If you recall, we labeled Ch 3 as a -for instance- kind of chapter. Back in Ch 2, Luke-told us that many wonders - signs were done through the apostles -Vs 43-. Ch 3 gave us a--for instance-. A specific wonder, a specific sign that the Holy Spirit highlighted for us. Not-only for the purpose of seeing the power - authority of the name of J.C. of Nazareth at-work in a miraculous way that afforded Peter another opportunity to preach the gospel --the resurrection of Jesus. But also, so that we might see the exact moment that the church-began to experience the pressures of persecution.

There was -shock - awe- on Solomon's porch. A man, lame from birth had just been-healed by a miracle performed through the apostle Peter - the people were blown away--The beggar was hoping to simply be sustained in his broken condition, but God didn't-want to sustain him, He wanted to save Him.

Acts 3-1-12

Last week we heard the powerful preaching of the apostle Peter. It was the Day of-Pentecost. Jews were in Jerusalem from all over the known world. The Spirit had been-poured out, people had heard these Galileans -kind of the grammatically challenged of-their day- speaking -perfectly- the wonderful works of God in languages -previously--they'd never known. It was blowing them away--They'd heard the sound of the Spirit being poured out, they'd seen something that-resembled tongues of fire resting upon each of the disciples. Some were amazed, others-mocked, accused them of being drunk. Peter -upon hearing that- immediately stood up to-address the unsupported allegation - bring clarification through the word of God.

We left off at what we might call a -critical crossroad- in the scriptures. The Day of--Pentecost had fully come. The Holy Spirit had been poured out accompanied by the--deafening sound of a rushing mighty wind - something like a pillar of fire that appeared in--the midst of the disciples - began parting this way - that- shooting off, evidently in every--direction until something that looked like tongues of fire was at rest upon each one of--them -there were about 120 of them present at that time-.

The power, the purpose - the pattern. These are the things that Jesus was--instructing His disciples in just prior to His ascension.

How would Jesus reach the world once He was no longer in the world- There was--good news- that needed to get out. Jesus had lived a sinless life, suffered - died to pay the-penalty of sin - rose again on the 3rd day -never to die again- that all who would turn from-their sin - believe in Him would never perish but have everlasting life--However, the plan wasn't for Him to remain indefinitely upon the earth, but rather-to resume His rightful place at the right hand of God upon the -completion of His mission--to suffer - die as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world- So then,-how could He reach the world- Himself being no longer physically in the world- All of that-unfolds for us in the book of Acts.-It's been called, -The Acts of the Apostles-. In reality, it's the ongoing activity of the-Holy Spirit -upon the earth- after the ascension of Christ. We might even call it, -The-continuing work of Christ through His church.-