with the WILL OF GOD. -> SHOW US who YOU have chosen.

Just like Jesus…the early church was SOLD OUT to the perfect will of God. Wherever you lead, Whatever you want Lord, MY YES IS ON THE TABLE.